The Raymer enterprise., 1913-03-13

only picturesque mosque Dullt since
the French occupation" he said. in an
article which he wrote for the Ma
t!onal Geographic Magazine after his
return to the United States.
When he finally looked g-oundward
and located the village. he slipped and
stumbled down the sides Of a 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 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
deep and fifteen yards In circumfer-
ence In the middle OF each court.
yard Is a square masonry trough
which pipes rainwater into large
cistern. This Is a 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 It's 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 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 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 shcik's beautiful little
slX.ycarOld daughter, who liked to be
photographed with her playmate, little
| Ayesha and her little brothers After
gratifying this taste for her a door OF
palm leaf boards was pushed aside and
| the American was ushered into the
shetk's private room-0r rather cave
cut out OF the solid rock In II was
an old wooden chest, many guns. and
| bedstead hewn out OF rock but pro.
vidod with comfOrtable.look!ng 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 DO,
lite to MIR. Johnson. Whenever the
latter travelled about in the nGlghbor
hood to look up other burrowing com
munttles he was provided with knives
spoons, forks, and napkins by his hos
pttable host. He protested against this
vchemently, as he was quite willing tC
"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 abou,
them. OF the kaid's village he writes
"Matmata has its special code OF eti
Quotte Never approach near enough
to another mans dwelling to lool
down into the great circular court
yard and see his women, Il is no
only bad form, but It Is dangerous
Each dwelling has number OF white
Kabylo dogs that keep constan
watch. and on your approach woult
fly out at you and like to tear 20,
into pieces Never enter passage
way to a dwelling without sending IL
small boy or girl TO let the WON
en- know that you are coming in"
From Matmata the American tray
eler went inland to MedenIne. towr
OF most singular appearance, com
posed OF thousands OF "rhorfas," OF
caye.shaped dwellings, built abov,
ground. and piled up on top OF caci
other The only way to reach the up
per ones Is by means OF projectin.
stones worn smooth BY long centurIe,
OF use. The inhabitants leap from on,
to another OF these with the agllit,
OF monkeys. but to stranger the up
per layers OF houses are PRACTICAL,