Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-03-25
THE NATIVES OF ALGERIA,
THEY CONSIST MOSTLY OF ARABS
AND KABYLES.

~ says a letter from Algiers to the
~ Picayune, consists, generally
speaking, ofArabs and Kabyles.
When at home the latter live in the
mountains, are nearly always on foot land
own houses. The former, however, lives
only on the plains, is an Incompatible
horseman, and resides under texts.
Those Arabs who live in cities bear the
name of Moors; and among these, the
chief element, are numerous other
tribes and races, so that, not count
ing Europeans, the inhabitants repre-
sent many peoples. Perhaps the most
picturesque of them all are those
known as the Biskris. They have tall,
erect figures, comely features, fine car
rage and very dark eyes. They always
have their head covered, the capote or
hood of the burnous being usually bound
around the head with a thick cord made
of camel's hair and wound round six or
seven times. Their women are shrouded
from head to feet in white haicks and
burnous, the only sign of difference
in rank or social standing being shown
in fneness of the stuff worn as outer
covering. They wear veil, of course,
and it covers all the face except one eye,
and sometimes they piOusly or coquet-
tishly conceal it also.
The Moors have oval faces, clear
brown skins, and are fairer than the pro-
vincial Arabs. Their costume is also
different. They wear turban or piece
of white muslin, wound round sort Of
skull cap of red; jacket of bright
colored cloth; two waistcoats, both
richly embroidered; trousers that reach
to the knees and which are very baggy;
and they are bare limbed, almost bare
footed, for they wear only very short
socks and loose slippers. How they
manage to keep these slippers on is a
mystery to me, for they care mile too
big" in every way. The outdoor cos
tune of their women is the usual haick
and burnous. Some of them wear stock
ings, with patent leather slippers, and
some are less chic and go bare-limbed.
All have on cumbersome white trousers,
sort of baggy breeches, with about ten
times too much material in them, and
which keep the limbs so far apart that
they don't walk, they wobble. This veil
shows both eyes, part Of the nose and
some of the forehead. They marry young,
sometimes at twelve or thirteen, but the
union is not consummated at that early
acc however. The man only wants to
be sure of his property, and only by
and-by does she become his wife in
reality.
The Mozabites have been called "MIa.
hometan Protestants," because they do
not 60 to any mosque or place OF wor-
ship aud use no form of prayer. They
arc honest and truthful, and, if | am to
believe half what | hear, such persons are
scarce in Algiers.
The Kabyles, sometimes called Ber-
beers, are distinguished by their striped
black and white wooden hacks and
burnous. their leather aprons and their
bare heads, which are often shaved.
These arc the industrious fellows, and
they are willing to do any and all kinds
of work. Their wives walk about with
faces uncovered, aud therefore they are
not Mahometans. The women also dress
differently from the Moorish ladies'
there is more color to their costume,
they wear striking jcwelry, earrings 50
enormous that they have to be supported
by holes through the upper as well as
the lower part of the ears; heavy pieces
of wrought silver, inlaid with precious
stones, on their heads or on their bodies !
bracelets and anklets. The tattoo marks
Of their different tribes are visible on
their faces, peculiar sign like a clover
leaf, an arrow point or something Of that
sort, linked indelibly on the forehead, or
the chin, or both.
But | do not know half the names Of
these tribes and races that work and loaf
and pray in the steep streets of the old
town, or along the rues and boulevards
of the modern city. There are Biskris
struggling under loads which would
break the back OF the big porter Of the
St. Charles Hotel; and there are water
carriers trotting along with large cop
per Jar poised on one shoulder, held in
place by uplifted lett arm, and full to
the top, yet never do they spill a drop.
You see NIZabi driving half a dozen
donkcys, heavily loaded; Arabs seated
in little stalls, selling fruit and vege-
tables, or preparing their national dish
of couscous; Bedouins, Tunisiaus, MOors
aud Coulougles, and who not besides of
strange appearance.