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chains cf its mountains there are various minerals, particu- 

 larlj' k-ad and copp'-'r. The ftrtiHty of the foil dccrtafes in 

 appaiachiiig Sahara or the Defcrt, althoiigli in its borders, 

 and e\en in the Difcrt ititU", there are fume dlftrifts which 

 are eapable of cultivation, and which produce corn, figs and 

 dates. Thcfc rciors are inhabited by Nomadical tribes, 

 who, valu'ng themfelvcs on their independence, endure with 

 fo titudc and refignatioii, the inconveniences attending their 

 condition, and fcarce regret the want of tV fe advantages ar,d 

 comforts that pertain to a civilized ftate of fociety. The 

 cultivated parts of tliis country enjoy a wholcfomc and tem- 

 perate air j and the climate is dillinguiflicd by the equality 

 of its tcmpcratiire ; the liarometer indicating all the changes 

 cf the weather from 29, i to 30, 4, or'witliin the fpace of 

 1, 3 inch. The winds generally blow from the fea, or from 

 the well by the north to the call : thofe from the eafl ate 

 common at Algiers from May to September, and then the 

 weiberly winds "become the moll frequent. The foutherly 

 winds, which blow from the Sahara, are ufually hot and vio- 

 lent, but not frequent. When they blow for five or fix days 

 together in July and Augull, they are very fuflocating, and 

 the inhabitants fprinkle tlie floors of their rooms with water 

 or vinegar. The quantity of rain that annually fulls in Al- 

 giers is, at a medium, 27 or 28 inches ; but in this climate 

 little ov no niin falls in the fummtr feafon, and in mofl parts 

 of the Sahara they have no rain at all. The firfl rains fall 

 in September, and fonietimes a rr.onth later ; after v.'hith, or 

 about the middle of Oftober, wheat is fown and beans are 

 planted. Barley is fywn about the end of November. If 

 the latter raiiis fall, as ufual, in the midille of April, the 

 crop is deemed fecure ; and the harvell comes on in the end 

 of May cr beginning of June. The inhabitants cultivate, 

 not only wheat and barley, but rice, Indian corn, and a kind 

 of millet, called drah, which they prefer to barley in fatten- 

 ing their cattle, and which they are obliged to guard from 

 the depredation of birds, by a fcreaming noife continued 

 .lirough the whole day. Here they tread out their corn 

 after the primitive cuftoms of the Eall, by fpreat'ing the 

 (heaves open, and driving mules or horfts round about the 

 nedders or threlhing-floors. When the grain is trodden out, 

 they winnow it by throwing it up againil the wind with a 

 {hovel ; they then lodge it in tiie maltamores, or fubterraneous 

 magazines. Of the pulfe kiad, beans, lentils, kidney beans, 

 and the chich pea, are the m.oft abundant ; and of tlie roots, 

 herbs and fruits of the kitchen garden, they have a very con- 

 fiderable variety. For the zoology, ornithology, &c. of Al- 

 giers, fee B.'.RBARY. 



The inhabitants of the Algerine flate are partly Turks, 

 partly Moors, and partly Chrillians and Jews. The Turks 

 liavebeen eftabllfhed fince the middle of the fixteenth century-; 

 they form the highcft rank in the country, and poflefs all the 

 offices and employments. According to the conilitution of 

 Algiers, no native can be a Turk ; he alone is regarded as a 

 genuine Turk, and entitled to the privileges of this clafs, 

 who is defcended from Mahometan parents, or born of a 

 Mahometan mother, in the dominions of the Grand Seig- 

 nior. The number of Turks at Algiers was formerly com- 

 puted to be from 14 to 16,000, but they are now reduced 

 to 9 or io,Goo; and they are reckoned, with regard to their 

 difpofition and charafter, ignorant, proud, indolent, vohip- 

 tuous, jealous and revengeful; but at the fame time faithful, 

 fmcere, courageous and tolerant. With ideas of fuperiority, 

 brought with them from their own country, and enlarged by 

 the privileges which are grant Qtl to them at Algiers, the 

 in;ane{l Tmk confiders himfclf far fupenor to the Moors, 

 C'hridians and Jews. Their principal enjoyment confifts in 

 eafe and inaftivity. BeCdcs the qualities we have already 



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mentioned, the Turks are noted for their avarice. It is there'- 

 fore proverbial, " Give a Turk money with one hand, and 

 he will permit Ills eyes to be plucked out by the other." 

 Neverlhelcfs, he is faithful to his engagements, and a flranger 

 to didimulatioji. With regard to thofe who do not protefs 

 their religion, they are generally compafSonate and tokrant ; 

 and inllanccs have occurred, in which Turks have exhorted 

 their Chridian flaves to the obfer\ance of the external rites 

 of Chridian wordiip : but they defpife and abhor apoflates 

 and renegadoef. As to their privileges, they pay no poll- 

 tax, and they have an exclufive title to all the chief offices 

 of the (late : they cannot be punilhed except by the exprefs 

 order of the Dey ; when condemned to die, they are 

 flrangled ; they purchafe the neceffaries of hfe at a lov,-er 

 price than others ; aiid from gardens and vineyards that are 

 rot enclofed by high walls, they may take as much fruit as 

 they can eat ; and tlieir teftimony, other circumliances being 

 equal, is always held in higher ellimation than that of the 

 Moors, Jews and Chrillians. 



The clafs of perfons next in ranii and dignity to the 

 Turks, confifts of the Colohes or Coloris, who are the chil- 

 dren of Turks b)' women that are natives of Algiers. The 

 number of thefe, in the vicinity of the capital, is confider- 

 able, and they compofe fome of the richell and moft refpeft- 

 able families in the country. They form a middle clals be- 

 tween the Turks and Moors, and refemble the former in 

 courage, pride, jealoufy, and voluptuoufncfs, but are more 

 laborious and diligent ; and they partake of the perfidy and 

 diffimulation of the Moors, and alio of their propenfity to fu- 

 perflition. In coi'pcrcal ilrength and form they are not in- 

 ferior to the Turks ; and they belong to the moil intelligent 

 and cultivated part of the inhabitants of Algiers, fo that the 

 mofl expert artiils and artificers are of this clafs. 



Under the general name of Moors, who conftitute another 

 divifion of Algerines, are comprehended the Moors, pro- 

 perly fo called, the Cabyles or Kabyles, mixed with Berbers 

 or Brebers, and feveral Arabian tribes. The Mocrs are very 

 diltinft from the Negroes, as their natural colour, unchanged 

 by the burning rays of the fun, is as white and beautiful as 

 that of the natives of the South of France, of Spain and 

 Italy. With reipeft to their moral charader, they are in- 

 ferior to the Turks. They are malicious, falfe, cowardly, 

 revengeful, fanatical, ignorant, fuperftitious, fraudulent, ava- 

 ricious, and among the lower clafles, thicvifh and rapacious. 

 But they arc more aftive than the Turks, and they have an 

 inclination for commerce and the mechanic aits. Thofe of 

 them who live in cities and engage in commerce, are more 

 polifhed and lefs odious in their difpofition and manners ; 

 fome of them are rich, and look down with contempt on 

 tlie Turks, though they foothe them and fecure their pa- 

 tronage by diffimulation and flattery. Of thefe fome are 

 addifted to ftudy, but their knowledge extends little beyond 

 the Koran and Hiftory. The lefs wealthy Moors are arti- 

 ficers, and fome of them mariners. In the lowefl clafs of 

 Moors, inhabiting the cities, are found the mofl abandoned 

 and profligate perfons, who cannot be reftrained from crimes 

 of every kind, except by a degree of ieverity approaching to 

 cruelty. The Bi scar is, however, form a fmall exception. 

 Of the Moors, who inhabit the country, few are wealthy ; 

 they are ignorant and rude, and ftrangers to thebcnefi-s and 

 p'eafurcs of fecial life. They retain the ancient cuftom of 

 dillinguilhing themfelves by families and tribes, which is loll 

 among thofe who live in towns. Some of them lead a wan- 

 dering hfe, and others gain a fubfiftence by cultivating the 

 land lor the richer among themfelvcs, or for the Turks, or 

 for the Colohes. Among the Moorifli tribes in the country 

 polygamy prevails, but this practice does not prevail in towns. 



The 



