Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-05-01
NATIVES OF S0msLILkND
Facts About England's Savage
Foes In Africa.
FEATURES FINE WITH SMALL LIPS

British omcer Says the somaiis Are
q Thin Race Who Live Chiefly ON
Rice and Eat Little Meat - They
Are Expert Swimmers aud Won
derfuI Walkers Through Sand,
Travelling Far without Food.
An officer in Somaliland. the scene Of
the recent defeat of the British forces
In an engagement with the Somalis,
writes to the London Sphere from OBJ
bia as follows:
"The village of Obbia spelled Obbiat
on the map consists of two stone
houses on the shore. In one lived
Yusuf All, reigning chief of this prov
ince; the other, a square tower with
few loopholed walls and easterIf win
dows and decorations, carries the Ital-
ian flag and is used as the marine
transport office. Crowded round these
buildings are a few huts of reeds and
thatch, each surrounded by a thorny
hedge called zareba. In these COM
pounds at night are herded the goats
and camels, showing according to num-
bers the wealth of the owner. A few
old dhows lie on the beach, and these
ply along the coast to Alden and Ber-
bera, carrying skins and bringing back
cloth and rice. There are no trees here
or shrubs of any sort, and 1t Is not
until one has gone inland for fifteen
miles that you come across any shade
or rest for the eye. There is no graz
ing here, so the camels and mules have
to go four or five miles before they can
feed.
1.-THE Somalis are a thin race Of be-
ings who live chiefly on rice and eat
little meat. They are weak and stupid,
have extraordinarily small heads, and
they do not grasp ones meaning by
sign or speech as quickly as do most
natives. They worship the sun and
stars, turn toward Mecca when they
pray and are exceedingly superstitious.
They wear long white cloths round
their bodies. Their heads are bare;
most of them dye their hair yellow or
red. Very few have boards or whisk-
ers. Their features are fine, and they
have very small lips. The eyelashes
are long and curly. They are certainly
good looking men and cleanly.
"They are expert swimmers and love
to dash in the surf. The tribes inland
never stay long in one place, but trek
all over the country. Every Somali
carries a spear or stick. They are Won
derful walkers through the sand and
travel long distances without food or
water. The chief means of transport
is the camel. When these animals die,
they are eaten. A camel here can go
for three. weeks or -menth without
water. Horses are used in the interior,
where there are water and grazing.
At present the Mollah has collected all
between Bohotle and Mudug and swept
the Ogadn country, killing whole fam
lilies and taking all the stock as he
went. The natives along the coast are
very friendly and only too glad to take
up arms against the Mollah-especially
those at Berbera, who realize our
strength and the ultimate downfall Of
the prophet.
"The climate here Is dry and healthy
Just now March and ApriD, and al
though the sun is penetrating and
burns one there is always cool breeze
from the sea. Many of the Beers still
wear their SLOUGH hats and seem none
the worse but it is not prudent to go
about without helmet between 8 and
8. Before our arrival there were num-
bers of deer grazing in the vicinity Of
the village, but the burgher contingent
has accounted for a good many and
frightened the rest away.
"There are no lions near us, but we
expect to hear of them when we ad-
vance Most Of the lion shooting Is
done from Berbera. Several officers of
the Garen flying column have shot
them lately The plague Of flies is get
ting worse every hour; they court
death in every cup and make life in q
tent during the day almost unbearable.
No doubt the number Of animals In
our lines attracts them. At Ell Dibbeh
there is none yet, but they will follow
the army in its advance.
every unit digs it's own well, and
the water is good, but slightly salt
Yusuf Ali, the local sheik, has been put
on board the Italian gunboat by the
authorities, as it was found that he
was giving information to the enemy
His family accompanied him. During
his absence his village was surrounded
and searched, and several rifles Of an
cient pattern were found. l have Be-
cured milk camel, which is useful, az
there is no greater attraction to the
flies than condensed milk
''Any one who could have managed
1t and set up canteen or store here
would have made small fortune, es
pecially in matches"