86 WOMEN OF ADAL. 



different in figure from the female slaves brought 

 down from Abyssinia. These latter are particularly 

 plump, with roundly formed and fleshy limbs, and 

 of rather short stature, whilst the Adal women are 

 thin, muscular, and tall. The latter, too, were con- 

 siderably more vivacious and active, and the 

 characters of their features were as decidedly 

 different as the chief points of their figure. I have 

 before observed, that the genuine Dankalli belongs 

 to the Circassian variety ; but I shall not stay here to 

 form farther comparisons with the Abyssinians, but 

 will wait till I arrive in that country, and can bring 

 my subjects properly before the reader. 



The older women were repulsive looking witches 

 with dependent breasts, like old black butter skins, 

 lying empty and flat upon the chest. This dis- 

 gusting appearance is produced by the constant 

 pressure of the band placed over the shoulders, 

 and across the breast, and which secures whatever 

 burden the woman is carrying behind her. They 

 invariably have something stowed away in this 

 manner, either a child, a bundle of split doom 

 leaves for plaiting, an odd bundle of salt, or a large 

 skin full of milk. It is generally suspended from 

 the chest upon the loins, and the constant pressure, 

 in the course of time has the effect of completely 

 obliterating the glandular portion of the breasts, 

 leaving only two long double flaps of black skin, 

 to tell where once the fountains of life had been. 

 They had a constant habit of tapping the mouth 



