The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-01-21
From Chum5ers' Journal.
A FORENOON CALL IN ALGIERS.

S"S "SS"oo'"ooo VI h'S'Si'' ~ e",'', 'E
all readers of the Arabian Nights must
know full well, is a native justice of the
peace, Worship Shallow after the oriental
= pattern. Law and religion are here theSsame
ordinance, and the ancient caliphs y Yere at
once pontihis, judges and doctorSof the
law, having under them three chsses of
vicars-the imainas of ministers of rel-
gion, the muftis or doctors of the law, and
the cadis or judges. Who does not re-
member the summary punishments inflicted
on cvildocrs in the golden prime of good
Uaroun Alraschid the fires and bastina-
does, the imprsonmcnts and bowstrngs
which served as a gentle advertisement to
The placid reposc and sunny languor Of
Bagaad; now the wandering prince in dis
guise, and the scolding wife Fatina, dervi-
slsee, Jews, onc-cyed calcnders and water
carries, and all the other dramatis pcrsonce
of the Fascinating eastern ronanccs, were
invariably summoned once in the course of
thcr adventures before the cadi, who usually
ended lisinauiry by decree equivalent to
"your in9nsyy or your life" Dear, old,
bea' ded dignitaries of our childish, days!
The cads are still retained under the
French military government of Algiers, but
with a greatly modified jurisdiction. I'm
der the decree of the o6th Of September,
!, 1912, the whole colony, including native
or imported populations, of whom there
are in Algeria no lack, arc placed under
the French law and tribunals. But there
still remain some special Mussulmap often
ces, Which are brought before the native
cadis as of cid; The commoncst cases of
"a penal nature referred to their judgment
are those Of drunkenness-by far the most
misunderstanding Of the fasts, Llasphe-
my, and improper behavior in religious cdi-
fees. The questions relative to native di-
vorcc aud heritage are also still under their
''rietifclton.
sIhe cadis to whose wife we were about
= ay our respects, must have been man
some substance, rs he dwelt in la.ge
Sse about Il mile out of tom, and under
sssa,nc roof with various other members
s'is family. In fact, the establishment
i somewhat patriarcllal in size. The
Yrs have rarely more than ono wife apiece,
the six ladies who received US were
= married to brother, Il nephew, or
sin of the cadi. The introduction was
ted for us Ly some French ladies' and
English lady married in Agicrs, who
#e the Moorish language perfectly,
s5y accompanied to serve as an ntepre.
We made altogether a party Of ten,
Ali"g ttrgaehiIdrcn, two Of whom were
Aboys, under the age that excluded
~, from attendance into the sacred pre-
l'arcm. Leaving the main road,
d;,;& Ned down steep path, whose con-
,,.;n Carly impossible from mud-tI,is
b,t ,, ,."ssiny season-plainly showed
o ienae inhabitants of the domain
wholly nnsccus,omcd to walk abroad.
- g.,sh : li.a.dy i'll provincial town would
,rt1erolgliIs scolded gardener ante
y'Sor, dowfHf a cart load Of gravel
'e;oWn3 fairshands, rather than have
bliged stesmade through Eel slush
ne slesaent to tile Church, OF the
'rihe shop, or to see Mrs. sJolin
the High Street. With some
md by dint of our goloshes, We We
'e road, carr, ing the children
lrassed through two ,ill-kept
massive white house. The.
inss have much tlledook of
sfort; the rooms open into
Rnd present nothing to view
save tiny slits like Gothic
total absence ofclimneys
ignore devoid Of life; but
% HlIy picturesque amidst
"a" Yvine trellises, especially
20. lis, rs white as driven
Il every color of sun
-<NNyed on tlie'threshold by a
?9fpor, WHO was saluted as
ss and who most cour-
ntip. lie was ia full cos
slASp head and red fez.-
RIH small hall at the foot
aa'daNS licb, to me neef US came,
eIsaA ively looking %woiasn aii
y|yas with dark tihsaiir ana
essa9 yatisty 5of;light silk:
SgatH pslpdieg q eopIsa a, g
feIA and SSssGysss
1shsS sish III g us III III FOND
x ynesh latiug 5asslahaa
..sS {s5sW, " ssiish, wes ssnps
took Us ups,va .,s mi, ~ U
surToanded pisis & slsg ~ III, &
domestic g olol 81, I,s q 81 sIss 7; ~
,sfhednp a ssd,d fxs.s q & ESiIt 4 4 i 'iha .s.ss:
onXcasx1 II Is ~ -. s..o ~