Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-04-20

eIs NotV"u anu Salloped- ana at lffeS-
ular intervals acted worse than the av-
erage western broncho when ridden by
a tenderfoot We managed to keen
our seats, however, notwithstanding the
stony desert and the winding walls of
the oases Enclosures. 1t took us about
an hour to reach tho Moroccan from
Tier We cross ed II from Algeria be-
tween two high brown rocky mountains,
and at once entered a beautiful valley
hl4ed with thousands OF date palms,
THE OASIS OF FIGuIG.
This was the oasis OF Figuig. IT con-
sists of this valley and has great date
plantations, Standing at the entrance,
between Mount Tarla and Mount Zen
aga, each a barren rocky brown mass
about 5000 feet high. We could see a
forest OF green-leayed palms ranging
In width from two to three miles and
extending up a ravine for q distance
OF seven miles or more. On both sides
and beyond were nothing but sand,
rocks and mountains. perfectly bare,
thirsty and dry The palms formed a.
great green sheet in this setting, with
round brown watch towers made of
snn-dried brick and the yellow minarets
OF the Village mosques rising above
them. On hill in the center we could
see the mud houses of the village Zen
aga, but the other towns of the oasis
This oasis has. i am told, about the
largest number of palms In one solid
block of any in the Sahara, Mr.. Pas
ealet thinks there are more than mill
lion trees and l am sure saw two
or three hundred thousand lying In
the Jorf, one OF the highest parts of |
the oasis
FED BY HOT SPRINGS.
Many of the GASES of the Sahara lie
along drted-up water courses, which are
hooded during a part of the year. FL
guig is fed by hot springs. which rise
out OF hill in almcz, the center. and
are conducted by underground drains
about a foot square, made OF stones and
through the 5000 or 10000
acres which are covered by these trees.
some OF these springs are lukew warm
and Others have a temperature of about
LOG degrees Fahrenheit,
There are seven villages I'm the oasis. !
and the largest OF these springs are
-ound In tho date plantations on the
nghlan of the town OF I'll Abid In
tbout the center OF the oasis, Who
irst constructed these underground
Trains which carry the water from
evel TO level no one seems to know,
lr, Pascalet has asked many OF the
Arabs, but their only reply lis: .We
10 not know when they were built, but
I was many many years ago" i may
laYe been two centuries ago and II
nay have been longer, but how long
10 one knows.
Those drains are kept in order today
md new ones are constructed from
lime TO time, There must be hundreds
i miles OF them for they reach eve
y part of the oasis, being connected ]
n each Of the village plantations by
treat reservoirs where the water is {
torcd when not needed for irrigation.
each tree. ! am told, gets good drink
u least twice n week.
During my stay ] visited III Abid and
hese eprings The palms grow all
bout them. In some places they are
My two or three feet apart, and the
ranches meet overhead shutting out
he sun, Some OF the springs are In
reat watts, some are In hOllows or ra-
Ines and others In wells or square
anks. During our visit the Arabs
we're bathing n one OF tho springs and
rowds OF white g0wned men with rags
bout their heads looked out at me
Yer their long boards as i took these
otes, Al one place Jack attempted 10
AXE a photograph OF them, but the
ITabs protested and looked angry, only
o smile again when Mr.. Pascalet told
hem that we were taking pictures OF
he palms and springs, only and that
70 had very goodlooklng men IN
rance and America and hence did
OF need to take home pictures OF tho ,
atIves OF FiguIs-
NoNG THE DATE PLANTATIONS.
Fifteen thousand acres is a pretty S
Is farm and, AS | estimated it, that /,
just about the extent OF these oases.
his Hlgulg farm, however, is like Q
othing you can Imagine, IT is divided
p Into lIttle pens or gardens. each of +
'hioh Is a date plantation. Many OF :
10 holdings are NOT more than a quar-. :
II OF an acre IN Size and each is sur. !
FUNDED By walls from eight 10 twelve c
.et IN height The walls are OF sun. +
rIed brick pIastored with mud and s
ley usually face upon the roads, so O
arrow thar as / rode on my horse ]
trough Thorn | could easily touch the a
.ud bricks on both sides Here and 4
leTe. a wall was hroken at the top
I'd could look over and see the dare a
ees and The gardens Within \
Many OF this date palms reach high S
cove the wall hut others are noi
N~a thnn Fix feet IN heirbt ana still q.