The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-05-05
NATIVES 0FSOMALILAND
Facts About England's Savage
Foes In Africa.
FEATURES FINE WITH SMALL LIPS

British Omcer says the SomsII< Are
Thin Race Who Live Chiefly ON
Rice aud Eat Little Meat - The,
Are Expert Swimmers and 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 cngasement with the Somalis.
+ writes to the London sphere from OBJ
bia as follows:
The village OF Obbia Spelled Obbiat
on tie map consists OF two stone
/ houses on the shore. In one lived
Nusuf All. rcigninS chief OF this PROV
ince; the other a square tower with a
+ few loopholed walls and eastern win
dows and decorations. carries the Ital-
IAN naC 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 zarcba. In these com
pounds at niSht are herded the goats
and camels. showing according TO mum
berS the wealth OF the owner. \ few
Oh dhows lie on the beach. and these
Ply along the coast TO Alden and Rer-
oera. carry luz skins and bringing back
cloth aud rice. There are no trees here
or shrubs Of amy sort. and it 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 hero. So the camcls and mules have
TO 70 four or five miles before they can
feed
"lhe Sowaus are 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 supers titious.
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 mon and clearly.
They are expert swimmers and love
70 dash in the surf. The tribes inland
never stay long in one place. but trek
al over the country. Every Somali
carries 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 90
for three weeks or a month without
water. Horses are used in the interior.
where there are water and grazing.
At present the Nlollah has collected all
between Bohotle and Mudug and swept
the Ogadn country. killing whole fam
lies and taking all the stock as he
went. The natives along the coast are
very friendly and only too glad 10 take
Up arms against the Mollah-especiaIly
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 April. 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 Il is not prudent to 20
about without q helmet between 9 and
>. Before our arrival there were num-
bers OF deer grazing in the vicinity OF
the village. but the burgher contingent
has accounted for n 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 a
tent during the day almost unbearable.
No doubt the number of animals in
our lines attracts them. At FL Dibbeh
there is none yet, but they will follow
the army in its advance.
every unit digs its own well, and
tire water IS good. but slightly salt
Iusuf Ali, the local sheik, has been put
on board the Italian gunboat by the
authorities, as it was found that be
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. / have Sc
cured milk camel, which is useful, as
there is no greater attraction to the
flies than condensed milk.
ANY one who could have managed
1t and set up a canteen or store here
would have made a small fortune, es-
pecially in metches."