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278 exist and where a woman or a child can travel without fear of molestation. The Masters of the Mountains, through their severe tribunals, see to it that the peace and security of the countryside is not violated. Once during an observation on the apparent abnormality of this condition in the Atlas, one of the French made the remark:

"If the great caids had not been there we should have had to invent them."

The Sous mountaineers, with their capital at Tarudant, are the most numerous and the most warlike of the mountain tribes. They do not belong to any one of the three principal branches of the Berber race, Mesmudas, Zenatas nor Senhadjas; they speak a Shlu jargon, have a light, olive complexion with little hair on their faces and usually possess agile, flexible bodies. Past-masters that they are in fighting with knives, their curved kumia becomes a terrible arm in their hands. Before the Almoravides and during the period of the civil wars the men of this tribe were robbers and picked their prey along the caravan routes leading from Central Africa into Morocco.

In their legends they preserve memories of the time when their ancestors held the whole country up to the very shores of the Mediterranean, until, repulsed by invaders, who were probably Vandals or Normans, they were forced to retreat southward. Their legends also affirm that on their retreat they could not carry all their treasure with them and consequently hid it in various places between the Mediterranean and the river Regreg, especially in the forest of Mamora. It is even claimed that certain of their Marabouts still guard ancient pieces of leather and copper tablets which carry the plans of