Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-05-28

certainly gives very practical example \S
OF the simple life, for his needs are re- 49,
duced to a minimum. Food, shelter and NJ
clothing of the rudest kind are all that N%
he requires as he wanders from desert to
tell with his iocks. 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 suffer
greatly from rheumatism caused by in
cessant exposure to all weathers and also frou
ophthalmia, which Is a real seourge among the
natives OF Algeria, and results all too frequently
in complete blindness
About week or ten days before Christmas the
courses indigenes," or native race meeting takes
place at Biskra. This meeting u.s. 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 superstition
in Biskra that this particular week is always the
windiest in the year. and certainly on 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 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
The Hppodrome DEL ALA was thronged with
people French for the most part, with sprinkling
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 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 Boucoucha, LAMAR Salah and
Mabrouk, while the Jockeys figure on the pro-
gram under such nomenclature as Messaoud-den-
Chebha, Begacem- ben Mohamed and so forth. The
course is of hard white sand upon which the fly
ing hoofs beat with noise like thunder.
The streaming burnouses OF the Arab Jockeys
red and white and blue of all shades-made
patches of brilliant color. There were no rows of
raucous-yoced bookmakers shouting the odds;
but the Arabs inveterate 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 d'Afrique. Most of them were combin-
ing business with pleasure, for the Arabs from
ali 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 races 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 scene When the races
were over we were invited to mount up into the
Judges box to witness the fantasia. This was a
thrilling and rather dramatic finale to the days
proceedings
The men Of each goum or tribe rode past. head
ed by their kaid, chief, galloplng in rapid