The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-02-26

Frank e.. Carpenter.
uou~ contortion OF the hips and !
twisting 81 the waist.
The Port of Oran.
But let me give YOU a picture -
this town Of Oran. II is the chief sea-
port Of western Algeria. and is the
second city OF the whole ouutr in
size, II contains about one hundred
thousand people. and IL lS nofe
French than Alglers itself. IT is sit
uated not far from the borders ~
Morocco and almost directly south or
Cartagena in Spain. The strait OF Gil
braltar Is about as far away as tie
distance between New York and Boz
ton. and il takes two days 10 90 bv
ship from here to Aarseile~, The port
has a fine harbor. consisting OF /
beautiful bay with Il high. rugged
mountain looking down upon il
East Of the mountain there is a gull
ley or canyon with low hills extending
off to the eastward, and in and on tn
ideS Of this is the town Of Oran.
There Is some fiat ground for tn
| wharves, but back OF them the build
ings of the city climb the hills. IN
three great terraces. giving every
houses filed with alfalfa grass, bags OF
mean sea.
Down near the port are great ware
, muses. HiIc1 VIII ana SIdSNs DIGS 81
wheat and oats. great hogsheads cf
wine and other stuff ready FOR export.
The WharVes arc piled high with such
wares; and immense drays. eacn car
rying four or five tons. are hauled up
and down the hills by mules. | have
seen seven huge n%ogsheads Of wine IN
n dray drawn by four mules hitched
up tandem, and other drays carrying
! loads that would seem an impossibt!-
ity in the United states. Ali traffic
here goes upon two wheels. and thai
from the load Of five tons on a cart
with a bed twenty feet long to a bush
Ell or SO in the little store boxes on
wheels hauled by donkeys not much
larger tina Newfoundland dogs.
The Algerian mule has an odd har-
ness. The collar ends in three horns;
two or them are as long as COW
horns and extend out from the shout
ders. while the third Is just over the
neck and is shaped like the norm Of
a ~rhinoccros. h latter stands
straight UP above the neck Of the
mule. and is usually about two feet in
length. These horns are hung WITH
bells. which jingle as the animals 60.
I observe that the mules have leather
! blankets tied back Of these horns.
They may he for hot Weather or for
rain. some Of the better animals
have their hair clipped from their
backs and sides. Many wear shoes
which ctxcnd cut about half an inch
beyond the hoof all around. The shoes
of the donkcys are mad" in a triangle
with no opening at the back, as is the
ease with our horse shoes.
.Ito.ctIlcr French.
More thar four-fifths or oran il
composed of Europeans. The tov u
contains forty thousand French. thir-
ty thousand Spanidrds and ten thou
sand Jews. The buildings arc almost
oil Of French +chifaEfpr a -IfogI y-grp II
not for the Moors. negroes and Be-
bers, which are spTinkl"d through ev-
en- crowd. one might imagine him
self in one Of the smaller cities Of
France.
The port has an modern landing
facilities. including steam crane and
electric lights. \ long brcakwatcr has
been built out at the west. and the
stormy Mediterranean dashes Itself
against it in vain.
There are cabs at the wharves, n
one rides UP smooth roads which
have been cut out Of the sides Of the
mountains, 70 the upper parts OF the
city, where the best hotels are. The
rates for carriages for two persons
are 20 cents a trip, n you can ride
all day for forty cents an hour
The buildings are just like those
of French towns. They are usually %
an even height. from five to six sto-
ries, built of brick and plastered with
stucco of a creamy hue. They have
stores and shops on the ground floor
and apartments above. The most Of
the people live in the fats or apart
ments. In every block there is a res
taurant or cafe. with little round iron
tables on the street outside it. about
which a motley crowd sits. drinking
coffee. wine. ~absynthe. or some other
liquor as they gossip and chat. play
cards or dominoes. or read the news
papers. At the same time there are
little Arab bootblacks moving about
begging custom. And Arab newsboys.
who will give You the latest Oran
daily for one or two sous. The city
has a number of dailies and they pub
lish kilograms from all over the
world. It has schools. libraries and 4
museum. There are parks here. AMI
there are throughout the town. under
the trees of which one sees French
peasant girls sitting and knitting.
are many bareheaded French women
moving about. and now and then d
Frenchman in a blouse pushing a cart
just as in France.
The Village Naigre.
If one would see the African side
of this French town he must GO b-ck
of this modern section, to the Mills
il. There is what IS known as
the Village Naigre. which may mean
Black Village or Negro Village. as one
to translate il. h houses In
this quarter are of only one story, they !
flat-roofed and of African style
Arabs sit on the streets chat
ting. Many lie at full length upon mats
the paVements wrapped up in their
gowns. There are Moorish coffee
where Arabs and Berbers are
drinking together as they sit cross
on the floor. and there are Arab
moving about. each finding
way only through a peep-hole
about as big around as a wedding ring.
she has made in the white
sheet-Iike gown which she wraps