25., David brings
the spoils of 200 Philistines, and shows them in full tale to the king,
that he might be the king's son-in-law. Any work upon the subject of
Abyssinia (Bruce, book 7. chap, 8.), or the late Afghan war, will prove
that the custom of mutilation, opposed as it is both to Christianity and
El Islam, is still practised in the case of hated enemies and infidels;
and De Bey remarks of the Cape Kafirs, "victores caesis excidunt [Greek:
_tu aidoui_], quae exsiccata regi afferunt."
[38] When attacking cattle, the plundering party endeavour with shoots and
noise to disperse the herds, whilst the assailants huddle them together,
and attempt to face the danger in parties.
[39] For the cheapest I paid twenty-three, for the dearest twenty-six
dollars, besides a Riyal upon each, under the names of custom dues and
carriage. The Hajj had doubtless exaggerated the price, but all were good
animals, and the traveller has no right to complain, except when he pays
dear for a bad article.
CHAP. IV.
THE SOMAL, THEIR ORIGIN AND PECULIARITIES.
Before leaving Zayla, I must not neglect a short description of its
inhabitants, and the remarkable Somal races around it.
Eastern Africa, like Arabia, presents a population composed of three
markedly distinct races.
1. The Aborigines or Hamites, such as the Negro Sawahili, the Bushmen,
Hottentots, and other races, having such physiological peculiarities as
the steatopyge, the tablier, and other developments described, in 1815, by
the great Cuvier.
