The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-12
i.4s.f3.4f.tasa.k&.EasC 7.

Copyright, 1907, by Frank c. Carpenter)
 Biskra. Desert of Sahara.
 AM at Biskra, the Paris of the Sahara.
 This oasis lies 175 miles south of the 4 Mediterranean sea, in the midst of the desert. At one side of 1t great sand dunes roll on and on until they are lost in the yellow horizon. On the other are the well-worn stones of the Oued, or dry river. Biskra, which becomes a flood dur ing the short rainy part of the year. but which is now so parched under this Afri can sun that it would blister your bare feet to cross it.
 Biskra is situated on a low plateau, little more than three hundred feet above the river To the north of it is the mighty wall of the Atlas mountains, which here rise a thousand feet higher than Mount Washington. In this African sun they are now of a pale yellow, the color of the limestone of which they are made. A little later they will turn to a hazy blue, chang ing as the sun drops to primrose and gold, and then dying out through a dark purple into the night.
 Bskra is an island in this mighty sea of the Sahara. The mountain wall is part of the shore of that sea, and the great cliffs rise almost straight up over it. If one had a glass and would cast his eye along those mountains he would find break at the right, known as the Gorge of Kantara. Ii is there that a river has burst through the wall forming the gold en gate to this greatest desert on earth. One comes right out of the mountains into the desert. and as he does so goes through the little oasis of kantara, which serves, as 1t were, as the green key to that great golden door.
 Garden of Allah.
 Biskra has been rather voluptuously de- scribed in the novel called "The Garden of Allah" Under another name 1t is made the chief scene of that story, and all of it's surroundings are painted in more or less glowing coors. They are, as a rule, greatly overdrawn, and the tale itself has a mawksh, sensual sentiment tality which leaves a bad taste in ones mouth. According to it, the Desert of Sahara is the Garden of Allah and Biskra its capital. It is the European capital in reality. It is tho only part of this wild waste of sand which can be safely and comfortably reached by Europeans, and every winter tourists and health seek CTS by the thousands come here over the railroad which the French have built. Large hotels have been erected for them, and one can live here comfortably at from two to five dollars per day. There are altigether a half dozen hotels and, in addition, a casino and theatre. There are frequent concerts and cafe chantants, while the casino steadily runs it's rou- 1ette and rouge ct noir tables, so tha the place might be called the Monte Carlo of the Sahara as well.
 The season begins in November and lasts until May. It is at it's liveliest in February, at tho time of the races, when horses, donkeys and camels take part. At that time there are long distance camel races run by Arabs on Mehar1s or fast racing camels, which can make twelve or fifteen miles in an hour. These camels are so tall and lean that they seem to be all legs. They have saddles with high supports in front and behind, and the rider bobs up and down with a seesaw corresponding to the ticking of your watch. The starting point Is supposed to be the oasis of Tougourt which Is two hundred and ten miles away, and a fairly good camel ought to cover the ground in less than a day
 The horse races are with Arabian stock and the riders are Arabs, who in their skill might even rival President Roose- welt, and who delight In cross country go- ing. jumping everything on the way In French Bskra.
 J The city of Bishra Is composed of two towns One is known as French Biskra and the other Old Biskra. The former contains about 900 Europeans and two or Nhree times that many natives while the latter is altogether native and Is num-