[42] Several Acacias Afford Gums, Which The Bedouins Eat Greedily To Strengthen Themselves.

The town's people declare that the food produces nothing but flatulence.

[43] "Subhan' Allah!" an exclamation of pettishness or displeasure.

[44] The hills not abounding in camels, like the maritime regions, asses become the principal means of transport.

[45] This barbarous practice is generally carried out in cases of small- pox where contagion is feared.

[46] Fear--danger; it is a word which haunts the traveller in Somali-land.

[47] The Somali Tol or Tul corresponds with the Arabic Kabilah, a tribe: under it is the Kola or Jilib (Ar. Fakhizah), a clan. "Gob," is synonymous with the Arabic Kabail, "men of family," opposed to "Gum," the caste-less. In the following pages I shall speak of the Somali _nation_, the Eesa tribe, the Rer Musa _clan_, and the Rer Galan _sept_, though by no means sure that such verbal gradation is generally recognised.

[48] The Eesa, for instance, are divided into--

1. Rer Wardik (the royal clan). 6. Rer Hurroni. 2. Rer Abdullah. 7. Rer Urwena. 3. Rer Musa. 8. Rer Furlabah. 4. Rer Mummasan. 9. Rer Gada. 5. Rer Guleni. 10. Rer Ali Addah.

These are again subdivided: the Rer Musa (numbering half the Eesa), split up, for instance, into--

1. Rer Galan. 4. Rer Dubbah. 2. Rer Harlah. 5. Rer Kul. 3. Rer Gadishah. 6. Rer Gedi.

[49] Traces of this turbulent equality may be found amongst the slavish Kafirs in general meetings of the tribe, on the occasion of harvest home, when the chief who at other times destroys hundreds by a gesture, is abused and treated with contempt by the youngest warrior.

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