10 [ No. 97 GEOGRAPHY : SOMALILAND distinct races : theAsha tribes (who are subdivided into the Darods and the Ishaks) of Arab descent, and the Irir or Hawiya tribes of Galla descent. The Sab tribes, the Tomals, the Yebirs, and the Midgans, are a distinct race from the Somalis and are believed to be of Galla stock, although some holdthat the Tomals are descended from Darod tribesmen 'who married Midgan women.

The Somalis of the Protectorate are surrounded by people of their own kindred, except where they come into contact with the Gallas of Abyssinia, who live in the Harrar Hills. The Sab tribes are scattered among them and are not confined to definite areas .

The Somali language is akin to the Galla tongue. It is not written, even the few educated Somalis writing in Arabic only. The Sab tribes all speak Somali, but the Midgans and Yebirs each have a language of their own, which they keep secret and about which very little is known .

(6) POPULATION The great majority of the population being nomad , there are few towns and villages. Of the coast towns only Zeila, Bulhar, and Berbera are of any importance. There are a number of villages along the Warsangeli coast, where the tribes are more settled than elsewhere.

In the interior there are about half a dozen priests' villages, of which Hargeisa ( population about 2,000 ) is the most important.

No census has ever been taken, except of the foreigners in the three principal coast towns. In 1911, excluding Europeans and thearmyof occupation, these numbered less than 3,400. The native population is estimated to be 300,000, that is, about five per square mile. In the three principal coast towns there is a floating population of Somalis who come to trade during