Part 2 (1/2)

[8] The Somal being a people of less nervous temperament than the Arabs and Indians, do not fear the moonlight.

[9] The first name is that of the individual, as the Christian name with us, the second is that of the father; in the Somali country, as in India, they are not connected by the Arab ”bin”--son of.

[10] Abdy is an abbreviation of Abdullah; Abokr, a corruption of Abubekr.

The ”End of Time” alludes to the prophesied corruption of the Moslem priesthood in the last epoch of the world.

[11] This peculiarity is not uncommon amongst the Somal; it is considered by them a sign of warm temperament.

[12] The Moslem should first recite the Farz prayers, or those ordered in the Koran; secondly, the Sunnat or practice of the Prophet; and thirdly the Nafilah or Supererogatory. The Ratib or self-imposed task is the last of all; our Mulla placed it first, because he could chaunt it upon his mule within hearing of the people.

[13] Two modern poets and wits well known in Yemen.

[14] That is to say, ”we will remove it with the five fingers.” These are euphuisms to avoid speaking broadly and openly of that venerable feature, the beard.

[15] Bab el Mandeb is called as above by Humayd from its astronomical position. Jebel Mayyum is in Africa, Jebel Zubah or Muayyin, celebrated as the last resting-place of a great saint, Shaykh Said, is in Arabia.

[16] Ajam properly means all nations not Arab. In Egypt and Central Asia it is now confined to Persians. On the west of the Red Sea, it is invariably used to denote the Somali country: thence Bruce draws the Greek and Latin name of the coast, Azamia, and De Sacy derives the word ”Ajan,”

which in our maps is applied to the inner regions of the Eastern Horn. So in Africa, El Sham, which properly means Damascus and Syria, is applied to El Hejaz.

[17] Adel, according to M. Krapf, derived its name from the Ad Ali, a tribe of the Afar or Danakil nation, erroneously used by Arab synecdoche for the whole race. Mr. Johnston (Travels in Southern Abyssinia, ch. 1.) more correctly derives it from Adule, a city which, as proved by the monument which bears its name, existed in the days of Ptolemy Euergetes (B.C. 247-222), had its own dynasty, and boasted of a conqueror who overcame the Troglodytes, Sabaeans, Homerites, &c., and pushed his conquests as far as the frontier of Egypt. Mr. Johnston, however, incorrectly translates Barr el Ajam ”land of fire,” and seems to confound Avalites and Adulis.

[18] Bahr el Banatin, the Bay of Tajurrah.

[19] A certain German missionary, well known in this part of the world, exasperated by the seizure of a few dollars and a claim to the _droit d'aubaine_, advised the authorities of Aden to threaten the ”combustion”

of Tajurrah. The measure would have been equally unjust and unwise. A traveller, even a layman, is bound to put up peaceably with such trifles; and to threaten ”combustion” without being prepared to carry out the threat is the readiest way to secure contempt.

[20] The Kharif in most parts of the Oriental world corresponds with our autumn. In Eastern Africa it invariably signifies the hot season preceding the monsoon rains.

[21] The circ.u.mstances of Masud's murder were truly African. The slave caravans from Abyssinia to Tajurrah were usually escorted by the Rer Guleni, a clan of the great Eesa tribe, and they monopolised the profits of the road. Summoned to share their gains with their kinsmen generally, they refused upon which the other clans rose about August, 1854, and cut off the road. A large caravan was travelling down in two bodies, each of nearly 300 slaves; the Eesa attacked the first division, carried off the wives and female slaves, whom they sold for ten dollars a head, and savagely mutilated upwards of 100 wretched boys. This event caused the Tajurrah line to be permanently closed. The Rer Guleni in wrath, at once murdered Masud, a peaceful traveller, because Inna Handun, his Abban or protector, was of the party who had attacked their proteges: they came upon him suddenly as he was purchasing some article, and stabbed him in the back, before he could defend himself.

[22] In Zayla there is not a single coffee-house. The settled Somal care little for the Arab beverage, and the Bedouins' reasons for avoiding it are not bad. ”If we drink coffee once,” say they, ”we shall want it again, and then where are we to get it?” The Abyssinian Christians, probably to distinguish themselves from Moslems, object to coffee as well as to tobacco. The Gallas, on the other hand, eat it: the powdered bean is mixed with b.u.t.ter, and on forays a lump about the size of a billiard-ball is preferred to a substantial meal.

[23] The following genealogical table was given to me by Mohammed Sharmarkay:--

1. Ishak (ibn Ahmed ibn Abdillah).

2. Gerhajis (his eldest son).

3. Said (the eldest son; Daud being the second).

4. Arrah, (also the eldest; Ili, _i.e._ Ali, being the second).

5. Musa (the third son: the eldest was Ismail; then, in succession, Ishak, Misa, Mikahil, Gambah, Dandan, &c.) 6. Ibrahim.

7. Fikih (_i.e._ Fakih.) 8. Adan (_i.e._ Adam.) 9. Mohammed.

10. Hamid.

11. Jibril (_i.e._ Jibrail).

12. Ali.

13. Awaz.