The letter continues, ‘I have always made it my business to inquire about the Kroumirs. Here, as elsewhere, I find the same story. Few people have ever seen one.’ ‘So certain is every one that no further fighting can possibly occur, and that any attempt to find the Kroumirs is abandoned, that I leave for Tunis to-morrow, marvelling much at a campaign that has had no beginning, no middle, no ending, and that has taken 40,000 troops away from their homes to invade the country of an enemy who has been invisible.’ The Kroumirs (if they really exist) are Berbers, and there is no reason to believe that they are worse people than those I have described living amongst. Owing to some unknown mental process, the French colonist believes that ingratitude is a fundamental defect in the native character; and concludes that, on account of this ineradicable moral cancer, he is not beloved and respected as he ought to be.
[5]See Becker’s ‘Gallus.’
[6]Kissing one’s hand is an extremely ancient sign of reverence. It was thus that the sun and moon used to be saluted by their worshippers; for Job, when he claims integrity in the worship of God, says, ‘If my mouth hath kissed my hand: this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.’
[7]See Hammer Purgstall, Geschichte der Assassinen.
[8]The Acts, xxi. 38, revised edition. A correction of ‘four thousand men that were murderers.’
[9]See the advice Hesiod gives to his brother, ‘an habitual loafer.’ ‘First of all get a house, and a woman, and a ploughing ox. A woman purchased, not wedded.’ I read that Aristotle evidently believes that wife is here understood, and hence some think that the second line is spurious. Does not the difficulty arise from looking at it from a modern European standpoint? The whole passage is perfectly applicable to Kabyle society. More advice follows: ‘Most of all marry her who lives near you, when you have duly looked round on everything, lest you should marry a cause-of-mocking for your neighbours.’ I conclude that the advice of the song not to marry in one’s village, is in order to avoid bickerings and interference from relatives, leading to loss of dignity, like shaving off the beard. Better to be on the safe side, and seek for a girl unknown to the neighbourhood, who, separated from friends, will not bring upon you causes for mocking.