Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-03-18


cisty, Washington. D. CO
The hard facts that the world isn't
civilized yet and that some men still
live by preying on whom they can
with sword and gun, put an end a few
weeks agoitO careful plans of a French
millionaire to operate pleasure cara
vans by automobile across the Sahara
desert from Algeria to that famous
synonym for the remote-Timbuktu
A string Of hotels or, more properly,
resting stations, had been erected at
Intervals in the sandy and rocky
wastes. and special automobiles with
caterpillar drives had been construct
ed to make the journey The whole
elaborate plan was quashed by the
French military authorities of north
ern Africa because they could not as
sure protection from the Tuarges and
other desert tribes, who for ages have
looked upon any caravan passing
through the Sahara as fair targets for
their attacks, and to whom loot car
ried in the tonneau Of an automobile
would be equally as alluring as that
strapped to the back of a camel.
The tourist lost a most interesting
objective when the opening of an
easy road to Timbuktu tor Tombouc-
tOu, as the native calls it failed.
The town is situated at the southern
edge of the Sahara about nine miles
from the most nOrtherly point of the
River Niger. In the rainy season it
It reached by a canal from Kabara,
the so-called port; in the dry season,
when the river is very low, a canoe
can go along as far as KOryiamo, from
which point a pony carries the trav-
eler across dry marshland and sand
dunes to this mysterious city.
AS the traveller approaches the city
on ponyback the governors palace
first attracts attention; but other we'll
built offices and houses of solid stone
add to the view, and he marvels how
such edifices could have sprung up in
the desert.
Arrived In Timbuktu one can best
get a general idea of the city by
ascending to the fiat roof Of the COVER
tor's palace But the trip should be
Aade early before the sun has climbed
high enough to make things uncom-
Portable.
Wonderful View From Palace.
The first thing to catch the eye is a
mosque, mud dome some so feet
high, at the far corner of the city, its
Isolated position making 1t conspicu-
Gus amid the irregular and curiously
shaped house tops.
From this point of vantage is seen
a wonderful moving picture of Arabs,
MOors and Tuaregs wandering along
the narrow streets; camels with rid
ers, camels with loads, and donkeys
with packs; pedestrians shutting along
with their sandals Gathering against
their heels; and here and there the red
fe2 cap of a French tirailleur. From
Of women and boys calling out their
wares
Soon one must escape from the sun,
preferably to the home of French
officer. These are charming places,
mostly built of mud in true Arabic
style, with doors and windows sim
liar to those in Morocco, and divans
md cushions much in evidence.
Toward evening one may visit the
market and the famous old mosque,
he site of the former slave market,
and also the present-day settlement Of
the freed slaves. Deep sand lies ev-
erywhere and roads or paths do not
exist.
Today Timbuktu has scarcely more
than 5000 inhabitants, and many of
these are nomads who pass through
with cattle or engage in the great
salt trade from the Central Sahara.
Once the city was much larger, YER
liable desert metropolis.
The market place is interesting but
far from pleasant. Meat, covered with
flies innumerable, and all sorts of
articles of food are offered for sale.
Four or five languages are distinguish
able at times, the cultural sounds OF
the Tuareg being predominant. The
noon sun Is blazing hot but a sun-um-
brella AFFORDS some relief.
The natives sit on mats, under the
shelter of little grass shanties. All
sorts of trades are represented:
butcher, saddler, leather-worker, gro
Ger, jeweler, perfumer, barber, black
smith, tailor, and last, but not least
the fishnongsr.