Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-07-27
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fighting the Arabs for years and knew
exactly how to proceed-a knowledge
that the Italians seem not to have ac;
quired. The faithful who tried to stop
the tide of French aggression we're
practically annihilated The sheik
has since been cautious in such mat.
ters.
When italy decreed the annexation
of Tripoli, for example, he refused for
a long time to decree another holy
war. Most OF the Arabs fighting
around Tripoli from the very begin
ming were doubtless Senussis, and of
course they would not have been
there II their chief had disapproved;
nevertheless, he refused to come out
in open opposition to italy, despite
the pleas of his coreligionists, the
Turks with whom indeed he has
never been on the best OF terms.
Formidable Enemy.
Finally the government at Constan.
tinople Gent delegation to Knfra.
with jewelcd sword and other strong
arguments, including several deoera-
tions The sheik of the Senussi was.
convinced that the Turks intended to
ffeht to the last ditch and that the"
Italians. had no chance of complete
success, SO he was not unwilling to
take an energetic part In the cam
paign 1t is understood that he has
left Kufra and established field head
quarters nearer the coast.
He is more formidable enemy In
some ways than the Turks Even II
the italians should get possession Of
the country It will be long time be.
fore they establish a tax collector at
Kufra.
Second in Importance among the
brotherhoods and perhaps even more
influential in the Algerian Sahara is
the Tejania. which split in t1two some
years ago because OF a.squarrel over
the succession and thereby lost n
good deal of its power. The principal
branch now has fits Headquarters at
fGggurt. the great, center OF caravan
roads south of Biskra. and is on terms
of Intimacy with the French govern.
ment, to which It has been very nse-
ful. ip keeping order among the tribes
men. Sidi Hamtd, the present Head,
seems to think, thatsthet French have
come to. stay and. sthat, he. cap best
serve his own ends by cooperation
with them - &c
t.sThis- erder owns, 10000 palm trees,
which bring in a large revenue. most.
ly used for charity. The: :headdn6rters
near Tuggurt. form a. little town 'i,F
cluding one of the most beautiful mos.
ques In the Sahara. erected over the
bones of Q former leader who died
three quarters of a century ago
The best known monastery In .,AL
geria,; but now possessed of little fnfiu-
ence, fs that at Sidi Ofba. near Bisk.
IA where Is buried the warrior who
made the original Mohammedan con.
quest of North Africa In the seventh
century. His renown attracts many
pilgrims and tlIssmosque Is considered
to possess, particular sagctityss but the
brotherhood is anaemic
: or all the Mohammedan societies.
perhaps a quarter are friendly. to- Ahe
French, WHO of, course rule most OF
North Africa, The rest are openly or
secretly hostile. and dream of the cav
when they will be able 10 throw on
the infidel yoke The Williama6f1s. in
their novel, "The Golden Silence"
have depicted fanciful's state of az
fairs In which the brotterheods are
preparing for war. It is impossible to
say that such a Situation does not
actually exist. but the French befieSe
that most Of the plotting. expends it-
self In rnutterfngs