Gallas
a race of people inhabiting that part of Africa which lies to the S. and W. of Harar and S. of Shoa, between lat. 9° and 3° S. and lon. 34° and 44° E.
The best authorities regard them as belonging to the Ethiopic branch of the Hamites, and their language as a descendant of the ancient Geez of Abyssinia. Individually they are of average stature, with strong, well-made limbs, skin of a light chocolate brown, hair GALLATIN frizzled but not woolly. Though cruel in war they are of frank disposition and faithfully keep their promises and obligations. They are distinguished for their energy, both physical and mental, especially those tribes to the S. and S. W. which pursue pastoral avocations, notably the breeding of horses, asses, sheep, cattle, and camels, and those which live by hunting, especially the elephant.
These same tribes are mostly still heathens, though Mohammedanism is rapidly making way among them. The more N. tribes who dwell about Harar profess a crass form of Christianity derived from Abyssinia, and for the most part practice agriculture, raising cotton, durra, sugar, and coffee. The total Galla population, who call themseves Argatta or Oromo, is estimated at about 6,000,000.
Politically they are divided into a great number of separate tribes (Itu, Arussi, Nole, Jarsso, Ala, Ennia, Walamo, Borana, etc). Their inveterate century-long foes are the Somali on the N. E. and E., who have gradually driven back the Gallas from the shores of the Red Sea and the extremities of the Somali peninsula, regions which were occupied by them in the 16th century, just as on the other side the Abyssinians and Shoans have beaten them back S. The country they now inhabit is, generally speaking, a plateau that slopes S. E. to the Indian Ocean, and has a hilly, well-timbered surface. This region, with plenty of rains and running streams, and abundant vegetation, is well cultivated, and yields wheat, barley, beans, sorghum, sweet potatoes, flax, lentils, cotton and coffee.