CXXVIII.
Algiers, Africa, Feb. 1, 1858.
Notwithstanding we had some boisterous weather in the Gulf of Lyons, our voyage across the Mediterranean brought us in less than forty-eight hours in sight of the African coast. The city seen from the sea with its triangular form upon a steep slope, appears like a white mass of chalk surrounded with verdure. The Arabs compare it poetically to a diamond set in emerald and sapphire. Its primitive appearance, as occupied by the Dey before the conquest by the French, in 1830, is greatly changed by the opening of wide streets near the base, and the erection of buildings of modern style, and public squares and gardens. The new port and quays give portions of the city an European air.
The blending of Moorish and French architecture, and the great variety of costume worn by Arabs, Moors, Jews, Spaniards, and government troops and officials, strike the stranger with astonishment; and had I not been familiar with Egyptian, Turkish, Greek, and Continental races, I should have been as much astonished as some of our fellow passengers seemed to be.
The day of our arrival was fine, and the sun’s rays warm, as the thermometer in winter always keeps considerably above the freezing point, although the Atlas Mountains in the distance are at times tipped with snow. The venders of fresh dates, oranges, bananas, and other fruits, advised us of a much warmer climate than we had left.
The summit of the triangle is crowned with the chateau La Casbah. A half league to the left of this ancient fortress, the last residence of the Dey, stands the famous Fort of the Emperor, the explosion of which, by the French, in 1830, decided the fate of this well-fortified city.
Algiers was founded by the Berbers Mosgan tribe of the BeniMezarhama, and the companions of Hercules the Lybian, who left the army of the hero and fixed themselves here. It then became part of the Mauritanic Cæsariene.
On the fall of the Roman empire, it became the prey of the chief of the Vandals, and was destroyed. It was reconquered by the Arabs, who armed piratical vessels, which became so formidable that the Spanish king, Ferdinand, fitted out an expedition, and occupied a small island in front of the city, where the lighthouse now stands. The Algerines called to their aid the celebrated pirate, Barbarossa, who was checked by the Spaniards. Furious with his defeat, he seized and killed the sovereign, and took possession of the city.
All the efforts of the Spaniards were defeated, and the fleet destroyed by tempests or otherwise.
The brother of Barbarossa, Kair-ed-din, with the aid of thirty-six thousand Christian slaves, for three years united the island with the main land, and formed a port for his vessels. After his death it became the property of the Turks.
The city suffered various changes of masters, and was desolated by plagues and earthquakes, and other scourges, too numerous to mention, until the French Consul-General was insulted in 1827, which led to a strict blockade, maintained in 1829, and finished with thirty-five thousand troops in 1830, by blowing up the fort mentioned, which commands the city; the Dey was shortly after transported to Italy.
I notice the results of the earthquake of last year in many of the mosques, as well as private buildings. The government botanical gardens, on the sea-shore, beyond the pretty residences of the Europeans, in the village of Mustapha, are worth visiting.
Here are found date trees filled with fruit, sugar-canes, bananas, oranges, lemons, indeed all sorts of tropical fruits and productions, calculated to encourage the Arab races in agriculture; and as the caravans of mules, donkeys, and camels, pass along loaded with articles for market, their owners and drivers can see what the labor of man is capable of producing. The principal agricultural colonists are Spaniards and Maltese. The French, it would seem, are unwilling to leave La Belle France, excepting those engaged in commerce and mechanical operations; their ideas are still confounded with apprehensions of fever, the attacks of Arabs, the ravages of lions, jackals, hyenas, and other beasts of prey, the legitimate result of the thousand and one narratives of returned soldiers. The government makes every effort to induce colonists to accept concessions of land, but the work moves tardily, and they learn with surprise that thousands and hundreds of thousands of Germans and other Europeans emigrate to America, while Algeria affords a home for all who choose to accept it. The truth is, these people are tired of monarchy and military rule, and breathe freer in the United States, with a brighter prospect for the future.
The theatre is a structure of some pretensions; a ball was recently given there, under the patronage of Madame Randon, the wife of the Governor-General of Algeria, for the benefit of the poor, and was well attended by the élite of the city. The balcony of the first tier was occupied by about fifty Jewesses, in full Algeria costume, and produced a pretty effect. They wear vests or bodices of colored silks, embroidered with gold; sashes and flowing robes of rich stuffs; head-dresses of silks, or conical caps made of gold coins; head-bands of diamonds, as well as necklaces of emeralds, pearls, and rubies; armlets of gold, with jewels piled on in profusion, producing a blaze of light eclipsing the gas of the establishment. The second tier was occupied with quiet, grave Musselmans, with the red fez, and white turbans. These two classes, of course, do not dance, but watch intently the fashionable crinoline-dressed European ladies, joining in the giddy waltz or polka upon the stage or platform below. The foyer, or saloon, was fitted up for refreshments and gaming, and I noticed that both Jews and Musselmans of the wealthy class like the excitement of play.
The whole of Kabyle is subject to French rule, since the conquest of last autumn, and all is tranquil in that direction. Having lost all hope of recovering his liberty, the Arab, formerly accustomed to a wandering life in the interior, must now see the necessity of fixing himself on the soil in the neighborhood of towns and villages, and supplying the markets with his productions. Their habits of economy and frugality enable them to accumulate and hoard money; their consumption of French articles is small, however; consequently, the money concealed or kept out of circulation is a loss to the empire. The possession of this large territory by France, say two hundred and fifty leagues of coast from east to west, and fifty leagues from north to south, may prove in time a source of revenue, but at present it is attended with great expense. The outlay is some twelve millions of dollars, the receipts about two millions. It is a fine military school for the fifty thousand troops employed in keeping possession. If once properly colonized, it would give France a full supply of grain. As to the product of cotton, I doubt if it can ever be cultivated here in competition with our Southern States, notwithstanding the proposition of introducing the apprentice system for negroes from Soudan. The African wheat and barley are of excellent quality; corn is tolerable; tobacco can be raised in great quantities, but the quality does not compare with ours. At the Museum or Exposition of Industry, I have examined all the products of the provinces. In the event of a general war in Europe, and a rising of the Arabs, France might be obliged to abandon the interior and occupy the sea-ports only.
We have had some rain, and the roads are bad. As soon as they improve I shall go in the interior, and reconnoitre the ground, visit the towns and villages, and attend the fairs of cattle, sheep and horses.