320 Note on the Mijjertheyn Somalees. [No. 149. 



The valleys between these ranges are uniformly well wooded with 

 mimosas and acacias, and exhibit in the rugged water-courses that in- 

 tersect them, strong proofs of occasional heavy torrents from the hills. 

 An ample supply of pasturage for the flocks is afforded by these valleys 

 during the N. E. monsoon, but during the hot months they are alike 

 destitute of water and grass. 



On the extreme Eastern point of Africa, a tract of sandy country 

 extends about nine miles to the North of the range of Jerd Hafoon, 

 (commonly Guardafui,) forming the promontory of Ras Asseyr, which is 

 a limestone cliff perpendicular in its Northern face, and gradually 

 sloping away to the Southward. A few stunted bushes scattered over 

 the sand hills somewhat relieve the eye, and after a few showers of 

 rain, sufficient grass springs up to support a few half-starved goats and 

 sheep. During an excursion that I made up the Jerd Hafoon range, 

 I found the frankincense and gum arable growing at a very trifling 

 elevation above the sea, certainly not more than 400 feet. At 1,500 

 feet the dragon's blood tree was found, exactly similar to that of So- 

 cotra, and on the summit of the table land, aloes in abundance, with the 

 gum tragacanth, &c. 



The tribe apparently know little or nothing of their origin ; their 

 traditions indeed give their descent from the noble Arab family of 

 Hasheur, whose grand-son, Jabarti bin Ismail, being obliged to flee 

 from his own country, was wrecked on this coast, and falling in with a 

 fisherman of the Haweea tribe, married his daughter, who with her 

 father embraced the religion of Islam. Their descendants gradually 

 expelled the original tenants of the country, and eventually became 

 masters of the soil. 



In speaking of their country, they frequently give it the name of 

 " Darroad" which was one of the names of Jabarti bin Ismail, and some 

 two or three houses still exist in Mecca, which the Mijjertheyn affect 

 to consider as peculiarly belonging to the pilgrims from their tribe, on 

 account of their having been erected by their great Arab forefathers. 



They repel with scorn the supposition that they were probably at 

 one time a branch of the Galla, but always speak with great compla- 

 cency of their Arab descent, especially dwelling upon their early ac- 

 ceptance of the tenets of Islam. 



