SOMAL or Beer-us-Soinal, the country t,f the Somali, to the south of Cape Guardafui, between the equator and lat.11° N. ; on the west is separated from the GalIt nations by the Jub, a large and fertilizing stream which rises in the mountains of Southern Abyssinia, and debouches in the Indian Ocean. Capt. Speke states that the Somali are the descendants of a band of Muhammadans who were driven from Mecca, in A.D. 1413, and crossed over to their present site, from which the Galin, and Abyssinians were subsequently dispossessed. The Somali in their own land are pastoral nornades, but have settled villages on the coast line, with a patriarchal government. When the mother perishes in child-birth, the parents claim a certain sum from the man that killed their daughter. Twins, here called Wapacha, and by the Arabs of Zan zibar Shukul, are usually sold or exi,osed in the jungle, as amongst the Ibos of West Africa. A inother, when carrying her offspring, bears in ber hand a kirangozi, a guide or guardian, in the form of two sticks a few inches in length, bound with bands of parti-coloured beads. This article, made by the Mganga or medicine-man, is placed at ni,ght under the child's head, and is carried about till it has passed the first stage of life. They trade at Berbera and other places on their coast, or sail to Aden during the N.E. monsoon, bringing gum, myrrh, ostrich feathers, ivory, etc. They are a
good-tempered, though indolent race, but easily excited to anger. In Aden they are inveterate thieves and gamblers. They are handsome, active, and long-limbed, with woolly hair, capable of undergoing great privation and fatigue. In 1827, a British vessel trading at Berbera was plundered by the Ilabr Owul tribe of Somal: Berbera is a port to the east of Zaila and Tajowra, and nearly opposite to Aden. In consequence of unhealthy winds, it is deserted for six months every year. During the rest of the year it is visited by caravans of different tribes from the interior of Africa. A ves:el of war was sent to punish the tribe for the outrage which they had committed. On 6th February 1827, a treaty of peace and commerce was signed by the elders of the tribe. An expedition was sent in 1854 to explore the country between Berbera and Zanzi bar, but on the 18th April 1855 the party were suddenly attacked by Somali of the El Moosa tribe ; two British officers were wounded, one was killed, and the entire property of the expedition was carried off. The murderers were not delivered up, but a treaty was entered into. In 1855, the elders of the Ilabr Gerhagi and the Habr Taljala tribes of Somali entered into an engagement with the Political Resident at Aden to prohibit the slave trade. — Aitcheson's Treaties, vii. p. 319.