The African Quest

Acknowledgments

I owe a debt of gratitude to so many people who have given generously of their time and expertise. I would like to thank marine archaeologist Peter Engelbert; curator Alison Easson of the Royal Ontario Museum; Claudine Bazin for sharing her memories of growing up in Tunisia; Jim Polk for his sage advice; my traveling companions Jane and Tim Marlatt and Sherrill Cheda; Mark Stanfield of Tam Dive; Susie Wilson; and as always, my parents and sister Cheryl for their steadfast support and encouragement. Last, but not least, I would like to thank the members of the 1999 Maltese Goddess tour, who, unlike the occasionally churlish individuals depicted here, were a delightful group of individuals, tolerant and even benevolent in their support of my own fledgling efforts as a tour guide.

A word about setting: The places named in these pages all exist, and I hope I have portrayed them accurately, with one exception. The town of Taberda, while typical of many of the coastal villages of Tunisia, is, like all the characters depicted herein, a figment of my imagination.