158 TRIBES BORDERING ON
“ Under the line to the southward of Abyssinia, the land is
exceedingly high; and the sun seldom makes its appearance
on account of the continual rains. The Gal la, the inhabitants
of that country, are consequently,” says Mr. Bruce, “ of a
brown complexion, with long black hair; some indeed who live
in the valleys of the low country are perfectly black.”*
S e c t io n II.— Of the Danakil or Dankali and Adaiel, and
the People of Hurrur.
The most.considerable nation in the lowlands of Abyssinia
•to the eastward, in the maritime region of Samhara between
the mountains and the Red Sea, are the Dan&kil, who appear
to have constituted formerly one people with tj|e 'Adaiel. The
incursions of the Asubo Galla separated them from the Adaiel-,'
but they still speak the same language and resemble them in
manners. The country occupied by this" race extends from
the 10th'degree of north latitude, where they live in the neighbourhood
of the Stimuli, to,the 15th degree, or to.the bay
of Howakil, where they border on the country of the Ha-
zorta. The king of the Danakil was engaged in early times
in the wars carried on by the Mohammedans of Hurrur and
Adaiel against Abyssinia. The Dan&kil are now divided into
a number of independent tribes. The tribe of greatest power
are the Dumhoeta, who possess the coast from Bbloul to
Arena; next to these are the Taiemela and the Had arena, the
Belessua to the northward, the Adooli and Modetb^to the
southward of Ayth, related to the colonists of the neighbouring
islands. The remaining tribes, are termed Adalhu, Aisa-
malhu, Kedimto, Weema, Mushiek, Assamominto, and the
Russamoto the north-west. These are all Mohammedans, and
speak the Danakil language. To the westward of Babel
Mandeb and southward of Asubo, occupied by the Galla,
the same race is spread over a much more extensive country,
where numerous unknown tribes under the names of Adaiel
and Mara reach from the Bay of Zeila to the Abyssinian
province of Angot.*f
* I have copied from Mr. Salt the figure of an Edjow Galla, which may give
my readers some idea of the physical characters of this race.
f Salt’s Travels in Abyssinia.
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