EUROPEAN COMPOUND OF BERBER A 
9 
who roared with laughter at every word the poor man 
uttered. 
One day I was going down to the native town to deposit 
my money with a Mr. Mahomed Hindi, a merchant there, 
when I trod upon a small thick snake lying in the sand, 
which it exactly resembled in colour. Luckily, I got off 
without a bite. 
The European compound of Berbera is an extremely 
picturesque little place. There is a Political Ilesident’s 
bungalow, an Engineer’s bungalow — now turned into a 
traveller’s bungalow — a court-house, a hospital — now 
getting very short of funds, I am sorry to hear — and a 
prison. Every day the prisoners march up and down to 
their various occupations, clanking the chains attached to 
iron collars round their legs, and attended by armed Sikhs 
as policemen. Theft and assault were the commonest 
offences. All the prisoners seemed very jolly, and ‘ bucked ’ 
away to each other, making a great noise. They seemed 
to have very little to do, plenty of society and gossip, and 
lots of food. In fact, many men in the town used to steal 
on purpose to get into such good society. 
It was very hot in Berbera until about 4 p.m., when a 
strong wind sprang up. I then had my pony saddled, and 
rode out into the desert maritime plain, which extends to 
the first hills south of the town, some fifteen miles off. This 
plain is covered with little thorn-bushes about 2 feet 
high, with an occasional ant-heap of large size. 
In the hospital some fearful cases of consumption and 
starvation are always being treated. The women appeared 
to be by far the most troublesome people in Berbera, either 
dying of starvation or beating and scratching the eyes of 
their friends and relations. Whilst I was there I saw one 
poor old woman, supposed to be mad, who was extremely 
aggressive and dangerous, rushing after anyone she took a 
fancy to, and belabouring him or her with a thick stick. 
She was at length got rid of, her friends being paid to take 
her into the jungle on a camel, and leave her in a village 
