The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-06-04
Africa's Great White City
Continued from Page One.)

a mortar, and is brought in hot from
the Goals. After we have he
begins to show his perfumes. He
takes out a cork and touches it gently
to the backs of our hands. The next
bottle is tried on the wrist, and the
next by pulling up our sleeves TO the
elbow and pressing the cork upOn the
forearm. Indeed he stamps US with
SO many brands that when we leave
we are walking perfume shops, and
the scents are so pungent they last
for hours. The Arabs use perfumery
not only on their clothes and in their
! baths. but also in the fooG and drink.
which is sold here with tea. and there
are other perfumes for various foods.
Among the Shoemakers.
have spent some time to-day
among the shoemakers. There is a
long street devoted to their shops. and
there We're hundreds of men and BOYS
working N it when | saw it to-day.
They were cutting out shoes Of bright
yellow and red leather, and sewing
them into shape. The yellow shoes
were for men, and the red mes for the
women. They were also making many
shoes for children. About all the foot
wear of the Mohammedan world is
made thus by hand, and it might be a
good idea for some bright American
! SIlOeIIlCkNSu ~ z ~ d ldS(oly ilCiS
and supply the trade.
The Tunisian cobbler's bench is
nothing like that of the American.
These cobblers cut and pound upon a
section of a tree like a butchers block
raised upon legs. They do not use
hammers, but pound the leather with
pieces of brass so nodded that they
can be easily held in the hand: they
are not unlike a brass paper weight.
The leather work of Tunis is ia
nous, and shoes are sold everywhere.
A good pair can be bought for Is
cents.
Another street near that of the shoe
makers is devoted to the saddlers. and
others to jewelers.. to the sellers of
cottons and silks. There are also
man bazaars filled with old and new
carpets, and MANY which have fine
brass work and embroidery and furni-
ture inlaid with mother of pearl.
How the Arabs Do Business.
All trading among these Mohamme-
dams is by bargaining. There are no
fixed prices. and the merchants always
ask more than they expect to take. /
usually offer One-half or one-third, and
am surprised to find that the dealer
often comes after me and gives me the
goods. This is especially so with the
Jews, who have shops in the souks.
They give a commission of 5 or 10 per
cent to the dragOman, IN the first
thlng your guide does when you enter
the bazaars is to lead you into one of
these shops. He pretends that he
works in your interest, but he is really
a confederate of the s~hopkeeper. and
gets a rake-off from every sale he
brings in. The first day l visited old
Iunis | took along a Maltese, named
Gaouchl, to act as interpreter. He
warned me that l must expect the
merchants to charge more than thew
would take. n said that when I saw
him draw his handkerchief across his
lips | might know the price was too
high. The first Jew shop we entered
mad some magnificent rugs, for each
but GaOuchis handkerchief remained
In his pocket. In the next room I was
shown Tunisian silk dresses for which
the man wanted S12 apiece. and still
there was no sign from Gaouchi. Not
withstanding, 1 found that T could
have bought the rug for one-ifth ~
the price asked, and | did buy a silk
dress for a little over SIS.
The Souks fairly swarm with hovs
ana men who beg you to come into
the shops. They will say they want
you not 10 buy, but only to see, and
gesture to show what they mean they
point to their eyes and catch Won nv,
the hand, trying to drag YOU in 7
nave since learned the words for 800
away and get out" in Arabic. and
iCpcdt them IN that LANGUAGE and
IN french, German and English when
ever one of these pests becomes over
persistent.
A Great Arabian Trust.
many OF these bazaars are now run
ny corporations, and there is a great
serni-renglous trust that
WINS ana rents out a large part of
!ne shops; This is called the Habous.
1 think that the Bey of Tunis is con
nected with it. and also many of the
chlef sheiks. This institution has
its funds amount to MANY millions
1t mas had great sums dedicated to it
with the understanding that the in
terest from them is to go to certain
religious or charitable purposes. One
rlch Monammedan. for instance, left
ms money 10 the in order that
it might supply free water
to a certain locality. That was a ionr
time ago. and the water still flows
Men some*f mes leave fortunes to this
trust with Instructions tha it is TO
handle th-m in the interest Of their