The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-12
OASIS OF D|SKRA
PARIS OF SAHARA
frank Carpenter Writes About
the Life and Nature Of This
Interesting Spot.
SOCIAL CAPITAL AZ; OF DESERT e 1
49, 49,. ,,.&4f. :, t.,
SOCIAL CAPITAL OF DESERT
It's Gambling Resorts and Its
Camel RaccsBiblc Charac-
tiers in the Holy Oasis.

Biskrn, Desert OF Sahara.

r AM Al 1'islsrn, the Paris Of the Sa-
hnra. This oasis lies 175 miles
south Of the Mediterranean Sea,
i IN the midst Of the desert. At ono
m side of 1t great sand dunes roll on
md on until they are lost In the yell
low horizon. On the other nro the
wcli-wori1 stones OF the Oued, or dry |
river Biskra, which becomes "a flood |
during tho short rainy part of tho year.
but which6is now so pnrchcd undcrths
African sun that It would blister your
bare feet to cross It,
Bskra is situated on low plateau, /
little more. than three hundred feet
above the river TO the north of 1t Is
the mighty wall of the Atlas moun-
tnins, which hero rise q thousand feet
higher than Mount Washington. In
this African sun they are now Of pale
yellow, the color of the limestone OF
which they are made. A little later
they Will turn to hnzy blue. chang
ing MS the sun drops to primrose and
gold, and then dying out through q
dark purple into the night.
Biskra 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. i one had n glass and
would cast his eye along those noun
tains he would find break Mt tho
right, known az tho Gorge Of Kantara.
II is there that n river has burst
through the wall. forming the golden
gate To this greatest dGs,rt on earth
One comes right out of the mountains
into the desert, and as he docs SO goes
through the little oasis of kantarn,
which serves as 1t were, as the green
key to that great golden door.
The Garden of Allah.
Bskra has been rather voluptuousy
described in the novel called The Car
den OF Allah" Under another name It
Is made the chief scene of that story.
and all of It's surroundings are painted
in more or less glowing colors. They
are. as n rule. grohtiy overdrawn,
sual scntimcntality which leaves a
bad taste in ones mouth. According
to it. the Desert of Sahara Is the Car
den OF Allah and Biskra It's capital. 1t
Is the European capital In reality.
It's the only part OF this. wild waste
nbly reached by Europeans, and every
winter tourists and healthseekers by
the thousand come here over the rail-
road which tho French have built.
Large hotels have been erected for
them, and one can 1.-Two here comfort
ably at from two to five dollars per
day. There are altogether a half dozen
hotels and. In addition casino and
theatre. There are frequent concerts
md cafe chantants. while the casino
STEADILY runs It's roulette and rouge, ct
noir tables. SO that the place might be
called tho Monte Carlo OF the Sahara
Hs well.
Horse and Camel Races.
Tho season begins In November and
lasts until May. 1t is at Its liveliest
in February. at the time OF the races
when horses, donkeys and camels take
part. AT that time tiiGra arc long dis
tance camel races run by Arabs on Me-
harris or fast racing camels, which can
make twelve or fifteen miles In or
hour. These camcls are so tall and
lean that they seem to be nll legs
They have saddles with high support!
in front and behind, and the rider bob!
up and down with q seesaw correspond
ing to the ticking of your watch. This
starting point Is supposed to be tht
oasis OF Tourgourt. which is two hun
dred and ten miles away. and fairl,
good camel ought to cover the GROUND
In less than day.
The horse races are with Arabian
stock and the riders are Arabs. Wht
in their skill might even rival Presi
dent Roosevelt. and who delight II
cross-country going. Jumping every
thing on the way.
In French Biskra.
The city of Biskra is composed Of tw,
towns. One is known as French Bisk
Ia ana inc OLner Old f5lHRFu. Inc lOT
ner contains about 900 Europeans an,
Two or three times that many natives
while the latter Is altogether nativ
and Is numbered more3by the nuInbe
OF palm trees 1t owns than by tn
number of It's inhabitants. It Is com
prlsed In six little mud villages scat
tered throughout plantations whic
support about 10000 date trees.
The French town is surrounded b
walls and entered by gates. 1t I'm
several wide streets. tho chief OF whic
Is the Rue Bertha, which runs froI
the railroad station past the public gar
dens and OH out toward tho oasis q
Tougourt>Llt COOS by the oasis of OF
Biskra. which Is two miles off; an
upon 1t is u street car limo owe
(which ono can ride the Who'll
of that distance for two cent
Another car line will take hi
to the hot springs three and
half miles away for the Same none,
and this Is far down In the Desert
Sahara. in tho very 'backwoods Of til
globe. The two-cent rate is mad
without tickets, and it is loss than 'hn
the nickel which we pay at home.
I shall send this letter to the Unite
States for fvc-cent postage stam
md gan telegraph from here acros