The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-02-14
CITIES or The raooLoDyrzs.


nuiit In Layers and Reached by
Means Of steps Cut In the walls.
If you want To- bo introduced to the
slowost re3plc i'm the world, you must visit
north Africa and make your way across
the screening desert that separates from
the rest Of the inhabitants Of Africa the
race known to the ancicnt- us the Troglu
dytcs, from the Greek trogl0is, % holc.
They were given this name ON account OF
the habit of living i'm holes i'm the ground,
a habit that probably owes its origin 70
the fact that Old Sol I'm that quarter is
very merciless old tyrant, and life above
ground Is scarcely boarablo except when
the sun has retired for the night
The Troglodytos are i'm the line Of cara
van travel and are visited by these freight
trains Of the African desert. No outside
influence has been able, however, to wean
them from their ancient habits their an
tique garb and their peculiar manner OF
living. So far as Is known, the manners
and customs of the Troglodytes have not
changed since Bible times, and any one
coming upon group Of these people In
the present day and comparing their ap-
pearance with descriptions eXtant that
some historians have regarded as fabulous
will see that they are precisely the same
now as they were many centuries ago.
A Trolgodyte city Is the most curious
dwelling place in the world. From the
exterior it presents the aspect Of a Roman
circus. The habitations are built in layers
one above 'the other and form a circular
wall, with a single enhance from the out
side. All the doors of the houses open on
the interior of the circular city Each hab-
itation has a door and window. To get
to them you climb a flight Of steps cut in
the wall, which brings you to the lower
layer OF houses. If you wish to go higher,
you climb another 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 primitive lock that
is turned by means of a wooden key.
Besides providing protection from their
enemy, the sun, the circular habitations
with the dead walls outside form a strong
fortress to guard the inhabitants from the
attacks Of neighboring tribes, In these
moro 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 position in search of pasture for the
animals.
The uge Of the cities is immense. The
| exact date when they were built is un-
| known, but it is believed that they ante
| date tho birth of Christ. The people are
/ peaceably disposed, in which phase OF
| character they are superior to most other
| natives of northern Africa. They are in
! telligent and hardworking, tending their
| aocks and farming 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 trav-
! erse and the risk of being overcome by
! the deadly sirocco that the interesting peo-
| pie have been disturbed but little by Eu-
| ropeans Now that arch@ologists are turn
| ing their attention to the ancient people
| something more is being learned Of them
| than was known heretofore. st Paul
| Dispatch