The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-07

Africa will be thronged with tourists
and others studying the historic re-
mains of its past. The most or the
rulrs hare have, until now, been al
lowed to remain as they We're, while
those OF Italy, Greece and Egypt have
been cactcd off to fill the museums of
the world. There are acres OF mosaics
to be seen in the museums Of Tunisia
which Will compare in beauty with
any IN Italy The arena OF this graet
.amphttheatre was one solid moaaic It
is now a part of the wonderful collec-
ttcn in the bey's palace. in the city Of
Tunis. There are other mosars al
most as wonderful in the museum Of
Sousse, and others OF great value in
the Carthage museum.
Sonsse has Recently excavated a
cemetery which dates back toathe time
of the Carthaglnians. In 1t are tombs
which were built when Hannibal was
alive. and I fingered the bone dust of
some Of these ancient heroes as look
ed at the urns which contained their
remains.
Even more wonderful arc the cata-
combs Of Sousse. now for the first time
being exposed to -the light Of modern
times had never heard of them until
came here. You will not find them
mentioned in the books upon Africa,
and doubt If they are known outside
this part of Tunisa. Nevertheless
they are of enormous extent and of
historic interest. They lie mile or
so outside the walls, with olive trees
and other crops growing above them.
They are reached by stone steps which
take one far below the surface and
they extend over several square miles.
It. was by means Of my letter from the
Regent of Tunisia that [ was able to
go through them We walked along
gallery after gallery. cut out Of the
solid limestone. lighting our way with
candles. Now and then we had to
stoop over. and was warned to keep
cross passages that one might become
lost and wander long before getting
out. The galleries are walled with
| tombs; they contain the remains OF
Items OF thousands OF human beings, al
Lying in boxes cut out OF the walls
away down there under the ground
! The tombs are, in fact, series O,
pigeon-holes, each hole containing {
skeleton or bones and bone dust.
/ After the body was put in the from
i Of the tomb was walled up, and an in
| scr1ptlon was carved upon 1t mention
| ing the name and sometim mes the stor,
I OF the man. In many OF the tomb
i geld and silver and precious stone
have been found, and in others article
which illustrate the life Of the times
1 some OF the tomhs were those Of littl
children. In one I saw the bones o
!! woman. the impression Of. who's
buxom bust still showed in the plaste
cast made by the soft limestone an
!, clay Upon a shelf over this say
; the bones Of baby of perhaps tw
4 years of age, and In the pgeon-hol
Just below the skull and foot Of /:
, man. the rest of his skeleton havin
passed away. /.
4 am writing these notes in SfaX, til
capital of Southern Tunisia and one o
!, the rapidly growing cities Of North
!, ern Africa. The town lies on har
Dor, which can DO entered by tn
l largest OF ocean steamers, and 1t In
: a considerable trade, 1t ships phos
. Fhates and olive oil, and millions c
. sponges, caught in the waters neal
: by. The population of Sfax is abol
$4,000 natives and 5000 Europeans, tt
most of whom are Italians and Spar
6 iards. The European town lies bt
: tween the Arab town and the sea-
contains theatre, q st-ottice seS
Z. rIal hotels and some few bushes
! houses.
: The natives are Mohammedans
the Mohammedans. They do not lii
Christians; and 1t was not until IS;
tHdl E-ui opeanS were allowed 10 con
irside the walls We're 1t not thu
}, the French govern the country
I would hardly be possible to go insit
!, to-day. and, In fact, one sees few FL
ropeans inside the town. They are n
), allowed to enter the principal mosqu
: and It Is not safe TO go into any
]. tho other places OF worship.
The people of Sfax dress in Orient
! costumes. the women wrapping Their
selves up in white blankets, viii,
- they hold so tightly over their fac
: That only three-cornered eye-ho
can he seen. They do not wear blac
:. as In Sousse and Kairouan The mi
J y are clad like their kind in all parts
:, Tunisia.
FRANK. G. CARPENTER.