Evening star., 1899-03-04
TROGLODYTES OF AFRICA
They Are About the Most Backward People
on the Globe.
But They Conform Their Manners of
Life to the Climate-Their
Queer Dwellings.
From the st. Paul Dispatch.


If you want to be introduced to the slow
est people In the world you must visit
North Africa and make your way across
the scorching desert that separates from
the rest Of the inhabitants of Africa the
race known to the ancients as the Troglo-
dytes, from the Greek "troglois," a hole.
They were given this name on account Of
the habit of living in holes in the ground
a 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 Troglodytes are in the line of car
avan 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 antique garb and their peculiar man
ner of living So far as is known, the man
ners 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 appear
ance 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 TrOglodyte city is the most curious
dwelling place in the world. From the ex-
terror it presents the aspect of Roman
circus. The habitations are built in layers
one ABOVE the 0tneT, ana IuTn q ciFCuidr
wall with a single entrance from the out
side. All the doors of the houses open on
the interior of the circular city. Each hab-
itatlon has a door and a 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 fas-
tened 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
more peaceful days. however. they have no
sucn 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 put it Is believed that they antedate
tne plrth OF Christ. The people are peace
ably disposed, in which phase of character
they are superior to most other natives Of
northern Africa. They are intelligent and
nafcWorking. tending their f1ocks and farm
ing their land with patient energy The
approach TO their country is so difficult and
dangerous, on account of the frightful
sorges 1T Is necessary TO traverse and the
rlsk OF belng overcome by the deadly siroc-
CO. tnat the interesting people have been
disturbed eL but little by Europeans. Now
that archaeologists are turning their at
tentlon to the ancient people, something
more is being learned of them than was
known heretofore.