I sit on the veranda of the government house at Zeila. I look across at the pier and see, in imagination, men of many races, whose deeds are chronicled in the records stored in the office below. Of our own race Burton and Gordon appeal to me most of all. But they have gone, the men I am thinking of who walked along that pier into the town. Gone years ago, and their bare memory remains. But the Akils, the biladiers, and the old tribal troubles still exist. It is of these latter I would speak. CHAPTER II "ALL IN THE DAY'S WORK" The staff--Office work--The "Poor Fund" and its distribution--A tale of woe--The D.C. on inspection rounds--Petitions. The staff at Zeila consists of the District Commissioner, the District Clerk--an Indian gentleman--his Indian assistant, an Arab clerk and petition writer, an Indian sub-assistant surgeon, Mahomed the Somal interpreter, Buralli, or Buralleh, the sub-inspector of police--also a Somal--an Indian superintendent of customs, and an Arab outdoor collector of customs fees. There are half a dozen mounted police, thirty odd foot police, and a round dozen or so of water police under an Arab jemadar. Besides these we have many smaller fry, such as conservancy sweepers, messengers, a lamplighter, etc., etc. The Akils I have already spoken of. The foot police supply or furnish a guard for the jail, which is under the care of the jail-master, an ex-slave. There is also a Kathi, or native magistrate, and an Arab schoolmaster. Further, we boast quite a number of pensioners, amongst whom are the keeper of _the_ Sheikhs tomb, and Ferjallah Alone, an old Soudanese jemadar who accompanied Gordon from Egypt to Zeila, and subsequently took service in this country. Ferjallah is very old and feeble, and, as regards Gordon, most disappointing. To him Gordon is "Gordon," the greatest soldier that ever was. "What more than that do you want to know about him," says Ferjallah. The D.C.'s office combines the work of treasury, court-house, post office, administration, tax collection, and every other public work of the town and district. It keeps an eye on trade, customs, shipping--such as there is (mostly dhows)--police, prisons, political and other situations. For all of these the District Commissioner is directly responsible to His Excellency the Governor of Somaliland. In addition he takes an interest in social matters, and may even, besides being sole guardian and presiding angel of the "Poor Fund," be called upon to assume the duties of food controller. Strangely enough he is not overworked.