108 TWO DIANAS IN SOMALILAND 



of, much less seen, and even our learned tome of a 

 medical work failed to identify many. It was very 

 pathetic, as we were so helpless. The poor things re- 

 garded the book as some saviour come to succour them. 



There was enough occupation before us to keep a 

 doctor busy for weeks, that much we could see. We 

 only dared venture on the simplest plain-sailing cases, 

 and even if we had used up our entire stock of medicine 

 and remedies required for our own use it would have 

 been a drop in the ocean of trouble here. We gave 

 presents as a consoler to the worst of the invalids, and 

 then, lest they should all return again on the morrow, 

 we folded our tents like the Arabs and silently stole 

 away. 



One of our own men required our attention after 

 this. He showed all the symptoms of ptomaine poison- 

 ing, and ferreting into the matter I found that — well 

 fed as he was — he had gone after the contents of a tin 

 of beef I had my doubts of, and which I threw away 

 over the zareba fence, and had consumed the stuff. I 

 was exceedingly vexed, because I had told all the men 

 standing about at the time that the tin was bad and 

 would poison any one. Is it not odd that people — 

 especially men — always want and like that which is 

 denied them ? If we could only get at the truth of it, I 

 expect we should find that in taking the forbidden fruit 

 in the Garden of Eden Eve did it at the express wish 

 of Adam who wanted it badly, and had not the moral 

 courage to take it for himself. By the way, it may not 

 be generally known that quite a lot of learned people 

 claim that Eden existed in Somaliland. 



