New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-23
TO THE SAHARA BY RAIL:
A VISIT TO BISKRA. AN OASIS ON THE Al.
GERIAN BORDER.


II seems almost impossible TO realize that one
can get into comfortable irstclass French rail-
way carriage at Algiers and after ride Of about
thirty hours be actually in an oasis on the Dor
ders Of the Algerian Sahara. We were recon-
mended to stop over night on the way at SeaL
although the place is unattractive. The next
morning we rose at O'clock and took the train
for Biskra, arriving there at p m. This rail-
way was only recently opened from Batna, having
been completed by a Paris company, the EstAL
gerenne, last June There was but one train
running all through the summer months and that
at night, arriving at Bskra at midnight, and re-
turning at 80 a. m. The heat here is so intense
at that season that travelling in the daytime 10
wcll.nigh impossible. The completion Of this
railway has been an important event for Algeria,
it brings the desert within easy reach, and bids
fair to import into this land of the palm tree and
aloe still larger influx of tourists, ever in search
OF some uneXplored and unknown country.
From Batna the surrounding country begins TO
take the character Of the desert. The soil 10
sandy, foliage OF any kind is scarce, and oil looks
Hat save the distant range Of Aures Mountains
beyond which one catches q first glimpse Of the
Sahara The gorge Of ELKantara, deep cut
through the Aures, has been called by the French
the Golden Gate OF the Sahara" 1t was beyond
the entrance Of this deep de6.e that the first
oasis came into view. A pretty sight it was and
not soon 10 be forgotten. circular green tract
Of land before us, filed with palms Of every
hp glt and variety, and fruit-tres Of all descrp-
tons-apricots, almonds, lemons, dates and cocoa.
All were on the lookout for the first glimpse Of
the sandy waste, which appears just after you
emerge from the gorge The effect
is astonishing, and we felt ike exclaimins
MS the French soldiers did when they first passed
over the Col de STA above: " La mer La mer!-
As far as the eye can reach toward the south lies
what is apparently a calm sea, quite blue or
blush gray in color, and in every way resembling
"A stretch Of water extending far into the distance
II completely upset oil our former notions Of
yellow sand and reddish dunes This eject Is
produced by the quantities Of scrub brush or dry
brittle twigs, which grow close to the GROUND
and are the color OF dad vine On this brush
the camels feed when crossing the desert.
We soon arrived at our own special oasis OF
P.!ra. IN the sun.et it looked like fringe OF
delicate feathers against the sky. its taller date
ua!ms spreading their fern-like haves against the
intense blue OF the heavens. This oasis contains
100 900 palm trees lis beauty is only enhanced
hv contrast with the sterility Of its SURROUNDINGS
You can step from your hotel, and by walking
stones throw, You find yourself treading upon the
,ond. with the solitary plain Of I'll, desert before
YOU.
II seems almost incredible that here, actually
on the edge Of the Sahara, one can ma large
new hotel furnished with electric bells, sanitary
plumbing, Brussels carpetng. spring mattresses
and every other comfort. After finishing our
,abre d'hote dinner, and be fore retiring for the
night we nll met on the upper porch OF the
hotel which, by the way, is built like fort,
surrounded By strong walls with loop-hohs on
ell sides for guns: there We looked out upon .
novel scene The sun just setting behind the
western range of the Aures shed bright rsddlsh
light. and the sandy soil Immediately at our feet
and the low sand hills added their soft yellow
color 70 the effect Just below us, outside the
walls OF the hotel garden. camp OF Bedoulns,
their tents covered with gay striped shawls. Inc
campires were just be ginning TO glow, ana the
/ scautly dressed and Withholding women stood
over their kettles preparing the evening meal OF
cous-cousr Near the tents were some sheep.
/ "A donkey or two and several came!s lying on the
/ ground each with one forrleg tied at the knee. 70
nreven, s,rolling. In the distance were four
other GASES of which Sidi-okba, the largest con-
/ talns $50, 900 palm trees.
After a ni.ht Of refreshing rest. we started
/ ont. with an Arab guide, to " do Bisira lhee j.
a small French quarter here and two or three
hotels The Fort de ST. German contains par
racks and hospital and is large enough 10 resiS'
any attack by the natives and to shelter all tae
Europeans in case OF an Insurrecton. We also
found a public garden and French church. al
Al the end of Bisua which is nearest TO the rail-
/ Way. Tie oasis is divided into five ADJOINING
/ SETTLEMENTS Of which Blslira and FleuA DlSR:a are
the most interesting. They run alon. the eu.o
ul III. stream for abou, three miles. ing ;a I'D
are narrow, with mud walls on either sur auI
ILr Lnu>r> axe hut, built Of the hard. dried muu
so commonly used for building purposes Ia Arap
>cthmru,, with doors anu toois % p 1ni somc
. of them containing ~ many IL l.n"' l.ees.
/ NicuX Bi>kra was an ancient Roman OUTPOST,
/ orJ No saw there some Roman columns ana the
rsm,ins Of the Old ka>bn. This vill!=r Is mostly
IN ruii,s from the effects OF an earthquake some
i veur, ago, when the population deserted IL ana
| buIlt no New Bskra but there are many VINO nave
.nrr made thcis homes among n, runs. skr.
Is a thoroughly Oriental spot The costumes arc
nighlv picturesque. The women whom va saw
D. on the streets did not veil their faces, H. III
/ Nri,r. though we were told that the better cln,s
/ If Moorish women here At Bska seldom leave
the house, and when they do So, on rare occa-
nnr physique, and have certain grace anu sai,
,Iyniiy of b.aring. Some are blond, with 1877
complications and hair bordering on red. others
like our stately guide are ebony DAck their
faces presenting Il most striking contrast with the
/ Wife tuchanS ,..
There is "A nero quarter he-r where the In
lahitIntI are aS thick rs the helS. n . ,.nipo
down these narrow streets Oh u sunny Afternoon afternoon
viii reveal u linn. on each side OF thi'k-hplfu
! curly haired men or women, sitting or crouchlhs
ru the ground close t. the walls under their pro.
. tc,tng shade, the women knitting, or spinning
with a hand loom. Ther little dirk-S Iilnneu
progeny skip about in the dust OF the road -, moeo
sonnty dripcd, or clothed not at all. lhssc
children seem TO hive an Unsuitable yearning Tor
sons, n crANng which never seems to be satls-
fled, no matter how many one drops mo the ,
hrsPcching hands They will scent stranger =, 20
the atmosphere 'long before Ii" appoar>, ana ne
in wait for the un>uspecting visitor, around the
corners OF these dirty novels. darling out upon
him suddenly We saw some Moorish houses
! which probably belonged 10 the richer ana more
influential Arab families, and were much mor.
comfortable looking, though all were made OF IN,
same mud bricks. 4 group of Spahis RODE p,S'
, uS on their superb Arab stccds Of notified gtay,
black or white with oil The colorri trappnss
! md f.inccs doom eel Slddlcs and leather mas