Year: 1873

| From Lippineou for March.


Let no tourist, experienced only in
the effeminate limitations Of the hum
mum, or Moorish bath, to be found in
New York or London, expect similar
considerate treatment in Algeria. He
will be more likely to receive the atten-
ton of the M'zabite bather after the
fashion narrated in the following para
graph, which is a quotation from an
English journalist in the land Of the
Kabyles:


We we're told to sit down upon marble
seat in the middle of the hall, which we
had no sooner done than we became
sensible Of great increase of heat;
after this each of us were taken into a
closet of milder temperature, where,
after placing white cloth on the floor
and taking off our napkins, they
laid US down, leaving as to the
further operations of two naked, robust
negroes. These men, newly y brought from
the interior of Africa, were ignorant Of
Arabic; so | could not tell them in what
way / wished to be treated, and they
handled me as roughly as If had been
Moor Injured to hardship. Kneeling
with one knee upon the ground, each
took me by leg and rubbed the soles of
my feet with pumice stone. After this
operation on my feet, they put their
hands into a small bag and rubbed me
all over with it as hard as they could.
The distortions of my countenance must
have told them what endured, but they
rubbed on, smiling at each other, and
sometimes giving me an encouraging
look, indicating by their gestures the
good it would do me. While they were
thus currying me they almost drowned
me by throwing warm water upon me
with large silver vessels, which were in
the basin under cock fastened in the
wall. When this was over they raised
me up, putting my head under
the cock, by which means the water
flowed all over my body; and if
this was not sufficient, my attendants
continued plying their vessels. Then,
having dried me with very fine napkins,
they each of them very respectfully
kissed my hand. / considered this as
sign that my torment was
over, and was going to dress myself,
when one of the negroes, grimly smiling,
stopped me till the other returned with
a kind of earth, which they began to rub
all over my body without consulting my
inclination. / was as much surprised to
see it take eff all the hair as was
panied in the operation, for.this earth is
so quick in its effect it burns the skin if
left upon the body. This being finished,
| went through second ablution, after
which one Of them seized me behind by
the shoulders, and setting his two knees
against the lower part of my back, made
my bones crack so that for a time |
thought they were entirely dislocsted.
Nor was this all, for after whirling me
about like top to the right and left, he
delivered me to his comrade, who used
me in the same manner; and then, to my
no small satisfaction, opened the closet
door.


This is the true Moorish bath, Mean
time, the Mzabite or negro, as he dislo-
Gates your legs, cracks your spinal col
umn or dances over you on his knees,
drones forth kind of native psalmody,
which melting into the steamy atmos-
phere of the place, seems to be the lit
any of happiness and Of the pure in
heart. Clean in body and soul as you
never we're before, skinned, depilated,
dissected, you emerge for new life of
ideal perfection, feeling as if you were
suddenly relieved of your body.