Among The Women Of The Sahara

the long version

"This brightly-written narrative of several months' wandering in the Sahara between El-Aghuat and In-Saleh, forms a really unique revelation of a phase, or rather of several phases, of life hitherto little known to Europeans. Madame Pommerol, with a courage and perseverance worthy of Mrs. Bishop herself, penetrated into homes in dawar and kasr jealously closed as a rule to all outsiders, sometimes succeeding in making friends with the inmates and sometimes having to beat a hasty retreat, so fierce was their hostility. She has given the results of her experience in a series of very vivid word-pictures, supplemented by sketches and photographs taken under great difficulties, for the women of the Sahara look upon the camera as an uncanny sentient being with the power of the evil eye, and moreover they consider it a positive crime to allow their portraits to be taken. In spite of all opposition, however, many evidently good likenesses of typical faces were obtained by the indomitable traveler, and will no doubt add greatly to the value of her book amongst all students of character."--Translator's note.