$06 AE, NATIONAW SG ROGR AP TICs MAG AZINIS 
Lia 
Photo by Lehnert & Landrock 
A NOMAD GiRL, NEAR GABES 
sheep and two lambs, 20 liters of olive 
oil, 60 liters of barley and 40 of wheat, 
and all over southern Tunisia the fiancé 
has to give his future father-in-law a 
new fez cap and slippers, usually of vel- 
low leather, made in Tunis. In some 
districts a silk haik is given to the 
mother of the girl. A dot of 30 piasters, 
equal to 18 frances ($3.00), is given; half 
the. day of the marriage, the balance 
sometimes a year afterward. 
These gifts are for a physically per- 
fect girl, A poor man, not having so 
much money to buy gifts, can secure a 
wife blind in one eye, but otherwise 
sound, for a gift of less value. 
In certain tribes the form of abduc- 
tion takes place. The marriage and the 
value of presents is arranged between 
the families by a mutual friend. The 
bridegroom and his chums (this is the 
land of friendships like David and Jona- 
than) make up a small but warlike 
party, fully armed, and about midnight 
they stealthily approach the village tent 
or cave of his beloved, who is waiting. 
He puts her up behind him on his full- 
blooded Arab stallion and away they 
speed. Wails, lamentations, and gun 
shots come from the home of the girl. 
She is taken at once to the omer omic 
mutual friend, who has arranged the 
marriage, and handed over to the care 
of the women. 
In the morning a warlike party of men, 
fully armed, ride up and demand the re- 
lease of the abducted girl. After a talk . 
a feast is prepared and the gifts are taken 
to the home of the bride-to-be and the 
wedding takes place. 
A knock on the door, and “Monsieur 
est il pret” were the words I heard one 
