Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-04

the attention of the wild Touaregs and Be-
doulns. and it was many times hesieged,
put successfully resisted every attack until
at itlSt the Turks sent an immense army
against it, when it fell and from that hour
dates the decay of the hitherto invincible
Ilemcen. This was in 1903. when from
commercial and literary center. it sank
INTO complete uothingness, and its magnifi-
cent buildings went to ruin. Nearly three
hundred years later II was captured by
the French. i'll their invasion of Algeria,
who surrendered it to the famous Abd-el-
haGlr, IN $50, and 1t was his capital until
~, when the French repOsSeSsed them
selves Of it. and have kept it ever since.
An Arab author of the fifteenth century
once wrote: 'Tlemcen is a city enjoying a
pleasant climate and a fertile soil. Built
on the side of a mountain. ii reminds one
Of fair young bride repnsing in beauty on
her nuptial couch. The bright foliage
which overshadows the white roofs is like
a green CUTonal enCircling her majestic
brow. The surrounding heights and the
plain stretching below the town are made
Nerdant by running streams. Yes. Tlemcen
Is city that fascinates the mind and Sc
drCes the heart"
Once the resnant queen of Morocco. now
Tlemcen il severed from its ancient terri
tory, and belongs to the French But as in
all tn ir conquests. here the Gauls have re-
SpeCted the religion of the subjected people
and have preserved all the sacred MOSQUES
and the koubas, or holy tombs, of their
'marabouts."
Mosques and TOmbs.
II was not by an unusual coincidence
that thH first guide offering to take me
about The city was named Nahomet, for
nearly every other Moslem in Africa re-
j"ices in this appellation. Still. he was a
good sort. and by his aid I visited and oh
tanned access to every me saue and tomb in
the place. And thy are many. too being
numbered by hundreds. It IS not without
4 reason that ! have called Tlemcrn a CITY
OF Arab saints, for. though there NAV not
he any ncg existent there. the torobs of
sanity men. and the tomb Of one woman
r'SA1ned as saint. are found on every
side
A. good Nahometan-that is good as
the average Of that sect-Mah0rIet first
took me 70 tn" great mosque Diane ell
i\ebir. in the Place dAlger. which is a
g. - rIval Of that famous mosque in the
CltN of A'giers. with its great court paved
WIN African ONYX. and its fountain. basin
or the same precious stone It's graceful
hinaret Is about one hundred feet high
ana from the platform near the summit
whence the muczZin issues his frenr1e,,t
calls to prayer. I obtained 2 glorious view
OF the city and its surroundings The in
terror is imposing. with its six dozen
square columns. and the gorgeous ''mih-
r'H ar p~7-er niche. orramented in ara
hesGuas. This mosque stands unon n foun
Gation dating from the wear 100 though
the present building is only IGo years old.
beauty in Decay.
Their" are several other mosques within
the walls. but all abandoned. or converted
to secular uses. such as that of Sidi Ahmed
hel-HasSau, now used as school room
The schoolmaster being away-he is usually
abroad, in Africa-Mahomet and went in
and took a photograph of the still beauti-
full rihrab. with its fancifui arabesune
traceries. Strange to say, the finest and
most Venerated mosques are outside the
walls, one of them, dedicated to holy man
who existed five hundred years age. being
called after him-S ide-el-HaIani or the