The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-23
CIVIL ENGINEER WHO RESIDES IN
NORTHERN AFRICA.
Says the Arabs Are Good People and
Is Content to Live with Them-How
the French Rule---Religion.

c. y. Fibiger, prominent Danish
gentleman, who converses fuently in
eleven different languages and who
has lived among the Arabs in North
ern Africa for the past half dozen
years, is guest of the Hawaiian hotel.
rather an elderly man. He is en- route
to London on business matters. From
there he will go to Denmark and then
probably return to Algiers to live, as
he says the Arabs are good people
and he will be content to put in the
remainder of his days among them.
''SiN years ago ] went to Paris and
from there on to Algeria, the French
colony in North Africa" said Mr.. Fibi-
ger this morning. This country was
| taken by the French some fifty or six
| ty years ago. There are now 100000
French, 100000 Spanish and Italians,
10000 Jews and over 100000 Arabs
residing there. When the French took
hold of the country everything was
prospering but this it not so now. The
Arabs were treated badly, and even to
this day the same treatment exists.
The Arabs are not permitted to leave
one place to go to another without a
passport They are not allowed to
carry arms, as the French are in con-
slant fear of an instruction. During
the French and German war the Arabs
rebelled but they were subdued. An
army of 10000 Frenchmen is constant
ly kept in that colony. Arms can only
be gotten in via Morocco on the west
coats and Tripoll on the east coast.
These ports are very zealously guard
ed by the French.
THE Arabs are a good people and
have the very best religion in the
world. They believe in but one god,
but insist that Mahommet is later
prophet than Jesus Christ. Although
missionaries have labored in that coun-
try for sixty years now, they have
failed to make any converts. Very
often fatherless and motherless child
ren are educated by the missionaries,
but they invariably lapse back into
the ways of their people and adhere
to their religion. Take the eggs of the
tame bird. Let them have their wings
once and back they go to their wild
state again. So it is with the Arab
orphans.
ITO show you their devotion to their
religion / will tell you of an incident
which transpired during the last re-
bellion against the French \ large
army of Frenchmen completely sur
rounded band of determined Arab
braves in valley. When the sun is
the highest in the skies their custom
is to always pray. On this day just at
high noon the French were about to
make their attack. The Arab general
was advised to overlook prayer this
time, but he answered. What! a
Christian dog keep a Mohammet from
praying? Never!' The Arabs bowed
down in prayer and before they had
completed over 1000 of their number
were slain. They then began to de-
fend themselves and gained decisive
victory over, their oppressors.
"One thing peculiar about the
| Arabs they travel north in summer
and go south in winter. They travel
very much and only cross parts of the
great Sahara desert. Those who travel
are called noble and freemen. The
Arabs who remain in the cities with
the French are not looked on as such.
"The French have no idea of colon
izing. Their discipline is very severe
and they do not take up any pursuits
successfully. Many have lost money in
vineyard investments.
"The Arabian language is extremely
difficult to master, it requiring an av-
erage student twelve years to write
/ the Koran, the Arabian Bible"
! rpIIIr unDSE 'SunLN