About Algeria: Algiers, Tlemçen, Constantine, Biskra, TimgadThomas-Stanford, Charles
History
About Algeria: Algiers, Tlemçen, Constantine, Biskra, Timgad
Thomas-Stanford, Charles
Algeria -- Description and travel
In this changeful North Africa succeeding conquerors have imposed their
civilizations and their works upon those of the conquered in a manner
which has scarcely any parallel in Europe. Carthage destroyed, Rome came
in her might and built a hundred cities, conducted water, brought huge
areas into cultivation, and made roads after her manner; and in due time
overthrew her own ancient altars in zeal for a new faith. In the age of
her decrepitude Byzantium strove to maintain the Pax Romana, to curb the
Vandal usurpation and the Arian schism, and to keep the aspirations of
the indigenous population within bounds. All went down in a day before a
troop of Arabians who rode as conquerors from Egypt to the Atlantic.
Islam followed in their wake. The civilization derived from Europe
disappeared; the watercourses were broken, the desert resumed its sway,
and the stones of Roman temples and basilicas went to build the mosques
and villas of the visitors. For twelve centuries the creed of Mahomet
held dominion; Europe was busy with its own affairs, and endured the
insolent depredations and exactions of the Deys with scarcely a serious
attempt to suppress them. But at length the cup was full. An English
fleet struck the first blow; a few years later France took the
subjugation of Algeria seriously in hand; and to-day European
civilization is once more paramount in the ancient provinces of Rome.
There are hotels in the town, frequented, perhaps, more by commercial
than by leisurely travellers, and the visitor will probably prefer to
lodge himself at Mustapha Supérieur. Here, if he chooses a house in a
good situation, and obtains a room with a southern aspect, he may feast
his eyes untiringly on a scene of great beauty. At his feet lies the bay
where Charles V landed his ill-fated expedition—a shallow bay in which
often the waves breaking afar out roll to the land in foam. Towering
above the lesser hills which front its opposite shore are the snow-clad
mountains of the Djurjura range, guarding the highlands of Khabylia, and
glistening as if with crystals in the strong southern light. All around,
on the well-wooded heights, are countless villas, of high and low
degree, almost all of dazzling white, the whiter for the sombre foliage
of cypress and stone pine and olive in which they are set. Perhaps no
city of the earth possesses a lovelier suburb. The Englishman will find
himself quite at home. The villas and the hotels are to a great extent
occupied by his compatriots; and the institutions of his country are
fitly represented by an Anglican church and a nine-hole golf-course. If
he should be led to climb through an aromatic wood of eucalyptus to the
home of “le golf,” and be able to remove for a moment his eye from the
ball, he may enjoy a most glorious prospect. The snowy Djurjura of the
south-east finds a rival in the Lesser Atlas to the south-west, and
between the two lies a billowy champaign of cultivated and wooded hill
and plain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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