Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-22

ultation in the unlocking Arabs eyes,
the prophetic thought comes: After all
France holds the key to Africa. Algiers
alone is as great in area as France. That
government has within FIVE years ac-
quired south and east of Senegal reach
of new territory nearly 1000 miles in
length. And it is no dream that while
other European nations are bristling
along each others frontiers, France will
have meantime gained a vast African
empire whose stations, interests and ao-
tivities shall reach in an unbroken line
from the Mediterranean to the Gulf of
Guinea.
But here comes beYy of Jewish mer-
chants on their way to the Messageries
Maritimes at the harborside, on some er-
rand connected with importations, and
with the party are a few Jewish women ,
young, stately and fair. Indeed there
are exultation and stateliness in the man
ner OF all which show that the Jew $ con-
dition under French rule is one of pros
perity, freedom and progress. He may
we'll enjoy his altered circumstances, for
it was not so long ago that all manner of
indignities were heaped upon him under
the rule of the Deys. Then no Jew could
ride on horseback. He must perforce
employ an ass. Nor could he come into
the presence of an Arab man or woman
without repeated salaams and kissing the
hem of the Arabs burnous. There are
10 ZOO Jews in Algiers now. There is
not poor one among them. They, with
the Mozabttes, monopollze nearly
ALL COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS,
and are found in possession of the best
shops and all the important retail trade.
They were all, save two, dressed similar
to the Arabs, with long, flowing white
robes, turbaned heads, richly embroi-
dered waists and sashes, ample trousers
caught with jeweled bands below the
knees, blue silk stockings, and low san
dals upon their feet. The head-dresses
of two differed from the rest. They were
the red tarboosh, with blue and black
tassel, betokeDing that the wearers were
TunIsian Jews, for in Tunis the Jews are
prohibited from wearing the sacred green
aid white of the prophet, these colors
being reserved for the use of the de-
scendants of Mohammed only. The Jew
ish women in their company gave an
excellent example not only of the beauty
of the female members of this race as
U,
but also of the costumes of the better
class of these in Algiers. Long, straight
gowns, without drapery, and of the rich
est silk, green, orange or purple, encir-
eled at the waist by cords of silk, gold
and silk, or chains of pure gold,
constitute the sole outer gar
ment, strlklngly different from
the Arab woman's. Their feet were en-
cased in colored pointed slippers. Each
woman wore black silk scarf, bound
tightly across the forehead, gathered
closely over the head. and falling in deli
cate folds behind, held IN place at the
back by great gold or Jeweled ornaments :.
This, with plain band Of spotless white
linen drawn tightly across the chin, and
q magnificent India shawl carried upon
the arm or thrown carelessly across the
shoulders, completed the costume. The
silk scarf upon the head limited at the
Spanish mantilla. The white linen band
suggested the nun. And the entire eff
feet was simple, rich and classic. have
never seen more beautiful women than
the young Jewesses of Algiers.
Here is drove of weary donkeys with
bullying palmetto panniers on their backs
and chattering besides each one is a bare
headed, bare-armed and bare-legged
black man, with straight hair
fine, determined features, and
With splendid form and mus
cular development. This is the seaven-
ger train Of Algiers. Garbage from
houses is loaded into these pannier, and
the litter of the streets is also conveyed
away by the same primitive means.
The men so employed are the Biskris.
They were the police, water carriers
and all manner OF serTinG-msn under