The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-09

oN~hf III AAV AA<JS wiz sOAAtV ILL dhOf
was a traveller in the Sahara-)
The month Of May is the beginning of
the dead season. when all traffic is stopped
through the desert Of Sahara. and very lit
tie labor can be done. The deadly heat which
prevails during the forty canicular days
causes travellers ind traders to shun the
Gases for fear G. Ae epidemic fever spring.
ing from the Lying marshes, until about
the end Of September. when the Nomads
re-enter the S@nara with abundance Of cat
lie and grain. and toe Mozabites renew
their bartering traffic between the GASES
and the North. The "sammah." OF forty
canicular days is a deadly period to trav-
erse. What a respondent situation when
the thermometer fuctuates for five hours
between lbs and 15 degrees Fahrenheit in
the shade. The fiery breaths of the pesti-
lential simeon and OF the internal shihile
Southern win0s) sweeping the face like the
blast OF a furnace, produce sensations OF
burning. These winds, like the equinoctial
~siroceo. being destitute Of all moisture, per-
wade the atmosphere with intense dryness,
torturing the throat and lungs OF the pant
ing and dispirited traveller. His parched
lips stiffen and almost lose the sensibility OF
contact, the blood within the mucous MEM
branes eyaporating under the ~blighting eff
feet of the hot air. Gasping for breath, he
remains in a state of prcstration until the
terrible god of day has accomplished his
daily course The blaze OF the noon-tide
sun is literally a torture, especially for the
white races: during 1t no human being is TO
be seen out OF doors, the eyes would not
stand the reflection of the sun or the lick
ing heat OF the air; the cities are buried in
the silence Of a cemetery; people seek the
comfort of sleep, but often all in vain.
The natives who feel most affected by this
extraordinary heat dig a gravelike hole in
their novels or gardens as a refreshing
couch. This kind of living grave is watered
every morning TO preserve its freshness and
then covered with n close fitting mat or
fresh palm leaves. Towards IL o'clock it's
temporary occupant sinks into il, entirely
naked, and shuts himself up from the out
side world to pass the hottest hours in the
Incidence OF a perfect quiet, reclining in
that tomb as we do in our hammocks.
1 did not relish burying myself alive and
SIIed every Cav ~ ab fresh waier bSy Nv Of
a pillow, but L s&rcely b~ettered my COM
fort with this. proceeding.
SOME OF HI ANNOYANCES.
Besides the heat, the flies and ants are
more than one can bear during the day,
while during the night one is tormented to
rage by thousands OF mosquitoes, or sleeps
with the nightmare from fear of the scorp-
ions. The flies swarm in daytime, and the
fan Is constantly needed to drive them
away. When writing 1 had to cover my
head and hands with gauze. When eating
they enter in the ears, mouth and nose;
one eats, drinks and breathes them; all
food left uncovered is spoiled by them. The
sting OF the scorpion is especially danger
Gus and often fatal during the canicular
days. These pedipalpi are found in swarms
among the ruins and in the houses, which
fact requires an everyday search by the
inmates before going to sleep. This insect
grows there to an extraordinary size and
IS sometimes seen three inches long. "A
evening, fresh night and sweet morning,
are the general atmOSpherical features in
summer. and the tantalizing mirage can be
seen daily in the plains during that season.
My theory Of the formation of the mirage
differs somewhat from that given by many
others, but as IL is founded upon repeated
tate TO bring 1t forth. The reflective mirror
Is produced through the lowest layer of air,
which is overheated both from above by the
sun, and from below by the excess of heat
radiated by the earth. Upon close examina-
ton this radiation of heat can be easily
seen in form of transparent evaporation
rising vertically IN undulating waves. 1t is
through this verymass of transparent evap-
Grafton, seen from a distance, that the IL
fusion is produced. The mirror does not
represent what has been described by GER
tain authors, who, having probably never
CLEn a III Adk CACCRl III lDClI QICdflSt Ill
aglne that ships can be seen sailing over
those Elusive seas. Nothing, il must be
said. can be reproduced by that fantastic
mirror of nature. but that which really ex-
lists in the vicinity or within a certain dis
lance and intercepted b no prominence of
land. The mirage defects only the sur
rOundings, which. the closer their proximity
the more clearly they are defined, and as
no ships are in existence in the desert, none
Ing ships is a fanciful fabrication of travel
ers who wished to give the Great Desert
more poesy and charm than it possesses.
Wien the heat drives every one to the
darkest corner of his house or to the deep
est shade of his garden, work is not to be
thought OF, and the slave. being as much
affected rs the master. cannot humanely be
compel ed to work. But though he is of lit
tie use to his owner for that time, his
stomach claims a daily contribution to feed
the dtal flame. until more favorable wealth
er permits him to be more useful to his
master. This circumstance obliges the
owners OF the scant means to part with
some of their property. and the property
most willingly parted with is, Of course. the
most difneuit to be sold.the slaves who
tie. owing to which they are sometimes
bargained for at trivial value.
-Four weeks had passed since our arrival
In ,Wargla- The season was growing hot.
and as a consequence / laid my European
costume in a box. resolved to wear my
Arabian garb permanently until the fall
came. when the damp and cool morning
requires a heavier garment. On the I'd OF
May, urged by a feeling OF anxious interest,
= NaAII III LlA[ lAOAH Ills Afl1AC a. DGI-
feet Arabian toilet and went out. II was
the monthly day OF sale at the slave-mar-
ket.
SLAVERY IN THE SAHARA.
In preparation for my visit to the slave
mart. had my Arabian costume carefully
washed and ironed like those of the chief
tains. Ny object was to be looked upon as
a member OF the authorities. and the sequel
proved TO me that I had succeeded beyond
my hopes. When / arrived in the Benz
Sissine quarter. a large and old palace,
much impaired by time and crumbling down
Ike an abandoned house, struck my sight
at the very first. This was formerly the
residence Of the Sultan OF WargIa, which,
at the overthrow OF that sovereignty.
passed into the hands OF a Sheik. The lat
Ter having in turn emigrated during the
Iast revolution in the city, the palace was
appropriated for public use and thus be-
came the vulgar Enclosure now concealing
the traffic OF human flesh-a striking in
STANCE or grandeur and decadence.
assuming the comp0sure and deportment OF
q cnlef, / stalked into the market with aris-
iocratic manners and a steady dignity.
looking superciliously at all the people. The
entrance was a vast archway leading into
q spacious square courtyard surrounded by
Tour lines OF massive columns. This was a
chef-d-oeuvre OF architecture that I had
not expected to see in the Sahara. and
which the .Aoorish palaces OF Algiers would
n4rdlV riVrl were In nor faIir~ - -