Chapter 32 Chapter Two Stork Festival

On the 23rd of November, a strange scene appeared on the plain of Son-Idrathe outside Tripoli.Who can say whether this place is fertile and fertile or barren and desolate.On the ground, there are colorful tents with feathers and colorful flags; the houses are simple and look very shabby.Faded and mended coarse cloth can hardly protect their owners from the cold and dry south wind; herds of horses, wearing rich oriental saddle bridles; herds of dromedaries, lying on the sand with their heads drooping a half-empty sheepskin sack; a small donkey looks like a big dog, and a big dog looks like a donkey;With their guns slung across their shoulders and two sabers around their waists, the riders put their knees on their chests and their feet in stirrups, and shuttled through the crowd.Don’t worry about the horseshoes trampling people to death. The locals wear almost the same Berber “wrap clothes”. If it weren’t for the men to connect the cloth wrapped around the chest with a copper nail, if it wasn’t for the women, they would cover their bodies. The upper corner of the cloth goes around the top of the head, obliquely covering the face, only the left eye is exposed, and it is almost impossible to tell the difference between male and female.Of course, their clothing is very different. The poor wear only woolen wrappers, which are naked; the richer people wear tops and loose Arabic shorts; He was wearing a blue-and-white checkered coat, which was also lined with a tulle coat that was as dark as wool and shone with silk.

Are there only Tripolitanians on this plain?no.Among the crowds passing through the suburbs of the capital, Tripoli, there were Qadavis and Sukhna businessmen with a convoy of black slaves, as well as Jews from the province.Jewish women with uncovered faces were as fat as local women, but they wore shorts, which were not very elegant.There were also Negroes from neighboring villages who had come out of their rough rush huts to join the festival.They were plainly dressed, yet lavishly adorned with massive brass bracelets, shell collars, ivory necklaces, earlobes and earrings.The Bernouliers and Avagils of the coast of Great Siirt Bay also came here.Among these hordes of Moors, Berbers, Turks, Bedouins and Musafirs of European origin, the pashas, ​​chiefs, Islamic judges, magistrates and local all the aristocratic lord.When the governor (pasha) of the Turkish Empire in this African province passed proudly and majestically, before the cavalry of the soldiers and the batons of the gendarme, the "Laeas" humbly and cautiously stepped aside to make way. .

Tripolitania has a population of more than 1.5 million and 6,000 soldiers (of which about 1,000 are stationed in the mountains and 5,000 are stationed in Cyrenaica).If only the capital, Tripoli, is counted, the city has no more than 20,000 to 25,000 residents.On this day, however, the population of the city must have at least doubled, and curious crowds came from all quarters, and it is true that these "country folks" had no hope of finding lodging in the capital of the Regency, in the fortified Inside the city walls, whether it is the houses that will soon collapse due to poor building materials, or the narrow, winding, unpaved streets and alleys that can be said to be dark; whether it is the consulate area near the pier, Neither the West District, which is crowded with Jews, nor other urban areas where Muslims live, can accommodate such a large crowd.

The Dansong-Idratai plain is vast enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people for the Stork Festival (legends about storks have been passed down in East African countries).This plain is part of the Sahara Desert.Yellow sand is everywhere, and sometimes the strong east wind makes the sea overflow here.The town is surrounded by plains on three sides, about one kilometer wide.In contrast, the Mancier oasis on the southern edge of the plain is in stark contrast.There the walls of the houses are white and shiny, and the gardens are watered by skinny cows pulling bucket carts; there are orange trees, lemon trees, date palms, green bushes and flower beds, and antelopes, foxes, and flamingos. .There are no less than 30,000 people living in the oasis.To the south is the desert, the closest desert to the Mediterranean Sea.The continuously flowing sand dunes are like a boundless sand blanket.As Baron Kraft said: "It's like the surface of the sea, with the slightest wind blowing and the waves rolling." Even dusty clouds are not uncommon on this Libyan sandy sea.

Tripolitania is about the same size as France.It is located between Tunisia, Egypt and the Sahara desert.It faces the Mediterranean Sea in the north and has a coastline of 300 kilometers. After Sarkani left Tetouan, he fled to this remote North African province, hoping to hide for a long time and avoid being found. Tripolitania is his origin and the place where he started.So he went straight back home.It will not be forgotten that this Sanusi was backed and aided by a very terrible order in North Africa.He had been working abroad for the order to acquire weapons and ammunition, so as soon as he arrived in Tripoli, he immediately lived in the home of Colonel Sidi Hassan, the leader of the order in the area.

After the arrest of Silas Dronta on the Rue de Nice - something Saccani still finds incomprehensible - he left Monte Carlo.From his last winnings he took a few thousand francs, which he kept carefully, never throwing everything at himself.This money pays travel expenses and meets unexpected events.He fears that the desperate Silas Dronta will retaliate against him: telling of his past or revealing Sharapova's situation.Since the banker knew that the young girl was in Tetouana Mir's hands, Saccani immediately decided to leave Morocco as soon as possible. It was indeed a cunning move, for Silas Dronta would soon confess that the young girl was guarded by a Moroccan woman in a certain city in a certain country.

Sarkani made up his mind to seek refuge in Tripoli.Once there, there are means of action and self-defense.But to get there, either by a coastal liner, or by an Algerian train—as the doctor thought—would be a risk.He preferred to join a caravan of Sanusi believers going to Cyrenaica, because this caravan absorbed Protestants as it traveled through Morocco, Algeria, and the main provinces of Tunisia, passing through five hundred places.The caravan set off on October 12, along the northern edge of the desert, and will soon reach its destination. At this time, Sharapova is completely under the control of the hijackers, but her determination is unshakable. No matter it is the threat of Namir or the anger of Sakani, it cannot shake her will!

When we set off from Tetouan, the caravan already had about fifty believers.The leader Imam organizes the caravan into squads in an army manner.They dared not cross the provinces ruled by France for fear of getting into trouble. The coastlines of Algeria, the northern part of Tunisia and the coast of the west bank of the Great Sirt Gulf, which turns sharply south, make the African continent form a bow.The western ends of the bows are connected to draw a chord. This chord is a shortcut from Tetouan to Tripoli and the farthest point going north, no more than Gravat, one of France's new cities on the edge of the Sahara.

After leaving the Moroccan empire, the caravan first traveled along the border of Algeria's richest province.Algeria was proposed to be called New France, and Algeria is only thirty hours away from the mainland of France when New Caledonia is called Scotland, Indonesia is called New Holland, and Nova Scotia is called Caledonia. The sea route is more worthy of being called New France. The caravans from Beni-Madang, Ola-Nay, and Sat-Hamel have absorbed some Protestants.Therefore, when they arrived at the coast of Tunisia in the Gulf of Great Siirt, the number of caravans had reached more than 300. The team finally reached the outskirts of Tripoli.

Sarkani and Namir had already been guests at Sidi Hassan's house for three days when the Stork Festival was about to be celebrated in high spirits.For Shava Sandov, it's a prison. The residence is under the thin and tall mosque minaret.The white walls were pierced with gunholes, and there were crenelated platforms on the walls. There were no windows outside, and the doors were low and narrow, like a small fortress.The house that sits at the junction of the Shatupin Manhier oasis outside Tripoli is actually a real Zawiya.The garden occupies the oasis, guarded by high walls. There are three inner courtyards in the house, all of which are traditional Arabic layouts.There is a quadrangular colonnade with arched doors around each inner courtyard, and various doors and windows in the house open to the inner courtyard.Most of the rooms are magnificently furnished.Deep in the second inner courtyard, the colonel's guests found a spacious hall.Sidi Hassan has given several seminars here.

Of course, the residence was protected by thick walls and had a corps of armed men who would be ready if attacked by Berber nomads or by local authorities trying to control the Sanusi population in the province. The safety of the residence can be guaranteed.There are more than fifty well-equipped believers stationed here, who can both defend and attack. There is only one gate in the whole of Zawiya, and the gate is wrapped in iron sheet, which is very thick and strong, so it is difficult to break into it. Sarkani found a safe haven in the colonel's house, and hoped to have a happy wedding here. Marrying Sharapova would give him a huge fortune.He can also rely directly on the fraternity's help to get ahead if necessary. As for those who came from Tetouan and joined the believers in the provinces along the way, they were scattered on the Manchier Oasis, ready to assemble at any time.The Sanusi believers in North Africa will receive orders from the interpreters of the Islamic law on the Song-Idratay plain, and drive to Cyrenaica to assemble. Under the absolute control of the Caliph, this place will become a veritable city. The Bandit Kingdom. Since the Brotherhood's clandestine organization had the greatest adherents in Benghazi and Cyrenaica, the timing was quite favorable. On this day, just as Tripolitania was about to celebrate the Stork Festival, three foreigners wandered among the crowds on the Pine-Idratai plain. The three foreigners were dressed in Arabic clothes, and no one recognized them as Europeans.What's more, the elder among the three was wearing an Arabian costume, with a calm expression and a very free and easy look. Obviously, it would be impossible to do it if it wasn't for a long-term habit. The elder was Dr. Antekit, and accompanied by Pierre Bathory and Luigi, the three walked together.Boscade and Matiff remained in the city, busy with some preparations.Undoubtedly, they will only play when necessary. Just the previous afternoon, Electric Power Two had dropped anchor under the cover of a long stretch of rock.Those rocks are the natural breakwaters of the Port of Tripoli. The round trips are very fast.On the way home, the Power Two stopped in Phillipville's Fairfila Cove for only three hours--to shop for Arabian clothes, and then immediately set sail again.It was not even discovered when it appeared in the Gulf of Numidia. So when the Doctor and his companions landed—not at the docks of Tripoli, but on the rocks outside the harbor—they were not five Europeans but five Orientals when they landed on Regency territory.Their attire is unremarkable.But perhaps because they are not used to this kind of dress, Pierre and Luigi are always worried that they will be spotted by careful observers.Burscard and Matiff are different.They are unrestrained, because they have long been accustomed to the various disguises of street performers. As for the "Power No. 2", after nightfall, it hid in an unguarded cove on the other side of the port, and then stood by day and night, ready to go to sea at any time.The doctor and his companions boarded the rocky steps on the shore after getting off the boat, came to the pier paved with a whole rock, and then walked towards the Bab-Bal gate facing the sea.They passed through the city gate, entered the narrow streets of the city, and found an inn.There are not many hotels here, and the equipment is simple. Fortunately, they didn't stay here for a long time.Not to mention a few hours, even a few days, this hotel is enough.They stayed in the hotel as ordinary Tunisian businessmen, pretending that they were passing through Tripoli and took the opportunity to participate in the celebration of the Stork Festival. The doctor's Arabic is as natural and fluent as any other dialect on the Mediterranean coast.So he will not expose himself due to language problems. The innkeeper felt a great honor for the arrival of the five travelers and received them hospitablely.The boss is fat and very talkative.In talking with him, the doctor quickly learned something of direct relevance.He first learned that a caravan from Morocco had recently arrived in Tripolitania, and that a member of this caravan, the famous Sakani, had been received by Sidi Hassan and was staying at him. Home. That night the doctor, Pierre, and Luigi joined the nomads who were camping on the Son-Idrathe plain, taking the necessary steps to avoid being recognized.As they walked, they observed the colonel's residence near the Manchier oasis. Here is Sharap Sandov!Father and daughter had never been so close since the doctor stopped at Raguza!But at this moment, an impassable wall separates them.Of course, in order to save Sharapova, Pierre will do whatever it takes, even reconciling with Sarkani!Count Matthias Sanddorf and he are fully prepared to give up that property to that greedy and shameless man!But they never forgot that those who denounced Etienne Bathory and Ladisla Zatmar must be punished as they deserved! However, under the conditions at that time, to capture Sakani and rescue Sawa from Sidi Hassan's house, there were still some almost insurmountable difficulties.Reckless probably won't work, so what about outsmarting?Is it possible to take advantage of the Stork Festival the next day?There is no doubt that this is doable.So that night, at the suggestion of Boscade, the doctor, Pierre, and Luigi drew up a plan.Brave and resourceful, Biscuard will risk his life to carry out this plan.He wanted to enter the Colonel's residence and rescue Sharapova, and it seemed that there was nothing he couldn't do. At three o'clock in the afternoon of the next day, in order to carry out the established plan, Boscard and Mativ prepared to perform at the climax of the festival, while Dr. Antekit, Pierre and Luigi went to the Song-Idrata Plain Make observations. There was as yet no hint of the spectacle of torches, voices, and jubilation that would appear on the fields after nightfall. Now we can only see Sanusi believers in very simple clothes moving through the crowded crowd. They only use a gesture of the brotherhood to convey the orders of the leader to each other. Here it is necessary to introduce the legends of East Africa or the whole of Africa.The main events of the legend will be reenacted during this festival of storks, which has great appeal to Muslims. Once upon a time, there was a Jin family on the African continent.It occupies a large expanse of territory between Tripolitania and the Kingdom of Fezzan, bounded by the edge of the Hamada Desert in Bu Ahpur.The Jin family is a tough and fearsome people.This nation is vicious by nature, cruel and aggressive, and devoid of humanity.In the past, no African king could make it submit. One day, Prophet Suliman tried to convert the Jin clan without using force.For this reason, he sent an envoy to preach, exhorting the Jin people to do evil and promote good, but in vain, these barbaric mobs caught the missionary and killed him. The reason why the Jin people are so daring is because their country is in a remote place with inconvenient transportation and inaccessible.They knew that none of the neighboring kings would dare send troops.In addition, they also believed that none of the messengers could go back alive to report what had happened to the Prophet Suleiman.However, they were wrong. In the country of the Jin people there are many storks, and this bird is known to be extraordinary, human, virtuous, and above all understanding.It is said that this kind of bird never inhabits a country whose name is cast on coins, because money is the root of all evil and leads human beings to the abyss of sin and pain. Seeing that the Jin people did so many evils, one day, the storks gathered to discuss and decided to send a stork to report to Prophet Suliman, asking him to punish the murderer and avenge the murdered missionary. The prophet immediately summoned his favorite messenger, the cockscomb bird, and ordered it to lead all the storks on the ground to the high altitude of Africa. When countless storks flew over the sky and gathered in front of the Prophet Suleiman, the original text of the legend is as follows: "The storks covered the sky and darkened the entire area between Mozida and Muzuk." So each stork put a stone in its mouth and flew to the country of the Jin people.Then they circled low and dropped stones, killing all the Jin people.It is said that the souls of the dead Jin people are still imprisoned deep underground in the Hamada Desert. This is also the main plot to be performed on the Stork Festival.Hundreds of storks are covered by large nets stretched across the Pine-Idrathey field.Most storks stand alone on one leg, waiting for the moment to be released.Sometimes their beaks bumped up and down, and the sound they made was carried through the air like the pounding of drums. Once the signal is given, the storks will take advantage of the light from the torches, amidst the noise of voices, musical instruments, and muskets, will soar into the air, and hold the harmless soft clay in their beaks. The "stones" were thrown among the believers. Boscade knew about the Stork Festival, and that just inspired him to think he could play a part.In this case, perhaps he could take the opportunity to enter Sidi Hassan's house. The sun had just set when a cannon shot from Tripoli Castle.It was the signal that the people of the Pine-Idratay plain had been waiting for. The doctor, Pierre, and Luigi were first deafened by the terrible noise that sounded from all directions, and then dazed by the light of thousands of torches in the field. Groups of nomads were busy eating dinner when the cannons sounded.Here are the Turks and those who wish to appear as Turks, eating mutton and chicken chowder; over there, the richer Arabs, eating couscous, and a little further off, the The masses of the poor, who had more copper coins in their pockets than gold, ate a simple "bajena," a porridge of barley batter mixed with oil.Then, everywhere was drinking Rugby, a kind of beer made from date palm juice, which made you drunk if you drank too much. Men, women, children, Turks, Arabs, and Negroes could not stay a few minutes after the cannon fire.So amidst the bursts of noise from the crowd, the piercing sounds of various rough orchestral instruments also sounded.Fireworks and guns roared like artillery amid an indescribable din.The riders took their lances and pistols from their saddles and fired into the air.The torches here are dazzling, the wooden drums are tinkling, and in the monotonous dance melody, a black leader, wearing strange costumes, wearing a devil mask on his face, and a snare drum hanging around his waist are tinkling.Leading about thirty black dancers, surrounded by a circle of women, they trembled and applauded the dancers.Over there, the savage "Isawa" was drunk and in deep religious fervor.Their faces are covered with foam, their eyeballs bulge out of their sockets; they gnaw wood, bite iron bars, play with charcoal fire, draw blood on their bodies, let snakes entangle them, let snakes bite wrists, cheeks, and lips, and they even devour bloody snakes Tail. But soon, the crowd flocked eagerly to Sidi Hassan's house again, as if some new performance there attracted them. There were two people there, one tall and one thin—two acrobats surrounded by the audience, performing their arms and hands.Their performance won rounds of applause from the Tripolitanians. That's Boscade and Matiff.They chose a stage just a few steps away from Sidi Hassan's house.In order to save Sharapova, the two of them resumed their old jobs and displayed their skills to gain the colonel's appreciation.Taking this opportunity, they also once again contributed to the success of the show. "Your movements aren't too stiff, are you?" Boscade asked Matiff before the show. "No, Boscade." "You're not going to be intimidated by any show, are you, to make these fools ecstatic?" "I!... would be intimidated! What a joke!" "Even biting stones and devouring snakes doesn't frighten you?" "Ready?" Matiff asked. "No... raw!" "And it's alive!" Mattif made a face.However, if necessary, he will decide to devour live snakes like an ordinary "Isawa". The doctor, Pierre, and Luigi mingled in the crowd, watching their two companions. No!Matiff's movements are not slow!His divine power has not diminished in the slightest!Five or six of the most robust Arabs challenged him, and he knocked them all down. Then they amazed the Arabs with their handiwork.In particular, they tossed burning torches and weaved a winding fire net in the air, which greatly amazed the audience. But those viewers are entitled to be critical.Because there are many semi-civilized Tuareg nomads among them.As the famous Bracco Circus reported before its astonishing show: "These nomads move as swiftly as the wildest beasts of the land. These adepts are the brave Mustafa, the Sanson of the desert." Applauding with the cannonball in the circus, while the Queen of England, afraid of something happening, sent her valet to tell that actor not to act again! But Matif is so powerful that all opponents are at ease." The last show of the two European entertainers thrilled audiences from all countries.Matif, who had fought in the European arena, seemed not to have been known by the wandering people of Tripolitania. The crowd was packed, jostling forward to get a closer look at the performance of the two actors by the light of the torches. Matiff grabbed a pole about seven or eight meters long, and supported it vertically against his chest with both hands.Boscade climbed the pole to the top with the agility of a monkey, and then swung with astonishing audacity, the pole crooked worryingly. Matiff, on the other hand, remained motionless.He moved the pole little by little to keep his balance, and then, when he came to the wall of Sidi Hassan's house, he straightened his arms and lifted the pole high while Boscade Pose like a trumpet goddess and blow kisses to the audience.This move won warm applause from the audience. The Arabs and blacks were completely overwhelmed, shouting, clapping and stamping their feet.It's amazing that even the most daring man has never climbed so high! At this time, a cannon shot on the fort rampart of the city wall of Tripoli.At this signal, hundreds of storks were immediately released from many giant nets.Storks flew into the sky, fake stones fell like hail.The sound of storks in the air mixed with the roaring of people on the ground, the sound of firecrackers, and the sound of musical instruments was deafening. The climax of the Stork Festival has arrived.It was as if all the lunatics from the madhouses of the Old World had escaped and gathered here in Tripolitania, on the Son-Elate Field! However, at this moment of celebration, the Colonel's house was closed, and they seemed indifferent to what happened outside the house.None of Sidi Hassan's cronies appeared at the door or on the platform. However, it is simply a miracle!At the instant when the torches were extinguished and the storks were released, Boscade vanished suddenly through the air, as if he had flown away with the prophet Suleiman's faithful flock. Where has he gone?As for Matiff, he wasn't worried about Burscade's disappearance.He threw the pole hard into the air.After the pole had done a somersault in the air, he deftly caught the other end and spun the pole in his hand like a bandmaster wielding his baton.As if by magic, Boscade disappeared without a trace.And this seems to be a very common thing for Matiff. The audience was mesmerized and extremely excited.Laughter resounded through the sky.Presumably it can be heard at the other end of the oasis.Not one of them doubted that the nimble acrobat had crossed the sky to the kingdom of the stork. Aren't the most fascinating things the unexplainable?