Page:Ossendowski - The Fire of Desert Folk.djvu/354

338 population of the ksurs is concerned; but, when they go farther afield among the nomads, they find the task is not such an easy one. In this shifting population the French have to act almost entirely through the caids of the various tribes, who not infrequently profit by their position of power to assist the rich and oppress the poor. But these poorer members of the tribes have ways of defending and protecting themselves, in that they know they will be heard if they come to the offices of the French Administration and report the correct returns of cattle in the herds of the rich. In such cases, when the French officials investigate and confirm the false reports given by the caid, they remove him and propose to the tribe that it elect a successor.

The council of the Figig commune invited Monsieur de Vitasse, Colonel Pariel and ourselves to a formal tea, which proved to be very solemn but which gave me an opportunity of observing some very fine types of men from the different ksurs and of hearing many original bits of information about the life of the people.

One of these concerned the burial customs of the oasis, which are quite different from those in any of the other parts of Maghreb. When a Berber who is sick unto death breathes no more, the eldest member of the family approaches and addresses him:

"In the name of Allah, pronounce the words of glory—'La Illah Illah Allah!'"

If the sick one remain silent, the senior propounds to him a second test:

"If Allah has left a single spark of life in your body, raise up one finger in token that God is One!"