Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-06
on SAHARA DESERTS EDGE.
A Charming Retreat Offering Modern
COnveniences and Comforts.
From the Pail Mall Gazette

A Charming Retreat Offering Modern
| COnveniences and Comforts.
| From the Pail Mall Gazette.
The journey to that charming retreat,
| the oasis of Biskra. In the Algerian desert,
| on the edge of the Great Sahara, is not at
| all arduous and can be accomplished di-
| rect from London in four days, the
through ticket costing a little over f12.
| From Marseilies the comforta able steamers
of the TTansatlantique company leave once
| a week direct for Phnippeville, and once
weekly via Bona, the direct crossing TAX
ing thirty hours, From Philippeville, Bis
kra is reached by rail In day. Most trav-
elers will prefer to break their journey at
| Constantine. that inland Gibraltar, whose
| splendid situation. enthroned on it's iso-
| lated plateau of rock is unique in the
world
| Interesting as 1t Is. however, 1t unfortu-
nately lacks good hotel accommodation, an
accusation which cannot be urged against
BlSkra, which possesses at least one first
class hotel in the Royal and several Others
the Victoria, the Oasis, the Des Zibans,
etc, clean, comfortable and moderate
enough to suit every ones means. The
Royal Is the most modern, and has large
inner court laid out as garden, an ex-
tenSive fiat roof and a minaret, whence
the gorgeous desert sunsets can be viewed
to perfection and a splendid view from the
terrace eastward, over the bed of the river,
the Oued-Biskra, to the Sahara and the
picturesque range of hills, the Dejbel-Met-
ILL., on the horizon. The Dar-Diaf Hotel,
attached to the casino, has an excellent
restaurant and cafe, the prices at all these
hotels ranging from II to IL francs day.
AT Biskra II rarely rains, though heavy
tropical showers are not unknown; 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 appear
ance of resort of invalfdS only; the little
town wears gay French air, has excellent
shops and bazars, public gardens in which
roses heliotrope, hibiscus and bougain-
villea vie in profusion and coioring: a high
ly oriental looking marie, a French fort,
garrison and military club all picturesque
ly 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 ma
tive streets, the market square with it's
huddled groups of white-robed Arabs, the
camels, the tunnel shaped avenues Of mi
mosa and the villages scattered about the
oasis. screened and overhung by countless
waving date palms, not less countless to
the enchanted traveller because his guide
with frigid accuracy, informs him that
the oasis contains not less than 160, 600 Of
these self-same palm trees. In this tndo-
lent land there Is yet plenty for the en-
ergetic to do; the mornings be pleas
antly occupied by bathing at the Ham
mames-Salahin, six kilometers out in the
desert. where there is a miniature bathing
establishment built over the springs. which
have natural heat of 112 degrees Fahren-
heit. AS this heat is however, extremely
enervating to the bather 1t is advisable to
order the bath beforehand. and to allow it
time to cool to a reasonable temperature.
The tramway which runs to the baths
passes first under palms and mimosa,
through the exquisite oasis of Beni-Mora,
n Eiro ohnryt
quarters of an hour for the Journey.
In the afternoon there are excursions,
driving, riding on horses camels to the
environs and to the neighboring cases. and
after dinner concerts, operattas, petits,
chevranS and baccarat at the casino or Wis
its to the numerous Moorish cafes in the
! town, where may be seen the native girls
dancing their strangely monotonous Arab
dances to the no less monotonous accom-
paniment of Arab music strident tom-toms
and ear-pierctng 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 in
Vulnerable cigarettes The rather squalid
haunts of the bachish smokers may also
be visited. Excellent guides are to be
found at the hotels. all of whom speak
French, and some little English. Trav-
elers who visit Biskra. unless for health
usually stay a day or two only, but it is
really well worth a longer visit A fort
night certainly can be pleasantly passed
there, in the course of which the expedi-
ton by diligence to the important oasis
and city of Pugurt can be undertaken
There is also fairly good shooting within
easy reach; chamois and the moufion
which are really Barbary sheep, abound be-
tween Biskra and El-Kantara, and for
these expeditions the services of one of
the numerous trustworthy guides can be
reQuistioned. feature of Biskra is the
curious villa of Count Lanbon which he
kindly allows to be shown to visitors during
the afternoon. The various rooms are not
under roof. bnr isolated
tributed in different parts of the SPLEEN
did tropical garden, in which are success
fully acclimated many rare fruit trees
shrubs and other plants.
Very charmingly do the hours slip away
in these enchanted gardens, remote from
the noises of the town, remote from the
world. Screened from the monday sun by
| thickest tropical vegetation. one can re-
pose In the heat of the day In the Arab
salon, where daylight filters In sparingly
| through hanging masses of vivid bougain-
| vtlleas, stroll later through the groves of
| feathery bamboo and orange gardens gold
en- with fruit and heavy with the voluptu-
/ Gus scent of blossom. and, finally, watch
| from the river terrace the scarlet glory
| OF the sinking sun. most splendid Of ma
lures many splendid pageants, most glori-
| GUS OF Gods many glorious gifts trans
| figuring in blaze of rose colored fire the
gray silhouetted outline Of the distant
| Djebel-Metilili. and touching with magical
| rays the golden waves of the Sahara and
| the island GASES of Lalia and F'iliash.
ms same sunset hour is one Of the daily
charms of life in the desert and the north
ern traveller must stand spelbound before
| such a riot of southern coloring / should
| like to say that during a two months tour
| In Algeria and Tunis in the height Of the
| recent Angiophobia 1 experienced nothing
but the utmost civility and kindness from
| all classes both of Frenchmen and Arabs
Where the reverse has been experienced
may 1t not have been because our country
| men are occasionally, as a modern nov
| elist has wittily told us, too conspieuously
| dressed in the union jack?'