Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-21
THE "AISSAOUI."
A THRILLING ADVENTURE IN ALsIERs

weeks, and had spent all our DAYS and part OF on
nights roaming about the Old Arabian town, look
ms IN at the native .clftS~ and stroll!ng up an
DOWN those narrow stairways, the streets. For yo'
must Know that the Old part OF he jown Is situ
sted on the side OF steep HILL and that nearly al
the streets about i've and six feet wide) have
step to every four feet. These assist the pedes
TRAN, a. the rough stone paving Is very slippery
but they seriously impede the progress Of the don
keys and OF the blind begglrs, both OF which
throng the narrow ways stumbling and pumping
Into the crowd who, however, DO not hesitate u
push them violently out OF the way whenever theI
come In contact For the Arab Is not polite, ever
In his own shop, unless ne be a half-civlized mer
chant In the French part OF town, where he hai
learned the art from his foreign "confreres."
This part OF Algiers, which stands at the foot Of
the hill, Is not very interesting Ii Is well built
but Ike all French architecture, the everlasting
apartment" rises on all Sides the only variation
being that the houses are built over the pave.
ments on the arcade principle Our hotel d.
Poasis was OF course, In this quarter" and was
built on the new quays, facing the harbor, and
Commanding an extended view Of the sea. The
promenade In front OF IL Is the principal one and
every afternoon about the time the boats arrive
nom Marseiles the sight seen there Is one OF the
most Interesting In Algfers- For one sees people
from nearly every part OF the globe; Turkish
women In their null white muslin trousers and
shawls, yelled up To their eyes; Turks OF nearly
every order: Hebrews dressed in the ancient Cart:
solemn, sow-stepplng Arabs from the desert, with
their ourn0us thrown over their shoulders and as
silent the grave; Neapolitans zen costume
from their fishing colony just outside OF the town;
Nublans, as black and as shining as ebony, mostly
dressed In coarse bags. In which are cut three
holes for the head and arms OF the wearer; monks
OF various orders, generally begging ones; and on
the other hand, but mingled with the crowd, walks
the digniiled and well-dressed Englfshman; the
badly-dressed German; the stili-worse-dressed
Frenchman, and, finally, the fortable-looking,
easy-going American. This Is certainly a fair
rfrL linz fn nf
place. and don't know where a more varied
picture Of humanity can be found But to con-
We were pleased with Algiers, Foster and N.Y.
self, and felt that we knew the old town rather
well. but although We saw the people every day,
we knew no more of their indoor life and OF their
manners and customs among themselves than be-
fore we landed This was the only draw bach, the
only desire which We had not had fulfilled For
the Arabs OF nearly all sects are very reticent
their private life and dwellings, and would never
permit an infidel 10 see them az home, which fact
- proven by the extreme scarcity OF photographs
even OF the streets ana houses. We had been told
this repeatedly, but had determined TO leave no
method untried to accomplish our object, which,
though we had failed In IL several times, we still
hoped we would crown with success
one afternoon late, as we were returning TO our
hotel from walk In that charming suberb Mus
tapha SUPERIOR" we met an Arabian vendor OF
skins who, with his native persistency, tried TO
force his wares upon us-"bon gre NAL gre'-his
method being TO drop fve and ten francs in his
prices 70 every backward step he took. for he was
IN frons or US holding his half dried skins In our
faces.
come. get OUT I cried, 1--WE don't want any o!
give Us"
dence and familiarity OF his nation ~ sell you
anything you can name In this town." this with a
toss OF his head.
Even lamp out OF your Mosque?" inquired.
Bah! ten lamps" be replied
Even the entire TO an Arabian house?, IL was
% chance that made the remark, but to my sur
prise ae hesitated, and after looking carefully
around him, said:
Yes even tnat, but for gold, and plenty of IT..
sss Mas eo esse mean
mo, he answered with short laugh, "what
you ask Is impossible, except to kings and
"very WELL" said 1, carelessly Jingling the
money In my pockets .'as am neither the one nor
Sne osher shall Keep gold to spend some other
.Yoe are rich, then, milord?" He was becoming
Not very" replied, .but have enough TO pay
well for what desire But come, " / said turning
20 Foster there Is no use wasting our time stand
fhe nan steuped close IN me .1, uuo-d ,v,,,
swear 70 me that he Is traveller and not an agent
OF government, ana that he will take no picture OF
What he sees will take him and his friend, but
nor louis dor, TO an 'Aissaoui," which is to be
held TO night at the house OF friend OF mine.
An "Aissaouir' Here, indeed, was a surprise:
heard 80 much, Is a thing very rarely seen by for
etGners, az least the genuine ceremony, though a
poor Initiation can be seen In certain native dance
NAs>Ao
strain my satisfaction As for Foster he did not.
"lf You are In earnest" he said TO the man. az
swear 70 you that we are American travellers, and
can show you our PASSPORTS also, II you keep your
word 70 deal fairly with us we viii give you ten
louis instead Of nve." was afraid he had spoken
And how much nOw7" the Arab asked, trying
IN vain TO conceal the glitter in his eyes.
-Nothing now" answered Foster, knowing with
and dve when we return"
al accept milords oner, said the rascal in most
oose9u:o9s manner Give me eight francs for
two or three) and Will bring it TO your hotel To-
night with two native costumes for you cannot
your faces, and win say you are deaf and dumb
merchants from IunfS You will do as do. and
place ys In return
This Is all very well" exclaimed, "but how do
! know that you will come to the hotel or bring
MILFORD may trust All Ahmed when he has prom-
fsed,' said our dusky friend rather shortly.
SITS all night" said Forster in English, giving
never miss the chance OF making forty dollars?n
Then 70 Ali, We are at Toasis:' at what time
Il win DC there at han-past eight" he replied;
Forster gave him his card, he bowed and walked
were both In q very good humor. we had indeed
hoped to see something OF the Arabs inner life
before We LETT but 70 witness real .AissaOuly was
, Dlt OF fortune which had fallen most unexpect-
but one moment, old fellow" broke In Forster
wnile We are both sitting silently gloating over
cur S9r suppose this is trap 70 rob US and
-Ay dear fellow,"I replied, "you are certainly
Tot going TO back out OF The afYair AT mis- earyy
stage" ~~AS
.Of course not" said be, you know very well I
intend 70 see IL through; merely made the sug-
seston 10 see what you thought OF IL"
most assuredly had MOI thought of IL in tina,
nshI ana now that did, the idea OF entering a
Semi-saNages house at night, and In dtsguisf
seemed undoubtedly To be accompanied by more
VI - nsk. however we talked IL over seriously
ana came 70 the conclusion that with proper "a ~
ana management the dangers could be greatly
0minlshed The first precaution / took was 10
Wnte note 70 the consul that were detained In the
eid Town and wished assistance This was 20 be
oeuvered In case we did not turn up the nexI
morning, and, though Indefinite. would he sum
Gent thanks 10 the good police system which
Keeps track Of every native Then we examined
our pistols and loaded them carefully: not that we
expected 70 use them, but In case OF an emergency
Sna FORSTER polished up an old Spanish dagger be
had Invested In the day before, which was really
OF more value as curiosity than as a weapon il
was then seven, 50 We went down TO dinner hui
tnoogn We ate slowly and tried 10 pass the time
eagnt O'Clock found Us upstairs ready 70 start and
wAting rather impatientIy for our guide All Half
oor situation, and as the minutes dragged on be-
eaMe eaceehngiy nervous, much TO FOrster's dis
kust VINO begged me 10 SIT down, for heavens sake
anu Keep quiet However, at ABOUT ten minutes 20
the "Portier" came up and informed us that zine
SGspoce uArape was down stairs asking for Mr.
EotseeI. mat ne would not come up. but desired
tne gentlemen 70 come 10 him tmmedi ately a
psupoatuon which our informant characterized as
~one lmpcrunence foQdroyante" BUT we ex-
pldned 70 the PORTER" that the man bad done ma
= FAVOR and was 10 show US rare emhroI,ter,es
SSon " ucn ne was persuaded 10 take the message