Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-04-02

certainly gives a very practical example w.
of the simple life, for his needs are re. ~
duced to a minimum. Food shelter ana 49,
clothing of the rudest kind all that N%@:
ba requires as he wanders from desert to "
toll with his nocks Like the bishop of
Rrownings poem, he seems only to ask
that
straw,
but he is nevertheless said to suffer
greatly from rheumatism caused by in
cessant exposure to all Weathers, ana also from
ophthalmia which is a real scourge among the
natives of Algeria, and results all too frequently
in complete blindness
About q week or ten days before Christmas the
courses tndigenes," native race meeting, taxes
1aco at Riskra This meeting is, of course, much
1oos nonular than the fashionable one when Is
held in the spring, but good number OIL frencn
neonle always attend it, There Is superstitoh
in Riskra that this particular week Is always tne
,v,ndest in the year, and certainly, on the so'-
tary occasion of which have had experience the
ranutation was justified. Even in the shelter or
the stand we were thickly powdered with me
white sand that was blown in upon us by the hisn'
strong wind We drove out to the course III one
of the shaky little carriages drawn by TWO sWllI
nonies which can be hired so cheaply IN the Town.
The Hippodrome lei Ala was thronged Win
naonle French for the most part, with sprinkllnS
Of English and Germans and some native halus
oorqeously appareled The first part COURSES
du Ministere de la guerre,' consisted only OF TWO
events the distance in each case being l,ooV
meters In the second part, Courses de Ia com
,,,,no IndieeBe, there were three events and the
1ongast distance run was 2400 meters, this race
heing open to horses of all ages. Inc horses oore
such names as Boucoucha, LAMAR, Salah anu
Mabrouk while the jockeys figure on the pro-
cram under such nomenclature as Messaouuueh
Chohba Relgacem- ben-Mohamed and SO torth. Inc
course ia of hard white sand, upon Whlch the ny
- booPa heat with a noise ike tnunueT',
tho streaming burnouses of the Arab Jockeys
"a ora white and blue OF all shades-made
matches of brilliant color There were no rows Oh
raucousvoiced bookmakers shouting the ouus
nut 40 the Arabs are inveterate gamblers, no
doubt good deal of quiet betting Went on
Among the spectators were many French omcers'
sorIno the male blue tunic of the famous
Cbasseurs dAfrioue Most of them we're comDin-
inc business with pleasure, for the ARABS from
ali narts of the desert bring their best horses "
compete in the races, and these are lrequeh'iy
bousht for the remount department OF the African
cavalry Every effort Is being made by the
French government to encourage horse-preeuihs
among the Arabs, -, o,x
Close to the grand stand some OF the haiol
carriages with their suffered windows, couiu "
seen wherein the Arab ladies' OF quanty "eio o.'
.n0 concealed catching imperfect glimpses o
tho races and also Of what probably interested
them far more-the toilettes of the French WON
on A group of Spahis, In their bright re'
burnouses and high red boots, added TO the PIC
turesoueness of the gay scene. When the race
we're over we we're invited to mount up INTO tn
indge's box to witness the fantasia. ms was
Thrilling and rather dramatic finale TO the Jay
proceedings. - ,o,, hoot
The men of each goum, or tribe, rode past, hea.
ed by their kaid, or chief, saliopins IN rapiu SUI