viii A SEABCH POE THE MASKED TAWAKEKS
. • To face va<
OUR F U A T ............................................................
WALL AND MOAT OF N’GOUSSA • ”
g a z e l l e -s t a l k in g : a p p r o a c h in g t h e g a z e l l e
g a z e l l e -s t a l k in g : t h e s ig n a l to t u r n . .
g a z e l l e -s t a l k in g : t h e sh o t .
A THIRSTY C O U N T R Y .......................................................
A GUEMEERAH . • • *
A BAD R O A D .............................................................
PALM-GROVES NEAR EL WAD
A KHOTARA .
EL WAD .
A TAWAREK EATING
A DESERT MOSQUE .
TENT FOR LADY ON CAMEL
IN THE TAWAREK CAMP •
A TAWAREK TENT .
A GROUP OF TAWAREKS
IN THE TAWAREK CHIEF’S TENT . - •
t h e ‘ l i t t l e q u e e n s •
A TAWAREK NOBLE
A TAWAREK NOBLE AND SLAVE .
MAP OF t h e a u t h o r ’s ROUTE
A SEARCH
FOE THE
MASKED TAWAREKS
CHAPTER I
Fae away to the south of Algeria, in the trackless
wastes of the Sahara, there lives a race of marauding
nomads, who, on account of their impious character,
have been named by the Arabs * Tawarek,’ or * Godforsaken.’
It is a significant fact that in the whole Tawarek
language there is no word for ‘law.’ The Arabs
claim descent from Ishmael, the ‘ wild man ’ whose
‘ hand was against every man,’ and against whom
every man’s hand was turned, and they do their best
to live up to the reputation of their illustrious
ancestor. But the Tawareks are more Ishmaelitish
than even these Ishmaels themselves. It is not
often that they are seen, for they seldom come near
the oases; but their presence is felt and dreaded
throughout the Sahara.
A mystery seems to brood over these wild and
dreaded raiders. It is extraordinary how very little
B