New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-05
HUMAN TYPES IN ALGIERS.
A COUNTRY IN WHICH ONE MAY STUDY VA
RIETIES OF MANKIND AT LEISURE.

portion 10 tne size OF the country tnBn IN any oohcr
Eastern land in a state of standardization The
Algerians a class have been represented both as
people modern in their ways of thinking. secu-
lar and sccptc. and also grave, religious and sur
prisingly credulous. Both statements are OF value
in so far as they show grounds for the deductions
made by the casual tourist. In Algeria as else
where TIE physical formation of the country has
had its effect upon the character and hahi's
OF the people dwelling in a country where nature
has been unusually considerate. enabling them to
dispense with those luxuries which in colder
climate are necessities. Nearly all that is needed
for absolute self-preservation has been bestowed ;
tie matter Of raiment and shelter has been re-
duced to a tri1ing consideration, and the native
has drawn distinct line in his own mind between
the uXuries and actual necessities of life.
The tribes living on the desert under the glare
of the burning sun are not prone to exertlon
They fit about from one part to another at VIII
and have reduced to a science the knowledge of
how TO live at ease without the restrictions and
Inconvenience imposed by social obligations.
Their round tents are generally arranged in cir
ces at any spot where water and a small amount
OF shade vegetation is to be found. They NIL
CRATE as regularly swallows, often for no other
reason than TO get change Of air. They have
reduced all their worldly possessions in the way
of furniture and movables to the smallest number
move all their belongings and be settled in another
location between the hours of daybreak and sun
rise. Their legal and religious appurtenances are
characterized by the simplicity of their other be-
longings. Five or six rules for conduct suffice.
with sack of barley and bottle of fresh water
for their present needs. They are philosophers
In far they live only in the present, allowing
the future TO take care of itself The limit of
their desires is the possession OF flock of sheep
and few horses to facilitate the transportation
Of their goods If you should ask an Algerian
what he wished he would reply with pastoral
naivete, More sheep, more horses. more barley"
Another class that have been affected some
what by the restriction of European colonization
ae the few survivors Of the early wars. Strictly
speaking they are neither nomads nor settlers,
but might be classed semi-nomads. They have
been cheated by traders and tourists, deprived OF
their rights, and even robbed of their religion.
They are ignorant and superstitious. Indifferent
rather than resigned to their condition, lacking
even the Imagination that could conceive of
possible relief from this miserable degradation.
They look with indifference at their stupid half
naked children, their raggcdly dressed wives and
their miserable focks. They have neither the
courage to attempt anything the energy to
complain.
little higher in the social scale are 10 be found
that have made the attempt to adopt some of the
customs of the French conquerers. In tcmpera-
ment, they arc less religious than the 1slamtes
less barbarous than the Kabilyans less refractory
than the nomads, and less easily depressed than
the hut dweller In their mode of life they fur
nish an interesting contrast TO the other tribes
They are good herders and tillers of the soil
Their small farms although managed in unique
and original fashion, show evidences of agricult-
ural skill. They have recently voted for COM
pulsory education, and are vigilant in the mat
ter of raising revenues as their conquerors Some
Of the trades have been introduced into the coun-
try, and may find good alacksmiths saddlers,
builders and carpenters 1t Is said that they
always civil Almost any would assure you
that he takes pleasure in explaining the mysteries
Of his religion although he has not the slightest
expectation of converting you as compensation for
his trouble.
These people lazily settled under the French
rule, pursuing the arts of peace, and generally
advancing in a slow, harmless direction are as
Indifferent to the ways of the world as possible
They hum about their work in monotonous,
sing-song, unmusical tone that has about as much
melody prairie wind BY way of variation
they thump an improvised instrument covered
with stretched parchment and produce sounds
about as musical those produced upon comb
over which has been stretched a paper All day
long the Unconditional Arab huns and means like
creature in distress.
Then there are Mussulmans who show an almost
enyiable indifference TO all mundane affairs and
who in their calm way would delight in nothing
more than all the social organizations OF the
earth disappear When they have passed through
the successive stages offered by devout religious
life and have reached the fifth or sixth state OF
grace they look forward to the time when they
.lo .nl - anfn rfaofin
when they will experience neither JOY nor sorrow,
pleasure nor pain II is useless to attempt 10
argue with them points of religion.
There are fully three and half million people
in the different tribes scattered over Agicrs
Europeans who love abundance of sunshine and
pure air settle down here i'll spite of earthquakes
and siroccos. In these strangely mixed nation
alites the dissimlar habits, social customs and
religions showed sufficient contrast before the In
vusion of the French. Since the introduction OF
French customs and laws the land presents
heterogenity of diverse and dscordant elements
In which there is no fusion collision Of the two
civilizations. At present the result is peaceful
enough, but. whether this condition will remain
indefinitely is a problem which confronts any
social observer.
The city Of Algiers does not represent the pict-
urcsquenes. of many other Eastern cities There
are too many evidences Of exotic influence. and the
people in many ways have lost their individuality.
They are renegades and wanderers, not remaining
long enough in any place to give it the stamp of
their own characteristics There are too many
modern luxuries in the city Of pirates, too many
Turkish carpets. too strong an aroma Of tobacco
compounds and poor French collector there are
Httle French cafes that seem exactly like those to
be found in the cheaper quarters OF Paris Inc
"Jardn dEssas," otherwise called the Garden OF
fbo ortit nial ties
possibilities 10 be found in civilized
countries The Arab caravanseres, erected
in all sorts of out-of-the-way places, are
filled at all hours of the day with Arab or French