British and French pressure--The general question--A naval narrative 92 CHAPTER XI RAMATHAN The Kharif--The month of Ramathan--The Sahib's gift and others 98 CHAPTER XII A NAUGHTY STORY A remedy for loneliness--Mohamed's Story--Buralli's "unfinished" story 108 CHAPTER XIII THE YIBIR His characteristics--Gulaid Abokr and his Yibir--The first Yibir and his talents--A "makran" 117 CHAPTER XIV THE ISLAND The trip to the island--Fishing--Frenchmen, Greeks and Chinamen--Sharks and bêche-de-mer--El Kori 124 CHAPTER XV PEARLS Pearl dhows and finance--Methods and materials--"God alone knows"--Pearl divers--A pearl story--Juma Bana, pearl merchant 137 CHAPTER XVI A PEARL DIVER AT HOME Adan Abdallah and his story--Another story in which I play a part 145 CHAPTER XVII MANY TRIBES Hayoun the Jew "At Home"--Hayoun's largesse--Hindus, Parsees and vaccination--Buralli's knowledge of legs 155 CHAPTER XVIII SCANDAL Mrs Kar Krishna and Saleha--Mrs Ibrahim and a few reasons--Whisperings and consequences--Saleha's statement 164 CHAPTER XIX ON TREK Orders for Hargeisa--Salvage and propositions--A camel, a girl and my policeman--Bokh and water--The sin of water wangling--Camel-packing--The "White Running Water"--Mahomed Gaileh's sheep--Four Sahibs--A Somal dance--Hargeisa and flowers 170 CHAPTER XX THE BREAKING OF THE MAD MULLAH The Mullah's deeds--Supply and transport--Arrival of No. 2 Unit, R.A.F., at Berbera--Details and arrangements--Mullah miracles--Aeroplane scouting--Friendlies--R.A.F. reports--Post-bag bombing--To Medishe--The Mullah's birds--A Mullah victim--Tali and the last of the Mullah 200 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE BURALLEH ROBLEH AND HIS EXCELLENCY _Frontispiece_ GENERAL GORDON'S HOUSE AT ZEILA _Facing_ 18 A STREET IN ZEILA " 29 SCENE OUTSIDE ZEILA COURT-HOUSE " 47 A DHOW CAPTAIN AND HIS FAMILY " 89 A GOVERNMENT-CHARTERED DHOW " 95 SYYED KHUDAR THROWING THE CIRCULAR NET " 133 A SOMAL HOUSEHOLD ON THE MOVE " 173 A SOMAL DANCE " 196 BERBERA TOWN " 202