iat LROGLODMLES OF SOUTHERN TUNISIA 
— 
Photo by Frank Edward Johnson 
INTERIOR OF A JEWISH TROGLODYTE SCHOOL IN A TROGLODYTE CAVE: MATMATA 
morning at 3:30 as I was boiling some 
coffee in my spirit-lamp before starting 
for Médenine. About 10:30 the evening 
before word had been brought that there 
was a place for me in the motor of the 
military commandant and intendant of 
Gabes, who were going for an inspection 
of Médenine. I gladly accepted this 
offer, as the 78 kilometers took eight 
hours in a stage-coach, and I wanted to 
push on to Foum Tatahouine. At such 
an early hour not a soul was awake, and 
I had to make the coffee myself or go 
without until we arrived at Médenine. 
Day was breaking as my kit-bag was 
fastened on the footboard of the motor, 
the air was fresh and bracing, and I was 
thankful that I had brought my heavy 
overcoat and steamer rug. 
The sun arose in a mass of color and 
bathed the oasis and surrounding country 
in a glow of golden pink. We glided out 
of Gabes and kept up a speed of 30 miles 
an hour over the excellent road, just fin- 
ished for the presidential visit of Mon- 
sieur Fallieres. Last year this road was 
a so-called “piste,” or trail. 
The French have done and are doing 
marvels in northern Africa. One of the 
first things they do is to make good roads 
and find water, either by digging wells 
or by piping from springs in the moun- 
tains. Some of the roads in Tunisia 
were made by the Romans and they were 
easily converted into excellent macadam- 
ized roads, but most of them have been 
made since the French occupation in 
1881. No country offers to the automo- 
bilist better roads, more picturesque land- 
scapes, and comfortable little hotels than 
Tunisia and Algeria. The combined road 
mileage is over 3,000 miles. ‘The secret 
of these roads being so good is the re- 
markable way in which they are kept up. 
Large gangs of Sudanese workmen, 
with French overseers (foremen), water- 
