Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-01-25
Sights In Alglers.

A writer In the Gentlsman's Magazine
chats pleasantly about what he saw In
Algiers ANY Of the streets ascending the
hill from the Place de Chartres-whieh
may almost be considered as the extreme
limit of the European town-will lead i'm
mediately to the Aahometan quarter
Here will be found obscure and frequently
yaulted narrow thoroughfares, resembling
alleys, bordered by houses, where the
monolony of the bare plaster walls is only
broke at wide intervals by small easements
crossed with iron bars, and low arehed
doorwaye. There are no gardens or YER
dure and hardly a foot of even sickly
looking vine or fig tree dying amidst the
rubbish Of Its orossways. There are
mosques SO surrounded by buildings that
they can hardly be seen yapor baths,
whittier people go mysterieusly-the men
at night, the women in the daytime. In a
word, the Mahometun quarter OF Alglers
is compact aud confused mass OF
masonry, where almost every vestlge Of
life Is hidden, and where IL seems as II IL
were forbidden that gayety should be
heard. The doors of the houses are never
opened but half way and they then CLOSE
again by their own weight. Everything
looks suspicious about these curious build
ings, which are admirably adapted TO their
masters love Of secrecy. The small case
ments looking on to the street are barred,
and every kind Of precauIion Is taken
against curiosity from without and indie
cfetion from within.
Inside of these bars, dismal looking walls
and massive doors resembling the gates OF
| eitadels, are the two great mysteries OF the
country-namely, the personal fortune oil
| It's inhabitants, and Its women, OF neither
Of which much Is known. Money hardly
circulales. It Is only seen passing from
the hand of an Arab TO an Arab hand, and
is only used to purchase the ordinary daily
necessities of life and lewelry. The women
20 out but seldom. In public they are In
varlably closely yelled, and the baths
which are their usual places of resort, arG
invlolable. Passing along these lonely
alleys, beside these silent dwellings, ont
hears noises which are almost impercepd
bic to human ear, and whispers which
might be mistaken for slghs. AT times l
ls the sound Of a voice coming through al
aperture in the wall, or descending from
the terrace on the roof Of the heuse q
others II Is the whimpering OF a chill
complaining In a strange tongue, who's
lisp, mingled with sobs, has no signihca
tion for foreign ear at others again It ]
the strain Of an instrument, whose unlqu
notes, owly marking the measure Of a
unheatd song, seems to accompany
dream. Il ia thus that the captive col
soles herself, dreaming of a liberty whic
she has never had, and which she cannt
= understand. There Is an Arab proven
, which says "When woman has zee
!. the guest she cares ne more for her hu
. baud" and upon thls the whole system
: conjugal life among Mahometans is base
. Their houses, whether they be agreeab
: or not to those by whom they are lnhst
u ted, whether their interiors be luxurious
poor, are prisons. They are like ir'
safes, OF which the avarielous maste
d have the keys, and within which they 10
ls up all their secrets, so that no one N
know what they possess,