VIII.
MINES AND MINING ENTERPRISES OF NORTH AFRICA.
MINING AMONG THE MOORS, BERBERS, AND ARABS—THE FRENCH CONQUEST—GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS—MINERAL WEALTH OF ALGERIA—A WONDERFUL IRON MINE—MOKTU-EL-HADID— HOW THE MINE IS WORKED—VISIT TO A MOUNTAIN OF SALT—A REMARKABLE FORMATION—ARTESIAN WELLS IN THE DESERT—SCENE AT THE OPENING OF ONE—EFFECTS ON THE PALM TREE—A PROPOSED INLAND SEA—THE SUEZ CANAL AND ITS HISTORY—HOW IT WAS MADE—ADVANTAGES TO THE WORLD’S COMMERCE.
Northern Africa is a country of great mineral wealth, but it has been only slightly developed. The Moors, Berbers, Arabs, and other inhabitants of that region have never been famous for their mining industry. They have very little knowledge of geology, and understand the working of only a few metals. Most of the gold and silver which they make into filigree and other jewelry comes from Europe; in fact, they have no mines of these metals that are worth mentioning, and when their supply from Europe has been cut off by war or for other reasons, they were obliged to bring it by a long journey from Timbuctoo and other points to the South. The Moors that occupied Spain took back with them, at the time of their expulsion, a knowledge of mining, but they seem to have lost it almost completely in the course of two or three generations.
Among the native people of Northern Africa, the Kabyles, in Algeria, seem to possess more mining knowledge than any other tribe. They have been quite industrious in working the iron mines which abound in their country, and many of their processes display considerable ingenuity. They are excellent workers in iron and steel, and some of their knives, sword-blades, and other tools and weapons, are of a fine quality, and admit of a high polish and finish. Their gun-barrels have long been famous throughout Africa, and the terrible execution of which they are capable has been practically demonstrated on many battle-fields.
Down to 1830, with the exception of an occasional brief period, no part of Northern Africa had been occupied by any European power. Spain had several times occupied small portions of Morocco and Algeria, and the English and French had shown their force by descents upon the coast, but none of these changes had more than a few years’ duration. But in 1830, a new state of affairs began.
FRENCH ARMIES INVADE EGYPT.
France was exasperated by the depredations of Algerine pirates and the perfidy of the Bey of Algiers. She sent an expedition, which landed a few miles from Algiers, and in less than a fortnight the Bey was a prisoner on his way into exile, and his city, with an immense accumulation of treasure, fell into the hands of the invaders.