Iron County register., 1898-12-15
TROGLoDYTE CITIES.
Strange Abodes Along the Line Of
Caravan Travel in the Afri-
can Desert.

III you want to be introduced to the
slowest people in the world you must
visit North Africa and make your way
across the scorching desert that sep
arates from the rest of the inhabitants
of Africa the race known to the an
clients as the Troglodytes. from the
Greek "troglois," a hole. They were
given this name on account of the habit
of living in holes in the ground, habit
that probably owes its origin to the
fact that Old Sol in that quarter is a
very merciless old tyrant, and life
above ground is scarcely bearable ex-
cept when the sun has retired for the
night.
The Troglodytes are in the line of
caravan travel, and are visited by these
freight trains of the African desert.
No outside influence has been able,
however, to wean them from their an
cient habits, their antique garb and
their peculiar manner of living. So
far as is known, the manners and Gus
toms of the Troglodytes have not
changed since Bible times, and anyone
coming upon a group of these people
in the present day, and comparing their
appearance with descriptions extant
that some historians have regarded as
fabulous, will see that they are precise
ly the same now as they were many
centuries ago.
A Troglodyte city is the most curious
dwelling place in the world. From the
exterior it presents the aspect of Ro-
man circus. The habitations are built
in layers one above the other, and form
circular wall with a single entrance
from the outside. All the doors of the
houses open on the interior of the cir
cular city. Each habitation has door
climb a fight of steps cut in the wall,
which brings you to the lower layer
of houses. If you wish to go higher
you climb smother pair of steps to the
houses above, and from here to the
third row, if you are visiting some one
living on the top of the pile. The doors
are all fastened with the most prim-
tive lock that is turned by means of q
wooden key.
Besides providing protection from
their enemy. the sun, the circular habi-
side form a strong fortress to
guard the Inhabitants from the
attacks of neighboring tribes. In
these more peaceful days, however.
they have no such fear before them,
and so they use the walled city mostly
for storing of crops, while they live in
holes dug in the ground within the
walls, and frequently change their po-
sition in search of pasture for the ami
mails.
The age of the cities is immense.
The exact date when they were built
is unknown, but it is believed that they
antedate the birth of Christ. The peo-
pie are peaceably disposed, in which
phase of character they are superior
to most other natives of northern Afri-
ca. They are intelligent and hard
working, tending their focks and farm
ing their. land with patient energy.
The approach to their country is so
difficult and dangerous on account of
the frightful gorges it is necessary to
traverse and the risk of being over
come by the deadly sirocco, that the
interesting people have been disturbed
but little by Europeans. Now that
archaeologists are turning their atten-
ton to the ancient people something
more is being learned of them than
was known heretofore.-St.P Paul Dis
match