PATRIARCHAL RULE. 359 



brought his father to my assistance, I should not 

 have got rid of them, even to take my usual siesta 

 in the afternoon. A few words from him soon dis- 

 persed the crowd, who, like a lot of children, with- 

 out a word or look to the contrary, obeyed the old 

 man in a way I could wish to see, the younger 

 members of civilized society pay attention, to the 

 expressed wishes of their seniors. 



The government of the Dankalli tribes is strictly 

 patriarchal. Power concentrates naturally to elders 

 distinguished for valour and wisdom, in a state of 

 society where the fools and cowards are sure to 

 be cut oif in the earlier part of life. The daily 

 occurrence of quarrels between themselves and 

 other tribes, tends to cultivate caution and policy 

 in naturally clever minds, to avoid the violent and 

 fatal results of giving way to sudden passion. A 

 long life of trial must produce, therefore, that 

 memory of experience, and that penetration of judg- 

 ment, which is so characteristic of the chiefs we 

 meet with, on our road through Adal. After all, 

 the axiom that knowledge is power, is the secret of 

 the great influence possessed by the elders, among 

 this people as among all others. Every old man 

 here is a sage, and must be well versed in the 

 philosophy of human nature,' taught by an educa- 

 tion of many years' exposure, to the fatal conse- 

 quences attendant upon unrestrained anger, or 

 unprepared valour. 



