they cannot help it, and then rising against them.

Often a tribe will be left for several years to enjoy independence,
while the slip-shod army of the Sultan is engaged elsewhere. When
its turn comes it holds out for terms, since it has no hope of
successfully confronting such an overwhelming force as is sooner
or later brought against it. The usual custom is to send small
detachments of soldiers to the support of the over-grasping
functionaries, and when they have been worsted, to send down an
army to "eat up" the province, burning villages, deporting cattle,
ill-treating the women, and often carrying home children as slaves.
The men of the district probably flee and leave their homes to be
ransacked. They content themselves with hiding behind crags which seem
to the plainsmen inaccessible, whence they can in safety harass the
troops on the march. After more or less protracted skirmishing, the
country having been devastated by the troops, who care only for the
booty, women will be sent into the camp to make terms, or one of the
shareefs or religious nobles who accompany the army is sent out to
treat with the rebels. The terms are usually hard--so much arrears
of tribute in cash and kind, so much as a fine for expenses, so many
hostages. Then hostages and prisoners are driven to the capital in
chains, and pickled heads are exposed on the gateways, imperial
letters being read in the chief mosques throughout the country,
telling of a glorious victory, and calling for rejoicings. To any
other people the short spell of freedom would have been too dearly
bought for the experiment to be repeated, but as soon as they begin to
chafe again beneath the lawless rule of Moorish officials, the Berbers
rebel once more. It has been going on thus for hundreds of years, and
will continue till put an end to by France.