Henry A. Rayne - Sun, Sand and Somals; Leaves from the Note-Book of a District Commissioner in British Somaliland - Scholars Choice Edition

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BURALLEH

BURALLEH ROBLEH AND HIS EXCELLENCY.
("Personages.") [Frontispiece.

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SUN, SAND
AND SOMALS
LEAVES FROM THE NOTE-BOOK
OF A DISTRICT COMMISSIONER
IN BRITISH SOMALILAND

BY
MAJOR H. RAYNE, M.B.E., M.C.

WITH 12 PLATES FROM PHOTOGRAPHS

LONDON
H. F. & G. WITHERBY
326 HIGH HOLBORN, W.C.
1921

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INTRODUCTION

Africa is gradually becoming so civilised that there are few places left where the adventurer (the man who holds a human life as cheaply as the sportsman holds that of a wild pheasant) may hope to flourish. But for such an individual there remains on the Eastern Abyssinian border a territory, difficult to penetrate, inhabited by wild warlike tribes, through whom can be carried out a policy of murder and rapine against the peaceful native tribes under British protection. And on the Abyssinian borders you may find him, ever ready to organise a wild raid South or East (or West for that matter) into the administered territories of the British, whose sentinel-outposts are ever watching and waiting to turn him from his prey. Of the tribes inhabiting this wild border-land I have selected from many but one to speak ofthe Somali of British Somaliland.

The Somali has deeply religious tendencies and is the stoutest of Mussulmans. In addition to the Mahomedan code, which he obeys implicitly, he has a complicated tribal code of his own. He knows much, and practises what he knows, of the old Jewish and Biblical hygienic laws. He recognises the right of man to slay, providing he paysone hundred camels for a man, fifty for a woman. The Somali respects a woman, and reverences chastity.

The Somali wanders afar. You will find him working as deck hand, fireman, or steward, on all the great liners trading to the East. I know of a Somali tobacconist in Cardiff, a Somali mechanic in New York, and a Somali trader in Bombay, the latter of whom speaks French, English, and Italian fluently. The Somali considers that British magistrates are appointed to his country solely to relieve the monotony of his life, and he pesters theirs with all kinds of cases, both petty and intricate.

The Somali in his own country is conservative. He has little time for men not of his own race, excepting perhaps the Arab Mullahs, a few of whom wander amongst his people teaching the great "Mahomedan truths." He is never internally at rest. His tribe is divided into sections, sub-sections and clans, and the clans are for ever disagreeing amongst themselves. The sub-sections then interfere, and it may so happen that quarrels extend to the sections. If these are not settled the result may be much bloodshed. But it is always here that the British administration steps in, and to it nowadays the Somali turns to settle his domestic affairs when they get beyond his control.

In 1920 I was privileged to take part in the successful operations carried out against that great adventurer, Hassan Abdullah, the Mad Mullah, and with him these pages end. They portray only the human side of life on a wild African outpost, and describe the men and incidents recorded exactly as I have seen them, and as they have occurred. For fuller information I refer the reader to the official reports and the works of more conventional writers.

H. R.

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CONTENTS

ZEILA
PAGE
Early historySlave tradeGen. GordonSomali tribes	13
"ALL IN THE DAY'S WORK"
The staffOffice workThe "Poor Fund" and its distributionA tale of woeThe D.C. on inspection roundsPetitions	23
PERSONAGES
Mahomed the InterpreterMahomed as magistrateMahomed as authorMahomed's reason for RamathanMahomed as fighting manBuralli Robleh, policeman and gentlemanBuralli's domestic affairsMohamed Auwit, petition writer	32
COURT WORK
The Court opensSultan Mahomed Haji DidehPetitionsA case of "being found out"GamblingMr Gandhi	41
THE TWO WIVES
Indelicate expressionsThe narrative of No. 1InterruptionsThe narrative of No. 2Buralli speaks the epilogue	49
CONCERNING SOMALS
Tribal locationEuropean ProtectoratesCharacteristicsThe old AkilA tale of treachery	57
MAHOMED FARA
As body servantSafari troublesMahomed of the lion's heartMahomed to the rescueThe duelMahomed on field serviceThe parting	65
COMMERCE
Trade sources and commoditiesA typical manifestThe old Jew goldsmith	78
SOMETHING ABOUT DHOWS
TimberNavigationThe dhow and the slave tradeDhow captains	86
SOMETHING ABOUT THE SLAVE TRADE
British and French pressureThe general questionA naval narrative	92
RAMATHAN
The KharifThe month of RamathanThe Sahib's gift and others	98
A NAUGHTY STORY
A remedy for lonelinessMohamed's StoryBuralli's "unfinished" story	108
THE YIBIR
His characteristicsGulaid Abokr and his YibirThe first Yibir and his talentsA "makran"	117
THE ISLAND
The trip to the islandFishingFrenchmen, Greeks and ChinamenSharks and bche-de-merEl Kori	124
PEARLS
Pearl dhows and financeMethods and materials"God alone knows"Pearl diversA pearl storyJuma Bana, pearl merchant	137
A PEARL DIVER AT HOME
Adan Abdallah and his storyAnother story in which I play a part	145
MANY TRIBES
Hayoun the Jew "At Home"Hayoun's largesseHindus, Parsees and vaccinationBuralli's knowledge of legs	155
SCANDAL
Mrs Kar Krishna and SalehaMrs Ibrahim and a few reasonsWhisperings and consequencesSaleha's statement	164
ON TREK
Orders for HargeisaSalvage and propositionsA camel, a girl and my policemanBokh and waterThe sin of water wanglingCamel-packingThe "White Running Water"Mahomed Gaileh's sheepFour SahibsA Somal danceHargeisa and flowers	170
THE BREAKING OF THE MAD MULLAH
The Mullah's deedsSupply and transportArrival of No. 2 Unit, R.A.F., at BerberaDetails and arrangementsMullah miraclesAeroplane scoutingFriendliesR.A.F. reportsPost-bag bombingTo MedisheThe Mullah's birdsA Mullah victimTali and the last of the Mullah	200

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE
Frontispiece
Facing	18
"	29
"	47
"	89
"	95
"	133
"	173
"	196
"	202
"	212
"	218

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SUN, SAND AND SOMALS

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CHAPTER I

ZEILA

Early historySlave tradeGen. GordonSomali tribes.

Zeila is a port on the British Somaliland coast. It lies some twenty-eight miles South of the French port of Djibouti, and is one hundred and seventy miles North-East of the Abyssinian town of Harrar. Little is known of its history, but here is the story of the "oldest inhabitant" for what it is worth. In essential details it is fairly accurate.

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