258 MEANING OF " GALLA." 



to land a large party of us, Keouck and another 

 begged a passage in it. When, however, they found 

 it was going to land at Beeka, opposite the ship, they 

 got into a dreadful fright; said that Beeka was "gall a, 

 galla;" and that Mammoos would kill or strike them, 

 " Mammoos aress ;" and they would not be pacified 

 till promised they should not be put ashore there, 

 but taken back to the ship when we had landed. 



They mentioned Dzoom having shot at the Captain 

 at Beeka the day before, joining it with the expres- 

 sion, " Beeka galla " This makes me think that 

 " galla" may have a signification similar to " taboo" 

 among the Polynesians, and that Beeka was now 

 tabooed, and that our landing there was an offence 

 against their customs, for which the arrows were 

 shot yesterday ; but that now they considered us as 

 above the taboo, and at liberty to do as we pleased. 



They also said that the east point of the island, 

 which they called Kaiderry, was " galla," and if I 

 understood them rightly, that there was still war 

 between Kaiderry and Keriam. At all events, on 

 walking across I found several huts between Kaiderry 

 and Moggor shut up, and the paths through the 

 mangrove cove to the west of Kaiderry crossed by 

 stout lines and bamboos, tied from tree to tree, as 

 if to give notice of there being no communication. 

 They received us at Kaiderry with their usual 

 friendly welcome, and two parties of our officers 

 walked completely round the island. The latter of 

 these (Dr. Muirhead and Mr. Walsh) having de- 



