WARGLA THE DESERT CITY. 411 



the level of the Mediterranean; and the waters de- 

 scending from the elevated table lands and mountains, 

 doubtless make their way, by subterranean courses 

 through sand and porous strata, overlaid by beds of 

 clay, and other impervious deposits, for great distances, 

 and bursting up at certain points in plenteous fountains 

 there form "Oases." 



Of the oases of the Algerian border, that of " Wargla " 

 is unquestionably the most important, and deserves 

 a few words of description. 



The ancient Arab fortified city of Wargla (or 

 " Ouargla " as the French write it) which claims to be 

 the most ancient city of the desert, f is a place of high 

 historical and strategical importance ; situated almost 

 exactly upon the 3ist parallel of North Latitude, 199 

 French leagues from Algiers (= about 482 miles 

 Eng.) 



Like many of the important towns of Northern 

 Africa, it is surrounded by an enceinte of immense 

 perimeter ; consisting of a crenellated wall, surmounted 

 by no less than forty forts, of two stories each, in 

 terraces ; while the walls themselves are protected by 

 a ditch which can be filled with water when desired, 

 and six gates, each opening upon a bridge of mason- 

 work, thrown across the ditch, give access to the 

 surrounding country. The traveller on approaching 

 the environs of the town, through the desert from the 

 northward, finds an imposing panorama suddenly spread 

 out before him, on attaining the crest of the sterile 

 mountain called Cha'bet-el-Meh'al, which hides Wargla 

 from that side. 



f Le Sahara Algerien, par M. le Lieut.-Col. Daumas, 1845, p. 75. 

 Ibid., pp. 72, 73. 



