SOMALI ETHNOLOGY 
17 
the sheikh’s decision we never had any trouble on this point. 
It is an important one, for a gash in the skin from ear to ear is 
very unsightly in a valuable trophy when set up in England. 
The fastidiousness of Somalis varies according to circum- 
stances. They say all game is dry, and will not generally eat 
birds or fish, and despise all other food if there is a fat sheep to 
be procured. Not eating birds, their ignorance about them is 
extraordinary, and I believe very few species have distinctive 
names. 
The life of a Somali includes many interesting observances, 
which unfold themselves day by day in the course of a journey. 
Some are very regular in their prayers and prostrations at the 
orthodox hours, praying for all they are worth, in season or out 
of it ; others seldom or never pray. When on the G&lla frontier, 
however, I noticed that my followers, in view of approaching 
death, became very devout, and mustered in great force in line 
for the daily church parade at sunset, no one being absent ; and 
all day on the frontier the Somali looks for a prowling enemy 
under every bush, fingering his tusba or chaplet to keep away evil. 
When the new moon appears he plucks a tussock of grass 
and holds it in flattering compliment between the slender 
crescent and his eyes, to keep them from being dazzled by the 
light. If he sees a tortoise he stands upon it, first casting off 
his sandals, believing, I think, that the soles of his feet will 
thereby be hardened ; but whatever the motive may be, the act 
is commonly practised. 
One of the chief faults of the Somali is carelessness. When 
a caravan moves off in the early morning there is generally a 
forgotten camel or straying sheep to be hunted for, which has 
perhaps wandered miles away into the bush. The men who 
have not to lead camels linger round the camp-fires warming 
their spears, thereby storing up heat for ten minutes longer to 
comfort their hands on their cold morning march. There is a 
great deal of shouting to the stragglers to bring things left 
behind. On our Abyssinian frontier reconnaissance our men 
temporarily lost, at different times, our goats, three Arab riding 
camels, the horse, a flock of sheep, and one or two baggage 
camels, besides two boxes of Martini-Henry ammunition. The 
man who loses or forgets a thing generally remembers the 
omission after travelling about fifteen miles, and then cheerfully 
trots back to get it, returning perhaps at noon next day. He is 
philosophical as to results, for if he loses your property, is it 
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