The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-10

whose dermlc pigment Is shade
darker than your own are contempt
worthy "niggers," then Arab, Moor,
MZabite, Tuareg, kabyle, are all one
to you. But the Wanderust is funda-
mental: universal, II the "freside"
travellers are counted. who do their
donkeyback or camelback riding vicar1-
ousy-through a reporter. for instance,
who will make the long and weary
pilgrimage to the wonderful valley Of
the River M'Zab," daring the "purga-
tory of rock" for the paradise OF
palms" beyond, the Sacred City of the |
Abadia.
"Baraka' is the mysterious es-
and in the Arab ritual OF slaughter |
for food the butcher. facing toward |
Mecca and blessing the beast, bismil- |
lah before he Sits it's weasand, par
tcpates in the Creators offices by alb |
sorbing into his own being the baraka /
of the usefully defunCt creature. the
Vital indwelling force of its blood and
breath. a hen, for instance. before
being popped into the pot should he
swung seven times and touched to the
persons back and chest. whereby the
divine essence finds entrance into his
being. Here Is opportunity for refiec-
ton on the possibilities of amalgamated
immortalities. But the old pure rite IL
degenerating to materiallsm. 1t is done,
when done at all, not as an act of wor-
ship hut FOR luck" and the chicken is
swung over the embers of the fire on
which II is to be cooked.
VIII you have your fortune told?
( Cheiromancy is not in fashion. but the
old crone who crouches in the dim light
Of her mud walled hovel has her own
| formula She manipulates mortar and
pestle. seeds and flakes of various kinds.
and a package OF needles. She hands
| you bit OF broken crockery. to be wet
with saliva Into this she mixes the
| aromatic powder. kneads II into cake,
and geometrizes with the needles, laying
| them on like the crisscross crusty open
cover Of tart. After being waved
seven times over the head of the wooer
Of luck the talisman is wrapped and
ready to he worn. Nakhla, an unhappy
young bride. gets a stronger prescrip-
ton for the management of her i'm
provident spouse; the cards having
first shown that the handsome soldier
who had crossed her path had gone
away a short distance" Aly's medicine
was n horrid powder made of dead
human bones and kneaded into pei
let's. Certain performances of unhappy
Nakhla's lower maXillary. hardening in
line and taking on a sterner projection,
promised efficient cooperation with
the unholy charm for Alys conquest.
The North African has an idea of the
facilis descensus into Avernus resem-
bling hat in some Of our North Ameri-
can Indian legends. The soul. newly
released from material bondage. is ques-
toned by two angels as to his faith
and works. " the balance is had he
is carried to the bridge that spans the
gulf, bridge narrow and sharp as a
! keen swords edge. on which no wicked
man can stand and from which he
punges into the deeps of hell. But
IL in life he has followed the ways of
virtue he passes in safety. eats of the
, liver of the Sacred Bull whose horns
uphold the earth. ions the green robe
of paradise. dimes and drinks and is
, initiate. In the myth OF our centra!
West a slippery log takes the place Of
the razor edged bridge. for in creating
home for his soul man must mould
his symbolism on the familiar things
of terrestrial existence.
/, Card games. at any rate those that
the ladies' were introduced to. are Of
, admirable simplicity; perhaps Ally. the
. Serelict in conjuRa duty, could have
, initiated them into the mysteries Of
a "sporter" game. The deck was of
: quaint and primitive Spanish design
: Four cards were dealt face up in the
= centre and three apiece to the players
d, who tried in turn to make books
= from the hand and the table In an
:, other game. still less complicated. the
object is To combine the number cards
seven is the highest" combination.
' then eight. nine. or any pair. You dea
u to the right and from the bottom OF
the pack.
7; Admirable is the sslf-respect OF tn,
y Arab. Those VINO go away denouncini
', the race comprehensively as thieves and
= liars are the sightseers who will not II
:, Rome do as the Romans do but outrag,
native customs and make themselve
fair game for the resentful native
. The Arab hates the impertinent curl
osity of the holiday making invade
a who. meeting his wife. asks how man,
!, more he has He does not like to tel
:, strangers his name or his business; hi
l. home life is a sacred thing. not light,
10 to be trespassed upon even in 'familia
N conversation. He hides his home. Hi
,, reference TO his people is circumlocu
tory:
= His wife Is never mentioned To spea
OF her. inquire directly for her or he
!, health Is an objectionable social sin; bu
D. the language is amply furnished wit
n suitably vague expressions 20 meet the ot
= CASTOR II need be- How 10 every one
re home?" ANY one I'll at your house" wouI
Is be safe questions and in GOOD taste To ga
10 BADLY to an Arab who 10 your mother :
would simply make him gasp: but II III
Inquiry were altered TO who are your ms
. ternal unc!es7" he would comprehend an
- reply to It.
10 The men Of the M'Zab Ohow Gael
;, the inverted comma does look) are OF
~ type las recognizable as the Jew" c
"a Beroer descent. they are not like ii
A. Kabyle Of the north, the Arab of II
-, plateau region or any other North Afr
~ cans: short and stout in build and ur
tidy in person. with round faces, thic
noses and big mouths. they are =
beauties The Tuareg is more at;ractiN
>" in appearance, though his name stanC
for outlawry. Among the Kabyles u
he mixture of races has beautlhed Il
Mt women but robbed the men of the al
=, pearance of breeding. the fine state
av manner and slow gestures" of the Arab
40 they are mOngrels and mostly look A