The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-10-23
ARAB WOMAN AND CHILDREN.
piracy forever

There are two towns in Alglcrs side
by side-the French town and the Arab
town; the former clean, regular, and
modern; the latter filthy, ihEookei and
antiquated. The casbah, 81 cltidcl, is
located on the highest -parS. of the city
within the walls. 1t has suffered much
from time and neglect; part used as a
barrack. 1t gives its name to the Arab
quarter, which is often spoken of as the
casbah. Its principal street mounts the
hill fer half mile by steep flights OF
stairs, and leads to the citadel; it is
called Rue de Ia Casbah. A perfect
labyrinth of streets, or, rather, of
crooked and dirty passages, branches OFT
on either side of the street, and the
routes defy orientation. There is, how
ever, a safe rule given to strangers by
French residents. Having mounted as
long as you wish or are Interested, you
have but to descend and keep on going
down and you will again reach the
French town. This Arab quarter,
remnant of the old civilization, is the
greatest curiosity of Algiers. Its shops
and cafes, its angles and arches, its
houses meeting at the top across the mar
row lanes, its motley collection of in
babitants of both sexes and every age,
and almost every southern and eastern
nationality, with the Arabic or Moorish
predominating; its draped and shrouded
figures of men and women darting in and
ont of unexpected passages or low door
ways; It's filth and gloom-this once seen
is always remembered.
French writer's divide the inhabitants
of Algiers into several classes. 1t must
be said, however, that rules are of no
value in assigning this or that man to q
certain race. Habits of life are under
going a slow, gradual change toward Eu-
ropean methods rs an ultimate end; cos
tunes arc being partly replaced, partly
interchanged, and the stranger who
would decide by external characteristics
would be often mislcd. Especially IS
this true in the case of the inhabitants of
the city. If, however, we go outside, or
watch at the gates the people coming
into Algiers to trade, we shall soon sepa-
rate them into two, three or more classes,
according to the time over which our OBJ
servation extends.
There is the native, commonly called
the Arab. He lives on the plains, camps
out in tents, q number of which constl-
tute the douar, or hamlet; he sseen COM
ing into Algiers with his fruits or vege-
tables, barelegged and dirty, with ber-
mouse on his head. After transacting his
business he wanders aimlessly up and
down the streets of the city or seeks the
solemn precincts of Moorish cafe in the
cabash before returning home.
The Kabyle, brown, short and thick
set, was originally the inhabitant of the
mountainous districts, lives in houses
which assemblage constitutes a dechra,
or village, and comes into town vigor-
ously prodding small mule loaded down
with immense baskets of charcoal or
leather bottles filled with country
produce. His head is covered with q
simple chachia, or skull cap, once red
now dirt lends the principal color. He
wears shirt originally white, long ago
become gray or black with total absti-
nence from washing.
The Moor is the inhabitant of the city;
he is the owner of the cafes and native
baths, or of tobacco store; his com
plcxion is a dead white.
The NJ 'zabitc comes from M'zab, q dis
trict south of Laghonat, the most south
err city in the province of Algiers, on
the very borders of Sahara, whence he
emigrates to Algiers to make his fortune
md then return to his own country. He
keeps the stalls, which are supplied with
groceries, vegetables, charcoal and
kindling wood. His dress is kind of
sack, brown in color, striped with rcd
md blue. The negro, the son of Central
Africa, once slave, is now the fayorite
shoemaker; his wife bakes the little