The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-05
An OASIS IN THE SAHARA.
1t is an Exceedingly Small Spot
With q Crowded Popu-
lation.
DR.. Jacquot's Ultra-Poetical De-
scription is not Strictly
True.
Where Gases arc Found and How the Peo-
pie Live-Luxury are for tho
Dead Only.

DR.. Jacquot describes [the first oasis he
saw in the Sahara as ga little green corner.
fresh and shady, cheered by the song of
birds and enlivened by the murmur of
waters. The dates waved their plumes high
in the air; the pomegranates and fig trees
crowded between the columns of the palms;
the wheat and barley clothed the soil in
every direction, and the humid vapors vivi-
fed the foliage. One could not help trem-
bling for the little spot, it seemed such q
feeble thing in the immensely Of the desert,
surrounded by desolate plains and menaced
by moving sand hills"
Dr.. Jacquot's description is slightly erro-
neous; it may do we'll for poets, but as a
true description it is wrong. An oasis is
not an immense wild garden, where numer-
GUS species of fruits and flowers crowd
each other in wild confusion, but it is
niggardly nature cultivated almost to
the s s5tesn' refuses By nu@an to edss
fruit or flower which does not aid to sus-
tain life. An oasis is usually about mile
and a quarter in length and about five
eighths of mile in breadth. In nearly
every case it occupies the bottom of some
ravine, which shelters it in every direction.
.
eight feet in height and about foot in
thickness. At regular intervals about this
wall are round stone towers; these are SEN
try boxes on the fiat roof of which are sta
toned nightly guards to protect the place
from pillage. The gardens of the oasis lie
against this outer wall. and are divided in
to small Enclosures, each of which is the
property of one person. Next to the gar
dens, toward the center. are fields of corn,
barley and onions, divided into parts as in
the gardens, which are watered and tended
like our favorite flower beds; in the center
is q little rivulet, which runs from springs
near one of the extreme ends.
The inhabitants of this oasis do not live
each family in separate dwelling, but in
one large house called ksar, which is
ance of a solid mass, perforated here and
there with small window and diversified
with jutting angles. The halls are narrow,
dark, ill-smelling. uneven passages winding
about the building. The apartments are
low.ceiled, filthy fill places, lighted by single
minds one more of a dog kennel than a
human habitation. In some of the ksars
about 800 or 400 men, women and children,
sickly, scrofulous generation. are huddled
together in building which would seem to
sba n15 1SB. hardly able to contain more
The only interesting thing about the
whole oasis is the marabet, or sepulchral
chapel, which stands outside the walls. It
isgenerally square. surmounted by cupola,
the whole being built of stone or brick, exc
cuted by artisans brought from Morocco for
that express purpose. Occasionally the
principal cupola is flanked by four smaller
ones, the interior presenting court sur
rounded by gallery supported on Moorish
arcades. In most cases the ostrich egg
crowns the summit of the cupola, but occa-
sionally stone or metal ball may be found
occupying the exalted position. The inhab-
ltants of the oasis choose to reserve all the
luxury and magnifcence of their architec-
ture to adorn the little temple around which
they excavate their resting places. They
are not, like the habltations of the living,
subject to the ravages of foes, but are uni
versally held sacred, and the conqueror,
covered with blood, approaches here with
reverence, and prostrates himself in lowly
worship. Life is SO uncertain, when the
arms of the enemy combine with elements
of nature to threaten its existence, that it is
no wonder the inhabitant of the oasis cares
to lavish all his wealth, not on the dwelling
which will probably shelter him but day,
but on the place which will shelter him
forever from the storms of life.
In the gardens near the outer wall of the
oasis are grown the date palm, which is the
principal food all over the Sahara. The
trunk of the palm is usually about fifty or
sixty feet in height, and is crowned by
divisions, and the fruit is drupe, some
what larger than the acorn; it is red color
when ripe, and is inclosed in hard kernel,
from which it is easily separated. It is
pulpy, firm, esculent and sweet. with
slight astringency. The tree is raised from
shoots, which arrive at maturity in about
thirty years, and continues bearing for
seventy more, producing yearly about fif-
teen or twenty clusters, which weigh usual
ly about eighteen pounds each.
When one wishes to create date garden
he summons the neighbori4R date garden
ers to his assistance, and thus he accom-
plishes his work with economy and dis
patch, for their services cost him nothing,
except the obligation to return the same
whom demanded. The sand is first removed
to the depth of several feet, in order that
the roots may reach the water: besides.
trench is dug around the tree at a regular
distance, and into this, when necessary.
water is poured, in order that, sinking
through the soil, it may effectually reach
the fibers which require it. This irrigation
is chiefly committed to the women and
children by those who have no slaves, and
the precious fluid is carried in skins of
animals or baskets of balpo
houted SO closely as to be water
proof. In most Gases canals are cut in every
direction, communicating with the springs
which supply the GASES, and when restric-
ton Unnecessary each gardener pays SO much |
per hour for the use of the water in his |
garden. In some cases each proprietor has |
the right to the springs for an hour or two |
according to the title deeds of his estate |
The time is measured by a rude chrono-
meter held by the officer who opens or shuts
the conduit.
In the above imperfect account have
endeavored to give my readers description
of the oasis as it is, and not as the poets or |
ramancers would have us believe.