chance of my getting some of
it back again, the robbers confessing to their friends that they do not
know what to do with such "_herbage_," as they call it: it is quite
useless to them.

The Kailouees and Tuaricks generally do not like beards, and cut off the
hair of the upper lip quite close. Indeed, wearing as they do the
thilem, the beard and the mustachios are completely hidden. The
Kailouees leave the crown of the head, which is close shaved, as in the
case of the Mahommedans of the coast, quite bare, exposed to the sun and
weather. Around the lower part of the head they wind a long narrow strip
of black cotton stuff (called _rouanee_ in Soudanee), which is continued
round the face, upper and lower part, and forms the thilem, only about
an inch breadth of the face being exposed or visible; that is, the
portion including the eyes and bridge of the nose. The generality of the
Kailouees wear, besides, a tobe, or long broad cotton frock (or rather
shirt, for nothing is worn under it at the upper part of the body), with
immensely wide sleeves. Those a little better off also wear trousers,
very wide about the loins, narrow at the legs, and drawn round the waist
with a belt. All use leather sandals, strong and thick; some of them are
prettily made. The whole of this apparel is imported from Soudan, there
being apparently no manufactures in Aheer.

The arms of the men,--for all go armed with some weapon,--are a dagger
under the left arm, a sword slung on the back, and a spear in the right
hand. The spear-shaft is wood, whilst those of the Ghat Tuaricks and
Haghars are frequently metal, of the same substance as the point of the
weapon. These iron spears are said to be manufactured by the Tibboos.
They are much more formidable weapons than the spears with wooden
shafts. When mounted on their maharees, all the Kailouees have shields
made of the tanned skins of animals, generally of the wild ox (_bugara
wahoosh_). To these arms the people in Aheer now begin to add
matchlocks, which are sent up from the coast. The sword is not worn on
the back when riding, but hangs down on the right-hand side, sheathed in
a fantastic leather cage.

A few of the poorer sort of Kailouees appear with bows and arrows. The
latter they carry in very close bundles, so well packed up that not one
can separate from the other. They told me they were poisoned, and would
not let me touch them. Amongst the accomplishments of the Gighis and
magicians of