Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-12-07
A l. Gl r. II s .

ALGlE ERS.
FRiDAy, July 9th.
! We opened in Algiers to full house. The
! population of this city is estimated Mt seventy
or eighty thousand, one half of which are Euro.
pcans. There are also about two thousand
soldiers within the walls, and about sixty thous
/ and stationed throughout the interior. The
| French possessions extend four or five hundred
miles along the coast, aud ninety miles into the
interior. Oran, Bond, and Constantine, are vc-
ry considerable towns. The two former have
good harbors The view of Algiers on entering
the harbor is magnificent the snow-white build
ings extending from the water nearly to the top
o: the hill, contrast beautifully with the black
spars and rigging Of the many vessels anchored
in front. Looking 10 the right you the
barracks neatly built on the level shore, at the
foot of the high ridge which extends along the
coast, studded with beautiful country seats Of
white fr,estone, or pastered buildings of Moor
isn architecture shaded with evergreens TO
the left of the town on the top OF the hill, stands
Fort TEmpertur, which was the first point
taken by the French They landed six miles
west of the city, and with some difficulty took
this tort, from which they bombarded the town,
and in a very short time took it* The city
and surrounding country has been greatly i'm
proved in the thirteen years the French have
haG possession of it. The lower part of the ci
ty has been entirely rebuilt, and some fine St.,
squares and buildings may be found; but in the
upper part, the alleys-for they cannot be call
ed streets-twst and turn under and through
the stone buildings; some are entirely closed
over head, admitting no light excepting at ei-
ther end in the widest alleys, persons can
, shake hands from opposite windows. The
most Of these windows have been made by the
: French, the Mcors build their houses open in
= the centre, from the top to the bottom, over
I which they have an awning spread this style
;, of buildings is admirably adapted to warm eli
: mates. The tops are At and often whi,ewash
y ed ard the inhabitants pay visits to each Other
J. in the evenings on the house tops, to a grea
e distance, but in the middle Of the day the re
p nection OF the sun on these snow white prone
e nndes is very injurious to the eyes but th'
n worst OF all is the filthy state in which these al
!, leys are kept; they swarm with heas, and q
g ,her kinds OF vcrmin. and blind and sorc.oyr'
d Arnhs laying around in the filth and dirt. viii
p, here and there small excavation in the wal
J. where YOU will see Moor or Jew, sitting GRO,
T. legged in the md,t of his wares, all OF whlc
p. could be put in whoelbarrow. In the Moor
le ish bazar, however, there arc a great man
c, Jews and Moors who are considered vcr
,. wealthy. They have small stalls where the
#. expose their goods for sale, which consist
De gold embroidered slippers, dresses, rc,rcule
t. scarts, pocket books, and a variety of other c.
It. rious articles in the way OF fans, pipes, dagger
at 81 also shawls, handkerchciS, and valuab
to perfumes.
n They dress the same as the Moors ! saw
an Gibratcr, and stranger can scarcely iIst
#, guish an Arabic Jew from Moor the lait
slaves his head but the former does not. II
Moorish womcn wear loose white pantaloo
:, ted at the ankle, slippers, but no stocking
Their iruck> do not quite reach to the knee al
~, their faces covered that you can see II
b., thing but their eyes; their eyebrows they pa
ho black, and JON them IN the centre, aud eXtcI
,t them nearly to their ears. Over all this the
=, weir a large white veil. When several 60
bo the street together they walk like Indians, a
ns in string, and appear like so many spin
risen from the grave in their burial clohe
There are some excellent stores in the low
par, of the city filled with all kinds of Frcn,
Merchant re, also fine Hotels, and coffee huu
es. In some OF them men and women dan'
49,, and sing in tire public rocus at night, ait
l., which they carry around the waiter To collie
T., few sous, or whatever the company chooses
. throw in. also went to Moorish Cunco
- winch was quite an amusing scene. The m'
and women sIt and drink coffee and smoke
means of long elastic tubes, which are attach
49,, 20 large dccantcrs fpcriumcry sitting IN fro
of them They sing kind Of droulng son
accompanying themselves on the vloI:n, Mos
ur Ish guitar and nagelet. The women drum
~. the bottom of inst uments like jars; they SON
bv wha, reminded me of a party OF Indians n
oh squaws. There is a small Theatre also he
cc but did not have an opportunity of seeing an
the thing but the exterior, The manager has
an exclusive license for the city of Algiers, so
md were obliged to pay him per cen,age on g
esh nightly receipts,
on. Several beautiful mosques are TO be seen,
n. the city, one in the lower part is really spl'
the did cdifcc, built by the Duke of Orleans.
men are not allowed TO enter these moegucs,