Biskra

“ Its native life, its market, and its Moorish coffee-house, are all typical; but in a way they have become contaminated with the influx from the outside world and much of their colour has paled.
One of the curses Biskra bestows upon the stranger within her gates is that of an innumerable and importunate crew of guides,—of all colours and shades, of all grades of intelligence, and of all degrees of proficiency in French. The guides of Biskra wear turbans, coifs, and fezes. They look as though they belonged to every Mohammedan tribe of the universe. Those who wear bowler hats are harder to place ”

“ The name Biskra applies to a union of five or six villages of the usual Saharan type, scattered through an oasis 3 m. in length by less than 1 m. broad, and separated by huge gardens full of palm and olive trees. The houses are built of hardened mud, with doors and roof of palm wood. The foreign settlement is on the north of the oasis ”

“ Hichens has made—or marred—Biskra, and Biskra is not unmindful. There is little or nothing to guide you to in Biskra, wherefore is it full of guides. They are an ever-present nuisance. The easier course is to engage one, he will at least keep off the others; if you have more grit you may set out to prove yourself unguidable; every guide’s hand will be against you at first, but you will reap your reward. You will have no difficulty in hiring a guide when you really want one, and he will respect you the more. The Arab is no mean judge in such matters. ”

“ But to those rare spirits among us who endeavour to repair the mischief caused by our first parents, Biskra presents very special opportunities. There is very little to see, and nothing whatever to do; it is a capital place for sitting in the shade with a brilliant sky above. The Garden of Eden is an Oriental ideal; these Arabs who exist in contemplation of their palm trees are striving to live up to it. It is not at all an English ideal. The primeval curse lies heavy on the Englishman; he has made the best of it and has come to regard work as a virtue. ”

“ The race-course at Biskra is as unusual in its frame of palms as the sports that take place there. Nothing could be more picturesque than the Bach Agha’s procession as it winds along under the palms; nor more beautiful than the groups into which in half-military fashion it breaks to watch the races. The crowds, who in their gala array encircle the course, vie with the horsemen in decorative effect, whilst the dancing girls outdo them all in sheer splendour of texture and tint as they flutter round their tents. ”

“ THE DESERT Far down in the Desert of Sahara is the little oasis of El Merb. It is so small that our crude atlases miss it. It has but one well, and the fertile land is not more than forty rods in diameter. It has a mosque, a bazaar, a slave-market, and a café. It is called by the traders of Biskra "The Key of the Desert." It is called by the Mohammedan priests of Biskra "The Treasury of the Desert." It is called by the French commandant at Biskra "A place to be watched." The only communication between El Merb and Biskra is by camels, and Abdullah was once the chief caravan-master. ”

“ If the truth has to be told, the heart of Biskra might just as well be a town in the interior of Trance as part of an African oasis. One can not, to be sure, overlook the large number of Arabs and Ethiopians who congregate everywhere in troops or marching lines, or lounge in indifferent attitudes before their not wholly lordly manors—some shouting, some bargaining, and all, with the exception of the women, practically indifferent to the presence of the stranger ”

“ Biskra has not inappropriately been termed "The Pearl of the Sahara," for in truth it combines much that would tend to make almost any place attractive. Its oasis extends over a linear expanse of nearly five miles, and in its area is crowded a forest of upward of a quarter of a million of date palms, in whose shade a multitude of trees and plants of the European flora find a congenial home. Biskra also has its true gardens, which have grown up under Trench rule and domination, and in some of these the rustic chair and table are by no means an unpleasant association. ”

“ Here they are little known: however, a bath has been formed and roofed in, and our gentlemen enjoyed a dip in the warm water after their ride across the desert. From this bath one of them dated the cure of a severe pain in the leg which had caused him much inconvenience during the journey. Our other excursion was to the neighboring oasis of Sidi Okba, the ecclesiastical, as Biskra is the commercial, capital of the Ziban. Judging by appearances, one would say that commerce must be a much more thriving thing than religion, for Sidi Okba is in every way inferior to Biskra. ”

“ English tourists, who flock every season to Biskra, cannot fail to see and to admire their distant outline; everyone goes to Lambessa; a few may visit Timegad and Tebessa, all on Bruce’s route; but with these exceptions the country is as little known as it was a century ago.
The geographical term Aures comprises at the present day that mass of mountains stretching between the route from Batna to Biskra on the west and the Oued el-Arab on the east. It does not extend further north than Batna, or so far south as Biskra. ”

“ A town and commune in the Department of Constantine, Algeria, on the south side of the Aures Mountains, 117 miles southwest of Constantine by rail. It is the most important military post of the district, and formerly had a large caravan trade between the Sahara and the Tell (Map: Africa, E 1) . Biskra is situated in the midst of a highly fertile oasis, rich in date-palms and olives. The climate is the warmest in Algeria, the summer temperature rising often above 120° F.; in winter, however, the freezing-point is not infrequently reached. ”

“ Biskra consists of a modern French town and garrison, and several more or less distinct native villages grouped together on a large oasis, a strip of cultivated ground between three or four miles in length, with an average width of half a mile. It contains an immense number of palm trees, the chief source of wealth in the great Sahara. There is abundant water from springs, and during winter from the river, which conveys the snows of Aurès to the desert, and is finally lost some miles further to the south. It has a swarming native population, of every North African race, and every 206hue. ”

“ The neighbourhood of Biskra is rich in memories of Sidi Okba, the barber of the Prophet, and the first of the Arab conquerors. 218It was he who pushed westward from Kairouan through Barbary to the Atlantic, having defeated the Berbers under Koceïla and other chieftains. ”

“ A, 3) , and then passes the small oasis of Beni-Mora and crosses the streamlet Oued Zemour.
The Bath House (pens. with baths 10 fr.) attracts many visitors from Biskra, especially in summer. It lies in a most dreary region between Jebel Bou Rezel (p. 282) and the sandy Jebel Maouya Gorah. The quadrangle, where the surprisingly copious salt and sulphur spring (115° Fahr.) bursts forth, is enclosed by cells for Europeans (11⁄2 fr.) and men’s and women’s baths for the natives. The roof-terrace affords a good view of the environs. About 1 M. to the N. is a small mountain-lake of volcanic origin. ”

“ They are partners. He attends to the world, she to the flesh, and both to the devil. It is a strong partnership. It is what, in America, they call a 'trust.' The oukil sends his clients to Mirza, and she sends hers to the oukil. Look out of the window again. There are three thousand religionists who have passed through the hands of the oukil and Mirza, and she, making the most money, has the last word. Do you ask, now, why she is the most powerful person in Biskra?"
"It seems," said the commandant, "that it is because she is a woman, and is bad."
"And beautiful," added the lawyer. ”

“ They are no less active as traders than as agriculturists. They have established markets in their own oasis, and frequent others throughout the Sahara. A considerable portion of the tribe has long lived in Algiers, being encouraged by the Deys. They have almost a monopoly of certain of the more humble trades; they are especially butchers and greengrocers.
The Biskris, a very low-class Berber tribe from the neighbourhood of Biskra, are the water-carriers and scavengers of the city. They form picturesque groups around the fountains in the Arab quarter. ”

“ Bisra gave a faint sob; then joined his outstretched hands.
"Huzoor! so be it! the Noose shall find a victim. Yea, Shelter of the World, Bisra will strangle something. Sleep in peace!"
There was no sound in the room after that save the little contented sigh in which restlessness finds rest.
Outside, the shiver of the cicalas seemed to count the seconds, but inside the hours seemed to pass unnoticed as Bisra sate beside the cot, his hands listless, his eyes dreamy. There was nothing to wait for now, nothing to fear. That which had to come had come. ”

“ Nahua?” cried the young Inca, springing from the chair into which he had thrown himself after he had bidden the priest call him Lord no longer. “What? The purest and the holiest thing that is left in the land. It is impossible! The gods could not accept it, and, as for me, I would die first—ay, even as Atahuallpa did.”
“There is but that choice and another before thee, O my son and Son of him who was my Lord,” said the queen, suddenly drawing herself up to her full height and stretching her arms out towards him. ”

“ But, on the fourth day, he received the message by Azu that the queen would speak with him; and, overjoyed, followed the smiling pygmy to the bower room, there to meet the Lady Rica who conducted him to an inner room. Here, on a couch, lay Atlana; and, as he approached, his joy became dread, so great was the change in her. Listlessly she held out her hand, which the affectionate youth fell on his knees to kiss, while the heavy sighs came fast. When Rica had withdrawn, Atlana murmured:
“Hellen, be not cast down. I am better, though weak, weak. Tell me, how is Æole?” ”

“ Bisrâm's dark eyes looked wistfully into the doctor's.
"The hills? That would be worse. That would be nearer the evil. He must go far from Hindustan at once, Huzoor; and if you tell the mem this she will go--she will not mind."
"And you, Bisra?" asked the doctor, curiously.
The man's eyes flinched, but he never stirred a muscle under the blow.
"I am only the little master's bearer, Huzoor. He will not need one much longer: he grows big." ”

“ But the god has no power over the dreaded Biscobra, which takes its name from the Hindi Bishkhâpra, Sanskrit Vishakharpara, or “poison-headed,” which is said to be so deadly that its very breath is venomous, one of the numerous popular delusions out of which it is hopeless to argue the rustic. The bitten man must not untie the string round his neck till the day when he goes to offer what he vows, which should be, at latest, on the next Dasahra ”

“ Poor Atlana, how often hath she warned me. Now—for thee!”
He half arose, Oltis again awaiting him, his eyes flaming; but, as before, he sank in his chair, his muscles refusing to go farther.
“Why can I not walk?” he cried frantically. “Oltis, thou art bewitching me? Or, is it, in truth; the gods? We made the show not to believe in them—did we not? We believe now, ha—ha! Let us not fear. Let us curse each other—and them. Then will I go from here, and hunt up those lagging priests. This light on the altar groweth too dim. The gods will be getting in even worse temper because of it. ”

“ She blamed herself; she blamed Griffith; she blamed the Protestant heresy; she blamed everybody and everything—except Brother Leonard.
One Sunday afternoon Griffith sat on his own lawn, silently smoking his pipe. Mrs. Gaunt came to him, and saw an air of dejection on his genial face. Her heart yearned. She sat down beside him on the bench, and sighed; then he sighed too.
"My dear," said she, sweetly, "fetch out your viol da gambo, and we will sing a hymn or two together here this fine afternoon. We can praise God together, though we must pray apart; alas that it is so." ”

“ Then paused before the queen, declaring:
“Æole shall not go to that temple. May her life cease ere then. Thinkest thou, dear Queen, that I have no eyes, no ears?”
“Hellen, what knowest thou?”
“I know—that—for all its fair outward look—evil worketh within. The gods are thought of only in form. Those priests would be gods, would rise in their flesh to heaven. Have I not heard the whisperings of the people as to the noise and mirth of the inner parts? Is not Oltis without truth, full of guile? Is not the worship mocked? ”

“ She looked so incredulous that he laughed. “I say the truth, Atlana. We are to war.”
“To war!”
Her face had blanched, yet she could not believe.
“Yea, Atlana, to war. A new power showeth itself to the north of Khemi. It aimeth to hold the Middle Sea. We go to crush it!”
She grew faint at his relentless tone. However, she managed to plead:
“It cannot harm us. Spare it.”
“Spare it! Much would it spare us should it grow stronger. Even now is it mighty enough to thrust us to one side. Do us harm! That is my fear.”
“Atlano, I beseech that thou wilt seek no quarrel with this people.” ”

“ Gaunt's heart by storm; she threw her arms round Father Francis's neck, and wept upon his shoulder.
"Ah!" she sobbed, "you are the only one left that loves me."
She could not understand justice praising her: it must be love.
"Ay," said Griffith, in a broken voice, "she writes like an angel: she speaks like an angel: she looks like an angel. My heart says she is an angel. But my eyes have shown me she is naught. I left her, unable to walk, by her way of it; I came back, and found her on that priest's arm, springing along, like a greyhound." ”