Iron County register., 1899-03-30
TROGLODYTES OF AFRICA.
They Are AbOut the Most BRckVVarS
People the GIObe-TheIr
Queer Dwellings

| II 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 sepa,
rates from the rest of the inhabitants
of Africa the race known to the an.
clients as the Troglodytes. from the
Greek ''troglois," 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
very merciless old tyrant. and life above
| ground is scarcely bearable except
when the sun has retired for the night.
The TrogIodytes are in he line of car
| avau 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 group of these people
in the present day and comparing
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 CEN
turies ago.
\ Troglodyte city is the most curious
dwelling place in the world. From the
exterior it presents the aspect of q
Roman circus. The habitations are
built in layers one above the other, and
form a circular wall with a single en-
trance from the outside. All the doors
of the houses open on the interior of
the circular city Each habitatiOn has
a door and a window. To get to them
you must 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 wooden key.
Besides providing protection from
their enemy, the sun, the circular habi-
tations with the dead walls outside
form a strong fortress to guard the in
habitants from the attacks of neighbor-
ing 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
position in search of pasture for the
animals.
The age of the cities is immense. The
exact date when they were built is un-
known, but it is believed that they an
tedate the birth of Christ. The people
are peaeeably disposed. in which phase
of character they are superior to most
other natives of northern Africa They
are intelligent and hardworking, tend
ing their fiocks and farming their land
with patient energy. The approach to
their country is so difficult and dan
gerous, on account of the frightful
gorges it is necessary to traverse, and 1,
the risk of being overcome by the dead
ly sirocco, that the interesting people
have been disturbed but little by Eu-
Topeans. Now that archaeologists are
turning their attention to the ancient
people. something more is being
learned of them than was known here
tofore.-St. Paul Dispatch.