The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-23

n - v1o1BOf Oh N0I0s
Hon. II. b. Gllfry, OF Washington City,
reading clerk of the United States Senate.
4 visiting Seattle and Is the guest Of Judge
T. H. Cam.
AN OASIS IN THE SAHARA.
Generally IN Ravine and sarrounded
BY Wall-An UnpOstic Description.
Boston Commonwealth.
DR.. Jacquot describes the first oasis he
saw In Sahara a. - little green corner,
fresh and shady, cheered BY the song Of
birds and enlivened BY the murmur of
waters. 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 viviied the foliage. One could not
help trembling for the little spot, Il seemed
such feeble thing in the immensely of the
desert, surrounded by the desolate plains
and menaced by moving sand hills"
d.. Jacquot's description, says the
writer, is slightly erroneous; it may do well
for poets, but as . true description it Is
wrong. An oasis Is not an immense wild
garden, where numerous species of fruits
and flowers crowd each other in Wild con-
fusion, but it is niggardly nature cultivat-
ed almost to the extreme by human INDUS
try. which refuses space to every fruit or
flower which does not aid to sustain life.
An oasis Is usually about . mile and q
quarter in length, and about fve-eighths Of
mile in breadth. In nearly every case il
occupies the bottom Of some ravine, which
shelters it IN every direction. It Is inclosed
in mud or stone wall about eight feet in
height, and about foot in thickness.
At regular intervals about this wall are
found stone towers: these are sentry boxes,
on the dat roofs Of which are stationed
pillage. The gardens of the oasis lie against
this outer wall, and ara divided into small
enclosures, each Of which Is the property
Of one person. Next to the gardens. to-
ward the center. are fields of corn. barley
and onions, divided into parts as in the
gardens. which are watered and tended like
0ur favOfite flower beds; in the center is Z
little rivulet, whcih runs from springs near
one Of the extreme ends.
The inhabitants Of this oasis do not live
each family in . separate dwelling, but in
Ohe large house called ksar. which is usu-
ally built Of stone, giving it the appearance
Of . solid mans, perforated here and there
with small window and diversified with
jutting angles. The halls are narrow, dark,
the building.
The apartments are low-ceiled, filthy
places, lighted by single aperture In the
wall The whole place reminds one moro
Of = dog kennel than . human habitation.
In some Of the ksars about three hundred
or tour hundred men, women and children.
. sickly, scrofulous generation, are huddled
together in building which would seem
to . European hardly able to contain more
than 100.
The only interesting thing about the
whole oasis is the marabet or sepulchral
chapel, which stands outside the walls. 1t
is generally square, surmounted by q
cupola, the whole being built Of stone or
brick, executed by artisans brought from
Morocco for that express purpose. Occa-
sionally the principal cup0ia Is fanked by
four smaller ones, the interior presenting
court, surrounded by gallery supported
on Moorish arcades. In most cases the
ostrich egg. crowns the summit of the
cupola, but occasionally . stone or metal
bah may be found Occupying the exalted
position. The inhabitants Of 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 living. subject to the ravages of foes.
but are universally held sacred, and the
sconqueror, covered with blood. approaches
here with reverence and prostrates himself
IN lowly worship. Life il 30 uncertain
when the arms of the enemy combine with
the elements of nature to threaten its ex-
istence that it il 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.
n the gardens near the outer wall of the
oasis is grown the date palm, which Is the
principal food all over the Sahara. The
trunk of the palm is usually about fifty or
sixtv feet in height, and is crowned by q
tuft of radiating leaves. The caiyx has six
divisions, and the fruit is drupe. some
what larger than the acorn. 1t is red
color when ripe, and is iuclesed in hard
kernel. from which it is easily separated.
II is PUPPY, firm. esculent and sweet, with
q slight astringency.
The tree is raised from shoots, which ar
rive at maturity in about thirty years, and
continues bearing for about seventy more.
producing 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 garden
ers to his assistance. and thus ne accom-
nIishes his work with economy ana dis
patch. for their services cost him nothing
except the obligation 10 return the same
when demanded. The sand is first re-
moved to the depth of several feet. in order
that the roots may reach the water; be.
sides trench is dug around the tree at q
regular distance, and into this, when nee.
essary. water is poured, In order that,
sinkins through the soil. it may efiectually
reach the fibers which require 1t. This
irrigation is chiefly committed to the
women and children by those who nave
no slaves. and the precious fluid !.
carried in skins of animals or baskets oil
balpo fiouted so closely as to be water
proof. In most cases canals are cut IN
every direction. communicating with the
springs which supply the oasis, and when
restrictionsis necessary each gardener pays
so much per hour for the use OF the water
in his garden. In some cases each proPrie'
tor has a right TO the springs for an hour
or two. according 70 the title deeds OF Ms
estate. The time is measured oy . rude
chronometer held by the officer who opens
or shuts the conduit.
In the above imperfect account l have
endeavored to give my readers descrip'
ton of the oasis as it 10 and not IS the
poets or romancers would have US believe
Take the Northern Pacific railroad. vestin1l1