The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-09-13
A Glimpse Of Tunis.

In the foreground, at . distance OF
seven miles, was the city of Tunis, sit
uated at the head of the great salt lake
which separates it from the sea. Its
houses and long walls were dazzingly
white in the hot sun-a characteristic
which, taken in connection with its pc
culiar shape. spreading out, as it does,
between its two salt lakes, has given it
the name of 'tBornous of the prophet"
On the right was Cape Carthage, and
on the hills behind it were manv beau
tiful residences and palaces. with their
groves of oranges and palm trees. One
of the most prominent objects was the
chapel erected to the memory of St
Louis, who died here at the time of the
last crusade. Near this spot were the
mounds indicating the situation of
Carthage. In front, on the low land
which separates the lake from the bay,
was the town of Goletta. with its anti
quated fort, under the walls of which
was the water palace of the Bey, with
its white walls and green blinds.
To the left were the barren hills
called the Lead Mountains. while in
the distance were the blue SUBMITS Of
the Laghouan range of mountains, In
dicating the position of Kairwan. the
holy city of North Africa, where the
beard Of the prophet is preserved. In
the bay, which can hardly be called a
harbor, exposed as it isto all northeast
storms, were q French gun-boat and
several steamer and sailing vessels I'M
loading into lighters. As no health offic-
er answered our signal, we concluded to
look for him. Accordingly the party
was rowed ashore, passing up the mar
row passage which communicates with
the salt lake Here we saw the small
vessels with latten sails, built probably
upon the same pattern as the piratical
craft which ravaged the Mediterranean,
and even captured ships in the English
Channel. At the beginning of the pre-
sent century all the States of Europe
paid tribute to the Bey of Tunis, the
last payment having been made by
Sweden in 1927. The items of one pay
ment by the United States in 1890 are
as follows: Fifty thousand collars cash;
eight thousand dollars for secret SER
vice; twenty-eitgh cannons of caliber
twelve, fourteen, eight; seven thousand
cannon balls; three hundred. qnintals OF
gunpowder; four hundred quintals of
cordage, and quantity of jewels. AT
this time societies were formed for ran
soming prisoners: the usual price paid
was from one hundred to two hundred
dollars, double the amount being paid
for female prisoners. After landing we
succeeded in finding the health officer,
and after our papers had been examined
we proceeded to look about the place.
The town is small, flat. dusty, and unin-
teresting. 1t has one broad, principal
street leading down to the railroad sta
ton, with numerous small, dirty lanes
branching off from it. The streets were
filled with Arabs, Moors, Jews, etc., of
all shades of color. About the coffee
houses were groups of French and
Tunisian soldiers, while the background
was filled in with pigs, donkeys. dogs,
and camels. Here we first saw the
peculiar costume worn by the Jewish
women, consisting of a pointed cap, a
blouse reaching little below the waist,
and tight white trousers, with small
slippers protecting half the foot. The
women were, as rule, very fat, and
the whole effect was quite striking
Cor. Boston Transcript.