245 
of Edinburgh, Session 1884-85. 
son, who also inherits the chief’s private property. The local 
government is carried on by each chief independently, hut they are 
all responsible to the sultan for maintaining order in their respective 
districts. The people are not allowed to appeal from the chiefs 
decision to the sultan, and their only means of redress under 
oppression is to rise against their chief, which action is usually 
followed by the sultan’s interference, who either compels the people 
to submit, or removes the chief, as the case may be. The chiefs are 
compelled to pay certain taxes to the sultan, which they must present 
in person. No one is allowed to speak to the sultan directly, but 
only by means of a go-between. 
Laws . — Any person may occupy as much unappropriated land as 
he pleases without paying for it. Encroachments on land are 
prevented by thorn hedges, broad paths, or ridges of earth, which are 
employed as boundaries. Game is not preserved ; it may be killed 
whenever found. If a man dies without heirs, or leaves the country 
without giving up his land to a successor, it may be reoccupied by 
any one who chooses. Land is either left to daughters or to the 
youngest son, that is, if they are still infants, for their support until 
they are married ; it is subsequently equally divided amongst them. 
The elder sons are supposed to be able to occupy land for them- 
selves. As a rule, a father leaves nearly all his personal property 
to his youngest son. If he should die without any special orders to 
this effect, the first wife’s children draw lots for the property, and 
thus divide the cattle, grain, &c., between them. Smaller parts of 
the property, however, are in the hands of the other wives, for their 
own support and that of their children, and these goods and cattle are 
divided amongst their children on the father’s death. There is no 
provision made for the widows, as they mostly marry soon after 
their husband’s death. When a man is thought to be dying he 
sends for two puggees to hear his will, and they are charged with 
the carrying of it out. If a man dies without a puggee being present, 
except in war, he is thought to die like a dog. 
The chiefs and puggees are the judges. Persons who are waiting 
for trial are chained and kept in a hut by themselves. Strangers 
are never put to death except for murder. Suspicious-looking 
strangers entering a village are confined in a hut until they can give 
a good account of themselves. Failing this, they are escorted by 
