The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-07
LIFE IN AN OASIS.
Bright Skies and Pure Dry Saraha Air
in Riskra

|
is not at all arduous, and can be &C
complished direct from London III fou
days, the through ticket costing littl
over twelve pounds. From MarSeille
the comfortable steamers of the Trans
atlantique company leave once u wee
direct for Philippeville, and once week
ly via Bona, the direct crossing takin
thirty hours. From Phlippeville Bsk
ia is reached by rail in a day, Mos
travellers will prefer to break thei
journey at Constantine, that inland Gil
braltar, whose splendid situation, en-
throned on it's isolated plateau Of rock
is unique in the world. Interesting as
is, however, it unfortunately lacks goo(
hotel accommodation, an accusation
which cannot be urged against Biskra
which possesses at least one first-clas
hotel in the Royal, and several others
the Victoria, the Oasis the Des Zibans
etc, clean, comfortable and moderat,
enough to suit every ones means. The
Royal is the most modern, and has c
large inner court laid out as q garden
an extensive fiat roof, and a mnaret
| whence the gorgeous desert sunsets car
be viewed to perfection, and a splendid
| view from the terrace eastward, over
| the bed of the river, the Oued-B iSlSra, tC
the Sahara and the picturesque range
of hills, the Djebel-Metlili, on the hori-
ION. The Dar-Daif Hotel, attached te
| the Casino, has an excellent restaurant
| and cafe, the prices at all these hotels
| ranging from twelve to sixteen francs a
| day. AT Biskra 1t rarely rains. though
| heavy tropical showers are not I'M
known; bright sun and blue sky are the
rule; there is no damp, and the pure,
dry air of the Sahara is of incalculable
benefit to seekers after health; yet it
has by no means the appearance of a
resort of invalids only; the little town
wears a gay French air, has excellent
shops and bazaars, public gardens. in
which roses, helotrope, hibiscus and
bougainvillea vie in profusion and col
oring; highly Oriental looking marie,
a French fort, garrison and military
club, all picturesquely contrasting with
the Arab life which to unaccustomed
northern eyes is the great and salient
novelty of the place Very quaint and
interesting are the native streets, the
market square with Its huddled groups
of white robed Arabs, the languid pro-
cessions of laden and weary camels, the
tunnel shaped avenues of mimosa, and
the villages scattered about the oasis,
Gcreened and oWerhung by countless
waving date palms, not less countless
to the enchanted traveller because his
guide, with frigld accuracy, informs
him that the oasis contains not less
than one hundred and sixty thousand Of
these self-same palm trees. In this in
dolent land there Is yet plenty for the
energetic to do: the mornings can be
pleasantly occupied by bathing at the
Hammam-es- Salahin, six kilometres
out in the desert, where there Is min
iature bathing establishment built over
the springs, which have natural heat
of one, hundred and twelve degrees
Fahrenheit. AS this heat is, however,
extremely enervating to the bather, 1T
is advisable to order the bath before
hand and to allow it time to cool to a
reasonable temperature. The tramway
which runs to the baths passes first un-
der palms and mimosa through the ex-
quisite oasis Of Beni-Mora, out into the
desert, taking about three-quarters of
an hour.
In the afternoon there are excursions,
driving, riding, on horses or camels, to
the environs and to the neighboring
oasis, and, after dinner, concerts, ope-
rettas, petits chevaux, and baccarat at
the Casino, or visits to the numerous
cafes in the town, where may be seen
the native girls dancing their strangely
Arab dances to the no less
,i,x,., G 4
music, strident tom-toms and ear
piercing pipes, intended only, one Is
told, as an accompaniment to the dis
tracted thoughts Of the listener, while
he sips the sweetened coffee and smokes
cigarettes. The rather
squalid haunts of the hashish smokers
may also be visited; excellent guides
are to be found at the hotels, all of
whom speak French. and some little
English. Travellers who visit Biskra,
unless for health, usually stay a day or
two only; but it IL really worth longer
visit. A fortnight certainly can be
passed there, in the course
If which the expedition by diligence to
the important oasis and city of Pugart
can be undertaken. There Is also fairly |
SoOu SHoVtiHS WltHHl easy ledIlJ VIA
nois, and the moufon, which are really |
Barbary sheep, abound between Bis<ra /
and Eel Kantara, and for these expedi- |
ions the services of one of the numer- |
)us trustworthy guides can be requisi- /
-ioned. A feature Of Biskra is the curl |
)uS villa of Count Landon, which he |
Kindly allows to be shown to visitors |
Turing the afternoon. The various
'ooms are not under one roof, but are
ISOLATED and distributed in different !
parts of the splendid tropical gardens,
n which are successfully aCclimatized |
many rare fruit trees shrubs and other
plants. Very charmingly do the hours
slip away in these enchanted gardens,
emote from the noises of the town, re-
note from the world. Screened from
he monday sun by thickest tropical
Jegetation, one can repose in the heat
# the day in the Arab salon where day
light filters in sparingly through hang
ng masses of vivid bougainvilleas, |
troll later through groves of feathery
bamboo, and orange gardens golden
With fruit and heavy with the voluptu-
JUS scent of blossoms, and, finally,
watch from the river terrace the scarlet
-lory of the sinking sun, most splendid
# natures many splendid pageants,
most glorious of Gods many glorious
lifts TRANSPORTING in blaze of rose
olored fire the gray silhouetted outline
# the distant Djebel-Metlili, and
ouching with magical rays the golden
waves of the Sahara and the island