Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-18

soldiers cooked their evening meal, he wrote
letter to his brother, who lived in Paris.
Those brigands are as well dead" he wrote,
speaking of the Sbehas whom he had buried
alive. Each of them, living, a menace to
our soldiers and potential murderer. think
that did the right thing in suppressing them.
But just the same this happening has dis
gusted me with Africa"
I had heard my grandfather speak time and
again Of the grottos Of Dirha, and now being
in the neighborhood, decided to visit the scene
of the wholesale execution. Although did not
approve of what Saint-Arnaud had done-even
as my grandfather had not approved Of 1.-THE
very mention Of Dirha had always held for me
a kind of morbid fascination. But when went
for precise information to the functionary who
ruled Rabelais I found that either he knew
nothing Of the fact he wished not to speak
of it.
The stream Chabet ei Bir is three miles
south of our village, but have not heard of
caves nearby he said, with q shrug of his
plump shoulders. He offered me a cigarette and
began speaking Of the weather.
The tribe of the Shehas has been admins
tratively suppressed since the middle of the last
century, but tribesmen Of that people are stfTl
numerous around Rabelais. Therefore ! went
to q kind Of headman, a gray-bearded Arab
with the eyes Of q primitive philosopher and
asked him about Dirha.
Five hundred of our people were killed
there" the Arab said, stroking his beard. 81
q child at that time, but I remember the
fact well. When the soldiers went away the
tribeSmen who, under concealment of the
boulders garniShing the surrounding hills had
seen what Saint-Arnaud had done, came down
and grouped around the caves entrances One
of them said:
"'They will be dead by now. Let not dis
turb the dead
But there was among them a certain Yusuf
zerif, who had much loved a woman who had
been buried among the Others" the old Arab
continued. at have loved that woman SO much
that will go crazy If cannot press her life
less form to my breast Yusuf said If can
not have her alive. win have her dead"
The old tribesman paused musingly for q
while, then smiled subtly.
$50 Allah willing" my ancient informer con-
tinued they removed the earth and stones.
When the pure air entered the cave they went
within Inshallah, sdi! The dead were piled
on each other and streamed like little OF
human straw from one end Of the cave to the
other-able- bodied warriors, old men, women
and children. Only few were carried from
the cave still alive"
1 easily found a Sbeha guide. Every of
his tribe knew where the Cave of Dirha was
located. The day after, when my recruits were
through drilling, rode toward Dirha with my
orderly and the guide.
WE reached the caves around shutdown. The
cave proper was unoer IoElorn hllock
which arose between an arid valley called
Oued Ell Azudy and the ravine which had been
carved by the torrential waters of the Chabet
ell Bir which at that time of the year was q
thin rivuet Of sluggish water. At the en-
trance Of the cave both the guide and Menhed
my orderly, stopped. salaamed, and said IN
unmistakabIe terms that they would go no
farther.
Because the cave is haunted by evil spirits
Sidi!" they asserted sOlemniy.
Manned was q veteran who wore too wen
sciI ,qtii rt'-t2 sta sstr