yourney to the Galla Country, i6i 
man's hand against them ; they were the Ishmael- 
ites— the Bedouins, if you please — of Africa. They 
were regarded, not only as a brave and powerful, but 
an extremely barbarous and ferocious people. They 
were reported to be addicted to perpetration of deeds 
the most shocking, such as we cannot even hint at, 
much less describe here. And it is a remarkable fact 
that while the Arabs and Wasuahili had travelled 
over the whole of the country south of the Galla- 
land, and had established friendly relations with 
most of the tribes, not only along the coast but 
for hundreds of miles inland, yet up to the time of 
which we write none of their trading parties had ever 
ventured into the Galla-land, and they would have 
looked upon a proposition to do so as the act of a 
madman. They were dumbfounded when we told 
them we were going to the Gallas. Why," said 
they, we have not ventured to do this. Do you 
know what the Gallas are } They are the most 
remorseless savages in the country. You may 
go among them, but you will never come back 
again." 
Having such a people to deal with, we thought it 
wise to do nothing to excite their antipathy unneces- 
sarily ; but, on the other hand, to do our best to con- 
ciliate them. Therefore, as they might have taken 
umbrage — and not unreasonably, all things considered 
— by being suddenly pounced upon by such strangers 
as ourselves, we decided to send for some of their 
leading men, that an amicable arrangement might be 
made with them. 
Then came the question, for whom should we send t 
For a long time we could not ascertain satisfactorily 
II 
