Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-07-13

At the same time OF the French lnya-
sion II was a pestllential marsh, over
run with serpents and Wild beasts
Just sixty years ago, Gen. dErlon
established large entrenched camp
there and the Arabs smillngly SAT
down and waited that death
would speedily claim the soldiers, win
out any waste OF ammunition. Under
the hot autumnal sun. the exalations
from the swamp became yirulent pol-
son which no one could Withstand
Young and old went down before IL
and in month the stricken camp ac-
quired the name OF LA Cimetare.
Years afterwards, the French govern
ment had the swamp drained ana now
B0ufarik IL O healthy and f0urlshing
market for cattle and agricultural pro.
ducts, with wide, clean well shaded
streets ana large squares, through each
Of which flows o. stream OF clear wa
ter.
You might proftably spend a week at
Blidah. the next city Of account on the
line IN the center Of the orange groves
whose products arc sold In the markets
OF Algiers and exported 10 France In
large quantities The Atlas mountains
over shadow the town, and on the other
side stretches the beautiful Metldja
plain. For miles around the air is
perfumed with the scent Of orange
blossoms, every country road Is shaded
by trees and bordered with little
streams Of running water brought
down from the hills. The Place
dAimes, or principal square, Is sur
rounded by arcaded houses and planted
with double rows 81 trees. Hlidha Is
a fortified town. with military buildings
on an extensive scale. large cavalry
Quarters aud barracks. which accom-
modale three thousand men. The iive
gates in The walls, through which only
ingress and egress Is possible are
named "POrtes" Bab-esSebt de Beet
de Bah Zaouia dc Bab el-Rabah, d'Al-
ger. and du camp des Chasseurs. There
are or.nge gardens 20 be visited In the
vicinity and the BOis Sacri, Csacred
Woods'O. a group Of magnificent olive
trees In the public gardens west OF the
city. and about two miles beyond the
walls is the ravlne of Oued 81 kebir
whose picturesque beauty Is worth go
ing far TO see. AT the head Of the ra-
vine stands the venerated Koubbas,
(tombsJ, Of Sid Ahmed El-Keblr, who
died In 1880 and his two sons, Inter-
estinr fCtes take place here every year
on the prophets birthday.
About a hundred miles beyond Anglers
you come 10 the most celebrated baths
OF northern Africa; or rather you stop
at the station called Bou Media, ana an
Omnibus, which meets the mail train
from Agiers. conveys you five or six
miles to Hamtnam R'lrha. The road
leads along the bank OF the Oued uiver)
DER, among fig and olive trees and
then by numerous 2lg-zags, mounts
nearly two thousand feet to the
springs. They occupy the site OF the
ancient Roman station known as Aquae
Calldae, OF which only enough frag-
ments remain to show that II was once
rlace Of importance. There are sew
eral fine French hotels; the Etabesse-
ment DIES Baines. surrounded by a
beautiful garden. the hot springs
themselves, and another pension far
Their down the hin, being the property
Of NJ. Alfonso es-Dafour There are
several hospitals here, military and
civil. and public houses Of all classes,
from the SWEETEST and most expensive,
60 the modest pension at two frances
| R'Irha are OF two kinds--the hot
saline. with temperature 1853 degrees
| Fair, and the gaseous and slightly
| ferruglnous, used for drinking. The
| latter-called by the Arabs Ain el-karls
Issue from a pavilion IN the village
within an easy walk from the princi-
pal hotels II has the usual taste and
| odor of added eggs, hut when mixed
1 x.FtN tttN 10. Ia
not so bad The effect Of half a dozen
glasses a day, and as many more as
one can swallow, IL simply marvellous
on persons affected with govt and
| rheumatism; and as this Is the only
nlace within convenient distance from
| Euype where baths can safely be taxi
en- In the winter time. its hotels are
| crowded the year around.
The city OF Oran--capltal OF the prov
lnce Of the same name residence OF the
eneral-commandant, Of the bishop
| project. and commander OF the intend
ance diyesonnalre--is naturally OF
great importance In local annals. II
Is port Of entry, Mt the head Of the
| Gulf Of Oran, only 22i miles east OF
Gibralter. Like Algiers, 1t is triangular
| I'm form, rising on the steep slope Of
/ ltlt hlttfi Mhlhlull's illsH hbhNt luf
| town, on the summit Of this ridge,
/ stands the fort Of Santa Cruz; and a
/ little lower down that Of St Gregolre
| Oran Is not one Of the Algerian towns
| which can claim high antiquity.
| though some writer's attempt 90 identi-
~ It with the Portus Magnus Of the
| Romans II appears to have been
founded at the beginning Of the tenth
century by two Arab merchants from
| Spain, who, coming to this coast for
commercial purposes, obtained leave
from the dominant tribe 10 establish a
small settlement They called
II "Wahran," meaning ravine
and until the Spanish conquest Il
remained a little village beside the
stream, with an Indifferent hnrbor and
| fertilization on the shore After
| holding II seven years, IN the name OF
the Callphs Of Spain the original
founders were driven out. Subsequent
" II was several times burned and re-
built by contending tribes until 70 fell
into the hands Of the AlmoahideS.
about the middle ~ the twelfth cen-
! mry. These held it until their over
throw, by the tribe of Ben-Zian. IN 1870:
after which II became part Of the new
kingdom, Of Tlemcen. But on account