GALLAS (" invaders"), a race inhabiting the s. and of Abyssinia. The general name by which the tribes designate themselves is Oronta (orma, men). Although gen erally belonging to the negro race, they are not purely negroes, but form with the Fulahs, Mandingoes, and Nubas, as it were, the transition to the Semitic variety;and seem to belong to that great family inhabiting the e. of Africa, from the frontiers of the Cape land to Abyssinia, and usually denominated the Kaffers. They are a vigorous, well-formed people, of a dark-brown color, with hair frizzled, but not quite woolly. round faces, and small sharp eyes, and are distinguished not less by their energy and warlike spirit, than by their mental capacities. They first appear in history in tha 16th c., as a barbarous people, extending their conquests from the interior of Africa, laying waste by constant incursions, the countries of eastern Africa, to the mountains. of Abyssinia, gradually subduing or expelling the original inhabitants (hence their name), occupying great part of Abyssinia, and advancing as far as the Red Sea and the gulf of Aden. It is only of late years that their power in Abyssinia, and their incursions into that country, have been partially checked, chiefly by the vigorous gov ernment of the king of Shoa, who subdued some of the G. tribes, and induced them to
profess such Christianity as exists in Abyssinia. They still, however, occupy ninny districts of Abyssinia, and extend their power to an indefinite extent over the,countries situated s. and s.w. of it. Politically, the G. do not form a single nation, but are divided into numerous tribes, forming separate kingdoms and states, which are frequently at war with each other. Most of the G. follow pastoral avocations. Sonic, however, throkgh intercourse with the semi-Christian, semi-civilized Abyssinians, have become tillers of the soil. The G. are mainly engaged in hunting and the slave trade. The larger number of the are still heathens, though Mohammedanism has lately made great progress among them. Their religion bears a resemblance to that of the Kaffers.—Compare Jomard, -Notices tar les Gallas (Paris, 1839); Beke, On the Origin of the Gallas (London, 1848).. ?