New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-18
! ! sIGHT- SEEING IN ALGIERS.
ARAB DRESS AND CUSTOMS : THE GOV
ERNoR'S BALL.

lei with Che shore, o long row OF sfop@0, ~, -.
ing large stores and dwelling houses, ouiiV ~
over the sidewalk all the breadth ana teeuia a
which mark recent architecture as ds'in0' ii0A'
ancient OF medieval .,.;o,s-rd
DAYS may be passed in the streets VI aus 60
in the barbaric shops with constantly ihoreasns
interest. We can hardly call the Arabs nanuSoioe
hat they are certainly fine looking ana oiV.h
statuesaue In their loose robes, drapeo careaco0p
around their tall figures. Most OF the men wear
white cotton stuff, but sometimes one sees u oo0e
coat which has been made out OF oeauthui rug
of all colors There are many varleues Oh neau
coverings: the pointed hood, which is fastened 70
the robe and often serves as pocket wnen hahs-
ing over the shoulder; the red fez win OF "ltnou'
tasseI; the turban, made Of q long piece Oh Unin
cotton cloth wound and twisted around tne ne,u'
and! finally, a piece Of cotton thrown oNer eno
head and falling to cover all but the lace' iHi'
last is kept in place by coil OF MICK oro"n
cord, wound so as TO give the appearance u
turbau. once sgnifying ownership OF caneS' anu
now, Judging by signs OF dire poverty, meah,ns,
perhaps. distant relationship to somebody WHO nus
the exclusive care of a donkey
There is not much variety in the BROWNIES OIL
the bare shins and ankles. nor in the wnitenesS Oh
the baggy cotton trousers but there arc enough
Arabs. Moors Jews, Jewesses and soldiers IN prill-
iaut coIors TO make all the whites ana browns
pleasing to the eye. The boys are models OF oeau-
tv. surprising Italian boys The Arab women up
near in clouds of white; but only their eyes ana
penciled eyebrows are in sight These eyes nave
been known to wink, and there may be otner ways
by which one woman may be distinguished from
another; but to a foreigner they all look ahKe' eN
cepting that they are not of exactly the same
height.
The shops in the old quarter are mere recesseS
in the walls, and the quantities OF wares arc 90
small that one is constantly reminded OF children
PLAYING at shop-keeping. But there are many
large bazaars in the modern section, wnere one
can buy almost ything and at fair price il one
insists upon bargain at half the sum named, even
when tiny cup Of coffee is offered as peace
maker
Friday is the Holy Day, and we used 1t first IN
visiting the Arab cemetery where the women
form little groups around the graves of their dead
and spend the time in mourning in "reminiscences
and in the ceremony of bending forward until the
fore head touches the ground. Wells were With
drawn. but were quickly replaced upon our com
ing within hundred feet. II was plain that we
were not wanted, and so we departed toward tho
Mosque q low and square white building with
short tower and one or two small domes, and stu
ated in the city near the wharf The roof is sup
ported by great number OIL square
pillars, from which spring Moorish arches
and the whole interior is whitewasheds
save spots of red, green and yellow paint
here and there. No women were present; they
are not supposed TO have souls. The place was
full Of devout men, who souatted or knelt on the
mating and rugs and listened to the chanting by
the priests We were not Obliged TO remove our
shoes, nor were we allowed on the Hoor-covering
our place being on the stone floor near the
entrance, among the other dogs of unbehevers'
At the left was fountain, where every wor-
shipper who does not wear stockings land most
do not1 stops to wash his feet before Seaving the
stones No towels are provided, nor Is any soap,
but hard rubbing and sometimes the use Of n red
baudanua answers we'll enough As the stock
nged Arabs do not stop 10 wash. the washing seems
merely for cleanliness and not a religious rite.
Each person carries his shoes in hand. but does
not uncover his head After finding untitled
row Of worshipprs, the newcomer stands awhile
in his place with arms hanging down or with hands
raised to the side Of the head. palms forward.
Next he kneels and bends his head 20 the floor !;
then he sits in SOLEMN silence throughout the ser
vice. ar...,r
On another day we found an Arab court OF
Justice in recess Of one Of the mosques. The
Judge, in turban and scarlet robe sat upon real
bench, not IN comfortable armchair, and showed
all tho anxiety Of judges at home to arrive at 3
fair decision The lawyers and witnesses squatted
on rugs in o semi-eircIe All wore head-cover-
ings, but oil had left their shoes on the door
sill. There were female witnesses, but they were
not admitted into the courtroom they had 10
d.. md u hat
through an iron-barred opening, their words being
taken down by a secretary, probably for the pur-
pose OF careful Encouragement at leisure. The
| Judge whom we saw was a Kaid, an Arab mp
pointed by the French authorities to dispense
justice to members Of his own tribe and In ac-
cordance with Arab customs.
Last Saturday night the annual reception OF
the Governor-General of Algeria took place.
The Governors BalP had been the talk, in
French, English and Arabic, Of all Algiers and
WI were glad to accept the invitation to 1t which
was kindly offered by the American Consul
Some gossips said that Saturday had been chosen
so that the English people would 90 home early
and leave the French to enjoy themselves; but
we should have paid no ate ntion to such remarks
even IL they had been directed against Ameri'
cans, for. in fact, such large number Of persons
had to be invited that some had to 20 home early
In order to give others chance to move about
We found the Governors Palace to be building in
the usual Moorish style, unpretentious without
richly ornate within, and having a square court
in the centre: but. in this case. the court had
been boarded over, covered with glass pointed
roof, lighted by immense chandeliers. and turned
into reception room. The Governor, NJ. Tirman
stood near the entrance and greeted everybody
with fine politeness and with the least possibl'
show Of official dignity. His daughter stood by
him. but her task was moe difficult. She evi
IDENTIFY felt bound to take everybody's hand, while
many OF the Arab chiefs who came TO the recep
ton had no notion at all Of taking her hand, and
would not do so when they could avoid 1t. Ihei
way of saluting was to step up to the Governor
raise the right hand to the side Of the head, thu