Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-09-10
TREASURE OF THE DESERT.
In the Sahara all Property is Express
ed bv Canels,


ed by camels.
Primitive people who have no money
measure all values by that possession
which Is most desired and most easily
transferred. Thus among most Of the
Inhabitants Of the Sahara the camel is
the measure Of all values. Property
riches and camels are synonymous
terms among most of the dwellers in
the Sahara. DR.. Goldstein Of Germany
wrote a while ago that II a Tuaree
were set down in the streets Of Berlin
the business blocks and residences
would convey to him no idea Of prop
erty. He would simply ask the great
est real estate landlord in the city how
many camels he owned.
When Richardson met the Tuaregs
and was entertained by one Of their
chiefs the traveller was told by his host
that he wished to make Queen Victoria
The finest present that any one could
give her, and so he asked his guest to
take back to her a mehari, which Is a
camel trained to fieetness and the most
costly Of the Saharan camels.
While Barth was sojourning in Tim
buctoo there was danger for few days
that the street mob would attack his
house. One Of his women servants ad-
vised him to remove his "haivan" to
place of safety. This word means
livestock, such as cattle or camels, and
Barth told the woman that he had only
his horse with him. 1t was some time
before he learned that the servant did
not mean to refer particularly to his
horse. but to all his possessions.
When the Frenchman Hourst sue
ceeded in navigating the Niger from Its
mouth to Timbuctoo. some years ago
desert dweller, desiring to learn IL he
came of a family of substance, asked
him how many camels his father own
ed. and when Foureau crossed the des-
ert with the largest exploring party
that ever entered the Sahara he receiv-
ed from a wealthy native Of Asger a
present Of a white camel and was told
that 1t was the most expensive pres
ent that the residents Of that region
could give any one.
AS a rule, however, the number OF
camels in the possession Of one individ-
ual is not large. The average man con-
siders himself well-to-do IL he owns
two or three animals; the important
chief whom Nachtigal met In his
seven years wanderings was said to
own about 100 camels. No one will
part with his camels excepting at an
exorbitant price. Foureau found 1t i'm
possible to buy them in the heart of the
desert for less than about $50 francs,
which was double their value In Alge-
ria.
The grazing grounds are common tn
all and there is no property In land
The richest man lives in his tent and
why should he sell camels to acquire
the means to build a more commodious
and substantial dwelling when he ex-
poets to move to some other place In
few weeks or months? He simply ac-
quires all the camels he can get for
the mere fun of having them.
To be sure he buys wives with his
camels, just as the negro does with his
cattle, and wives come very high in Sa-
hara, the daughter Of the ordinary man
being worth as much as four camels,
while the price Of chiefs daughter
can be commanded only by the very
wealthy. Some explorers believe that
very fat young women are most popu-
lar in the desert simply because camePs
milk is fattening, and II girl is fieshy
It shows that her father has given her
all the camers milk she can drink.
Such a father must have number OF
camels, is, therefore, a wealthy man,
and it will be a good thing to marry
into his family.