. First footsteps in East Africa, or, An exploration of Harar . n short. Lieutenant Speke was informed that,owing to want of rain, and it being the breeding season, Appendix —Lieutenant Spekes Diary. 127 the inland and Nomad Warsingali live entirely on flesh,one meal serving for three days. This was a sad changeof affairs from what took place six weeks before thetravellers arrival, when there had been a fall of rain,and the people spent their time revelling on milk, andsleeping all day under the shade of the trees—the Somaliidea of perfect happiness. On the gth December Lieutenant Speke, ha
. First footsteps in East Africa, or, An exploration of Harar . n short. Lieutenant Speke was informed that,owing to want of rain, and it being the breeding season, Appendix —Lieutenant Spekes Diary. 127 the inland and Nomad Warsingali live entirely on flesh,one meal serving for three days. This was a sad changeof affairs from what took place six weeks before thetravellers arrival, when there had been a fall of rain,and the people spent their time revelling on milk, andsleeping all day under the shade of the trees—the Somaliidea of perfect happiness. On the gth December Lieutenant Speke, halting atRhat, visited one of Kins cities, now ruined by time,and changed by the Somal having converted it into acemetery. The remains were of stone and mud, as usualin this part of the world. The houses are built in aneconomical manner ; one straight wall, nearly 30 feetlong, runs down the centre, and is supported by anumber of lateral chambers facing opposite ways, L_ , _J L__ _^ L , . , 1 1 . _^ J This appears to compose the village, and suggests a. 128 First Footsteps in East Africa. convent or a monastery. To the west, and about fiftyyards distant, are ruins of stone and good white mortar,probably procured by burning the Hmestone rock. Theannexed ground plan will give an idea of these inter-esting remains, which are said to be those of a Christianhouse of worship. In some parts the walls are stilllo feet high, and they show an extent of civilization nowcompletely beyond the Warsingali. It may be remarkedof them that the direction of the niche, as well as thedisposition of the building, would denote a Moslemmosque. At the same time it must be remembered thatthe churches of the Eastern Christians are almost alwaysmade to front Jerusalem, and the Gallas being a Moslemand Christian race, the sects would borrow their archi-tecture from each other. The people assert these ruinsto be those of Nazarenes. Yet in the Jid Ali valley ofthe Dulbahantas Lieutenant Speke found si
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