The Raymer enterprise., 1914-04-02

certainly gives very practical example \fzfN
Of the simple life, for his needs are re. Nm
duced TO minimum Food shelter and
eiothlng OF the rndest kind are all that Il
he requires as he wanders from desert to
tell with his hocks Like the bishop OF
Browning's poem. he seems only to ask
that
That hutch should rustic with sufficient
straw"
but he is nevertheless said to surer
greatly from rheumatism caused by in.
cessant exposure to all weathers and aIso ,-o,
ophthalmia. which is real scourge AMONG tbo
natives OF Algeria, and results all TOO freoua,,l
in complete blindness
About week or ten days before Christmas the
courses indigeues, or native race meeting. takes
place al Biskra. This meeting Is, of course much
less popular than the fashionable one which Is
held III the spring, but good number of French
people always attend it. There is a superstition
In biskra that this particular week is always the
~lndiest in the year, and certainly on the so-
tary occasion OF which have lad experience the
reputation was justified Even in the shelter OF
the stand we were thieky 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 so cheaply in the town
people French for the most part with sprinkng
OF English and Germans, and some native Kaids
gorgeousy appareed. The first part Courses
du Minlstere de la guerre" consisted only of two
events, the distance in each case being l500
meters. In the second part, Courses de la Com
mune lndgene there were three events, and the
longest distance run was 2,4o0 meters this race
being open TO horses OF all ages. The horses bore
such names as Boueoucha. LAMAR Saah and
Mabrouk while the jockeys figure on the pro-
gram under such nomenclature as Messaoud-den.
Chebha, Observation-Disclosures 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 we're no rows OF
raucous.yoiced bookmakers shouting the odds;
but as the Arabs are inyeterate gamblers no
doubt good deal OF quiet betting went on
Among the spectators were many French officers
wearing the pale blue tunic of the famous
Chasseurs dAfrique Most of them were combin.
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 orsebreeding
among the Arabs
Close to the grand stand some of the harem
carriages, with their shuttered windows, could be
seen wherein the Arab ladies Of quality were sit
g ting concealed, catching imperfect glimpses OF
the races and also of what probably Interested
them far more-the toilettes OF the French so1n
en- A group OF Spahis, in their bright red
burnouses and high red boots. added to the pic
turesqueness of the gay scene. When the races
we're 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 kad. or chief. galloping in rapid sue