ONS OE VOWAy, 
his movements in the water and the 
shaking of the pole he is holding to, the 
excitement becomes very great. “Lo- 
bon—lobon,’ is shouted louder and more 
rapidly than before. The shouts become 
deafening. The struggles of the poor 
victim, who is fast becoming asphyx- 
iated, are painful to witness. The cham- 
pions are generally plucky, and seldom 
come out of the water of their own will. 
They stay under water until the loser 
drops senseless, and is dragged ashore 
apparently lifeless by his companions. 
The friends of his opponent, raising a 
loud shout of triumph, hurry to the bank 
and seize and carry off the stakes. The 
vanquished one, cuite unconscious, is car- 
ried by his friends to the fire. In a few 
minutes he recovers, opens his eyes and 
gazes wildly around, and in a short time 
is able to walk slowly home. Next day 
he is probably in high fever from the 
effects of his dive. When’ both cham- 
pions succumb at the same time, the one 
who first regains his senses is held to 
be the winner. 
I have timed several diving contests, 
and where the divers are good they keep 
under water between three and four 
minutes. 
TUNIS 
723 
Among some tribes of Dyaks the 
champion is paid his fee whether he 
wins or loses. ‘They say it is not the 
fault of the diver, but because his side is 
in the wrong, that he is beaten. Among 
other tribes, however, no fee is given 
to the losing champion, so he comes off 
very poorly indeed. 
There are certain cases where diving 
seems to be the only means of a satis- 
factory decision. ‘Take the case of the 
ownership of a durian tree. ‘The tree 
probably does not bear fruit till fifteen 
years after it has been planted. Up to 
that time no one pays any attention to it. 
When the tree begins to bear fruit, two 
or three lay claim to it. The man who 
originally planted it is probably dead, 
and no one knows for certain to whom 
the tree.belongs. In a case like this no 
amount of discussion can lead to a satis- 
factory decision, whereas a diving con- 
test settles the matter to the satisfaction 
of all parties. 
The Dyaks have great faith in the 
diving ordeal, and believe that the gods 
will always maintain right by making 
the man who is in the wrong be the loser. 
In fact, if a Dyak refuses the challenge 
of a diving ordeal, it is equivalent to his 
admitting that he is in the wrong. 
OF TODAY 
By Frank Epwarp JoHNSON 
With Photographs by Messrs. Lehnert and Landrock, of Tunts 
UNIS, the capital of Tunisia, 
; situated on the coast of northern 
Africa, is considered one of the 
most beautiful cities of the Orient. It 
has a mixed population of over 200,000: 
about 100,000 Arabs, 50,000 native Jews, 
14,000 French, 50,000 Italians and Sicil- 
ians, and several thousand Greeks and 
Maltese. 
Tunisia was an absolute monarchy 
until 1881, when, on May 18, the “Treaty 
of the Bardo” made #t a French pro- 
tectorate. It is governed by an Arab 
bey, who is advised by a resident gen- 
eral from France. The latter is in reality 
chief executive. 
Tunisia is divided into 38 “‘caidships,” 
or provinces, which are supervised by 
French officials with the title of “con- 
troleurs civils.’ The extreme south of 
Tunisia is under martial law. 
Tunis is called by the Arabs “The 
White Bernous of the Prophet.” Its 
houses are all flat-roofed and creamy 
