40 THROUGH SOMALILAND AND ABYSSINIA CHAP. 
The tribes near the northern coast most addicted to raiding 
appear to be the Jibril Abokr sub-tribe of the Habr Awal, the 
Mahamud Gerad Dolbahanta, and the Eidegalla, Habr Gerhajis. 
Late caravans, going into the interior in the beginning of Gu by 
the Mandeira route, are liable to be raided by the Jibril Abokr, 
parties of whom come from Arabsiyo, by Argan, to the low Assa 
Range, an extensive tract of broken country, and there wait for 
several days together on the chance of catching caravans on 
their way through the Murgo and Jerdéto Passes. The time is 
chosen when the Esa Musa and Habr Gerhajis are absent in Ogo 
and Haud searching for pasture, and have left unoccupied the 
stretch of country below the passes. The marauders, hiding in 
broken ground and deep ravines, will subsist for a long time on 
stolen camels, picked up here and there, until a sufficiently large 
caravan yields arich harvest of camels and property, with which 
the robbers decamp to their own country. 
Caravans travelling from Berbera to Hargeisa, Milmil, and the 
south-west, fearful of danger, will go directly south by Sheikh, 
and thence round by Toyo Plain, to Hargeisa. The Sheikh Pass 
is also used by caravans fearing to go into the interior by the 
Gaha and other eastern passes, which are annually threatened by 
the Mahamud Gerad; but both the Sheikh and Jerdto Passes 
have been greatly improved, both in point of safety and prac- 
ticability, by the British within the last few years. 
When water and grass are to be had for the horses, the 
Mahamud Gerad, Dolbahanta, and the coast section of the Habr 
Gerhajis organise strong mounted bands, which sweep through 
the Duss and Gaha Passes, and raid sometimes as far as 
Biyogéra and the Berbera maritime plain, carrying off everything 
they can steal, and retiring at once. They often make raids in 
the Waredad Plain above the Huguf Pass in the Habr Toljaala 
country, and few are the caravans which have the hardihood to 
come through this country by the Haliélo route. In fact, the 
Mahamud Gerad raids from the east, across the caravan routes 
to the Ogadén and Marehan countries, do, or did, immense harm 
to the Berbera trade. 
In the Dolbahanta country we found many natives with hides 
piled in their karias ready to be taken to Berbera, but fearing to 
risk them on the road. One caravan took advantage of the 
protection afforded by our escort to pass through the disturbed 
Bur Dab district. That caravans have persisted in crossing the 
country at all in face of the dangers to which they have always 
