152 
SOMALILAND 
In the evening I held a spear-throwing competition, two 
of my men throwing over 100 yards. The art of throwing 
a spear is only acquired after an enormous amount of 
practice. No great strength is required ; it is simply a 
knack. No white man can throw a spear equal to a black ; 
in fact, very few white men can throw one 20 yards. 
The headman of a village came to me to settle a row for 
him. He said that the night before a man and woman had 
AIIEMET MEIIEMET AND MURIAN TiAYDlL. 
gone to the well. The man descended to get water, when 
the woman suddenly shouted : ‘ Quick ! a man comes.’ Up 
jumped the man in the well, and thrust his spear neatly 
through the approaching man’s abdomen. He then thought 
it about time to ask, ‘ Who are you V and the wounded 
man answered, ‘ One of your own tribe,’ and immediately 
expired on the spot. Then there were ructions. 
I told him I had enough quarrels of my own without 
being mixed up in his, so he retired under a tree, and 
