Page:Ossendowski - The Fire of Desert Folk.djvu/165

Rh are "wild," that is, "independent," and remain without the ordinary organized and social life of their fellow-students.

Among all the student feasts, that held on the birthday of Mahomet is by far the most popular. On this day the tholba from all the institutions congregate at the tomb of Sidi Harazem, outside the gate of Bab Futuh, and here elect for the day an omnipotent sultan, who has the power to appoint all sorts of dignitaries. Following long and sacred tradition each post is disposed of by auction, the returns from which often form very considerable sums.

Once raised to his high post, the thaleb sultan spends his day quite in accordance with the customs and etiquette of the court of the real sultan and consequently makes his royal entry into the town on horseback, protected from the rays of the sun by the ceremonial parasol of state and surrounded by a splendid retinue, counting even its women slaves. He goes to the mosque to pray for the happiness of his people and then holds open court to pass judgment upon the avaricious Fazi merchants whom his ofﬁcers of the law may have arrested and brought to his tribunal, where he levies the liberal ﬁnes which alone can bring immunity from the jokes and chicanery of the ephemeral rulers of the town.

After evening prayer the great seneschal of the court announces to the sultan the opening of the banquet, on which all the money derived from the auction and collected as ransoms is expended. The feast goes gaily forward near ﬁres built along the river bank and to the accompaniment of slave dances. Harassed though he be