Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-04-14

certainly gives very practical example N%SN'
of the simple life, for his needs are re- 49,
duced to a minimum. Food shelter and \WS.
clothing of tbs rudest kind are all that ~
he requires as he wanders from desert to
tell with his hocks Like the bishop Of
Browhing's poem he seems only to ask
that
THAT hutch should rustic with sufficient
straw"
but he Is nevertheless said to suffer
greatly from rheumatism caused by in
cessant exposure to all weathers and also from
ophthalmia, which is real scourge among the
natives of Algeria, and results all 700 frequently
in complete blindness
About week or ten days before Christmas the
courses indigenes" or native race meeting takes
place at Biskra This meeting is, of course much
less popular than the fashionable one which IS
held in the spring, but good number Of French
people always attend it, There Is a superstition
in Biskra that this particular week is always the
windiest in the year, and certainly, the soil
tary occasion OF which have had experience. the
reputation was justified. Even in the shelter Of
the stand we were thickly powdered with fine
white sand that was blown in upon US by the high,
strong wind We drove out to the course in one
of the shaky little carriages drawn by two swift
ponies, which can be hired cheaply in the town.
The Hippodrome DEL Ala thronged with
people, French for the most part, with sprnkling
of English and Germans, and some native Kaids
gorgeously appareled. The first part Courses
du Ministere de la guerre," consisted only of two
events, the distance in each case being 1900
meters In the second part, Courses de la Com
mune Indigene," there were three events, and the
longest distance run was 2,400 meters this race
being open to horses of all ages. The horses bore
such names as Boucoucha LAMAR Saah and
Mabrouk, while the Jockeys figure on the pro-
gram under such nomenclature as Messaoud-den-
Chebha Begacem-ben-M ohamed and so forth. The
course is OF hard white sand, upon which the fly
ing hoofs beat with a noise like thunder.
The streaming burnouses of the Arab Jockeys
red and white and blue of all shades-made
patches of brilliant color. There of
raucous-voced bookmakers shouting the odds;
but the Arabs inveterate gamblers, no
doubt good deal of quiet betting went
Among the spectators many French officers,
wearing the pale blue tunic of the famous
Chasseurs d'AfIique. Most of them combn-
ing business with pleasure, for the Arabs from
all parts of the desert bring their best horses to
compete in the races, and these are frequently
bought for the remount department of the African
cavalry. Every effort is being made by the
French government to encourage horse breeding
among the ARABS.
Close to the grand stand some Of the harem
carriages with their shattered windows. could be
seen wherein the Arab ladies of quality were sit
ting concealed catching imperfect glimpses of
the and also of what probably interested
them far more--the toilettes of the French WON
en-. A group of Spahis. in their bright red
burnouses and high red boots, added to the pic
turesqueness Of the gay When the races
were over we were invited to mount up into the
judges box TO witness the fantasia. This was
thrilling and rather dramatic finale to the days
proceedings
The men OF each goum or tribe, rode past, head
ed by their kaid. or chief. galloping in rapid sue