Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-07-15

The most useful Jubaland plants are
the yak trees. They have thick stunt
ed stems, most of which have in the
upper sides large cavities The heavy
rains of the wet season and even the
cavities with water which is protected
from evaporation by the numerous
small stems that grow up along the
edges of the cavity. A single yak tree
has been known to contain so gallons
of rain water. Natives spot the yak
trees that have a water supply by no
ticing those in which birds gather
morning and evening. So important
are the yak trees as a source of drink
ing water in the Jubaland bush that
all travellers, native and white, carry
drinking sticks" with which to OBJ
tain the liquid These are hollow
sticks about two feet long and half an
inch in diameter. 1t is impossible to
dip water from many of the small
mouthed cavities, but 1t is a simple
matter to insert the drinking stick"
and use it like gigantic soda-foun-
tain straw to suck the water up.
One of the most interesting parts of
the country is the Lorain swamp in
southwestern Jubaland, which might
be described as a gigantic water hole
fed and emptied by river. The Lo-
rain region consists of three swamps
strung along the river the largest be-
ing about fifty miles in circumference.
The outer rim is Of grass land, the
swamp proper is covered with a rank
growth of reeds ten and twelve feet
high, while the stream flows in sew
eral relatively open channels. Above
and below the swamp, the river (the
Uasho Nyiro) is lined by a narrow
band of tropical vegetation, for the
Lorain is only a few miles from the
equator.
The Lorain region will probably be.
come in time one of the few agricul-
tural areas of Jubaland. The Uasho
Nyiro carries large quantity Of water
the year round to the Lorain swamp
and short distance beyond. The soil
in the swamp area and above is good.
It would be possible to control the riv-
er's flow, saving the water which now
wastes and using it for irrigation.
Jubaland abounds in a variety of
game. Great numbers of antelope,
gazelle, zebras, CRATES, elephants,
rhinos, and the carnivora that prey
on them spread over the land during
the season of good grass, and, like the
cattle and the Somali, shift to the
Lorain and other sources of perma-
nent water during the dry season.
SomaIis Are Superior"
The Somalis who make up the great
er part of the population of Jubaland
have migrated into the country from
Italian Somaliland and eastern Abys-
sinla on the north. Here Is another
people with a well-defined superior
ity complex" They despise all non
Somalis, and their attitude Is not IL
logical. They are far more intelligent
than the Calais and other local ma
tives. The Somalis possess many
Gala slaves.
The activities of the Somali braves
include a certain amount of herding,
but their favorite pastimes are loafng
while the women work, and cattle
"rustling" They are Mohammedans
and follow the outward forms of their
religion meticulously. They dress In
white. toga-like robes. 1t is a pictur-
esque sight to see the whitehall
dusky Somali warriors, resting crane
like on one leg, leaning against their
long, broad-bladed spears.
1t is interesting to observe the So
malls settling down in a new location
after one of their trips in search of
grass and water. Their beehive
shaped huts are carried from place to
place, usually on camel back, but some
times on the broad backs of docile
steers. A fitted framework of wood
is first set up. and over this are dashed
rough mats of straw. The completed
dwellings look specifically like hay
stacks. Around the huts is quickly
thrown up fence of thorns about
three feet high. a protection alike
against wild animals and human en-
emies. Into these enclosures the cat
tie are driven for the night