210 



PHYSICAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



were spread out before the Somali houses; and a curious sight was 

 offered by the gulls and terns persisting in obtaining a share, in spite 

 of the boys who were in attendance; for as a general thing in these 

 countries, no one thinks of molesting or frightening the brute crea- 

 tion. 



The men commonly wore a wooden pin for the hair, or a three- 

 toothed wooden comb, both articles corresponding to those used by 

 the Feejeeans : but unlike the state of things among the last-named 

 people, the Somali offered instances of baldness. The head was 

 always uncovered, in both old and young; and lads sometimes had 

 it shaven. Regularly towards evening, the men would assemble to 

 throw the javelin; but their performances were trifling in comparison 

 with those of the South Sea islanders. Several of the Somali boys 

 spoke a little English, which they had acquired at Aden; and on one 

 occasion, I found them somewhat free with their tongues, now that 

 they were beyond the reach of English rule. 



During the five weeks I spent at Mocha, from the latter part of 

 April throughout the month of May, the temperature did not fall be- 

 low 90° Fahrenheit. The Somali, however, did not appear to be in- 

 commoded by the intense heat ; and that they enjoy more robust 

 health than the Arabs, was a subject of common remark among the 

 inhabitants of Mocha. 



I learned that some years ago, " an English vessel anchored at Ber- 

 bera, on the Somali coast; when the captain with others having 

 landed, the natives took advantage of the circumstance to drao- the 

 vessel ashore and pillage the cargo." Payment of damages having 

 been promptly enforced by the Anglo-Indian authorities, the affair 

 was said to have had a salutary influence throughout the vicinity. 

 A trader who once visited Berbera, informed me, that the natives, 

 after working together daring the day, would repair to the beach to 

 fight; often, until some of their number were badly wounded, or 

 even left dead upon the ground. 



There were no Somali at Zanzibar, at the time of my visit to that 

 place; but during the other monsoon, they were reported to arrive in 

 great numbers ; consisting as it appeared, chiefly if not e.xclusivel}^ 

 of persons who belong to the vicinity of Brava and Mukdusha. My 

 Soahili interpreter, Sadik, recognised a Somali comb which I brought 

 from Mocha, and he was aware of the custom of staining the hair. He 

 stated of the Southern Somali, that "they have many books., which 



