New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-29


name of villages. They pitch their tents wher-
over their iock, a1l herds icad ,hcm or IN The inn
penetralI, f,r $50. tie dis r,t The country Is ir-
r,guiar and fnIl of mouutliu- -Jfu"uf which attain
a considerable height md i- httr adapted for the
cultivation of ,,r nj crops. The iunii i've ON
the pro.!uci- o. tirr lor~-. and iUt Hnd p.nn"er'
! ho.. of t'l"1u w TO are comptiauNrlt ron do nor
nah, regular profession "i robbery. but only M
dulg, 900 10 when .'ur tempting pr'c Tails ih their
WY. Th. pnnr however. live ,nur'I' los tn" chase
,r d., br,ymJ,,.. Ii. whole of TIN. population
docs not amount to over CoOO .onls. The country
j., usually called thr country of th" kroumir- 'al>o
called k.u'ar.. AMI the na'ne sometimes used IN
both numbers vitliuIt huaI s., !rr the trhc tUiS
designated D. ihc m"-t powerful "l thr come d't'-
ton and i;s territory extends To tr s'A'oaat oppo-
,ii- Taharra.
No scientific expiration OF this Wild region has
ever been made: aud an information respecting II Is
derived from the narratives of some tray'llrt~ who
have, had tl, cour, q, to enter and th" good fortune
to c,,.apc fiom the kOumrs. or from traders VINO
have been permitted 10 utuctrat" short distance
INTO the Interior. Uuc explorer, who was prospect
ing and collecting specimens of rork7 and minerals
was stopped in lis work. AMI thought him''l very
frtu,tc tn ,.,,an, with th, loss Of hi4 specimens.
,uoill,r vino was cndca, nriag 10 make a plan OF
the country was alarmed 10 find himself the object
,t which q mil,l,rt was pointed from n black
krlh tent. IIc lost his instruments AMI was
robbed of al his maps. The chIrlc"r oi the neigh
boriuq mountains which run into the country of the
KrpumirS confirms the ~cauty descriptions "tth" i'"
travellers who have visited the r.son II is a land
OF granite rocks and must have experienced sever
rouvulsion. Of NATURE to judge from the elevations
cb,s,ns. profound dcprcssion- aud heaps of rock
which strrw its surface. The soil contains carbon
ate. Of nrg aceous iruu fcrrugnoIs earth contain
inc -ulphurpt f. Of silver, copper ore. copper pyr"S'
and very rich deposits of nrgntcrouslc lead ore lhS
mineral wealth is chiefly in the mountain ol Ou'hlc-
H. and belong, 10 the tribes of Mrkenas ana hehu'.
Heaps Of earth. lying around soma Oh shllt7 oi
long-disustd mines prove that that thctr hln'I'S
have been raised 10 the surface. The Arabs Stli Suo-
crd by some primitive h0ds ln raising some ore
which they take for sale Ia La Gale. IL IN very
probable that this mountain range contains con-
tinnatiou Of the rich lode of l|chha' 'oh''9Sl"n 'o
which has been granted to the company 'n'' o""'
the Bona and Guclma Railroad and 'ts cA''"S''"'
In truth. the mineral wealth concealed here as III
all this part of Africa. beneath the surface II very
,at while the snrfacc-:o take only the one arl'Ie
If tinbcr-is covered with oaks, lick, ash ana
bcech forests Of which extend Ia the coast ana llho
tbo frontier toward Algeria. At present ali this
woodland is being destroyed The Arabs ins''au OIL
simply using waste the treasures Of their ior'sS'
The tr,es are eyerywhcrc pcrishing and dying pe-
cause their bark is stripped of without any care VI
nrecaution and while the trees are far 100 young !"
hear the process Even the dead trees are lett s'ahu
ing All that the Arabs do is to fell timber 10 MAKO
charcoal or to clear path further into the depths
Of the forest
HISTORY AND HABITS OF TIE lkbhs'
like all the Arab tribes. the krouinlrs haNc Nv
written history, and their traditions, Ike most or'
traditions leave tho listener in doubt az 10 wha' Is
historical fact and what is mere legendary hction'
As they set great store their gcnealogies' ther
accounts of their descent perhaps the best pre-
served and contain most truth. According 70 their
nedigree then the Kroumirs are descended IRON
famous Marabout OF Saint, named Sidi Abdailah Don
Diemel They are divided into two distinct claSs"S'
named rcspectivcly the Sloul and the Iedmaka
The former have devoted themselves to some extent
70 commercial pursuits, and they are the ncnoS'
and therefore the most peaceablc OF the "hoie'
The Tedmaka on the other hand, arc poor ana nave
| M other means Of getting living than theit OF
brigandage Both these clans are true beleVers' III
| the Mahometan sense of the word, ana AZ sucn
thew all carefully avoid entering into any rei.,onS
whatayer with infdels, that Is, Christians lnen
Frapch neighbors in Agiers. They all profess an
.ms veneration for the Bey Of Tuniss less because