The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-08
ARAB WOMAN AND CHILDREN.

ARAB WOMAN AND CHILDREN.
There are two towns in Algiers side
by side-the French town and the Arab
town; the former clean, regular and
modern; the latter filthy, crooked and
antiquatcd. The casbah, or cltidel, is
located on the highest part of the city
within the walls. It has suffered much
from time and neglect; part is used as a
barrack. It gives its name to the Arab
quarter, which is often spoken of as the
casbab. Its principal street mounts the
hill fer half mile by steep flights of
stairs, and leads to the citadel; it is
called Rue de la Casbah. A perfect
labyrinth of streets, or, rather, of
crooked and dirty passages, branches off
on either side of the street, and the
routes defy orientation. There is, how
ever, e safe rule given to strangers by
French residents. Having mounted as
long as you wish or are interested, you
have but to descend and keep on going
down and you will again reach the
French town. This Arab quarter, a
remnant of the old civilization, is the
greatest curiosity of Algiers. Its shops
and cafes, its angles and arches, its
houses meeting at the top across the mar
row lanes, its motley collection of in
habitants of both sexes and every age,
and almost every southern and eastern
nationality, with the Arabic or Moorish
predominating; its draped and shrouded
igllres of men and women darting in and
out of unexpected passages or low door
ways; its filth and gloon-this once seen
Is always remembered.
French writer's divide the inhabitants
of Algiers into several classes. 1t must
be said, however, that rules are of no
value in assigning this OF that man to
certain race. Habits of life are under
going slow, gradual change toward Eu-
ropean methods as an ultimate end; cos
tunes arc being partly replaced, partly
interchanged, and the stranger who
would decide by external characteristics
would be often mislcd. Especially is
this true in the case of the inhabitants of
the city. If, however, we 60 outside, or
watch at the gates the people comiu2
into Alg1crs to trade, We SHALL soon sepa.
rate them into two, three or more classes,
according tc the time over which our OBJ.
scTvation extends.
There is the native, commonly called
the Arab. lie lives on the plains, camps
out in tents, number Of which consti-
tute the douar, or hamlet; he is seen com.
irg into Algicrs with his fruits or vcge-
tables, barelegged and dirty, with bcr-
mouse on his head. After transacting his
business he wanders aimlessly up and
down the streets of the city or seeks the
solemn precincts of Moorish cafe in the
cabash before returning home.
The KGbyle, brown, short and thick
set, was originally the inhabitant of the
mountainous districts, lives in houses
which assemblage constitutes dechra,
or village, and comes into town vigor.
ously prodding q small mule loaded down
with immense baskets of charcoal or
leather bottles filed with country
produce. His head is covered with
simple chachia. or skull cap, once red
now dirt lends the principal color. He
wears shirt originally white, long ago
become gray or black with total absti-
nence from washing.
The Moor is the inhaJitant of the city;
he is the owner of the cafes and native
paths, or OF tobacco store; his com
p!eXion is dead white.
The M'zabite comes from Mza5, dis.
trict south of Laghonat, the most south.
ern city in the province of Algiers, on
the very borders of Sahara, whence he
emigrates to Algiers to make his fortune
and then return to his own country. He
keeps the stalls, which are supplied with
groceries, vegetables. charcoal and
kindling wood. His dress is kind of
sack, brown in color, striped with red
and blue. The negro, the son of Central
Africa, once slave, is now the favorite
shoemaker; his wife bakes the little
round blus, covered with anise seed,
delicacy which sells to the Arabs like
hot cakes"
Spaniards and Italians are generally
called Maltese by the residents. A num-
Der Of the latter are transient soiourne-s,
coming for the fishing season, returning
to Italy when it is over. Jews are nu-
merous; some wear the French, some the
Arab costumes.
nIosr OF rne native dress 1s whitc-l.
e., the material when new was doubtless
white-but such is the uncleanliness pre-
valent among the lower classes that the
color does not last long. The women
wear the same baggy trousers as do the