The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-01-21


colored garments and woolen stockings
will dark hair cut short, and hanging dowr
10y the side of their roughed cheeks quit,
straight; smart handkcrchicfs twisted rount
their heads, and earrings. One or two ha,
their eyebrows painted to meet between tho
eyes, and their nails tipped with henna.-
They had rather handsome faces, good eyes
and hair; but there was only one of them
that could be called beautiful, and even her
face was devoid Of all ennobling expression
They looked good naturcd and lively, and
extremely glad to see us, though he feared
we had taken them by surprise, as they
were not arraycd in regular Moorish yrande
1mturc, though their dresses wcr,. very fine
and gay. One Of them brought bcauti,
ful baby with curling hair Of a deep gold
color; and presented to us merry little
girl about five years old, baggcd up like
her seniors in full trousers, with her hair
dyed of peculiar auburn. They pressed
us TO DC seated, some on the divan, some
on the carpetcd floor; and then tucking
their trouscrcd and stockingcd legs under
thcm in n most adroit and convenient
manner, they formed, with Us, large So
cal circle, across which they chattered like
SO many magpies, the English interpre.ress
rendering the questions and answers as fast
us she could.
We had brought for them some little
presents, consisting of artificial flowers, bon
bons, and a pair Of English scissors Tl.ose
who received the flowers stuck them into
their head-drcsscs, and seemed to be greatly
satisfied with them. The scissors were
given to an old woman, the mother of one
OF the husbands, for all relationships seemed
represented in this family group. r..
wife of the cadi was tall woman, dressed
i'll mourning on account of the death Of
her mother She was not so handsome in
coloring, as the others, but had a more in
'teligent expression than any one Of them.
She ordered coffee TO be brought, which
was served up on a tray, each cup being
set in sort of fiIagrcc frame, that served
rs saucer. The beverage was most ex.
celIent. Our party of thirteen, seated in
circle on the floor drinking it, would have
been sufficiently ludicrous spectacle to
4 looker-on.
They were highly delighted witt: our
ornaments, and felt the silk of my dress
between their fingers. One lady showed
them a Roman brooch will, head of
Dante cut in lava they asked if it was the
portrait Of her husband ! probably taking
the filct and Lay-leavcs for some orna,nen-
tai variety of an Euglishman's costume
a little magnify glass hanging at girdIe
also delighted them cxtr' mcly. We asked
about their education, and were told they
could none Of them read or write; so that
when members of family are separated
10y marriage, and live in different towns,
they are wholly dependent on chance op-
por,unt!cs OF communication through word
of mouth Of friends. Neither do thew
know their own ages, usually referring to
some public date in order to Indicate the
limits OF their recollection, as "we remem-
Der the coming Of the French" &c.
The life led by these unfortunate crca-
lures is forlorn in its utter absence of moral
and intellectual action. They have not only
no education, in which they are not wholly
singular, but no religion OH Which to fall
back; they never enter mosque except
about three times year, in the graves of
the dead they pay occasional visits of rev.
erence; but from all the duties cnioined on
Christian women of all ranks, in all per-
sga ssggnas,IaRsahey I are cut off. They can neith-
'er teaSh their children religious truth, for in
tlfe4eHky are themselves but half instruc.
ted; n2ksgan they take part in charities
for tllatffue religion which visits the widow
anflii theaatherlass can be but i'll followed
where every moment is fettcrcd by cruel
coneentionaliHs The Moorisl, women, how
ever, who arsseen in the streets of Algiers,
are not of respectable class, Moorish la
dies live in profound retirement. The
houses of the town being built up very
steep ascent, the flat terraces seemed like
so many steps; and we read that, until the
arrival Of the French, it was strictly forbid
den any man, under pain of death, to 90
on to these terraces, lest he should see from
thence the women Of neighboring families.
The muezzins who assembled the minar, IS
.aof the mosques several times Gay to an.
snounce the hours Of prayer, had alone the
privilege Of overlooking the roofs and courts,
Algiers; and we are further informed,
Tthat;pretty good care was taken that these
:nuezzins should be chosen from among the
blind! From the terrace Of the Casbah,
|or ancient palace of the deys, we ourselves
saw g Mosque come. unto her roof "Eang-
!; ;nfSsS5ss ha,k. fha,clofhes And !tLa,r. A. =