26 
THROUGH SOMALILAND AND ABYSSINIA 
CH. I 
mullahs, who enjoy a certain immunity from raids, alone dare 
settle down and cultivate ; and now that many of the old wells 
and tanks have fallen into disuse and ruin, the water-supply 
could only be restored by a great expenditure of capital, for 
which there would perhaps be no adequate return for some 
generations. 
