Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-02-09
Biskrd, the Queen Oasis of
the Great African Desert

tribe made OF numerous gold coins,
the gifts ef their patrons, which they
wear ON their bosoms. They are gay
llght-heartcd, viyacious women, and
during the day are TO be seen idly
sitting ON the balconies or the flat
roofs oft their houses. arraycd 100 ABB
their flnory, promenading in groups
about The street smoking cigarettes
and laughing and testing with the
Arabs and white soldiers
ON the occasion we visited the Cafe
Mamo the principal dancer was q girl
of not moro than ID years Of age, tan
ana 1.-THE of figure. She had the chloe
clate complexion OF the south, dark.
lustrous eyes sensitive lips, 2
low forehead and ~ face Of bowitch-
ing beauty Her checks aud chin were
tattoocd She work large circiots Of
silver suspended from her ears, broad.
massive, spiked bangles and silver
ankiots and over her raven hair
sprays of silver and gold thread. She
was "a fnvorltc. q premier danseuse,
hut recently como 10 Blskra Her
duuso was rapturoush received. but Il
was not dancing as we understand it
ID was rather rhythmic swaying OF
the body @ quivorIng of the should
ems. "a sorpent-tiko motion az the arms
ana hands and O. heaving movement
of the breasts and hips.
But the paramount attraction Of
Hislra Is The Garden OF Allah" as
ihc Arabs have POLITICALLY described Z.
European and American visitors in
increasing numbers are annually
HcroWdng 90 this new pleasure and
health resort some to enjoy The novel
experience of the desert with it's gor-
seous and wonderful sunset effects,
others % breathe the life-giwng and
exhilarating aie AS yet the uttermost
point reached by the rail is Biskra.
From The flat roof Of the carayansal
one looks ont across the lonely and
llmitless sen III sand which extends
southwark for hundreds of miles 10
The remote regions Of rnfflot and Tim
! huotou. And profoundly impress
lslvc Is the spectacle. IL is as II one
+ had reached the edge of the world,
+ where an is void "a vast endless,
sterile plain, stretching far away 10
/ nothiurness And when night falls
tho scene is even more impressive.
an mpeueirablc darkness ana mystic
f rouH silence re.sns-not n CLEAN 81
Z iighi is peteptihle over tho whole Of
itha uuiuhah.t11 waste only overhead.
in the lofty African sky, the brilliant
stars look down 70 understand tho
wonder of the desert. 60 feel the spirit
of tho spot ouo must stop at Sldl-
OkhH, au OASIS some Fifteen miles
away IL ls three hours riie across
ihe burning plain
Ne description Of Plskra would be
! complete without some reference be-
ms made Go The great work for civil
cation which tie French have accom-
pliahcd in these regions Of northern
Africa They have overcome enor-
moes difficulties In the building Of
I bridges and MAGNIFICENT roads. which
'cross the mountains and valleys OF ka-
4 hNle They have encouraged by sub-
gidits the various native industries,
lpiantcd extensive vineyards in AL
gcrla ana extended the railways
throughout The ereatcr part OF the
country IAN of which win bear COM
pafison with anything OF a similar ma
ture achieved hy the British In up
per Egypt 0nd the sudan, and it Is
not too much 60 say that in a few
years they viii huve carried the rail
Way into the harrrn wilderness, fer
beyond thc oasis of Biskra, and have
So RAILS developed the irrigation Of the
land that the time may not be disc
ihnt when fertility will bless these
arid plains and the desert be made TO
( bloom as The rose.