The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-08

MOORISH LADY IN OUIDOOh COSIOAE'
through windows on a gallery of stone
colonnade with ogival arches. The
Imam conducting the service has his
back to the devotees. his face toward
Mecca, like they. The prayers are
chanted by the priest in nasal tones, and
the congregation follows him in the great
number of curious attitudes required by
the faith.
To gain an sight into the wonderful
beauties of the country surrounding AL
giers we took drive to the northward
and westward, with the fine modern OBJ
servatory as an objective point. The
road is known as that of Bouzarea via
El-Biar. The carriages and corricolos
of Algiers arc generally clean and the
horses good. The drivers are easily held
to one tariff, or established rates, OF
which they must possess a printed copy.
At q brisk pace We soon leave behind US
the European part Of Algiers, clean and
alive, and the Arab part, dirty and dead,
and make our exit by the Port du Sahcl.
Here Zouave guard is stationed; the
soldiers arc conspicuous objects, with
their red baggy trousers and large tur-
ban, as they pace up and down on post,
or lean on their rifles, on which figure
the old sword bayonets. Here is one OF
the prisons of Algiers, the prisoners
being put up in tents in the bed of the
moat surrounding the Notifications. The
institution is certainly clean and cheap,
and is said to be efficient. AS We pass
through the gate our ascent begins, and
ptrps oniy on reacnlng the observatory,
although a few level tracts intervene. AS
we begin mounting the hills fine view
is had of the Bay of Algiers, in which
our four white ships moored to the mole
are prominent. The Chicago's guns
peal forth in salute to the Governor
General, who had just left after an Off
cial visit. The tricolored banner futters
at foretruck in his honor. We pause at
a bend in the road to take in this scene
and glance at the region roundabout.
On one of the hills is palace of the
dey, now occupied by the captain of
artillery. Below us is the casbah, the
citadel Of the dey, which contained also
his official residence and harem. The
casbah occupies the apex of the tri-
angle which inclosed the old city, and
was itself built in triangular shape,
fortified so as to command the coun-
cry and also the city, standing menace
to the dey's subjects as we'll as enemies.
There was an interior square court,
which the windows of his living rooms
overlooked. Under one of the galleries
in this court the dey was accustomed
to receive shippers and merchants, and
to levy an impost, amounting to from
Eve to ten per cent. of their cargoes, as
MS fancy suggested. The result was an
accumulation of goods from all quarters
If the globe, which must have given this
court the appearance of an immense
bazaar or curiosity shop. In the court
vas situated also the treasury, where, it
said, at the time of the French
conquest thirty-elght millions of
:rancs were found and turned into
The French Golfers. In the upper
tory were long galleries afford
NO communication between the dey's
apartments, from which low-walled
passage led to those Of the slaves of his
,arem. Their rooms faced on q small
court, the ground of which was here
evel with the floor. They were shut of
rom anv view of the outside world, and
could thus resign themselves entirely to
.hcir thoughts of slavery and personal
jealousies, while awaiting the tyrannical
pleasure of their lord and master. As
sole recreation they were permitted to
promenade in a small garden, reached by
labyrinthine series Of passages, and
surrounded b. the highest of walls. This
gatlcn is now converted into gymna-
sium for the soldiers quartercd in the
casbah. On the upper galleries is shown
the spot where the dey slapped the face
of the French Consul, an act which led
to the loss of his possessions.
We reach Ell Biar, the village of wells.