Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1912-07-30


conveys little meaning to
the average reader, but
those conversant with conditions in
North Africa know that 1t refers to a
powerful secret society with a mem
berships sometimes estimated as high
as 100000; that the sheik is absolute
chief of this organization and that 1t
Is but one out of dozen societies
that embrace several million of the
Moslem inhabitants Of North Africa.
The order of Sidi Mohammed ben
Ali es Senussi is the youngest as well
as the largest and most Jealous of the
brotherhoods and description Of 1t
will serve for all, since they differ
principally In having different found
ers and somewhat different rituals.
The followers of Sidi Yusuf ell Hansali.
for instance, repeat 200 times at each
of the five periods Of prayer the fol-
lowing formula: 20 God, peace be
unto our lord and master Mohammed."
while the adherents Of Sidi Mohammed
ben Abderrhaman are bound to NUT
ter at least 5000 times day the Mo-
hammedan declaration OF faith:
There is no God but God; Mohammed
is the prophet Of God"
The Senussis owe their name to an
Algerian lawyer who left the country
on the French conquest and Travelled
In the Orient, becoming a disciple at
Mecca of Ahmed ben Edris who, dy-
ing. designated him as his successor.
The doctrine of Chadhelism taught
by Ahmed ben Edris and taken UP by
his successor consisted in supposed
return to the original purity OF Islam
and a general reconciliation Of the lux
uries of life His followers were
taught to obey no authority unless II
showed itself worthy by proper OBJ
servance of the Koran, and to have DO
! dealings with Christian or Jew
Taxed for Aims.
The brothers live all over North Al
RIGA following their usual pursuits and
wearing no distinguishing mark save
the rosary common to all Moslem
secret society men. In practice they
are bound unquestioningly to obey all
orders sent out by their superlors, to
| carry all disputes to their religious SUI
periors rrther than to courts OF law
| and to pay an annual tax OF 2h pei
cent. of their capital or, II without
copital to do a corresponding amount
~ work ON the domains OF the broth
erhood The wealth thus poured into
the various monasteries Is largely dis
pensed in aims, which helps further
to increase the prestige Of the order.
On the death of the founder his son
succeeded him. The order continued
to grow and the new head, In order to
be still more remote from civilization
| removed to the oasis of Kufra. deer
in the hinterland Of Tripoli. The only
European who has ever set foot In
this stronghold was Gerhardt Rohlfs
a German surgeon long attached to
the French foreign legion. Later he
pretended to be convert to Moham
mechanism and during the seventies
made a series of trips through the
Sahara, none Of which equaled In
thrills the one to Kufra He was ex
posed almost as soon as he arrived
and turned back with a severe bullet
wound. The headquarters were Their
moved to a still more distant oasis
but have since returned to Kufra.
In taking over the brotherhood
along with Tripoh Italy has received
a possession that makes q white ele
plant by comparison seem like use
full and desirable acquisition. Hatred
of all unbelievers is one Of its prin
cipal doctrines. 1t is capable Of max
ing Il lot of trouble within its terri
tory. The present head of the order
however, seems to be either very wary
or else lacking in decision and energy
a disposition that Is traced back two
decades to a crushing defeat which
the French inflicted on some of hi
followers during their occupation o
the Sahara The sheik, 1t is report
ed, had started holy war to proven
that conquest, but the French had haA'