Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-08
TroeIodytes of the Desert.


Numbered amongst the chief
curiosities of that sea of sand which
stretches from the northern coast of
Africa TO the Soudan are the towns of
the TrogiodyteS. or ve-dWellers, in
the southern Tunisian desert. No
sign OF the subterranean houses is
visible from the outer world. save the
holes by which they are entered.
Round about are ruins of Roman tenn
pies, halls, villas. theatres, which show
conclusively that very permanent
structures could be. and have been.
erected on the sand Nevertheless. the
c;tVe-dWellers choose To build below
ground. They themselves and their
homes remained almost unknown until
n short while ago, for the simple rea-
son that they We're unapproaehable
Two days journey south from the Gulf
OF Gabes, in the dreary Saharan
desert, is chain of mountains called
Matmata, inhabited by thousands of
Berbers. For a long while these
mountaineers defended their indie
pendence against tn Turks; the Bev
OF Tunis tired ii v;,fa to conquer them
ana make them pay t4xCs: it was only
When the French came into possession
or the Beydom of Tunis that il be-
came safe to journey into their coun-
Try. A visitor going there recently to
see the cave-dwellings came To a
taree-story- deep building, in which
We're men, women and children. the
second OF whom disappeared speedily.
covering their faces The entrance
to this subterranean dwelling was
fhlrtppn r1 Il
walls were perpendicular and We're
sometimes supported by rough stones.
IN the walls We're irregular holes, some
Oh them closed by rough doors. That
was the dwelling place of the Kaid o..
Matmata. The visitors was then TAX
en- down to the deep dry bed of n
mountain stream close by, and saw an
opening, the entrance to the sub-
terfanean house, which was the bos+
Of the colony. The Vaulted ceiling of
TINS was adorned with rough stnceo
ana the ornaments consisted of foot
ana hand marks made by the many
inhabitants of the place. Next to the
apartment with this ceiling was one
large room, fairly regularly built. with
carpets hanging before the walls. i
table IN the centre and benches
around. This was the reception-room
ana eouncli-chamber of the kaid an
Ella, white bearded man Of patriarcbal
appearance, Of an ancient Berber fam
nv When the French entered into
occupation of the land, they decided ia
make use of the Kaid as intermediar,,
between the tribe and themselves
FOR instance, the tax of fourteen francs
head per year is collected by tho
kalc, who is rewarded with one franc
per head. He. too, governs the inter
nal AFFAIRS. Other dwellings, were Wis.,
ltec and something was seen of the
slfls OF the tribe. who are pretty. and
edttoo little The roofs of the houses
are sacred 10 the women, who are very
1ealcusly guaSdeG, as are those of all
mohammedan countries The men
may neither so up to the roofs nor
look down upon them from the
eafth's surface. Included in the COL
cny are six or eight Jewish families
WhoSe history with regard to the ulace
goes back 10 the time of the Romans
In 1ripoli, there are large Troelodvte
villages with thousands of Inhabitants
who are all Jews and have their sub
teff2hean synagogues, their rabbits.
ana their Talmud schools They are
OIL distinctly Hebraic type, and do not
mix WITH the Berbers. a synagogue
which was visited not long ago was a
gloomy cave with benches carved in
tae earth, 1t may be noted that the
jews are Indispensable to the Berbers.
Thcy are regarded with suspicion. and
TO be called a jew is to be insulted.
trade. eSngpiqll1y ha in
Berhers like to drink strong waters
despite the injunction Of the Koran.
The Jews also work in gold. making
the cheap ear and neck ornaments for
the women, and are ,saddlers. black
smiths, and so on. Conversation with
those OF the cave dwelling Berbers
who spoke Arabic showed that they
We're quite content with their lot and
with their places of abode, which are
warm in winter and cool in summer.
The Berbers are believed to represent
the Tamahu of the Egyptian monu-
mentc. Illustrated London News
f. b. Griswold, manager of the &C.
OAR pencil and dimension factory here
some weeks ago gave out an interview
beinoaning the fact that he could not
Mold his girls, as they We're marrying
of 81 the rate of one a month, which
Kept him with green hands all the
time AT that time he stated that
hereafter he did not want to hire any
more carnations or American beauties,
but would eonfne himself solely t.
dandelions and sunfiowers. Mr. Girls
void says he has received letters from
Tennessee and southern Arkansas
since his former interview was pub
lshed asking for job. I'm little
afraid of the situation" said Mr.. Girls
void. There's so many letters, you
know. that I'd guess that there were
number of swans among The ugly
cueklings, and knowing the reputation
of the plant as matrimonial bureau
IN the past, only want to work for me
long enough TO find their affinities. =
Golfer correspondence Memphis COM
f,l