Their Large Herds Are Confined At Night Within Zareebas Or Kraals.
These
are formidable defences.
The cattle zareeba is a circular stockade
formed of a hard wood called by the Arabs abou-noos or abdnoos (ebony).
This is an intensely hard black wood somewhat resembling ebony. Piles as
thick as a man's thigh are sunk in the earth, so as to leave a fence or
stockade of about eight feet high above the surface; these piles are
placed as close as possible together, and interlaced by tough hooked
thorns, which when dry and contracted bind the stockade into a very
compact defence. The entrance to this fort is only sufficiently large to
admit one animal at a time; thus the herd can be easily counted. Within
the stockade are several houses, in addition to a few large circular
sheds for the protection of young calves. The sheep and goats are kept
in a separate zareeba.
All the operations of the Baris are conducted by signals given by the
drum, precisely as our military movements are directed by bugle-calls.
The great drum that belongs to the headman or sheik, is suspended
beneath an open shed, so that it is always protected from weather, and
at the same time the sound could travel unchecked. These drums are cut
and scooped with great labour from a peculiar wood, which is exceedingly
tough and will not easily split. The Bari drum is exactly the shape of
an egg with a slice taken off the thicker end.
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