Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-27

has complete authority over the home and tho
rearing Of the children, owns property and
goods in her own name, and chooses and courts
her future husband. The Tuareg mobiles revere
their women and each has only one WIFE,
I shall never forget the graceful and proud
bearing Of the women In the camp of King
Akhamouk The Tuareg girl dresses quite
simply in dark garments wrapped around her
body, beginning under the armpitS with ono
end Of the garment brought over the shoulder.
Ordinarily they wear little jewelry and tho
men wear none at all. The slaves of the women
do most Of the work. The men are more skilled
in the art of sewing than the women and are
able to cook and tidy up the household. These
practices are not, Of course regarded as efem-
mate.
The women of the Hoggar still sleep on the
tombS Of their ancestors when they wish to
consult the future. Their thought is that while
sleeping on the tomb q vision viii come to
them and they will be able to peep into the
future. Tuareg maiden in love, will spend
the night on the tomb of some ancestor with
the hope of catching q vision Of her lover who
is away at war or on a raid.
I shall never forget the tournament which
was staged for us, but which was announced
as being given in honor of the ladies. There
was jousting and sword play; there were featS
Of arms that would have done justice to any
knight Of old. And as we looked on we could
but recall the days of King Arthur and his
noble knights It Is strange to see here in
the desert the sign Of the cross on shields.
swords and saddles. It Is indeed reminiscent
OF the Crusaders, from whom not q few stu
dents think the Tuareg Is descended. It is
romantic thought, but fear it is far from the
fact. True, they have q noble origin, and
medieval code Of chivalry. They bear the sign
Of the cross emblazoned on their shields and
weapons; they carry the cruSaderlike, double
handed sword. and their knightly tournaments
bear a great resemblance to those held on the
Continent 10 centuries ago.
In this connection it will be well to remember
that st. Louis of France on his last crusade
died amidst his knights in the ruins of Carthage
in 1910. With this fact in mind, some scholars
believe that these Tuareg mobiles are descendants
OF those Crusaders. Certainly there are evil
denceS in support of the thought but one must
not forget the overwhelming mass Of evidence
to the contrary There is the survival of the
Lbyan script to be considered; there are Tuareg
tombs of greater antiquity than the day of st.
Louis of France; there are inscriptions on the
rocks that were ancient when st. Louis was
born. It would be safer to hazard the guess
that certain customs of the Crusaders were
copied by the Tuareg, customs which were made
to order for the fighting marauders Of the
desert.
It will be long time before we will solve the
mysteries surrounding these fascinating people.
In their land are many deep. unexplored csn-
yons; lost GASES surrounded by the awful Ia.
nezrouft where Tuareg tell me there are two
ruined cities. Tokalet and TafaSsaset; and still
awaiting discovery are the emerald mines of the
whence came the Jewels found
n Queen Tin Hinan's tomb
THE land of the Tuareg is q rich storehouse
of knowledge for future explorers. II ever
he cradle of man Is discovered and proven, te
5 my belief that it will be here In the Sahara.
Continued OF TsOeRty-second Page