Tunis; The Land and the People

About this book

Travel writer Ernst von Hesse-Wartegg spent several months in Tunisia in 1880 gathering material for this book, published in 1882. Part 1 is spent in and around the country's capital, where the author combines recent history, geography, and firsthand observations. He describes the customs of the Arabs of Tunis as well as those of the Jews and Berbers. Drawing on his contacts, the author is able to tour a royal palace, visits harems, and gets an invitation to a wedding at the home of a wealthy Jewish family. He also leads readers through the labyrinthine bazaars of Tunis, observes proceedings at the Bey's court, and provides an insider's account of the country's rather medieval government and penal system. Part 2 chronicles the author's travels through the remarkably varied Tunisian countryside to provincial towns including Bizerte, Kairouan, and Sfax. During his travels he visits desert oases and lives briefly in a Bedouin community, describing their lives, customs, and self-government. (Summary by Ted Lienhart)