Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-10-03
5 SCENES IN AFRICA.
An Arab Pnfr--A Wonderfal Gorge
Mysteries of kabyfe Life Afrf-
can Amusememts.


can "
In reviewing a recent volume from
the pen Of Lieutenant Colonel c. S.Ver
eker, the London Examiner says: ,ta
After remaining for time in Algiers
visiting the palaces, the moRasteries
the ruins and the chief show places o.
the city and its vicinity, Colonel yere
ker set off for the interior. On his way
he was fortunate. enough to witness Tho
celebrated fair at Boufarik, which is fre
quented by the wild Berber and Arat
tribes from the mountains. There ht
saw Kabyles in great numbers selling
olive oil out of wild boar skins, Arabs
with their sheep and herds, and Moabitei
and Jews Offering for sale all descrip
tons Of merchandise. At Blida, beauti
fully situated at the foot of the Atlas
range the scenery begins to be ro
mantle and picturesque, The lofty
mountains in the background are
covered with immense forests, while
here and. there Kabyle cornGelds
peep through the yistas; from the
heights pour down sparkling streams
(which feed the fountains and irrigate
the groves of oranges and lemons for
which Blida is celebrated, From this
charming place our author ratified off in
the diligence, drawn by eight-in-hand,
and soon reached the steep ascents OF
the Chiffa Pass. This wonderful gorge,
cutting the Atlas range ia two, deserves
its name of "one OF the wonders OF
Africa" The pass is twenty-five miles
in length, and the precipices are Gov
cred with luxuriant maiden-hair fern,
lichens, and long, weeping grasses.
Rock swallows skim sportively about
the crags, while eagles, kites, falcons,
buzzards and ravens soar aloft in the
azure sky, and the tame black and blue
thrushes dip along from spray to spray
as if to keep the traveller company. But
it is not until the Ruisseau des Sidges is
passed that the finest scenery COM
mences-" truly grand. and more Alpine
than Pyrennean," as Tristram enthusl-
astically describes it. f,G us.a .l-,.fs'
Soon after passing the nights of Mouz-
ala the passenger reaches Boghar, town
perched ON an eminence above the valley
Of the Chelif, and commanding the
northern portion of the Sahara. 1t is
situated in the territory of the Oulad
Auteur, who, although mountaineers,
disclaim the appellation Of Berbers,
Getulians or Kabyles, and boast that
their ancestors came from the East with
Autar, a renowned chieftain, whose he
roic deeds are perpetuated in Arabic
poems. 1t is curious fact, too, as Gen,
eral Daumas has pointed out, that the
more the mysteries of Kabyle life and
society are explained the more traces
do we find of the ancient Christianity
of the Roman era among the descen-
dants of the Berbers. Thus, in many of
their usages and customs, they differ
materially from the precepts of the
Koran, more especially in the laws re-
lating to theft and murder. The Ka-
byles, unlike other Mussulmen, do not
regard the Koran as the only complete
and universal code, but observe, besides,
certain particular statutes, called canons,
which they. trace to a pre-Saracenic pc
Rod, before the religion of Mahomet was
forced upon them.
After wandering for time on the
Atlas Mountains, indulging in boar hunt
ing and other African amusements,
Colonel Vereker found his way to Con-
stantine, the ancient Cirta, city inter
esting both for its ancient associations
and for its extraordinary situation.
Founded by the Phmnicians, some time
the capital Of Syphax, the birthplace of
Massinissa and Jugurtha, afterward the
residence of Juba, destroyed in the year
3ll, and rebuilt by the Emperor Con
stantine, it is perhaps historically the
most important of all the cities of AT
rica, It stauds on rocky promontory
surrounded by tremendous precipices,
except at the dorsal ridge where the Mia
gates stand. 1t is said to have under
gone forty-eight sieges, and it was, be-
fore the invention OF artillery, probably
the strongest cityin the world. The city
itself, however, is intersected by narrow
streets, and the houses are low and filthy.
One Arab writer describes it as 'the
city in the air, while another compares
it to "a beautiful woman reclining,
clothed in rags" The Roman ruins in
the neighborhood are very remarkable,
more especially the lofty arches of the
by the Emperor Justinian.
Colonel Yereker visited Tunis and the
ruins of Carthage on his way back to
Europe. Although he allows that
the country generally looks civil
lied and well cultivated, he protests
against the disgraceiul way in which it
is governed. Even in the city of Tunis
it is dangerous to 90 abroad at night.
Nearly every one carried lantern and
a revolver though tits sometimes dan
gerous TO show pistol, as a stranger
may be murdered in order to, obtain
possession Of the weapon. Among
the curiosities which our travellers
saw, at Tunisf were the camel butch-
ers' shops and the Courts Of Justice
The Bey has at present one wife, and
thirty or forty beautiful Circasians in
bis haretn. His wife wears hinge dia-
mond ring on her thumb, and has her
hair hanging straight down, and cut off
across her cheeks. She and all the 9th
er inmates of the harem are enormously
stout. indeed, It is dsgraceful for a mar
ried woman to. be thin in Tnnis As
soon as young girl is engaged to be
even at ten years of age the
process begins, and she is
even through the night, with
kopskoussouP and water. fr Ua.l
iTtt ~ u .lft U
Palaces are commonplace things to
describe; but the abodas Of the Mexican
sings were in no ordinary houses. One
IF the most observant Of these Span
ards, who first saw these wonders, speak |
Of a palace of Montezuma's IN which
here vas a room where 1000 persons
could be well accommodated, and On the
terrace-like roof Of which a splendid !
tournament might have baen given
This is the sort Of a house the President
would like TO be presented with at Long |
Branch.
The English have been for some years
sadly worried by estimates that indicate