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

There is a big trade in dried fish
caught in the Niger, and, since the
native is very fond of fish, 1t is read
lily understood how a "Sun-dried-fiSh
merchant" soon sells out.
Women Are Very Shy.
One finds the streets, or rather pas
sages, full of people, either going to
or returning from the market, which
is sort of African news exchange.
Strangers find themselves an absorb
ing topic of conversation and curios-
ity. Arab boys and girls run past like
fleet little gazelles Men, in passing,
salute by raising the hand; the women
baShful manner.
These women, of course, are only the
servants of the wealthy Arabs and
Moors; the rich native woman never
leaves her house from one years end
to another, unless to travel with her
man. She is then yelled completely,
and 1t is difficult to tell whether a
male or female is perched on the top
of a camel.
The Tuareg women and girls do
most of the household work for the
richer and more educated natives. The
girls are most attractive in appear
ance, but very dirty. They never
wash, as their home is usually in the
heart of the desert where the limited
supply of water is reserved for drink
ing purposes and is kept in the water
bags slung on the backs of camels
and oxen.
The Tuareg is of light coffee hue,
while Arabs are often far lighter In
color than sunburned European.
Their eyes, which are very beautiful,
belle their jealous, deceitful natures.
Beggars are to be found in all AZ
rican towns, but it is doubtful If
more pitiable collection can be found
than those in 'Tombouctou." Some
are blind, some cripples, others old
and feeble; but all chant some song
or prayer in a monotone, beseechng
Allah and the passer-by to give them
aims.
AS a rule, the native is kind to beg
CARS, but cruel to his animals; dOnkeys
and camels receive rough handling.
The usual cure for sore back or girth
gall is a green leaf, with a little sand
rubbed in.
Modernity Creeping In.
During the rains Timbuktu has a
large paddle-boat of some 200 tons !;
six tall masts of the wireless station
can be seen from the city housetops,
and the hum of airplane engines COM
ing up from Dakar has been heard.
The telephone and telegraph are
likewise in use, the latter being en-
ployed by the merchants.
Before the advent of the French,
money was little known, barter and
exchange serving for all transactions.
Cowrie shells are even now used in
the market, for silver is scarce and
paper money is reluctantly accepted.
The European population of Tim
buktu now numbers about twenty,
chiefly government officials, with three
or four merchants. A European baby
was born in Timbuktu in 1920-the
first one in the history of this old
town.
Social life is essential in a desert
place like this, and the French do all
they can to make themselves happy
and comfortable. There is q good hos
pital and a fine, hard tennis court
Riding and shooting, with tennis, con-
stitute the only forms of exercise. Polo
has not found its way there yet, but
will sooner or later probably. That
is a game in which natives in many
parts of the world soon become expert.
The great annual event in Timbuktu
Is the arrival of the huge salt caravan
from the heart of the desert, some 300
miles north Of Timbuktu. The French
government protects the salt caravan
bv sending out 200 camel corps men
with Europeans in charge. The strong
escort defends this wonderful caravan
from the ever-threatening attacks of
the marauding TuareGs and desert
tribes.
The coming of the caravan is a
marvellous sight-some 500 camels
laden with salt and hundreds of 9th
ers ridden by gorgeously robed chiefs,
with their various bodyguards, either
mounted or on foot. The caravan re-
turns north with rice and grain,
brought up by canoe from the large
agricultural districts of Gundam, El
WalejI and Gas.