His costume was as follows:—
A shirt-like under-tunic (akhebaïl), above it a grey patterned tunic with short white sleeves that came from the Sudan (taiden).
Trousers, which were wide at the top and narrow below; they reached half-way down the calf (kortebba).
Sandals (ghetimèn) of tooled leather, with crossed latchets that passed between the toes and fastened round the ankle.
A long, narrow black veil, used to enwrap the head. This veil is furnished in two places with a broad flap; one serves to cover the forehead, the other the lower part of the face. The crown of the head is left bare, and shows above the veil a black tuft of hair (tadilmus). Outside the veil a long piece of white material is rolled turban-wise, but so arranged that the veil shows both above and beneath it (ash shash).
Over this dress is worn an ordinary light wrap, a “haik” from Tuat (kheiki).
The costume was completed by three square amulet cases (tira) made of tin, and apparently fashioned out of old sardine boxes. They hung by leathern strings on the man’s breast and outside his clothes.
Supposing that these cases contained inscriptions in the Berber language, I was very anxious to get possession of them. But all my endeavours in this respect were unsuccessful. Akhemed would not part with them. He declared that to him they were worth more than the value of a camel. He had bought them from a Marabout, they protected him from danger and misfortune, and since he had possessed them no ill had befallen him.
“Then sell me the cord and the cases and keep your amulet.”
For a high price he agreed to this, but I could not get permission to see the contents. Next morning he brought and handed over to me an unsoldered case.