Year: 1876

The people Of Soul bring their dates. which are 50
renowned, haiks and stuns nom Tunls, which
they exchange for grain The Ch0ambas trade In hats,
fans, gazee horns and return with wheat and oats Tor
cenent business. One OF the principal merchants OF
Bskra NJ Sardon, who is member OF the Society or
commercial Geography settled only four years IN the
country who keeps an important grocery and liquor
establishment, does at present business Of from
100000 TO 800 000E year. II is true this mer-
chant Is gifted with an Initiative which is very
common He has established a store at Touggourt
whicn is now in a very prosperous condition. and he
intends to establish one at Oued very He con
siders the object OF N. Largeaus expedition emf
nently practcal" for the development of the indus
trial and commercial condition OF Algeria and he de-
ciared 10 US that he would have hesitation in estab
fishing, at later period a at Rhadames when
the road should be opened up and entirely What
DO the serious" members of the Chamber Of Com
merce Of Marseilles-where NJ. Sardon makes the
greater portion Of his purchases-think OF this2


II have devoted so much space to these details it is
because since arrived in the province of Constantine,
all the colonists say to that they notice with pain
that people in France do to be aware Of the
importance of Algeria-ths colony which is larger
than the mother countryand Of the that
be drawn from IL With regard the preseAt condi-
ton ofths gate OF the desert which called Biskra
the Importance OF the results TO be attained viii be ap
preciated


The manners OF the natives here commence to differ
from those OF the Arabs OF the coast Many tribes
have preserved customs which are stamped with
tain degree OF savagery. Tho following is in
stance-in taking walk around the oasis approached
very numerous


ENcAMPMENr OF NoMADs


All the women of the tribe formed immense circle
and turned around together stepping cadence; they
moved their arms to the same measure and their
hands were raised TO the face without my being able TO
md out with what object Next saw. near TO the
centre of this ring another circle composed OF male
Arabs who went through the same pantomimc ges-
lures Both men and women uttered cultural cries in
chorus, sort of ah ahl ahl ah' which is absolutely
at variance with all musical utterances. In the very
centre Of the circle frghtfully ugly old
companed the cries and motions by tapping with her
arms on species OF tomtom. II was enough to make
the professors OF all the conservatorles shudder and
dnve all the accompanies Of all styles OF music
past, present and future, out of their was
still asking myself what all this grotesque ceremony
could signify, when suddenly the became hurried
and breathess All these beings were prey to
paroxysm bordering frenzy The ring of men ap-
preached the old woman with the tambourine. The
comedy was turned into drama and there all gave
themselves up to kind of demoniac frenzy scraping
the skin OF their toreheads and cheeks with their nails
and then tearing 1t oil In small pieces. Seeing in all
this only an instance of furious folly, was consider
ing the proposition whether ought to let OF the
irrgatng canals of the FL Oued loose upon them to
damp their sanguinary ardor, when it was explained to
that all this was intended as mark OF sorrow for
the recent death OF nephew OF the Caid and that it
is the CUSTOM In certain tribes to practise such con
dolencesh also learned that the deceased was only
a mediocre individual who died from the effects of
debauchery including drink; that these marks of sor
row we're only feigned and that the blood drawnwas
only sretributive" in proportion to the number and
the quality Of the scratches Fanaticsm and fatalism
ignorance azness and cupidity-these, unfortunately
the evils which retard the progress of civilization
among the Arabs, and will continue to do for many
years TO come How far, are they not beneath the





in which they are conceived, approach so closely our
ownl


Another instance of native manners can be cited 1t
is a question of another tribe one that is well
known through all Algeria / will speak of the nomad
daughters of the ouad Nail who at Bskra as in all
other localities OF the SOUTH live by selling themselves
This is In accordance with custom. Curious morality,
1t will be said but that does prevent these
girls with bronzed compilations from being able to get
married. after some years of dancing and such hfe
under the ordinary conditions Of native women and
to the notabes of their tribe to whom they bring
oil thav hav call acfadd dur
their adventurous youth The money which these girls
acquire is entirely devoted to the purchase of
ments--monumenta earrings silver rings large
as bracelets which they hang from their ears which
pierced with several holes and which have also
support the weight of certain number of pieces OF
coral rudey encased in silver mountngs heavy rings
OF silver around their and arms and the chest
whole collection of chains and ornaments, all in sill
The richer OF these couresans OF the Sahara push
their coquetry TO the length OF encasng their faces
falling dadem, composed for lack OF pearls, of gold
coins such LOUIS and sequns and of covering their
bodies with enormous cuirass OF cut silver. 1t is
thus the daughters of the 0ulad Nail dance throughout
the whole Of Algeria, from the Mediterranean to the
desert


Before leaving Biskra should tell you of the estate
of NJ Landon situated few steps from negro village
which lies at the gates of the town. II is the great
attraction OF tourists who come TO visit the oasis.
Imagine garden as large as that OF the Paais Royal
at Paris, in which are 70 be found the most beautiful
kinds OF African and exotic howers, and whose fine
sanded and bordered alleys twinc into sinuous
tours through the thick foliage, impenerabie to the
ardent OF the sun-bamboos bananas sugar canes
acacias and palm This example of the force OF
vegetation accomplished in the Sahara where nothing
but palm grew before, charms and ravshes the
observer What millions buried in this handful of
sand II is a victorious defiance flung to the arid
stery Of the Sahara TO the scorching, naked desert


To a passion for plantation N. Landon joins devotion
to the fine arts In this immense enclosure, in the
open air finds at every step marabouts In minia-
ture, which arbors workshops and as
Moorish baths NJ Landon Is a young man, who is
immensely rich, and who spends his income cooniz-
ing little everywhere II has created similar marvels
in Syria and even in Senegal At the present writing
he is IN Philippeve, whore he is engaged in pushing
another such work between that city Stora These
intelligent and generous pleasures, for NJ Landon
places the disposition OF all the grain raised his
estates