GALLAS, a race of people inhabiting that part of Africa which lies to the S. and W. of Harar and S. of Shoa, between lat. 9° and 3° S. and Ion. 34° and 44° E. The best authorities regard them as be longing to the Ethiopic branch of the Hamites, and their language as a de scendant of the ancient Geez of Abys sinia. Individually they are of average stature, with strong, well-made limbs, skin of a light chocolate brown, hair frizzled but not woolly. Though cruel in war they are of frank disposition and faithfully keep their promises and obliga tions. They are distinguished for their energy, both physical and mental, espe cially those tribes to the S. and S. W. which pursue pastoral avocations, not ably the breeding of horses, asses, sheep, cattle, and camels, and those which live by hunting, especially the elephant. These same tribes are mostly still hea thens, though Mohammedanism is rapidly making way among them. The more N. tribes who dwell about Harar profess a crass form of Christianity derived from Abyssinia, and for the most part prac tice agriculture, raising cotton, durra, sugar, and coffee. The total Galla popu
lation, who call themseves Argatta or Oromo, is estimated at about 6,000,000. Politically they are divided into a great number of separate tribes (Itu, Arussi, Nole, Jarsso, Ala, Ennia, Walamo, Bor ana, etc). Their inveterate century-long foes are the Somali on the N. E. and E., who have gradually driven back the Gal las from the shores of the Red Sea and the extremities of the Somali peninsula, regions which were occupied by them in the 16th century, just as on the other side the Abyssinians and Shoans have beaten them back S. The country they now inhabit is, generally speaking, a pla teau that slopes S. E. to the Indian Ocean, and has a hilly, well-timbered sur face. This region, with plenty of rains and running streams, and abundant vege tation, is well cultivated, and yields wheat, barley, beans, sorghum, sweet potatoes, flax, lentils, cotton and coffee.