Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-07-28
Travelling in the Desert


On leaving for Batna, one of the
J French military outposts, I take the
train on the railroad. As I happened
to be the first frst-class passenger, I
! was accorded much attention from the
native officials. Onward we went at q
snail's pace, the steep grade of the
mountain preventing quicker travel, the
; air becoming keener every mile of om
progress. At Batna there is military
everywhere, and nothing but the bugle
] and the drum is heard. Engaging q
seat in crazy old diligence, I started
for two days journey to the last mill
tary outpost of any Importance.
We pass nothing but clumps of poor
tents and miserable droves of goats,
which suggested to me the reason TO,
the barrenness Of the country, for not
tree or bush is to be met with, as these
animals eat up everything, and do not
give the hardest shrub or sapling q
chance to survive. Arriving at the
mouth of the gorge El-Kantara, half.
way to my destinations grand spot, a
steep range of mountains and upheayed
rocks based with miles of cactus-we
pass an old Roman bridge of few Co
lossal stones with inscriptions, and then
on once more, the atmosphere becom-
ing gradually uncomfortably warmer as
we begin to descend into the valley. We
pass plains entirely whitened with al
kali and salts, the water partaking so
strongly of their qualities that the
bread made about here is unpalatable.
Still warmer, still dustier, we grow as
we enter the edge of the desert, the
plains studded with green GASES
and date-palms, while the horizon
seemed more like the sea than the land.
After presenting letter to the Minister
of War at Paris, was most cordially
welcomed by "le vieux colonel" and Off
GERS of the garrison. They took me to
pay my respects to ST Mohammed ben
Cana, the caid or chief magistrate of
Biskra, who was Governor of the en-
tire province of Constantine before the
French conquered it. He was very
handsome man, with harem of seven
wives. His four sons were all remark
ably handsome, over six feet in height,
and with their fine features and magnif-
cent eyes would make sensation even
in our ungraceful modern dress. After
stopping some days at the Hotel de Sa-
hara- rightly so named, for it was des-
ert, where nothing could be had was
provided with an escort of Arab cavalry,
or spahis, and every facility for trans
portion. With this escort, in company
with party of French officers and
lady, visited the tomb of Sidi Okbar,
about twenty miles distant, there and
back. We went at hand-gallop, and
were received by the sheik of this oasis,
and by him escorted to the tomb of this
ancient warrior, who well-nigh overran
and conquered northern Africa with
comparatively but handful of follow
ers. We enter the building, in the CEN
ter of which is small room, which the
priest unlocked with an air of mystery;
in the interior was the tomb, covered
with fine Arab rug, but on the ground
were one OF two of the commonest Eu-
ropean manufacture, on which the ma
tives seemed to put high value. While
the attendant turned to call our atten-
ton to something in the mosque, the
lady of our party, with the curiosity of
Ewes daughters, stepped in and lifted
the cover, only to see structure of
common masonry. In traversing the
village the women and children hurried
after her, and kissed the hem of her
garments. After being RECALLED in
garden of palms on some milk and dates,
we remounted our horses.-E. P. SAM
galasaetti, IN Harper's Magazine.