  CHAPTER I
ETHNOLOGY | | Division of classes in SomÁliland—The trading caravans from OgÁdÉn and Harar—Habits of the nomad tribes—The SomÁli brokers—The outcaste races and their characteristics—The settlements of the mullahs—The SomÁli, his character—Religion—Costume and weapons—Condition of women—Marriage laws—Industries of women—Blood money—Feuds—Native councils—Respect for the English—SomÁli vanity—The dibÁltig ceremony—Influence of religion—Influence of civilisation—Religious observances—Superstitions—Carelessness—The origin of the SomÁli race—Tracing descent for twenty-two generations—Arab descent—Tribal customs—Plurality of wives—Adoption of prefix Ba to name of children—SomÁli nomenclature—Nicknames—Tribal divisions—“Brothers of the shield”—Ruins, cairns, and graves—Frontier raids between the GÁllas and the SomÁlis—Boldness of southern tribes—The GolbÁnti GÁllas-The Wa-pokÓmo negroes of the Tana—Origin of the GÁllas—The Esa tribe—The Gadabursi tribe—Evidences of former highly-organised races in SomÁliland—Interesting remains—Old GÁlla ruins—Curious legend to account for cairns—The robbers’ cover—Baneful influence of feuds | 1-28 | CHAPTER II
THE NOMADIC LIFE | | Varieties of camel—SomÁli camel willing and gentle—Method of loading camels—On the march—Weight of loads—Marching hours—Scourges, gadflies, ticks, and leeches—Firing camels—Sore back—Camel food—Grazing customs—Breeding habits of SomÁli camels—The milk-supply of she-camels—Description of SomÁli ponies—Fodder—Ticks—Donkeys—Their usefulness in SomÁliland—Cattle—Cow’s milk—Ghee—Hides exported to America—Sheep and goats—Powers of subsisting without water—Camel meat and mutton the favourite meal of SomÁlis—The annual movements of trading caravans governed by seasons—Duration of seasons—Great heat—Movements of the nomad tribes—Caravan marauders—Tribal fights—Gangs of highway robbers—Methods of the raiders—English scheme of protection popular—Trade greatly injured through insecurity of routes—A peculiarity of the SomÁli guide—Mysterious strangers—Remarkable faculties of adaptability in the SomÁli—Baneful effect of civilisation | 29-44 | CHAPTER III
BIG GAME SHOOTING, 1887 | | Start from Berbera—The first koodoo—First herd of elephants seen; elephant bagged with a single shot—Fresh start with another caravan—Waller’s gazelle bagged—Mandeira; delightful headquarters—The Issutugan river—Herd of elephants found—Elephant hunt at JalÉlo, and death of a large bull—Our night camp—Camp at SobÁt—Elephants heard trumpeting at night—Interesting scene; a herd of sixty elephants—Two elephants bagged—Camp at Hembeweina; lions round camp—A herd of elephants in the JalÉlo reeds—Long and unsuccessful hunt—Tusks stolen by a caravan—Lions roaring round the Hembeweina camp at night—Visit of ShirÉ ShirmÁki and thirty horsemen—Interesting scene—A row in camp—News of a solitary bull at Eil Danan—Exciting hunt; horsemen manoeuvring a vicious elephant, and death of the bull—Return to Berbera | 45-76 | CHAPTER IV
GOVERNMENT EXPLORATIONS | | Early trips to the coast—Disturbed state of BulhÁr—Stopping a fight—Two skirmishes—First exploring trips—Hostility of the natives—An unlucky trip—Start with my brother to explore the Habr Toljaala and Dolbahanta countries on duty—Camp on GÓlis Range—Theodolite station at 6800 feet—Enter the waterless plains—Advance to the Tug DÉr—News of raiders ahead, and of Col. A. Paget’s party—Dolbahanta horsemen—Advance to the Nogal Valley—Constantly annoyed by the Dolbahanta—Prehistoric tank and buildings at Badwein—Advance to Gosaweina—More horsemen—Insecure border, and scene of a raid—Explore Bur Dab Range—Robbers’ caves—Exploration of my brother on Wagar Mountain—Lovely scenery—Return to Berbera—Start on a second expedition to the Jibril Abokr country—The top of GÁn Libah—A new hartebeest—Death of a leopard—Hargeisa—Natives clamouring for British protection against Abyssinia—Bold behaviour of a leopard—Advance to the Marar Prairie—Camp at UjawÁji—Extraordinary scene on the prairie—Quantities of game—Gadabursi raid—Jibril Abokr welcome of the English—A shooting trip on the plains—News of three lions—Vedettes posted over lions—Advance to the attack—Savage charge; unconscious and in the clutches of a lioness—My brother’s account of the accident—His own narrow escape, and death of a fine lion—Civility of the Jibril Abokr—Abyssinian news—Return to the coast—Recovery from wounds—Third expedition; to the Gadabursi country—Great raid by the Jibril Abokr on the Bahgoba—Curious adventure with robbers—Betrayed by vultures—Raiding tactics—First meeting with the Gadabursi—Meeting with Ugaz NÚr—The rival sultans—Construction of an Abyssinian fort at Biyo-KabÓba—Esa in a ferment—Speech of MÚdun Golab—My brother bags a large bull elephant—March to Zeila | 77-118 | CHAPTER V
A RECONNAISSANCE OF THE ABYSSINIAN BORDER, 1892 | | First news of Abyssinian aggression—Start for Milmil—Unfortunate BulhÁr—Across the “Haud” waterless plateau—Extraordinary landscape—Sudden meeting with the Rer Ali—Their consternation and pleasant greeting—News of a raid—Water-supply statistics—Great display at Milmil in honour of Au Mahomed Sufi—Agitation against Abyssinia—Unsuccessful lion hunt—Display in honour of the English—Interesting scene—The vulture-like elders—Success of an Arab pony—Our camp at TÚli—The “Valley of Rhinoceroses”—Two rhinoceros hunts—Four bagged—Death of a bull rhinoceros—The Waror wells—AbbasgÚl complaints against Abyssinia—First meeting with Abyssinians—Disturbed country—English sportsmen met at Hargeisa—Fresh start from Hargeisa—Incessant rains—Thousands of hartebeests near Gumbur DÚg—Scouting for the Abyssinians—Visit to the Abyssinian fort at Jig-Jiga—We approach Gildessa—The caravan imprisoned by the Abyssinians—Embarrassing situation—A letter to RÁs Makunan of Harar—Exciting time at Gildessa—We retire by night—The answer of the RÁs—March to Zeila | 119-154 | CHAPTER VI
A VISIT TO RÁS MAKUNAN OF HARAR, 1893 | | Project to explore GÁllaland—News of Colonel Carrington’s party—A BulhÁr feud—Start from BulhÁr—Gadabursi dance to the English—Esa raid—A rival sportsman—AwÁlÉ YasÍn breaks his leg—Native surge
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