The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1912-05-17

sun by excessively high buildings,
leaning so far toward the center that
they darken the streets. but. above all,
keep the glare OF the sun from the
dwellers. The houses are not built on
any plan known to the rest OF the
world. The first story or ground
foor Is windowless. probably to serve
as defenses In case of sudden attack
from the desert nomads. The next
floor Is likewise windowless. but Is
lighted from above. About the houses
are sunken gardens, and as may be
imagined with the spreading foliage of
palms. give charming sense OF fairy
land to the surroundings.
Every species of exotic growth
thrives In these delightful spaces,
even bananas, figs, dates. etc.-the
products. In short, OF every tropic
country. The industry of the city is
the entertaining, guarding of the cara
vans and slaves that meet In this des-
ert waste for recuperation preparatory
To the final assemblage at the chosen
marts on the seacoast
Visits of the Dread Simeon.
Almost daily the simeon makes life
burden unless one is sheltered I'M
der the ample palms or in the spacious
ground apartments OF the solemn look
ing fortresses called houses. Were
the gardens on a level with the sur
face of the desert they couldn't exist
an hour in simoom which sweeps
everything as clean as the new tangled
hotel sweepers. But let the simoom
whirl dust and heat with what fury 1t
lists, the voice OF the ''muezzln" six
times a day proves that the human
still exists, and that Is about the only
evidence that there is anything but
vast circumference of almost evenly
built editices made to resist the desert
invader, both simoom and nomad.
The strange dwellers In this unIn-
wiling oasis are as extraordinary as
their surroundings. There are three
distinct groups. they can hardly be
called races The descendants OF the
earliest known habitants, differenti-
ated distinctively as Rhadamesians,
who are accorded a certain priority OF
rank, arrogating to themselves nobili-
airy distinctions; the "Atryas,'
mingling OF negro freedman from 9TH
er parts; then the descendants of the
mobiles, by negresses. These black
folk, however, have none of the physi-
cal traits OF the African. Their noses
are aquiline, their hair long, their lips
normal and their feet well proper
toned, evident descendants, the an
thropologists discern, of the ancient
Libyians. A considerable group of
scientists who have sojourned In the
oasis testify. however, that the earl
lest settlers of the oasis were unques-
tionably the native black African, and
that The remnants OF their civilization
attest superiority to their successors.
The Italians look upon this as very
hopeful promise for their future set
Element and civilization OF the I'm
mense desert wastes that have fallen
to them In occupying Tripoli, since
they propose to make use of the myri-
ads hitherto brought by the caravans
as slaves.
But the conquerors, like the French
in Algeria and Morocco. will be COM
PEELED to turn The soldiers casernes
into schools to teach the men operating
In the country the innumerable dia.
lects spoken by the natives, for no
two groups speak the same lingo. Nor
will the work OF "assimilating" the
new m Alters prove easy, since the
women are more Theoretically i'm
nured at home than even In Turkav
One OF the secrets OF the French facil-
ity In gaining the good will OF con-
quered peoples is the ready adaptable
ity of the good humored little soldier
In making up to the women; he Is al
ways handy, always serviceable, he
can teach how to cook edibles In
fashion never dreamed by the aborig-
inal.