Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1891 — Page 6

SAHARA, A SEA OF SAND.

MISTAKES CONCERNING THE GREAT DESERT. JCxtentol the Barren B asto—lts Resources and Population Evidences of Former Civilizat on—Oases and Kulnod Cities.

— ——.H E energy of travelers has ||] opened up every || part o f Africa I to the world I save the Desert zk of Sahara, which \~ to the ordinary reader i s still 9|l|lhka<*\ wrapped in al■•UlxlSr most imponetrabie gloom and I mystery. The Pljl\ |1 common idea concerning this I I \ desert pictures i VfflMLjr it an expanso II ™||V/ as smooth as, a ¥iWc floor, stretching V i away in the dis'tiigKJ tanco like the ■ y sea, the shifting Wf fj\. sands blown by M into lou d s which overwhelm

whole caravans. No doubt for this idea there is a foundation of fact. It is truo that ’ the Sahara is largely composed of sand; it is also true that this sand is blown about by the winds which sweep, over the desert, that lives are sometimes lost in these hurricanes, and that wells of water are often days apart, and travelers sometimes experience acute suffering in traversing the desert. But the Sahara is not level nor flat; but, save an occasional stretch of plain for a few miles, it'consists of sandhills, so constantly changing their p'acos and appearance that even the professional guides of caravans are sometimes misled by the alteration in the natural features of the country since their last trip. But the Sahara is by no means all sand, says a writer in the Globe-Democrat of St. Louis, for no inconsiderable, portion consists of rocky mountains, the highest of them nearly 8,000 feot in height, almost wholly destitute of vegetation, but even in their ruggcdness sometimes easier to traverse than the sand hills, as affording a firmer footing. There is also a popular supposition

A SAHARAN BEAUTY OF THE HAREM.

that the Sahara contains nogroen thing; but this is now known to be a mistake, for in most parts tropical plants and grasses find a feeble nourishment here and there, while in many districts, aftor a rain—a rare phenomenon, by tho way—grass springs up as luxuriantly as on tome of our Western plains. The extent of the Sahara can hardly be realized by one who has not had his attention expressly called to its geographical limits. From east to west its length is about 3,000 miles; from north to south over 1,000, comprising a territory estimated at 2,500,000 squaie miles, thus equaling in size nearly the whole of Europe and exceeding the area of the United States. Nor is it destitute of population, for though no census has ever been made of its wandering tribes, estimates place tho population of the Sahara at 2,500,000, consisting of Moors, Arabs and negroes, wandering to and fro among its sandy hills. The great desert presents no more picturesque spectacle than one of those wild hor.-e----men, in gorgeous though dirty trappings, and accoutered with his savage and Ineffective arms. Ferocious as they look, these bands of homeless wanderers are dangerous only when they are the stronger party. Then they do not hesitate a moment to plunder and slay; but whenever they arc In the minority they display a humility which is beautifully touching; tbey will kiss the hem of the traveler’s garments, tell him they are his slaves and beg his-commands. A very common mistake concerning the Sahara is with regard to the oases. It is supposed.that these arc few and far between, but this is a mistake, for there are several hundreds; so many, in fact, that one-third the surface pf'this mighty desert is supposed to'consist of more or less fertile land. But it is not fertile by nature, though rendered so bv cultivation, for wherever there is a spring vegetation appears, and by care on the part of the inhabitants to prevent encroachments of tjiegsand the limits of the arable land are greatly extended, Suppose, for Instance, a garden should be wanted. The Arab scoops out the sand from a space, necessarily limited, to a depth fivo to fifteen feet below the surrounding surface. There he comes to moist ground, and in it plants his vegetables, setting out palms on tho wall surrounding the cellar garden. It is a slow and costly of cultivating the ground, but It is successful, and any tropical plants and vegetables may be raised in the neighborhood of a spring. The oases' extend across the Sahara in lines, probab j following the courses of subterranean i,.cr-. and along these lines are the caravan outes. though it is probable that hupdreds of tho green spots in the desert are known to the natives but not to EW! ropeans, for the latter follow only the source of the caravan roads, and no thorough exploration has ever been made. Several caravan routes traverse the Sahara iu various directions. The one from Tangiers to Timbuctoo has already been mentioned, so has also the great caravan route from Tripoli to Borneo, by way of the contra! line of oases through the desert: among others, there is ono from Cairo to Lake Tchad, and another from Cairo to Fezzsn. The caravans general-

ly consist of from 200 to 500 persons, with from 500 to 2,000 camels, for without these patient beasts'it is impossible to traverse some parts of the Sahara at all, the wells occasionally being as much as ten days apart. An idea of the unpleasantness of the journey may be formed from the fact that it takes a caravan forty days from Cairo to Fezzan, and nearly thirty more to the fertile regions south of tho desert. The productions of the .Sahara are limited. Camels and domestic animals are reared by tho Moors stud Arabs, but aside from these there are only threo articles of export —salt, gum-arabic and ostrich feathers. .Salt is found in many plapes, and is generally taken by the caravans going south, for tho Soudan produces no salt, and enormous profits aro made by" its purchase in the oases of the 1 Sahara and sale along the Niger. The principal articles conveyel south by the caravans are European cotton goods,

guns, ammunition and liquors Much of the gum-arabic used In Europe and America is produced in the Sahara, for In the southwestern district aro dense groves of acacias, and tho product of their branches is gathered by the Moors and sold to tho French in St. Louts on the Senegal. Ostriches abound in most parts of tho desert, though what they live on Is a problem. They aro hunted both for their feathers and flesh, though only a half-starved Moor could tolerate the tough, fibrous meat of this ablebodied bird. Besides ostrichos, however, there are very few animals in the desert, most of the wells and springs being monopolized by human beings. It is a remarkable fact, however, that there aro indications of a former abundant population in tho Sahara, and signs that the climato was once loss intolerably hot than it is at present. In many of tho valleys signs ,of water courses afro froquent. and sometimes on the sandjf plains wells, still walled in, though now dry, aro to bo found, indicating that springs were once mote abundant than they npw seem to be. But the best sign of all that there has been a ebango in climatic conditions of the Sahara is the fact that, in the northern and central part, evidence exists of a vast population. Fezzan and the southern part of the Sahara were used by tho Romans as penal colonies. Nero sent a large body of political offonders there, that they might die tho sooner, tho climate’then being considered very insalubrious for Europeans. The same district was tho Siberia of more than ono Roman Emperor, and exi o to tho sands of Africa was In ancient times as much dreaded as Is now a departure to Siberia. At numerous points In the Sahara are remains of ruined cities, Carthaginian or

Roman, which probably each contained from 5,000 to 25,000 inhabitants. Walls, cisterns, wells, baths, aqueducts, temples, huge mansions, even great triumphal arches and large theaters and ampitheaters, show a teeming population. Various travelers have given accounts of these runs, which are so extensive as to attract the notice of even the ignorant and degraded natives. A ten-mile ride through Fezzan, straight into the desert, there is a ruined city which, surrounded by sand hills, pre- • sents a picture of solitary grandeur not surpassed by the remains of Baal bee or Palmyra. Great columns still stand, upholding vast cornice blocks: elegant sculptures may s£ill be traced on slab and block, though partially obliterated by the never-ceasing attrition of the flying sand, while hero and there fallen capitals, half covered, bespeak a civilization which has passed away. In West Sahara, to the south of Algiers, there stands in the mradle of a sandy plain a triumphal arch, erected, as the Moors say, in honor of a great victory gained there. It is covered with inscriptions, which, however, save a word here and there, are illegible, and the" deciphered portions being Latin have led to the conjecture that the monument was erected either in honor of Scipio African us or of Sever us. There is no marble in the vicinity like that which covers it, though how the large slabs were transported from the seacoast to a point nearly 200 miles inland is a problem equal to that which concerns itself with the blocks of the pyramids. In the Lybian Desert are found the ruins of a city near Moor Saha The -walls are in large part still standing, and indicate a circumference of between seven and eighS miles. It ij even

grander In Its proportions than any one of the cities, and the strength of its fortifications indicates that "the enemy’s country was not far away. It was probably an outpost of the. Romans against the Soudanese, and its large cisterns, choked-up wells, and filled amphitheaters indicate not only the size and importance of the city but also the luxury of its population. Cities do not spring up in deserts; hence, it is probable that the climate of Sahara was formerly more pleasant, that rains were moro.frequent, and better conditions of life prevailed. It is known that iron ore, granite and marble are abundant in tho desert, for mines and quarries have been found. Thus cities could be easily builded. It is probable that, when vegetation was more abundant and families, both wild and domestic, were more numerous, the Sahara was not the uninviting region that it now is. Geologists beliove that parts of the

A BAND STORM IN THE SAHARA.

Sahara were once at the bottom of the sea, and that in one of those bygone ages the surrounding coast, comprising now a sandy waste, was formed like other tropical regions. Whether this wore true or not, it is not impossible that the desert again may blossom like the rose, for the French, who have an interest In

the country, and are credited with a desire to own it all, have a project lor making an inland sea in the western part of the desert. It appears from surveys made that about 120,0Q0 miles, fibt far from the coast, kca/'bdlow the lpvel of the shore, and a cut through the coast hills wohld flood'thfs portion of the desert and might produce a change in its climate. This, however,

A RUINED ROMAN CITY.

is of a piece with the scheme for A traussaharau railroad from and. the oases to Timbuctoo and Borneo* This’is a day of great projects, and whether such giant undertakings will over be realized is impossible to predict; but

even should the canal be dug and that portion of the Sahara flooded with water, there is no reason to suppose that any very material change in the climate will result, save in the immediate vicinity. Far more reliance can be placed in the

THE ARCH OF SEVERUSI

AN INHABITANT OF THE DESERT.

artesian wells, for wlxerever these have been'sunk excellent water is found at a' depth of 200 to "400 feet, and with good water an inland sea is by no means* a necessity.

Ostriches in America.

There are certain old traditions aboat the ostrich which, I have been told by the owner of a California ranch, are fallacious. Ho says the ostrich does not bury his head in the sand and imagine he is unobserved by his enemies. On the contrary, he is a very pugnacious bird, and always ready for a fight. Nor does the female ostrich lay her eggs in the sand for the sun to hatch them. To do them justice, they are quite domestic, and deserve a better reputation. Nor is the ostrich ever used for riding, as he has an exceptionally weak back; any person might break it with a blow from an ordinary cane. His strength lies in his great breast and his feet. He has one great claw and a very small one, and with a terrible precision he can bring down the large claw with a cruel force that, will tear open anything not made of sheet iron. Savage birds at best, they are dangerously so during breeding time. The twenty-two birds brought to our California ranch trusted to their instinct, and laid their eggs during the California winter, which corresponded to their summer south of the equator. It being the rainy season, their nesti were tilled with water and the eggj were chilled; so the first season ol their Amerioan sojourn was a failure. The ostrich makes its nest by rolling in tho sand and scooping out a hole .some six feet in diameter, and, except ing an incubator-house, the California ranch requires no building for the use of the birds, though the land is divided off into pens fenced in, each about an acre in extent, for tho use of the breeding birds, every pair occupying one such inclosure. The ostriches live upon alfalfa and corn. Alfalfa is a grass cultivated all over the ranch; it resembles our clover, and grows to a crop some six times a year.

Smoked Himself to Death.

The most fantastic story told is that of the strange and slow suicide of the Baron Bela Olnyi, at Pesth, in the year 1875. The Baron was supposed to be very wealthv. He had a wife and six children. He lost his money in speculation, but this was not known. He went to Paris and insured bis life for 100,000 guelden each in live companies. He returned to Pesth and his habits began to change. He absented himself from home for long periods every day. The picture of health, he began to droop and pine away. In ten months he died of what the doctors called galloping consumption. The insurance companies were suspicious, and their detectives unearthed a most wonderful plot. The nobleman was discovered to have hired a small room in a remote and mean portion of the citv. It was broken into, and found to be furnished with a comfortable sofa, a table, two chairs and two chests. In one of these was found a comfortable dressing gown, a pair of loose Turkish trousers, a fez, aud a dozen long pipes. In the other was found about 200 strong Havana cigars and a half pound of common smoking tobacco. From the wrappers found in the bottom of the chest it would appear that in less than eight months the nobleman ' had smoked about 3,500 cigars and about 101 pounds of smoking tobacco, having deliberately poisoned himself will nicotine.

Overcome by the Honor.

An amusing story is told of Archduke Eugene of Austria, while on a visit recently to a small hamlet in Hungary. Feeling the necessity for a shave, as ordinary mortals at times are wont to do, the Prince had the manager of the little hotel at which he was staying send for the best barber in the town. Overjoyed at the privilege ol shaving a member of the imperial family, the knight of the strop arrayed himself in all his Sunday finery and went to the hotel. Although somewhat timid, he succeeded in placing his imperial highness in the chair and covering his face an inch deep with lather. But at this point his Dalgetty spirit forsook him, and, razor in hand, he began to tremble as the traditional aspen leaf. “Your imperial highness,” he mustered courage to say, “the honor of shaving you fyps so excited me that I am unable to proceed with my work.” Ashamed of his failure, the poor fellow rushed from the room. The Archduke laughed heartily, but was obliged to remain in his uncomfortable position until a more courageous colleague arrived to complete the unfinished shave.

Too Young to Be Rever[?]nd.

A very amusing story is told about a young clergyman who does not live over a hundred miles from here, who had gone to supply the vacant pulpit of a church in a certain village. Huwas just out of the theological seminary, And had an extremely boyish appearance. A little before the hour the new minister made his way almost unnoticed into the pulpit, where he wAs concealed by the reading desk in front of him. But an old lady who sat close on the right of the pulpit in consideration of her deafness, was much concerned to qee.a boy in the. place of the expected clergyman. , So. she arose very softly, stepped on tip-toe to the pnlpit stairs, and beckoning with her forefinger, whispered loudly,; in" coaxing accents: “Come down, my boy; you muag’t'.sit t&fefd.‘ ' That’s *he place forthfl-minister I”— Akron Farm "News.

He Was Getting Acquainted.

Clara —1 rehllyfeel as if I were making som,e progress with yourig Mr. Goodcsateh. o Maud—How so ? Clara —The other night when he called»on me he didn’t- wear a dress suit.— Brooklyn, Life. < •' i‘ C.- .1 a ... A new device, if adopted, will cause every postoffice clerk to pnt his nurn--ler on each letter he handles. It is a thimble with self-inking stamp. Maine and New Hampshire mak* nearly all the world’s spools,

HUMOR.

Wat the Right Sort. Applicant—“l see yon advertise for a college graduate to take a position in your business.” Publisher—“ Yes. Are you a graduate?” “I am.” “What place did you hold in the college eleven ?” “I did not play football. I was afraid of getting crippled.” “You won’t do. I want a man for book agent.” —New York Weekly. Be Congratulated. Amateur Actor (who has just concluded a performance of the part of Hamlet, to a friend, who had been one, of audience) —Weil, old fellow, don’t -you feel inclined to congratulate some one ? Friend—lndeed I do. Amateur (with vainglorious mien) —May I so far infringe on modesty as to ask his name ? Friend—Certainly. His name is Shakspeare. and I heartily congratulate him on his unavoidable absence. She Had Heard of Such. “I hear that a German Count is paying you marked attention,” said Dora to Lou. “Yes,” assented Lou, shyly. “What is his name?” “Augustus.” “You call him Gus, don’t you?” “Yes; why?” “And he’s your beau, isn’t he ?” “W-w-why, yes, I suppose so. But why are you asking these questions ?” “O, nothing, but I’ve heard of beau Gus counts before.” The Doctor’s Orders. First Chappie—l say, ole chappie, the doctah says I must-aw-take more exercise or I’ll be -sick, don’t you know. Second Chappie—Do as-the doctah says, me boy. First Chappie—Ya-as, Lm going to discha’ge me vally and tie me own necktie. Street & Smith’s Good News. Overloaded. Boy—Say, mister, shall I carry yer satchel ? Do it fer a dime. Dude—My satchel is not heavy. Boy—Well let me carry your cane then. —Street & Smith’s Good News. A Hero. Mr. Sturtevant Knickerbocker, a young married man, expects to go out to Colorado on business, but his moth-er-in-law has been telling him that it is too dangerous on account of the Indians. “Nonsense!” replied Knickerbocker; “I’m not. afraid of Indians.” “Very well,” replied his wife’s mother, “when you get out on the plains and one of those wild beasts comes at you whooping and yelling, then you will think of me.” “I don’t doubt it,” replied Knickerbocker. And now the entente cordiale las been spilled and there is a coolness between them. —Texas Siftings. Aflfbrdina Possible Explanation. Mr. Mudguard Crippling (eminent foreigner)—You Americans are too sensitive. Why cawn’t you take my criticisms good-naturedly ? American Publisher—You want to make us pay too steep for them.—Chicago Tribune. Which Is Human Nature. Very few people cau be found who will admit that they believe in ghosts or “who are willing to walk through a graveyard alone at tUe witching hour of 1 a. m. —Somerville Journal. Too Much Iron. Doctor—Did you get that mixture of wine and iron that I ordered ? Deacon Waters—Yes; it was firstrate. Never enjoyed a bottle of meclioine better in my life. Drank it up without takin’ breath. But, Doctor, there was too much iron in it. Doctor—Humph! So I should imagin’. Deacon Waters—Yes, the iron all went to mv feet and made ’em so heavy I could hardly walk. —New York Weekly. From the City. Deacon Hardscrabble (to passenger requiring three si ats for himself and baggage)—You are from the city, I presume? Mr. Shoat—Yes; how did you know it? Deacon Hardscrabble—Oh, we butchered our country hogs three months ago. Damn in Herman; Up In English. Commercial Traveler (to pretty hotel laundress) —Just one kiss, Lena ? Hubsh Madchen—Nein. Ach! Vas toon zee? Commercial Traveler—Why, you Baid I could take nine. —Arkansaw Traveler-. to Shams.

Mrs. Eillenbaek —T heard you ting fcnd I came up myself. > Uncle Wauderson—Glad you did, Pen’lope. That mizzerable hired girl p’yourn tried t’hide th’ pillers from me; but, diug her! I found’m under them curtains.— Judge. Good breeding is the art of showing men, by external signs, the internal regard we have for them. It arises from good sense, improved by conversing »ith good company.

It Hat Caught On.

The officer had Interfered and broken up a row among a. lot' qf boys In street, and ne then called to one and said: “Now, tl?en, tell me what this ruction was about." “Well.” replied the bdy, “me and Wounded Knee wei*e cbmlftg along here, and we met Mah-Afraid-of-Hls-Horse. He strlick us for 10 cents*. Just then Man-oni-a-Buffalo came Up and give us— —” “What on earth do you mean?” interrupted the officer. “And then Mud-on-His-Back, Mah-who-Talks, and Fire On-a-Hlll cum alohg and put tn their gab, and—” “Who are all these boys?” demanded the officer, in great astonishmfentV “And the first thing I knew Walk-Down-a-Hill he hauled off and hit White Crow on de chin, and den Little Antelope he guv it to Bear-in-the-Night on the eye, and -we,. jva9 v treating to/ the Rosebud when*you jcum up and skeert the life out Sioux ; and Cheyenne in the pack. It’s all over and me’n Horse-who-Limps is going ? up to Pine Rft&e* Agency to train fur a wrestling match. "—New York Sun. "'zt >

A Mystery.

How the human system ever recovers from the bad efieets of the nauseous medicines often literally poared into it for the suppositive relief of dyspepsia, liver complaint, constipation, rheumatism and other; ailment*; is a mystery. The mischief done by bad medicines is scarcely less than than that caused by disease.* If they Who are weak, bilious, dyspeptic, constipated or rheumatic would oftener be guided by the experience of invalids who halve thoroughly tested Hostetler’s Stomach, Bitters, they would in every Instance obtain the speediest aid derivable from rational medication. This, medicine is a searching and at the same time a thoroughly safe remedy, derived from vegetable souroes, and possessing, in consequence of its basis of pure spirits, properties as a medicinal stimulant not to be found in the fiery local bitiers and stimulants often resorted to by the debilitated, dyspeptic andTanguid. In the case of a bad boy it only takes a well-measured out rod to make an acher.

There’s a good deal of guarantee business in the store eeping of to-day. It’s too excessive. Or too reluctant. Half the time it means nothing. Words —only words. This offer to refund” the money, or to pay a reward, is made under the hope that you won’t want .your money back, and that you won’t claim the reward. Of course. So, whoever is honest, in making it, and works—not on his own reputation alone, but through the local dealer whom you know, must have something he has faith in back of the guarantee. The business wouldn’t stand a year without it. What is lacking is confidence. Back of that, what is lacking is that clear honesty which is above the “average practice.” Dr. Pierce’s medicines are guaranteed to accomplish, what they are intended to do, and their makers give the money back if the result isn’t apparent. Doesn’t it strike you that a medicine which the makers have so much confidence in, is the medicine for you?

SHILOH’S CONSUMPTION CURE. The success of this Great Cough Cure is without a parallel in the history of medicine. All druggists are authorized to sell it on a pos* itive guarantee, a test that no other cure can successfully stand. That it may become known, the Proprietors, at an enormous'Expense, are placing a Sample Bottle Free into every home in the United States and Canada. If you have a Cough, Sore Throat, or Bronchitis* use it, for it will cure you. If your child has' the Croup, or Whooping Cough, use it relief is sure. If you dread that insidious disease Consumption, use it. Ask your Druggist for SHILOH’S CURE, Price lo cts., to els. and SI.OO. If your Lungs are sore 6r Back lame, use Shiloh’s Porous Plaster, Price 25 cts. TACOMA 100# fT.t uu TACOMA ISTIMTMBMT CO., TAgHU, WASU. Tim's Pills The dyspeptic, the debilitated, whether from excess of work of mind or body, drink or exposure in MALARIAL REGIONS, Will find Tutt’s Pills the most genial restorative ever offered the suite ring invalid. The Soap that f Cleans Most is Lenox.