Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-09-13
Moslem A -ica.

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land In Algeria the Romans were
strongly established, and the r"'nS of
their outpUstS are yet to be seen far Nay
inland. But in Morocco they We're :. =
tied only on the coast. Algeria was
wisely and temperately governed under
the republic and Cicero describes II as
a peaceful province; &; but, when the bad
days of the empire came, 1t was de-
graded to a cOrnfield. and was forced to
feed, at its own expense, the Roman laZ-
zarOni. The governors became satraps,
the great land owners were accused OF
conspiracy, that their estates might es-
cheat to the crown, and the people were
made agricultural serfs. Moreover, the
wild region between the Tell and the Sa-
hara contained the game-preserves of
Rome. The lion was a royal beast, IL
censed TO feed on the cattle of the shep-
herd. and on the shepherd himself if it
preferred him.
When the Arabs invaded Africa, they
did not merely settle on the coast. This
people accustomed to deserts, cOn-
ouered the whole country but they al
so added persuasion to force, recognized
the Rerbers AS their kinsmen, declared
them to be Arabs in their orr In, and al
lured them to accept the mission OF the
prophet. The two races mingled, and
TINS the nation of the MoOrs was
formed At that time Jews abOundedln
Rarbarv. their brethren across the
straits were being prosecuted by the
Christian Goths and the African Jews,
it is said, instigated the invasion OF
Spain. The MOors treated with indnl-
gence the Europeans whom they con-
ouered. and acquired the arts OF the Ro-
mans and the Greeks. Andalusla civil
ize Africa and the city OF Morocco be-
came the rival of Cordova and Seville.
Between the literary men OF the TWO
countries an amiable controversy would
often arise as to which might claim pre-
eminence in learning and the arts, and 1t
appears to have been allowed that Mo-
rocco was not inferior to Spain.
The existence of civilized North Al
rica soon made its influence felt across
the desert. The camel was unknown IN
Carthage, and but rarely employed IN
the Roman days but now these AMI,
mails were introduced in thousands, ana
the Sahara voyage could be made with
comparative facility. Arab travellers OF
pietv and learning took up their abode
in the Soudan, and the Moslem mission
work commenced. Mosques and schools,
palaces with glass windows and painted
walls, sprang mp on the banks OF the
Niger, and the glories of Granada were
reflected at Timbuctoo.
Negro nations were speedily con-
verted crusades were waged against the
pagans and negro Moslems. in turban
an ! tobe, converted pagan kingdoms. as
the Arabs had converted Timbuctt o.
Thus the work was continued from CEN
tury to century. and thus it is still 60
ing on. In Cairo and Constantinople Is
lam may appear to be decaying but in
the heart Of Africa it is young, vigorous,
victorious, as in the early days.
The negroes, under the influence of
this religion and its accompanying code
of laws, appear to be an altered people.
Restrictions are placed on pOlygamy and
slavery the position of the wife is ele-
waited drunkenness and gambling are
abolished clusters of wretched huts
have given place to walled towns, with
municipal governments and immense
regions have been opened mp to travel
and to trade. A large part of the Son.
dan has, in fact, ceased to he African,
and has become Asiatic. The inhabi-
tants are black, but their laws, manners,
and religion, are no longer those of the
negroes, but of the Arabs. Their min
strels are men who go about chanting
verses of the Koran through the nose
their fetishmen are sanity adventurers,
who travel from chief to chief, and from
city to city, writing phylacteries and
charms. Thousands of pious negroes
make every year the pilgrimage to Mec-
ca. Many perish on the road, and many
return from the Holy City in a very un-
holy frame of mind for, "a the Tartars
say of Mecca, "The torch is dark al it's
foot :" and it was written by the Ovid
of Arabia
al set ont in the hopes Of tightening my sins
And returned bringing home with me fresh load Of
transgressiOns."
But the very wickedness of Mecca
deepens real enthusiasm into severity
and wrath /; and every year there is
steady back-water of bigotry into Tar
tary, British India, and the Soudan (; the
most distant lands being always the
most devout, as in Oriental empires the
outlying provinces always pay most taxes
to the crown. WinUO0d Reade's At
rican Sketch-bOOk.
The Good Old Times.
NJ. Louis Lagare, of the COurir Mu-