rit PROCLODY LES OH SOULHERN TUNISIA 
with several fine old maribout tombs 
‘crumbling to pieces. It reminds me of a 
huge human ant hill turned into a moun- 
tain and the ants the Troglodytes. 
The sheik and headmen of Douirat, 
with Ben Sada and our servants, came 
out to meet us, and many were the glances 
cast at me, for they tell me that | am the 
first American ever seen. The sheik’s 
cave had been arranged as a dining-room 
for us, and there were native and Kairo- 
wan carpets on the stone floor, and chairs 
and a table had been brought from some- 
where. We took a walk through the 
town, but were glad to return to the 
cave, as there was a sharp wind. The 
changes from noon to midnight at Tata- 
houine average 22 degrees, and it is far 
more in.the mountains. 
A large wooden bowl of cous-cous was 
brought in that had been made by the 
women of the sheik’s household, much to 
the chagrin of Ben Sada. Cous-cous is 
an Arab dish that one finds all over 
northern Africa. It is made of wheat 
prepared in a certain manner, so that it 
looks like very fine round grains of rice. 
It is boiled soft with vegetables, when 
they are to be found, and served with 
half or a whole sheep. It is highly sea- 
soned with red peppers and is an excel- 
lent and nourishing dish. 
Mohammed, Brabisch, the sheik, and I 
sat at the table. One’s hands are washed 
just before eating and a wooden spoon 
is given to each. ‘The host or his eldest 
son cuts the sheep into pieces with a 
hunting knife and all fall to. The great 
wooden bowl is placed on the floor or 
on a table about six inches high, with 
the men sitting tailor fashion around it. 
Each one eats out of the huge common 
dish, and choice bits of mutton are placed 
in front of one’s portion by the host or 
his friends. With me there were knives, 
forks, plates, and goblets and linen nap- 
kins sent by the thoughtful cadi. In vain 
I protested. Ben Sada had orders that 
he carried out like a soldier. 
Our table talk was, first of all, how I 
liked their country—was it not beautiful ; 
had I ever breathed such air, or tasted 
such wonderful water, or seen finer olive 
trees? Then they would tell me of their 
843 
pilgrimages to Mecca and details of the 
life of Mohammed and his leaders. Fi- 
nally, they would want to know just 
where America was situated. On a voy- 
age to Mecca the captain of the steamer 
had told the sheik that if he kept on 
through the Suez Canal, Red Sea, and 
past India and the Far East that he 
would reach America. That was clear to 
the sheik’s mind. Another pilgrimage to 
Mecca and another captain on the return 
voyage told the same sheik that if he 
kept on past Tangiers (Morocco) and 
Gibraltar he would reach America; that 
was too much to believe. 
Being a member of the National Geo- 
graphic Society, it was my duty to en- 
lighten these Troglodytes where our 
glorious land was situated. As we were 
in a country devoid of fruit and no toys, 
so that oranges, apples, or a ball were 
impossible to find, I joined two cous-cous 
plates together and explained on this im- 
provised globe where Tunisia and north- 
ern Africa were; then Mecca and India. 
I did not imitate Columbus and use an 
egg, because Ben Sada had used all there 
were to make a succulent “chak-chuka,” 
a native dish of eggs and lamb fried in 
olive oil with plenty of tomatoes (dried 
in pieces) and red peppers. 
I am going to send a globe to my 
friend the cadi and some maps. Once or 
twice a month the sheiks of the different 
towns come to the large market to Foum 
Tatahouine and they are to learn geog- 
raphy in a practical way. 
Mohammed and Brabisch go to school 
and study geography. Wherever I am or 
have been, a pin with ribbon is to be 
placed on the map to indicate, and they 
already have quite a collection of picture 
cards of America and France. 
Of my first night in a Troglodyte cave 
the less said the better. The cave was 
cut out of soft rock about three meters 
wide and ten meters long and a little over 
two meters high. The floor and ceiling 
were strata of harder rock. The only 
light came through the sarcophagus- 
shaped doorway. 
On one side of the cave stood huge 
pottery jars filled with olive oil. They 
were large enough for the forty thieves 
