Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-09-21
BUCCANEERS or THE DESERT
Masked ruareps Acknowledge No Alls.
Glance and Wage War Win
All Civilization.

4
Back Of tho troubled areas of north
ern Africa. there Hes . truceless counr
try. inhabited by = people, the masks1
Tuaregs. fascinating for the mystery
and exclusiveness with which they
have surrounded their life. These pec.
pie, natives and rulers OF the Middle
Desert, are the allies Of no ono. but
wage furtive guerrilla warfare with
all who invade the inhospitF hl0 o.
hara sands Of their domain. They are
the buccaneers OF the trackless sand,
forever ut war with al civilization ana
its Restraints. begins : war geography
primer issued BY the National Geo
graphic society ut Warrington.
Masked Tuaregs are Berber no
maids, white desert peopls. whcso
country In probably tho most inacce1-
sible on earth. Even before Egyrtian
civilization began TO leave coherent
records OF its history tho Tuarsgs, or
Berbers, were long established along
northern Africa. The great Arab m
vasion Of the eleventh century dis-
placed them from their possessions
upon the seacoast and drove them Int
the savage area OF the interior desert
where, with their hands raised against
all who come into their painless cOunr
try. they hays maintained themselves
through the intervening centuries, ~
spite lack of water. sandstorms and
lack Of farming lands, requisitionine
by force OF arms from the Arabs ard
Egyptians, to tho north and east. ana
from the blacks OF the Sudan. IN the
south, such necessities and Injuries
as their cheeriess portion Of mothse
earth cannot supply them.
There are Ave main tribes In the
Tuareg confederation and they inhah
II the desert from Tuat to Timbuktu
and from Fexzan to Finder. Their
homes are reared In the heart Of arid
wastes, where vast solitudes, unnat.
ural heats and unmarked distances
shroud everything In uncanny mys-
terry. They are masters OF N area
half that Of the United StasAs In ex.
tent. OF this 1900, 900 square miles Of
territory. scarcely 5000 acs~A. or less
than the area OF New York city. y
cultivated land. This seAnty farm
land IL only maintained ~ m n
during struggle with the drietine
sands. These fierce adventures. who
have forced the great dAs0lati0A to
yield them support. number 500. 200.
or more. according to estimate, and
they have made themselves feared ~
the natives from the Mediterranaar
to the jungies Of Central Africa.
The Tuaregs wear the end Of thsii
turban cloth drawn around the sa<s.
allowing nothing but the eyes TO 20
seen. It IL worn for the purpose Of
protecting the throat ard lungs from
the cutting blasts OF fine desert sand
and also probably as an element en-
the mystery Of their lie. fOt
they seldom or never remove thsss
whether rowing over the desert
or visiting In the cities on the coast.
Due to these cloths. they are called
Masked Tuaregs. while the Arabs
call them People OF the Ven. The
masks are dark blue and white, the
former being worn by Tuareg nobl1S
and the latter by the sarfs and slaves
Some centers for trade, Tuares
towns, are situated IN the Middle
Desert. These are Wargia, Timbuktu.
That. Ghadames. Murzuk and Insalah
However. the Tuareg has little cares
Tor trade and industry. He 10 fear
less. enduring. hard-nghting adven
turer along the merchandise trail1
that cross the desert. Two important
rails leave Tripoli. on the coast. and
1000 miles Of sand and bar
rem wastes to the Sudan. where rich
sargoes Of skins. gold. ivory and other
African products are loaded
1pon camels and brought northward.
Sometimes q single caravan consists
il thousands of camels and merchAn.
lise to the value OF hundreds ~ thOu-
lands OF dollars. When passing
through the Tuareg country the lead
'rs OF such caravans have had To pay
tribute to the chieftains by the wAy
or safe escort or run the risk q -
ne All THAR wnndn