In the desert, the hinterland of Algiers (1909) (14782450984)

Identifier: indeserthinterla00philrich (find matches)
Title: In the desert, the hinterland of Algiers
Year: 1909 (1900s)
Authors: Phillipps, L. March (Lisle March), 1863-1917
Subjects: French -- Africa, North Algeria Sahara
Publisher: London, E. Arnold
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



Text Appearing Before Image:
blossom, and the earthbeneath was green with crops. With senses still halfbewildered, we led our ponies into the midst of thistropical vegetation and camped, by permission of theowner, in a green plot near running water. It was hours before our camels turned up. Westrolled through the oasis, following the narrow tracksof hard-beaten mud which led into the green glades.The large heads of the young palms springing fromthe ground made clumps of dense and glossy foliage,mixed with the flowers of almond, peach, and apricottrees. Corn and rice, and onions, and other vegetablesgrew knee-high on the ground. Far above us thestarry heads of the taller palms shook and whisperedin the passing currents of air. Occasionally, the fainttinkle of water sounded. We were soon completelyenveloped in this delicious underwood, the view show-ing nothing but green labyrinths on all sides, thesurrounding desert completely shut out and forgotten,so that we might have been wandering in an inter-minable jungle.
Text Appearing After Image:
< o z < < A HAVEN OF REFUGE 179 Pveturning, we climbed the hill to the village, builtas they generally are on the slope overlooking theoasis, for the alluvial land is too precious to be usedfor building purposes. We visited an Arab cafespread with grass mats, where we sat and drankdelicious sweet coffee out of tiny cups, and then re-turned once more to our grove. At length, much to our relief, we saw our belatedcaravan approaching, gliding through the trees withits usual stealthy, undulating movement. The Arabswere much buffeted and dishevelled, and proceededto shake the sand from their garments and clear itfrom their faces with many groans and lamentations.The camels preserved their usual air of impenetrabletranquillity. They gazed at the delicious verdure aboutthem with the same sang-froid with which they gazeupon the desert wastes. It seems as if nothing, painful or pleasant, hadpower to ruffle a camels serenity or disturb his slightlycynical composure. Just before reachin