The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-11

One of the least known parts OF the
world, in Southern Tunisia, was visit
ed recently by DR.. Frank Edward
johnson, a scientist and explorer OF
high reputation. He found there q
number of mountains, mostly sharp
peaks, which are inhabited by ant
people.
That is to say, these mountains are
SO honeycombed with caves dug out
of their sides as to resemble gigantic
anthills. In the caves dwell thousands
Of human beings. They and their an
cestors have lived thus, apparently,
for many thousands of years. And
on the summit of each mountain is
strong fort, built of a primitive sort
of concrete, for defensive purposes.
Such a human ant hill is the town
of Douirat. 1t has a population OF
5000 or more, but there sre no houses.
Caves, in tiers above tiers, AFFORD
dwelling accommodations to the in
habitants, and in that intensely hot
and dry climate they are a rather
comfortable style of domicile, being
COO, The rocky formation OF the
mountain is quite soft, so as TO De
easily excavated. Some Of the caverns
are used for storage purposes, ana
others are connected by tunnels, with
Subterranean StapleS ior AoiScS anu
other domestic animals.
1t should be understood that all OF
the region here described is desert,
with here and there an oasis, where
there happen to be springs. For water
supply the chief reliance is upon semi
occasional rains, every possible drop
being caught and conducted by troughs
into cisterns for storage. The people
are partial nomads, travelling long dis
tances with their goats and sheep In
search of pasture. The caves they oc-
cupy average about 80 feet in depth,
9 feet in width, and feet in height
the only light coming from the door
way.
One realizes, then. that such hill as
that Of Douirat, pierced as II Is win
a multitude of caverns and connecting
tunnels, bears no inadequate likeness to
an anthill enormously magnifed. On Its
summit is an ancient citadel, or fortress,
which has doubtless withstood many a
siege, though at the present time it is
in ruins The reason for its ruinous con-
dition is simply that the French ito
whose territory in Northern Africa
Tunisia belongs) have by force of arms,
and likewise by gentle methods, pacifed
the country, where formerly there was
continual warfare.
Used as Defenses.
These human anthills, undoubtedly,
were originally occupied for the sake
of their natural strength and defensi'
bility against enemies. Assault upon
armed men hiding in caves and tunnels
in the bowels of mountain is not
easily practicable from military stand
point But the situation is such that
the defenders, If overcome, had always
the last resort of retreating to the fort
ress on the summit, which was incl
dentally huge storehouse. wherein there
were water cisterns and large quantities
of food supplies provided against just
such an emergency.
Accordingly, in this strange part of
the world the traveller discovers, scat
tered over the landscape, mountains
which have been inhabited and fortified
by the ant people ever since the days of
the Pharachs, and probably for a much
longer period. One of the most inter-
esting of them is the top of a great
sugarloaf-shaped HILL with the point cut
off. 1t is called Ghourmessa, and occu-
pies a situation so wild and difficult of
access as to be well-nigh impregnable.
Another is Chnini where in front of
many of the caves are courtyards and