TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 27 



What he could not cook was not worth cooking. 

 Altogether we seemed in for a good time as far as meals 

 were concerned. 



Meanwhile Clarence had produced from somewhere 

 about forty-five camels, and I judged it about time to 

 launch a little of the knowledge I was supposed to have 

 gathered from my shikari uncle. I told Clarence I 

 would personally see and pass every camel we bought 

 for the trip, and prepared for an inspection in the 

 Square. I suffered the most frightful discomfort, in 

 the most appalling heat, but I did not regret it, as I 

 really do think my action prevented our having any 

 amount of useless camels being thrust upon us. 



Assume a virtue if you have it not. The pretence at 

 knowledge took in the Somalis, and I went up some 

 miles in their estimation. 



As I say, some of the camels offered were palpably 

 useless, and were very antediluvian indeed. I refused 

 any camel with a sore back, or with any tendency that 

 way, and I watched with what looked like the most 

 critical and knowing interest the manner of kneeling. 

 The animal must kneel with fore and hind legs together, 

 or there is something wrong. I can't tell you what. 

 My uncle merely said, darkly, " something." Of course 

 I found out age by the teeth, an operation attended with 

 much snapping and Somali cuss-words. The directions 

 about teeth had grown very confused in my mind, and 

 all I stuck to was the pith of the narrative, namely, 

 that a camel at eight years old has molars and canines. 

 I forget the earlier ages with attendant incisors. Then 

 another condition plain to be seen was the hump. Even 



