Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-07-27
Special Correspondence.

A'AIAANNf ~ NiN way VI laiNiHAfA0f NArNH
ways and well-kept mountain passes
the traveller who has a few weeks TO
spare may see pretty much all Of the
big province OF Algeria. which, by the
way, is something over six hundred
miles long by approximately half as
broad. Dlllgences go where the rail.
way has not yet penetrated; In every
town OF consequence. Carriages or
wagonettes may be hired for short
trips, or mules for mountain climbing
and where hotels are absent native
caravanserai AFFORD taste u that
variety which Is truly the spice Of lie
Tourists may even journey in COM
paratiye comfort through the French
Sahara--ou camel-back, II they insist
on doing the thing In the old way
though that is no longer necessary
Popular belief still continues To picture
the Sahara as an Immense plain NJ
moving sand. with fertile cases dotted
here and there, as expressed by the
fayoHte simile OF the panthers SKIN II.
poetical idea, whose only fault Is
lack Of truthfulDess. The Algerian Sa.
hara consists Of two distinct regions.
known as the Upper and Lower Sa-
hara the former "A vast depression Of
sand and clay, extending on the east
as far as the frontier of Tunis. the lat.
ter rocky plateau. rising i'm some
places nearly three thousand feet
stretching on the west to the borders
OF Morocco. The very worst OF ID All
IA as q garden of roses compared to the
Arizona desert and some other portions
OF our great West As 10 the moving
sand which the Arabs llken to q net
though bad enough II happily does not
extend over large area. Besides tho
Gases pfouer. including Beni Mzab. GU
lad SID onekh Souf Ksours, there are
groves and farms and gardens an along
the edges OF Sahara In raylnes that
cross the desert. and even In the shift
ing sands. where irrigation is possible.
From time lmmemorial arteslan wells
have existed IN the desert spreading
life and wealth Mountain torrents.
rushing down through steep and
NARROW GoRGEs.
irrigate the Gases, where curious dams
retain and absorb the water. The
streams that percoate through these
dams. especially after the heavy rains
or winter and the melting OF mountain
SHOWS IN early summer are again OBJ
sorbed by the sakias. or lrrigating ca
nails. Wherever q tiniest thread OF the
precious liaud can be found wheat.
corn and alfalfa are cultivated to the
utmost. The Lower Sahara, bounded
on the north by the mountain range
Of Aures and the foothills Of B0u- Kahn.
occupies q depression sunk below the
level VI the sea In gypseous soil, part
OF which forms a sheet of water salter
than the great lake ~ Utah. which. as
everybody knows, Is salter than the
sea. In summer this Sahara lake Is
OF no treat depth, owing 10 eVapOra-
tion. IL IL covered with a thick and
glstenlng coat Of crystals. so dazzling
IN the gun that one can hardly dis
tlnRulsh where the salt ends and the
water begins. Its bottom is an abvss Of
black mud. emitting an unpleasant odor
which Is probably due 20 the presence
OF bromldes and crlss-crOssed all
over II are veins OF solid ground form
Ing natural causeways, which the ma
lives traverse In safety with their mules
or eamels. Considerable rivers cross
the desert-notably the Died.. Chott.
Aures Ghaghar: but generally they are
permanent streams only In the upper
part OF their courses Lower down
their waters dry up under the fervd
African sun, or are drunk by the
thirsty sand. or are absorbed by car
RACES or filter through the upper sur
face and flow along the clayey bottom
which underlles II. In many places
small, deep depressons are found full
OF water. which seem 10 indicate sub
terTanean lake. In other PARTS water
clrculates close 10 the surface Of the
son. enclosed in sandy subtratum I'M
der bed OF sulphate Of lime, crystal
lized on Its upper surface and amor
phous on the under, One has only 10
penetrate this layer OF gypsum TO Gre
ate well. When the Arabs want TO
plant daie-grove, they scrape on the
entire upper crust and set their palms
in the aqulferous sand beneath thus
forming orchards excayated like ants
nests, considerably below the level OF
the surrounding country.
The western Sahara that adjolns
Morocco IL mostly made up Of rocky
steppes, the depressions between them
being flled with sand the higher plat
eaux furrowed with immense ravines,
without water or vegetation. A more
deeoate region can hardly be imagined
but II is not IN the least like the
Sahara OF the school books. Rain sell.
dom falls In the lower part and in the
highlands II is only during severe
storms. or when unusually abundant
snow has melted In the mountains. that
"A ufaf a.. Ifrtttpa, In -.
deep defiles. thousand streamlets form
q mighty wave which for day or two
oyerfiows the lower Sahara. Then the
sands have absorbed II and nothing re-
mains but a few shallow pools where
Ragelles drink, and n slight rise In the
frequent wells which supply caravans
with water. These periodical inunda-
lions, though relied upon. are not half
enough 90 supply the Bent M'zab who
cultivate gardens In the beds OF the
GREAT RAvINEs
which dominate their seven cities. In
vain they treasure up every precious
drop in reservoirs; they are also obliged
TO cut deep wells In the rock aud coll
lect the utilization Of water In the cal
careous strata.
~ NiNNi " rAuliu Nff var lNE
characteristics OF Algeria, II should b.
remembered that the country has two
other distinct and strongly marked d.
visions besides the desert Of Sahara.
They are known as the Tell and the
High plateaux. The former Is a strip
Of undulating, beautifully cultivated
land. like an English park, extending
inland from the Mediterranean. from
fifty 90 a hundred miles The High
plateau, extending from east 10 west.
Is formed by vast dreary plains, sep
afated by parallel ranges Of mountains.
These terraces increase In height as
they recede from The Ten. and again
decrease as they approach the Sahara
thus forming a double series of grad.
ents, the highest being perhaps four
thousand feet Mountain spurs. cross
ing these stages on their way 10 the
eea, cut them up into a series OF basins
each OF which Is generally occupied by
a small sah lake Alterations OF in
tense cold and extreme heat prevail
hpre Instead Of sea-brcezes. only the
hot blasts of the desert blpw over this
inferno. There are no trees and no
vegetation but siunted scrub aud
weeds. on which the sheep and camcls
browse which form the wealth
OF the wandering Arab. II
Is said 10 be rich IN
minerals and valuable marbles. how
ever, and n seasons Of unusual rains