The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-23 00:00:00

" It is supposed that it was the conquest of Algeria by France
that brought forward Abd-el-Kader, and that he emerged from ob-
scurity only to take the defence of the nationality of the Arabs.
This is an error. If the expedition to Algiers had not taken
place we should certainly have seen Abd.el-Kede r undertaking
against the forte the work of ambition that he has attempted
against the domination of France. For a long time past lie was
predestined, in the minds of the natives, to become their chief
during war, and their master and sovereign after having cast off
the Turkish yoke. He had been prepared for this adventurous
and brilliant part by his father, by his family, and by all the acts of
his life. The father of Abd-el-Kaaer, Mahhi-Eddin, was a man
of superior merit; ha was a learned theologian end a clever
politician, and was esteemed a saint by the Mussulmans. His
faintly enjoyed singular veneration, and three celebrated Mara-
bents had their birth in it in recent times. It descended from
a famous personage, Maley Abd.el.Kader, who lived, it is said,
in the eau ly part of the Hegira. This Mahometen saint, after
having lung edified the province of Oran with the sight of his
self-inflicted austerities, withdrew to a solitude in the envi.
rons of Bagdad. There, like one of the saints of our own
legends, he lived, says the Arabs, at the summit of a column,
standing motionless on his left foot, and taking no other nourish-
ment than the few drops of rain which fell at long intervals. The
prophet, adds the Arab legend, put an end to this miraculous ex-
istence by lifting him up by the tuft of hair, which like all good
Mussulicans he wore on thecrown of his head, and opening to him
the gates of paradise. alahhi. &Win, who was five times married,
selected as his successor his third son, named Abd-el-Kader, in
remembrance of his ancestor the Santon, and from his birth took
care to make him the object of predictions and prodigies. From
time immemorial, the guetna (a group of houses or tents), which
serves as the residence of the family of Abd.el.hader, in the tribe
of the Hachem Cheragas, has been a place of pilgrimage for the Arabs.
On New Year's-day and great Easter they carry thither as a homage
money, wool, oxen, and sheep. A local proverb says that he who
gives a boudjou to the holy de elling shall fled ten on his return. These
pious gifts in the course of time formed a pretty large treasure, which
was increased by the care of Mahhi-Eddin, and has• more than once
been useful to his son. The soother of Abd-el-Kadder, Lilla Zo-
hare, the only Arab woman, who can read and write, has also re.
ceived from Heaven, according to popular tradition, special gifts.
Much has been said also of her beauty and intelligence. After
losing his father in 1833, Abd.el.Kadcr transferred' to his:mother
all his respect and tenderness. She is for him an object of
worship. Mahhi Eddin spared nothing to make the child of his
predilection fit for the mission that he was to perform. Be-
lieving that be was destined to be a warrior and a saint, he fortified
by incessant exercise his weak constitution; he made him an in-
trepid horseman, sober, and capable of bearing great fatigue, and
expert in the use of the fiissah (a long heavl sword), the stick, and
the musket. Under the direction of a clever master, he was in.
structed in the laws, geography, arithmetic, and astronomy. At
the age of fifteen he was sent to a celebrated professor at Oran to
learn politics. Mahhi Eddin himself, who had already performed
a pilgrimage to Mecca, and bore the title of hadji (pilgrim), un-
dertook his religious education. He communicated to his son all
the science of a marabout. The young man was noticed to be
continually plunged in meditation, to shun all the pleasures
of youth, and sparing of his words, for lie never opened kis
mouth except to utter a sentence of the Prophet, with lis
eyes cast downwards with humility. He was consequently
regarded as a saint even before he had attained to manhood.
His pale and pensive face, like those of the grave monks of the
middle ages ; his eyes at once mild, expressive, and penetrating,
his attitude full of dignity, every thing in him bore the imposing
gravity which shows a superior mind, and exercises so much autho.
ray over men of action. He soon acquired over the tribes of the
province of Oran such an ascendancy as to inspire alarm in the
Turks. His father had resolved to set out with him for Mecca,
and, on this being announced, 3,000 horsemen, nearly all of supe-
rior birth, offered themselves as an escort. Hassan, the Bey of
Oran, took umbrage at this, and, having apprised the Dey, received
full powers to act. He ordered Mahhi Edden to disband his little
army, and to proceed to Oran with his son to give an account of
his conduct. They had the courage to obey. On their arrival
they were thrown into prison, and their death appeared certain. They
Iwere brought before the Bey, and it appears that Abd.el-Kader,
although so young, contrived by his address and eloquence, to dis.
arm the hey of his anger. They obtained their pardon on the condi-
tion of their quitting the count' y for a certain period. At the end of
two years, Mahhi Eddin and his son reappeared in the province of
Oran. They had in themeantirne visited at Mecca the tomb of the Pro-
phet, and in the environs of Bagdad the six marabouts who
remind posterity of the virtues of Muley Abd.el.Kader. It was
here that Mahhi Eddin pretended to have had a miraculous vision,
in which the vocation of his son was revealed to him. He related
that one morning, after a night consecrated to prayer and macera-
lions, he saw Muley Abd el-Kader descend from Heaven, surrounded
with light and glory, and received from him the announcement of
the brilliant destiny of his son, and the gift of an enchanted apple as
Muley Abd-el-Kader left hien to return to paradise. He added that

- -
Abd el.Kader, on eating this apple, had in a manner become im.
bued with the soul of the holy Muley, that a crown of glory
encii OW his forehead, that his voice became like that of the mara.
bout, and that he was for the future invulnerable. Abd-el-Kader,
who was still grave, silent, and studious, and constantly engaged
in plow exercise, was soon surrounded with universal respect.
Every day troops of the faithful flecked to his tent, and
withdrew delighted, after seeing him meditating over the
book of life, and praying with fervour. The Bey of Oran,
becoming more and more alarmed, resolved to strike a great
blow; but the French expedition left him no time for it. It is
known that he decided on opening the gates of the town which he
commanded to the French, who then heard for the first time of
Abd-el- Kader. His father had preached the holy war and had
_ _

placed himself at the head of the Arabs. From May 3d to 9th,
1832, Oran was attacked with fury by the natives, under their
young chief. Abd.el.Kader displayed the most brilliant valour.
He had a horse shot under him, and his burnous, covered with
blood, was preserved as a relic. After this affair he was more than
ever regarded as invulnerable. His election as Sultan shows that
this expedition, although unfortunate, had powerfully contributed
to his greatness. It took place at Ers,,bra, its the plain of Eghris,
on 28th September, 1832. The day before, tne chiefs of the Ha-
chems, the Garabas, and the Beni limners, had already pronounced
his name. He had refused, however, and proposed an influential
chief, Sidi. el Arrach. On the day of the election a scene took pace
which was probably concerted. Sidi.el.Arrach declared that, during
the night, Muley Abd.el.Kader had appeared to him, and de-
signated the third son of Mahhi Et!din for the votes of the As.
sembly. Mahhi Eddin stated that he had had a similar vision,
and that his own death had been predicted. Abd-el-Kader,
therefore, was proclaimed Sultan. the Arabs are firmly con-
vinced that, his election was the work of the holy marabout,
who, they say, visits him daily when he is alone in his tent.
From the moment of his election, Abd-el.Kader has been in.
vested with a sacred character in the eyes of the Arabs, and
he has neglected nothing to keep up the ascendancy which he
exercises. Like Mahomet, like Cromwell, 'like nearly all the
great men who have, at different periods of history, ruled over
superstitious and credulous nations, he turns to profit, whilst
he shares in popular belief, and does not disdain to call to the aid
of the designs of his God, the resources of human politica. We
will only cite one instance. One day when be was holding forth a
hegro fell upon him with a cangiar in his hand. At the moment
when he was going to strike, the aggressor suddenly stopped, threw
away his dagger, and exclaimed that he saw supernatural light en
the brow of the Sultan. He fell upon his knees, Abd.el.Kader
gravely, and without apparent emotion, touched his forehead
with his hand, and said that the prophet granted pardon to his
repentance.''

On the Paris Bourse on Tuesday the Three per Cents.
closed at 82f. 55c.; the Five per Cents., 117 f. 50e.; the Or-
lew!s Railroad shares, 1,182 f. 50c.; Rouen, 1,005 f. ; Havre,
8301. ; Avignon, 995 f. ; Vierzon, 735 f. ; Bordeaux, 625 f. 50c ;
Boulogne. 597 f, 25c.; Troyes and Montereau, 505 f. ; Basle,
270 f. ; Spanish Actives, 36 ; Three per Cents., 3814; Pas-
sives, 6i.
The following are the quotations for other new lines :-
Paris and Lyons (Lailitte), 518 f. 75c. premium ; ditto
(Caton), 507 f.; ditto (Ganneron), 510 f.; ditto (La Pinson-
niere), 503 f. 10c. ; Northern Line (Laflitte), 7851. 80c.; ditto
(Rosamel), 537 f. • ditto (Pepin Lehalleur), 528 f. 50e.; ditto
(Decan Lebeuf), 528 f. 50c. ; Paris and Strasburg (Gan-
neron), 5174 ; ditto (Ilinguerlot), 510 f. • ditto (Bechet),
500 f. 50c. ; Touts and Nantes (Mackenzie): 5221. 50e. i • ditto
(Drouiilard), 5041.; ditto (O'Neill), 515 f:; ditto (Lefevre),
508 f, ; Lyons and Avignon ('ralabot), 530 f. ; ditto (Lecointe),
512 f.; ditto (Compagine Meridionale), 507 f.; Bordeaux and
Cette (Espeleta), 512 f. 75c.; Creil and Saint Quentin (Ca-
rette), 513 f.; ditto (Colbert), 503 f.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, ONT. 22.
Anglo-Belgian l%
Luxembourg
Boulogne and Amiens.. 111/2 Namur and Liege 5
Bordeaux & Mediterran - North Jamaica ..... -
Bordeaux and Toulouse - Orleans and Vierzon -
Do. & Cette (Espeleta) 2 Orleans and Bordeaux 12
Do. ( Mackenzie's) - Overissel ... -
Central of Spain .. 2 Paris& Lyons (Laffitte) 2%
Demerara
Dendre Valley
DatGli Rhenish ... 9% Paris and 0r1ean5......-
Dieppe & Paris Juliet. - Paris and Rouen
Dijon and Mulhouse - Paris and Strasburg
East Indian ........ 31/4 (Ganneron'ol
Grt Northern of France Do. (Compte deL'Est) 2Y
(Laffitte's) - 8
Ditto (Roomers)
Do. (Le Boeuf) - Royal North of Spain. 1%
Do. Pepin le liallear - Sambre and Meuse ..-
Great Paris and Lyons - Strasbourg and Basle. -
Great Western Bengal I% rournay,Jurbise, Lan-
Jamaica Junction - dent, and Hasselt... -
Do. North Midland - Tours and Nantes
Do. Extension - (Mackenzie's)
Jersey ................. - Do. (Lefebvre's)
Louvain and Jemeppe.. 3%
e 4 Verona and Ancona -
irs and

MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS.—The number of
deaths, for the week ending Saturday Oct. 18, was 771, be-
ing 15 less than during the previous week. The fatality
caused by measles is on the increase—the numberiamoun tin gto
71, exceeding the last century 10, and not less than 40 above
the average of five autumns. Most of the diseases under the
other heads exhibit a very mild character. The violent
deaths wera only 16, of which 7 were fractures and from con-
tusions, 7 fr.mn drowning, and two from burns and scalds, and
Pot one suicide.