The Springfield herald., 1913-03-14

tnha bi:snts and not seeing house
only picturesque mosque built since
the French occupation" he said, In an
article which he wrote for the Ma
tional Geographic Magazine after his
return to the United States.
When he finally looked groundward
and located the village, he slipped and
stumbled down the sides of huge
hole dug In the ground. and found that
1t was courtyard of his friend, the
kaid, from which other openings led
into living rooms and store rooms.
Every house In Matmata is built In
just this way-one large hole, left un-
covered, for a courtyard. and every
thing else leading out of 1t deep into
the earth.
The big holes vary in depth and
width, averaging about nine yards
ence. In the middle of each court
yard is a square masonry trough
which pipes rainwater into a large
cistern. This is most important
home adjunct. as water is very scarce.
Every drop of rain is carefully pre-
served-so carefully that the unfor-
tunate horses, goats. sheep. and dom
keys belonging to the natives are wa
tered only once in twenty-four hours.
The kaid's dwelling is a superior
sort OF place with its entrance walls
whitewashed and several articles of
European furniture disposed about the
various holes that serve as rooms. An
other high-class dwellings of this un-
derground village is that of Sheik
| Ferdjani, who courteously invited Mr..
Johnson to pick his way down the
steep walls of the courtyard" and
pay him a visit. He describes the
visit thus:
| "A young man burned handful OF
dried esparto grass. which famed UP
brightly and showed US the steps and
turns down the tunnel. I almost fell
over a donkey eating its hay. Great
eyes glared at me from out of the
blackness. On coming into the large
round courtyard one would think the
sheik the father Of at least twelve In
fants, for children from two to ten
years old are curiously watching US.
They are very fond of bonbons and
sous. Whatever money one gives the
sheik is divided among the children"
He met the sheik's beautiful little
six-year-old daughter. who liked to be
photographed with her playmate, little
Ayesha, and her little brothers. After
gratifying this taste for her door Of
palm leaf boards was pushed aside and
the American was ushered into the
sheik's private room-or rather cave
cut out of the solid rock. In 1t was
Ia oh nd
bedstead hewn out Of rock, but pro-
vided with comfortable-looking native
mattresses filled with wool and with
native blankets. There was also an oil
lamp made just like those the Greeks
and Romans used.
The kaid of Matmata was very po-
lite to Mr.. johnson. Whenever the
latter travelled about in the neighbor-
hood to look up other burrowing COM
munities he was provided with knives,
spoons, forks. and napkins by his hos
pitable host. He protested against this
vehemently. as he was quite willing to
''rought It," but the men accompany
Ing him had received iron-clad In
structions and refused to deviate from
them the least bit.
Under such auspices the American
had ample opportunity to study the
customs of the country. and he has
much that Is interesting to say about
them. OF the kaids village he writes:
"Matmata has its special code Of eti-
quette. Never approach near enough
to another mans dwelling to look
down into the great circular court
yard and see his women. 1t is not
only bad form. but 1t is dangerous
Each dwelling has 4 number Of white
Kabyle dogs that keep a constant
watch. and on your approach would
fly out at you and like to tear you
into pieces Never enter = passage
way to a dwelling without sending In
, small boy or girl to let the WON
en- know that you are coming in
!, From Matmata the American trav
eler went inland to Medenine. town
of most singular appearance, COM
posed of thousands of "rhorfas," OF
cave-shaped dwellings. built above
ground, and piled up on top Of each
other. The only way to reach the up
per ones Is by means of projecting
, stones worn smooth by long centuries
of use. The inhabitants leap from one
to another OF these with the agility
OF monkeys. but to stranger the up
} per layers of houses are practically