This Of Course Raised A Laugh; It Was Completely Beyond Their
Comprehension.
They assured him, however, that he had nothing to apprehend
in the Warsingali country, where the Sultan's order was like that of the
English.
The Abban then dismissed the Sultan to Las Kuray, fearing the
appetites of his followers; and the guard, on departure, demanded a cloth
each by way of honorarium. This was duly refused, and they departed in
discontent. The people frequently alluded to two grand grievances. In the
first place they complained of an interference on the part of our
Government, in consequence of a quarrel which took place seven years ago
at Aden, between them and the Habr Tal Jailah tribe of Karam. The
Political Resident, it is said, seized three vessels belonging to the
Warsingali, who had captured one of the ships belonging to their enemies;
the former had command of the sea, but since that event they have been
reduced to a secondary rank. This grievance appears to be based on solid
grounds. Secondly, they complained of the corruption of their brethren by
intercourse with a civilised people, especially by visiting Aden: the
remedy for this evil lies in their own hands, but desire of gain would
doubtless defeat any moral sanitary measure which their Elders could
devise. They instanced the state of depravity into which the Somal about
Berberah had fallen, and prided themselves highly upon their respect for
the rights of _meum_ and _tuum_, so completely disregarded by the Western
States.
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