Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-08

AND THE REAL rHING-How JEWELLERS UPON
An OASIS LrvE-rHEIR TRMPLIs-cULTIvATIoN
OF THE DATE PALM.
DR.. Jacquot describes the first oasis he saw in
Sahara as 81 little green corner. fresh and
shady, cheered by the song of birds and en-
hvened by the murmur Of waters" says .
writrr in the Boston Commonwealth THE
dates waved their elegant plumes high in the
air; the pomegranate and fig trees crowded
between the columns OF the palms; the wheat
and barley clothed the soil in every direction,
and the humid vapors vvifed the foliage. One
could not help trembling for the little spot it
seemed such a feeble thing in the immensely of
the desert, surrounded by the desolste plains
and menaced by moving sand hills"
DR.. Jacquot's description, says the writer, 10
slightly erroneous it may do we'll for poets,
but as true description it is wrong. An oasis
IL not an immense wild garden, where numerous
spscies of fruits and flowers crowd each nther
In wild confusion, but il is niggardly nature
cultivated aim lost to the extreme by human
industry, which refuses space to every fruit Or
flower which does not aid to sustain life. An
oasis 10 usually about a mile and quarter in
length aud about fve-eighths of mile in
breadth. In nearly every case 1t occupies the
bottom OF some ravine, which shelters it in
every direction 1t Is inclosed in a mud or
stone wall about eight feet ir height and about
a foot in thickness.
At regular intervals about this wall are found
stone towers; these are sentry boxes, on the
fiat roofs of which are stationed nightly guards
to pre- tect the place from pillage The gardens
of the oasis lie against this outer WALL and are
divided into small. Enclosures, each Of which Is
tho property OF one person. Next to the gar
dens, toward toe center are fields of corn,
barley and orions divided into parts as in the
gardens. which are vatered and tended like
or favorite flower beds; in the center is a
little rivuiet which runs from springs near one
OF the extreme ends
I The inhabitants Of his oasis do not live each
family in a separate dwelling. but in one large
house called ksar, which is usually built Of
stone, giving 1t the appearance OF a solid mass,
perforated here and there with a small window
ana diversified with juttng angles. The halls
are narrow, dark, ill-smelling, uneven passages
winding about the building
The apartments are low-celed filthy places,
lighted by single aperture in the wall. The
whole place reminds one more Of dog kennel
than human habitation. In some of the ksars
about three hundred or four hundred men,
women and children, sickly, scrofulous gen.
Grafton, are huddled together in building
which would seem to a European hardly able
to contain more than hundred.
The only interesting thing about the whole
oasis is the marabet or sepulchral chapel,
which stands outside the walls. It is generally
square, surmounted by a cupola, the whole
being built Of stone or brick, executed by arti-
sans brought from Morocco for that express
purpose. Occasionally the principal cupola is
thanked by four smaller ones the interior pre-
senting a court. surrounded by n gallery sup
ported on Moorish arcades In most cases the
ostrich egg crowns the summit OF the cupola
but occasionally a stone or metal ball may be
found occupying the exalted position. The
inhabitants of the oasis choose to reserve
all the luxury and magnifcence OF their
architecture to adorn the little temple around
which they excavate their resting places
They are not, like the habitations of the liv-
ing subject to the ravages Of foes, but are uni
versally held sacred, and the conqueror, COW
cred with blood, approaches here with rever-
ence and prostrates himself in lowly worship
Life Is SO uncertain when the arms of the
enemy combine with the elements Of nature to
threaten its existence that it is no wonder the
inhabitant Of the oasis cares to lavish ali his
wealth no. on the dwelling which will prob
ably 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 is grown the date palm. which is the
principal food all over tho Sahara The trunk
Of the palm is usually about fifty or sixty feet
IN height and is crowned by TUT of radiating
leaves. The calyx has six divisions and the
fruit is drupe. somewhat larger than the
acorn. 1t is red color when ripe and is in
closed in hard kernel, from which it is easily
separated. II is PUPPY. firm, esculent and
sweet with slight astringency.
The tree is raised from shoots which arrive
at maturity in about thirty wears, and con-
tinues bearing for about seventy more. pro-
ducing yearly about fifteen or twenty clusters,
which weigh usually about eighteen pounds
each.
When one wishes to create date garden he
summons the neighboring date gardeners to
his assistance, and thus he accomplishes his
work with economy and dispatch, for their
services cost him nothing except the obligation
to return the Same wheE 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 bapo
houted closely to be water proof In
most cases canals are cut in every direction,
communicating with the springs which supply
the GASES. and when restriction is necessary
each gardener pays SO much per hour for the
use OF the water in his garden. In some cases
each proprietor has right to the springs for
an hour or two, according to the title deeds of
his estate. The time is measured by a rude
chronometer held by the officer who opens or
shuts the conduit
In the above imperfect account have en-
deavored to give my readers description Of
the oasis as it is and not as the poets or roman
GERS would have us believe.
PLAYED WITH LETTERS.