Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-13
CHAPTER XNH
councillors

tn HE open space before the gates of the
Sok-el-Abeed was thrOnged with a mot
ley, jostling, noisy crowd that at every
moment was being sWelled by the human
streams pouring to mingle in it from the de-
bouching labyrinth of narrow, unpayed
streets
There were brown-skinned Berbers in
black 9oat-hair cIoaks that were made in
one piece with a coWl and decorated by a
lOZen8e of red or orange color on the back
their shayen heads encased in sllull-caps or
simply bound in cord of plated camel-hair;
there were black SaharOWi. who went almost
naked, and stately Arabs, who seemed over
mutied in their flowing robes Of white with
the cOWls Of OyershadOWing their swarthy
timely featured faces there were Identified
and prosperous looking MoOrs in brightly
coIored aelhams astride Of sleek mules that
were richly capariSOned and there were
Tagareenes. the banished NIoors of Anda-
lusia, most of whom followed the trade of
slave dealers; there were native Jews in
som0er black djellabas, and Christian-Jews
-sO-calIed because bred in Christian coun-
tries, whose garments they still wore there
were LeVantlne Turks, splendid of dress and
arrogant of demeanor and there were hum
bic ColoIles. kabyles and Biscaries.
Here a water seller, laden with his scat
skin vessel, tinkled his little bell: there an
orange haWker, balancing a basket of the
golden fruit upon his ragged turban bawled
MS wares. There were men on foot and men
on mules men on donkeys and men on slim
Arab horses an ever shifting medley of col
Ors. all jOstling, laughing, cursing in the
ardent African sunshine under the blue sllv
where pigeons circled. In the shadow of
the yellow tapia wall sQuatted a line Of
WhlnHg beggars and crippIes, soliciting
aims; near the gates little space had been
cleared, and an audience had gathered in
a ring about a Meddah-a Observation-Disclosures
who, to the accompaniment of eimbri and
Satan from two acOlytes, chanted a dOlefuI
ballad in a thin. nasal voice.
Those of the crowd who were patrons of
the market held steadily amain and leaving
their mounts outside. passed through the
gates through which there was no admit
tance for mere idlers and mean folk Within
the vast quadrangUlar space of bare dry
ground, enclosed by dust-colored walls, there
was more space. The sale Of slaves had not
Yet begun and was not due to begin for an
other hour and meanwhile little trading
was being done by those merchants who
had obtained the coveted right to set up
their booths against the walls; they We're
vendors OF wool. Of fruit, Of spices and one
or two traded in jewels and trinkets for the
adOrnment of the Faithful
We'll was sunk in the middle of the
'ground. a considerable octagon with a low
parapet in three steps. Upon the neither
most OF these sat an aged. bearded Jew in
black diellaba, his head swathed in a col
cred kerchief. Upon his knees repOsed a
broad. shallow black box. divided into COM
partments, each filled with lesser gems and
rare stones, which he was offering for sale.
About him stood q little group of young
MoorS and one or two Turkish officers with
several OF whom the old IsraeIite was hag-
glng al once.
The whole Of the northern wall was oc-
cUpied by long penthouse its contents COM
pletely masked BY curtains Of camel-hair;