Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10

achievements and tried to scare us out
of proceeding on to Gadames, protesting
their fears for the safety of the first
girls and first Americans to be the
guests of the "Gruppo" at Derdj. But
when we remained firm in our deter
mination to 60, they changed their
tactics and began plans for cinemas to
be made the following morning, which,
| while one Of the most interesting we
have had In Tripolitania, was certainly
one of the most strenuous n could
imagine.
BY six we were dressed and out, two
ASkri carrying u six cameras. Below
us, under the palm trees, were gathered,
company by company, the 500 soldiers
making up the Primo Gruppo Sahar-
iano. Each mar In immaculate white
uniform and turban, the distinguish
ing red belt of his unit wrapped about
his waist and brought up over the
shoulders so as to cross front and back,
knife IN hip and gun on shoulder,
stood beside his kneeling mehara.
With Maj. Perugini, Capt. Boselli,
the commandante of the Gruppo, and
our officer hosts, we walked about
among the men and camels in an effort
to get imposed pictures Of them and
their betaSseled steeds. Then out across
the burning desert sands to a narrow
wadi (dry desert stream bed), at the
head Of which we posted ourselves, and
for over two hours loaded and shot"
while the men rode into the cinemas.
| On foot, at trot, at gallop they came,
$50 artillery and machine gunners, 100
irregular mounted infantry and some so
Touareg. And then "close-ups" and
stills" of the elaborate trappings of
individual camel'S and men, Snappiest
Of all, the officers as, in a compact
unit, they trotted toward us and drew
! up in silent salute.
Next, out beyond the oasis to the
Campo Touareg," here to desert our
cavaliers. They stood grouped on the
| outskirts Of the encampment and
! watched while the girls wandered about
smiling and talking to the unveiled
women and shy babies who gradually
brown-haired Americans, to touch
fingers and murmur "Bis1amma"
Chess YOU'D. The men seeing the val
or OF their women, came forward to
oher lis a 'piccola fantasia" So, down
we squatted under a palm tree, MUNICH
ing dates while u new girl friends
folded themselves into a compact circle
some distance of to Groom out a wild mi
nor song, made more so by the insistent
IIIytIuH Oh Tie SkI1-COVeTeQ COm-COmS.
One by one, the black yelled men
came out to whirl about, Singly and
collectively, shooting and throwing their
long guns into the air very much as
we are taught our American Indians
used to do in by-gone days.
At S that afternoon, the Gruppo
gathered in military formation to start
forth on a month OF desert scouting,
and a more inspiring sight we are
never likely to see. Each company a
square unit in its own place, the officers
in front, and leading the whole the
smart young c~ommandante, who issued
orders by whistle.
A little to one side, by the major.
we stood and, before they rode OF
into the setting sun, each company, a
perfectly trained unit. presented arms
to the major, mounted their proud
steeds and rs man, rose and trot-
ted silently past. S~pellbound, we
watched them disappear over the rosy
dunes into the land Of the setting
sur. Then the major touched my
arm, we climbed into the car and drove
back to TGutta, from which we were
to start by mehari for Gadames the
following afternoon.
TGUTTA, Of 1taly's strongest
frontier posts, Is a square, mud
hoJnH hrirfr forfroer rttb a ri~n,,lav