The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-06-11
A SAHARA OASIS.
A SMALL SPOT WITH A CROWDED.
POPULATION. !
A True Picture of Life in a Deserts
Garden Spot--Au the Inhabit-
ants Dwell in One Fl
r., Large House. -!

DR.. Jacquot describes the first oasis he
saw in the Sahara as ga little green cor
ner, fresh and shady, cheered by the
murmur OF. waters. The dates waived
their elegant plumes high in the air; tee
pomegranates and fig trees crowded be-
tween the columns of the palms; the
wheat and barley clothed the soil with
verdure; the water flowed in every direc-;
tion, and the humid vapors viviied the
foliage. One could not help trembling
for the little spot, it seemed such fee
BILE thing in the immensity of the desert,
surrounded by desolate plains and men
aced by moving sand hills"
DR.. Jacquoss's description is slightly err
roneous; it may do very we'll 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 confus-
ion, but it is niggardly nature cultivated
almost to the extreme by human industry,
which refuses space to every fruit or
flower which does not aid to sustain life.
An oasis is usually about mile and
quarter in length and about fve-eights of
a mile in breadth. In nearly every case
it occupies the bottom of some ravine,
which shelters it in every direction. It is
enclosed by mud or stone wall about
eight feet in height and about q foot In
thickness. At regular intervals about
this wall are round stone towers; these
are sentry boxes on the fat roofs of
which arc stationed nightly guards to
protect the place from pillage. The gar
dens of the oasis lie against this outer
wall, and are divided into small enclos-
ures, each of which is the property of
one person. Next to the gardens, toward
the centre, are fields of corn, barley, and
onions, divided into parts as in the gar
dens, which are watered and tended like
our favorite flower beds; in the centre is
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 usually built of stone, giving it
the appearance of solid mass, perforated
here and there with small window and
diversified with jutting angles. The
halls are narrow, dark, i'll smelling, un-
even passages winding about the build
ing. The apartments are low-ceiled,'
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 or four hundred men, women and
children, a sickly generation, are hud-
died together in building which would
seem to European hardly able to con-
tain 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
cupola, the whole being built of stone or
brick, executed by artisans brought from
Morocco for that = express purpose
Occasionally. the principal cupola is
fanked by four similar ones, the interior
presenting court, surrounded by gal
lery supported on Moorish arcades. In
most cases the ostrich egg crowns the
summit of the cupola, but occasionally
stone or metal ball may be found occupy
Ing the exalted position. The inhabi-
tants 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 living, subject to the ravages Of
foes, but are universally held sacred; and
the conaueror, covered with blood, ap-
rroaches here with reverence and pros
trates 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 Won
der the inhabitant of the oasis cares to
lavish all his wealth, not on the dwelling
which will probably shelter him but a
day, but on the place which will shelter
him forever from tine 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 this palm is usually about
fifty or sixty feet in height, and is
crowned by tuft of radiating leaves.
The calyx has six divisions, and the fruit
is a drupe, somewhat larger than the
acorn; it is a red color when ripe and is
enclosed in hard kernel, from which it
is easily separated. 1t is pulpy, firm, es-
culent and sweet, with slight astingency.
The tree is raised from shoots, which
arrive 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 any one wishes to create date
garden, he summons the neighboring
gardeners to his assistance; and thus ne
accomplishes his work with economy and
despatch, for their services cost him
nothing, except the obligation to return
the same when demanded. The sand
is first removed to a depth of
several feet, in order that the root'
NAV reach water, beside a trench
is dug around the tree at
regular distance, and into this, when
necessary, water is poured, in order that,
sinking through the soil, it may effect
ually reach the fbres 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 iouted so closely as to be water
proof. In most oases canals are cut in
every direction, communicating with tho