34 THROUGH SOMALILAND AND ABYSSINIA CX 
not very flattering to either. But he could not have seen 
best stamp of pony among the Gadabursi, and we have noti 
that the tribes farther to the east were not so cruel as 
Gadabursi, a man often dismounting and walking to save 
animal. 
The few ponies which are kept in waterless tracts, as a gu 
for the grazing camels, receive each a daily allowance of 
milk of two camels mixed with a quart of water, the la’ 
being brought from great distances. They are never used 
pack animals, being too valuable in the eyes of the Somdli 
be degraded by doing donkey’s work. Mules are sometil 
used on the Zeila-Harar road, but are found nowhere else 
Somaliland, to my knowledge. , 
We tried the best Somali ponies ridden by their owr 
against an ordinary 14.1 “Gulf Arab” imported from Bomt 
which was ridden by my brother. The Somali invaria 
jumped off with a good start, keeping it for about one hund 
and fifty yards, and then dropping hopelessly behind when o 
the advantage of the start was lost. 
Donkeys are not much used for transport except on 
Zeila-Harar roads, where the country is stony. They are larg 
employed in taking salt and rice from Zeila to Harar, a bag 
rice weighing one hundred and seventy pounds, or half a ca 
load, being carried by each. Only women ride donkeys, 
Somali man considering it beneath his dignity to do so. 
When surveying in 1886, with a small escort of Bom 
Infantry sepoys, I provided each man with a donkey, either 
ride or to carry his valise and water-bottle on, according 
inclination. There were twelve men so mounted, and 
experiment proved a great success. The donkeys were dri 
herded together by two little boys. The escort was compc 
partly of these men and partly of Hindustani _policer 
mounted on ponies, carrying carbines in saddle-buckets. In 
later journeys, however, finding that the natives of Hindus! 
being used to plenty of water, were at a great disadvant 
when crossing waterless tracts, I formed the escort purely 
well-drilled Somalis, and this arrangement proved less expen: 
and better adapted to the requirements of the country. 
Cattle are kept chiefly by the tribes inhabiting hilly cour 
where water is plentiful, and by the mullahs in their settleme 
Cow’s milk is generally tainted by the smoked vessels in wl 
it is kept, and to obtain good milk it is necessary to see 
