The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-06-22
LG|ERS A CITY OF LIGHT
5 Built Upright Facing the
Sea Front,
Bellies DARKEST AFRICA"

houses Built Against Mountain Rising
Out of the Mediterranean Sea-
Picturesque Combination of Rich
Coloring of Houses, Trees and
Shrubbery.
One who has penetrated this con.
mnent no farther than Algiers cannot
possibly understand why 1t was ever
called Darkest Africa" 1t is more
brilliant than the City of Light itself
and is exceptionally beautiful as
Viewed from the harbor.
1t is an upright city Gts merchants
sre not all built to correspond), oc-
0opyng the face Of a precipitous hill
H mountain. 1t rises straight from
The blue Mediterranean. Some of the
ouses actually have no backs. tall
houses at that. They have fronts and
ddes, the hill forming a ready-made
back. Therefore, sea-front rooms are
available all the way from the boule-
yard to the very top of the equillateral
utangle at the summit of which is The
snsbah, or ancient fortress of the
Deys.
Such picturesquenessi
The sapphire sea, the great group
q stucco buildings, mostly of cream
color, the mass of rich greenery at
ne top and the softly blue sky above.
Wafh these are blended colors that
come out more clearly with every
kep. Some Of the buildings are a
ielicate pink, some oyster-gray and
many are ornamented with richly
anted tiles. These are of many sorts.
mere are the great buildings along
me side of the waterfront boulevard,
aalatial hotels far UP the hills, fas-
Anating villas behind high walls hid
lon among blossoms and trees, pic
1resQue mosques and the quaint win
oovless houses Of the old town
These square houses forever fascl-
nte perhaps because dt amounts to
hiking ones life in ones hand to ex-
aaore them and the old quarter gen.
reily. The natives, as seen here, are
ssrtainly murderous, dirty, diseased
aoking lot, and it's a wonder that
hose of us who exist lin terror of
yerms at home ever live through these
explorations.
No sunshine penetrates into many
d the houses, which consist of one
lark, damp room with one opening.
md no other door or window. Such a
Souse fronts on street SO narrow
md steep as to forbid a visit in a
nrrfage, and from it diverge other
streets which are but dark, narrow
aeep flights of stone that twist and
urn most bewilderingly. In these one
nay see public scribes, workers in
rood and basketry, but more idlers
md players with dirty cards. Beggars.
sften horribly deformed, are at every
nrn. They follow one persistently-
I'd men smiling in a way to haunt
me and children kissing constantly,
Merci, madam, merci!" The fact
hat they receive not single coin has
sothing to do with their long-repeated
hanks.
An occasional glimpse of the beau
dful sea from these squald haunts
makes it all the more lovely by con-
rast
Dark-hued picturesquely clad men,
ach with tiny donkey hidden under
immense panniers, clean these streets.
fhich are too complicated to accom-
1Odate a camel even If this ship OF
he desert were allowed in the city A
rimitive broom and shovel are the
treet cleaners weapons. One shud-
ers at the dust raised by the broom
nd again at the savage way the man
ounds the sweepings down into the
anniers threatening to annihilate the
fminutive beast. The donkey goes
own the steps trembling. Often he
too heavily laden to bulge going
p. in which case the man pushes him,
philadelphia Record.