The Opelousas courier., 1891-02-14

by side-the French town and the Arab
town; the former clean, regular and
modern; the latter filthy, crooked and
a~ntiquated. The casbah, or cltidel, is
located on the highest part of the city
within the walls. It has suffered much
from time and neglect; part is used as a
barrack. It gives its name to the Arab
quarter, which is often spoken Of as the
casbah. It's principal street mounts the
hill for half a mile by steep flights of
stairs, and leads to the citadeaait is
called Rue de la Casbah. A perfect
labyrinth of streets, or, rather, of
crooked and dirty passages, branches off
on either side E the street, and the
routes defy oriene Ion. There is, how
ever, a safe rule g2 to strangers by
French residents. Hasing 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, q
remnant of the old civilization, is the
greatest curiosity of Algiers. It's shops
and cafes, Its angles and arches, Its
houses meeting at the top across the mar
row lanes, its motley collection Of in
habitants 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 darling in and
ont of unexpected passages or low door.
ways; its filth and gloom-this once seen
is always remembered.
French writers divide the inhabitants
of Algiers into several classes. It must
be said, however, that rules are of no
value in assigning this OF that man to o
certain race. Habits of life are under
going q slow, gradual change toward Eu-
ropean methods as an ultimate end; cos.
TUNES are being partly replaced, partly
interchanged, and the stranger who
would decide by external characteristics
would be often misled. Especially IL
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
tents, q number of which consti- /!
lutte the douar, or hamlet; he Ia seen CONF
into Algiers with his fruits or vege-
barelegged and dirty, with a ber-
mousse on his head. After ~transacting his
business he wanders aimlessly up and
lown the streets of the city or seeks the
Iolemn precincts of q Moorish cafe in the
before returning home.
The Kabyle, brown, short and thick
yet. was originally the inhabitant of the
mountainous districts, lives in houses
which ~assemblage constitutes a dechra,
II village, and comes into town vigor-
,usly prodding q small mule loaded down
with immense baskets of charcoal OF
bottles filed with country
produce. His head is covered with q
chachia, or skull cap, once rod
low dirt lends the principal color. He
q shirt originally white, long ago
become gray or black with total abati-
lence from washing.
The Moor is the infabitant of the city;
lie II the owner of che cafes and native
baths, or Of d tobacco store; his com
is a dead white.
The M'zabite comes from M'zab. a dis
riot south OF Laghonat, the most south
I'm city in the province Of Algiers, on
he very borders of Sahara, whence he
'migrates 20 Algiers to make his fortune
nd then return to bis own country. He
seeps the stalls, which are supplied with !
.,roceries, vegetables, charcoal and i
sindling wood. His dress is q kind Of
ack, brown in color, striped with red
blue. The negro, the son Of CENTRAL
africa, once q slave, is now the favorites
his wife bakes the l;ttlS
ound buns, covered with anise seed. az
which sells to the Arabs s.like.5l
ct cakes"
] Spaniards and Ttslians are generally
slled Maltese by the residents. IA num-
er Of the latter are transient sojourners,
for the fishing season, returning
!, Italy when it il over. Jews are nu-
Ierous; ID wear tho French, some the
rab costumes. &
Most of tho native dress ID white.
I, the material when new vas doubtless
IS the u~ncleanliness pre-
slent among tho lower classes that the
,Ior does not last long. The wozaen |
ear the same hagQY trousers as do the [