16, 1883.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



243 



tit iv.i ■ ;i kin?. Some of She sendee was over two Hundred 



The grand old country Beat of Wallen dales from tli" 



twelfth i of the most ancient pf the- bis- 



of Swedei »un1 Gyllcuskbld is a member of. 



the Ur)p@r House of the Swedish 'Parliament, and is out of 



I lie most liberal and prudent of Swedish statesmen. Her 



the Countess Oyllcuskold. is a cousin of the Swedish 



Mini-ii ., i I in. Count Leweuhauft. find is a most 



, , . 



The Count ai I " ,: their two little sunny -haired 



tea ties on of pure family life 



m red together in their 



1 i ii. surrouflJicd by mementoes of former 



centuries, and welcoming an American stranger with a quiet 



and appreciative hospitality flidt made him at oncefeelal- 



tDeuiber of their fatally circle, they formapieture 



whose beauty I can never forget, and whose memory 1 shall 



ev.-i t-herisli. Maustrasd. 



HUNTING REMINISCENCES OF ALGIERS. 



EXTtiACT FJJOM A spoirrrxo DlABtT. 



THERE ianowi rd ctearffl perhaps to man's heart, which 

 eolleol Q8 which touches him more 

 sympathetically, oi which is more pleasing in its connec- 

 tions', than the word home. ''.": t, alas I ao such word is des- 

 tined to enter the vocabulary of the traveler. The charm of 

 the Word is to him unknown, The meaning to him is vague, 

 unsatisfactory, and void of worth. The traveler's home is 

 everywhere; and, perhaps, be is the happiest man in the 

 world for this very reason. He feels no pain at parting with 

 his lust honre, nor does he dream of any future one; and 

 tlibi jh. he recalls with pi an anyretrj mbrance pftheone 

 he is jusi leaving, the fact that he is at home i ■ ;■;■.- 

 where renders him conicut with his actual surroundings, 



L | him from knowing that home-siek feeling 



which stirs tin- young heart of ihe school-boy when iorn 

 from the. paternal house-, and makes it beat those painful 

 throbs which arc unknown to the stem-hearted traveler. As 

 ished this soliloquy the ship rolled fairly over on her 

 beam's end. We were (in a Medilerianean steamer bound for 

 dies and had been luxuriating in. the tropical and de- 

 lightful climate oj Northern Africa, entering into Arab life 



- it'll all the enthusiasm of which the young sports 



lable when: surrounded with his favorite game, bagging 

 the same to his heart's content, and with no heavier burden 



i ; :,r- conscience than that of w Idling away lime among a 



i Lie and odd people. Willi such inducements it was no 



rl r ileit we availed ourselves ul the first opportunity to 



,ii rj university walls, wooden benches 



and blackboards, and hasten to enjoy the exercise of our 



much loved sport. 



The sportsman has much, difficulty to-day in procuring 

 the papers or passports which enable him' to carry arms 

 i Ugiers. This annoyance is due to ihe severity of the 

 Kreiu-h Government, which allows none but a very tew 

 ■ s of ihe highest social position to use arms of any kind. 

 This, however, is a wise decision, for the Arabs, who are 

 four tine s as numerous as the French, are of a most, turbu- 

 lent and discontented nature. There may be some cause for 

 this in the tyrannical and often unjustifiable laws to which 

 they must .submit. Having finally, aftei mad delay and 

 , ul--. procured a passport, duly registered, stumped, and 

 scribbled over by some bail' dozen officios members of the 

 layo until the printed matter had been nigh rendered 



ule, we proceeded to pi oeure our necessary arms, ammu- 

 nition, dogs and attendants, not forgetting a* special valise 

 for the transport of the bulksome passport, which it is neces- 

 sary for the sportsman to keep continually about his person, 

 thus avoiding the chance of a speedy rail-travel to headquar- 

 ters. When ail line preparations had beenmade, ourhounds 

 coupled, and our last breakfast in ihe city expeditiously dis- 

 boarded the train for Bournitfa. Here, by 

 previous use of the telegraph, we had secured donkeys. 



attendants, and an excellent guide and shot to accompany 

 us iulo Ihe interior. 



Whether in Africa or America it is a wise precaution of 

 the sportsman to carry with him a medicine chest, for acci- 

 dents will occur, ami how many grevious harms may be 

 avoided by a specific and .sp;jd_v remedy. The true sports- 

 man, though he may scoi n ihe idea of using it himself, be 

 cannot but remember thai he has hounds and attendants 

 perhaps which may require his attention, as they incur 

 danger for the gratifying of his own pleasure. Thus we 

 invariably; when out on shooting-trips, carry with us a snug 

 little In ix* one ot leather certainly answers' the purpose, in 

 which are one bottle of ammonia, one bottle camphor, one 

 bottle arnica, lint, linen bandages, plaster for wounds, etc. 

 On several occasions we have used them, by their means 

 probably saving not only the lives of valuable hounds, but 

 ll.e-e ot our guides. 



fhe aspect of the eoiiniry is not one to impress the traveler 

 as possessing much agricultural wealth. The vegetation, it 

 i-, true, is rich and extensive, yet to the stranger "who is ac- 

 customed to the heav\ and uiid growths of northern forests, 



I E Algiers appear ^significant on account of the sparse 



and thin foliage of the palm tree the open and large area of 

 clean land, while the small and si unled growth of the ground 

 brush, which cover the hills, suggests a poor rather "than a 

 fewiralile laud for culture. 



The forests, however, are composed of" cedars, pines, and 

 pislaehiouut frees. Leaving the train we were met by our 

 guide, who. at once hailing a four-wheeled Open vehicle, or- 

 dered the driver to makedilig-nt haste to the inn, where, by 

 mutual arrangement, it was decided that, we should remain 

 until the following morning when, by aid of donkeys, we 

 should continue our journey to the shooting grounds. After 

 alight tea, we settled ourselves to exchange ideas and sug- 

 gcsi new ones* outside the inn, under shelter of au awning 

 to protect us from the heavy dew, which invariable falls 

 after sunset. Unlike the beautiful northern skie-. where, 

 after Ihe sun sits 1 lie western horizon is illuminated, thesky 

 assumes a dark crimson color, which soon fades into a dull 



blue; night falls almost immediately. 



i general cmosthjuingi in which we succeeded in 

 eliciting much knowledge of the Arabs as a people, we 



begjred Our guide to relate to us the story of the tower stand- 

 ing upon the adjacent, hill, and which as darkness till We 

 ising from view. 



began the guide --is a terrible one. and 

 may -how you the ungrateful, mereiie-s and revengeful 

 i aaractcr oi the Arab. "Some years previous to rnv fifteenth 

 year tin- lelegraph had not been established through the 

 The few French settlers who, through mis- 

 fortune or adventure, had been driven Id seek a home in the 

 newt; acquired territory of the empire, had scattered them- 



selves over a great part of the country. Troops had been 

 da! different, villages and along the mountains, yet 

 , , i at considerable distances, and the ouly means of 



communication was hv Ihe high roads. To remain severed 

 i iied intercourse" many of the emigrants were 

 sorely opposed to consent to, and the government, seeing the 

 necessity of colonizing the country at all cost, at once pro- 

 posed the erection of lowers at equal distances one from 

 another, elevated to a proper height, and from which by 

 means of mirrors during the day and fires by night, signal- 

 ing communication could be kept up between one military 

 post and another, thus preventing a revolt to take place in 

 the interior without enabling the authorities at Algiers to 

 have direct and immediate knowledge of the internal con- 

 dition of affairs. In each of these towers a man resided. 

 generally having his family with him. His duties were to 

 keep B constant and scrutinizing watch upon the other 

 _'.itaudday. lo answer such signals as he should 

 receive, and to transmit such without delay to the next, and 

 at the same time lo keep his tower and surroundings in a 

 proper state of utility. These men wen- furnished with 

 arms and ammunition and were supposed to conceal a suf- 

 ficient amount of food to endure a siege in case of a sudden 

 revolt or civil war, which threatened every year to break 

 out. The towers were in themselves considered strong and 

 well provided enough lo resist such an attack until troops 

 could be called for. by aid of their signals, to their ultimate 

 assistance and rescue 



"I was a voung boy then, adventuresome, and I had come 

 out. with niy uncle 'just one year before, in 1838. On the 

 day of the occurrence which lam about to relate to you, 1 

 had been shooting, as we propose doing in a di 



Run 



r had been circulated that some hostilities had broken 

 iong the Kabyles of the Atlas, but it was looked upon 



" fabrieatii 



lely talk of 



old da 



young imaginations, or the 

 nd not until the dread 



alamlty broke down upon us were we prepared to fightand 

 selves from slaughter. In that tower.'' continued 

 thi guide, ■ was enacted a barbarism of the most: infamous 

 nature. I was returning home the same day well laden with 

 'feathers.' Of a sudden, my eyes caught a lurid glare, which 

 evidently had just sprung up before me, and which pro- 

 ceeded from the village we passed through last night. There 

 was something wrong — a conflagration. Quickening my 

 pace I hurried on with the intention of volunteering my 

 Help: but I had not, run far before, by the noise behind 

 me. I became aware that, a troop of horsemen were 

 gaming rapidly upon me from the rear; one look 

 at the rising whirl of dust, disclosed to me. a mounted 

 hand of Arabs. The black dogs are at tneir work again, 

 My expectations were quickly corroborated, for 1 had ■ reel 

 time to throw myself trom their passage beneath a friendly 

 heap of rocks, when the infuriated and hostile band passed 

 me by like a simoon. Well, sir, if they had seen me 1 should 

 not have been here to tell the tale. There were foremost in 

 the group men with whom I had hunted a few days prior, 

 but by thieir wild gestures and menacing manner 1 under- 

 stood' that death and pillage would alone satisfy their rage. 

 I hid until naught, was left but a blinding cloud of dust, 

 which, falling, covered everything with a shower of white 

 pulverized sand. I felt timid coming from my hiding-place. 

 and felt the possibility of my T being seen by the toe. 1 

 started at once for the' city where 1 was sure a't least of find- 

 ing protection; and knowing that few troops were stationed 

 elsewhere, it was my safest refuge. I hurried on, every now 

 and then keeping a "sharp look in my rear to prevent myself 

 being surprised, for in such a case 1 should have had no 

 chance for my life. I arrived at that hill from where, as you 

 see, I distinctly saw the tower. 



"The tower was not deserted then as we see it now: a 

 multitude of white figures moved around the base without 

 iiuv seeming purpose, for none of them earned anus, except 

 short knives. I could not. however, long ignore the mean- 

 ing of tneir movements, forthey had now gathered , Li I in 

 bush and were applying these inflammable materials to the 

 basement. They were going to set the place in a blaze. 

 These preparations terminated, they seemed to hesitate as if 

 undecided how they should act. ' I perceived that this re- 

 sulted from the want of matches or flint. In an instant 

 after this lull in their maneuvers, a volley of musketry 

 opened upon them from the windows of the tower. At first 

 from one side, then from another, from the top, then from 

 lowest openings, and with a rapidity which, at the time, 

 gave me reason to believe that the besieged were as n timer 

 pus as the attacking party. There was a stir among the 

 Arabs, for some retreated, others crowded themselves closely 

 against the walls, but several already lay bleeding 

 or dying from their wounds. This assault from 

 the Walls demanded speedy retaliation, for the Arabs were 

 thus receiving the brunt of the battle. The parly, mad- 

 dened to frenzy, rushed upon the door. The whole building 

 shook with the violence of the shock, but the door resisted. 

 and another deadly discharge came down upon the defense- 

 less heads of the Arabs. They now threw huge stones upon 

 the door, splintering the surface and scattering the bits of 

 wood for yards around, yet the door would not yield. A 

 yell from the opposite side announced some victory, and a 

 few minutes afterward the door flew open. The mass of 

 maddened demons poured in. By the screams and tiring in- 

 side it was evident that the inmates were unwilling to sub- 

 mit without having first fought bravely for their lives, and 

 for full ten or fifteen minutes screams and reports succeeded 

 in quick succession. Of a sudden a death-like stillness fell. I 

 knew the work had been done. The murderers soon showed 

 themselves, and regardless of the entreaties of their wounded 

 companions, left them to their fate and moved off in the 

 direction of that pretty little village you passed through last 

 night. 



• 'An inexplicable and disagreeable curiosity (for I knew the 

 inmates needed my help no longer) prompted me to examine 

 the scene of bloodshed and To inspect the tower. Four 

 bodies lay outstretched; two were those of negroes, the 

 others those of two young Arabs. Though young by 

 the- expression of their faces, were in death hardened 

 -villains. 1 turned from the sight, sick with horror, lor. 

 I hough I had often spilled Mood/I never before hud seen a 

 human victim. But on entering the tower 1 was to witness 

 only a scene more terrible. On the stair-lauding on the first 

 story were lying the bodies of three Arabs dead, while two 

 more were evidently dying from their wounds. This was 

 not all. One step higher lay a wotnau, her hair matted in 

 her blood, which yet ran warm from her wounds. Her 

 teeth Were buried in her lips, with the sign of one having 

 fought in desperation. In one hand she held two cartridges 

 ready for use, with the other she clasped a little girl of tender 

 years to her breast. This poor child bore marl,- oj great 

 violence. At their side a young lad had also fallen, nis 



breast pica-ced with rnauystabs. It wasa ghastly assemblage 

 of dead and as heartrending as one could see. This, then, 

 had been that brave garrison. It appeared so. Beyond these 

 bodies 1 could discover no ot hers. Empty rifle cartrii Iges were 

 lying over the place, two broken knives, ana a saucepan 

 lia '.-in 2- pn.b. hi ••contained boiling oil or water as a defense. 

 I hadbeen B .- pectator of a horrible tragedy. Had I thought 

 thatmy assistance would have been of any avail, I should have 

 run to the help of the unlucky people, but it would only 

 been adding one more body to the death-roll. 



I had done wisely, i'ov now I could carry the news with- 

 out delay to the city and obtain relief, perhaps timely- suc- 

 cor, for "the other towers and villages. I secured the ser- 

 vices of a horse which that afternoon I had found running 

 alone, the master of which had probably been killed. 

 Mounting this animal 1 rode for twelve hours without stop- 

 ping. Night cameon. I could nut sleep; those white and 

 blood smeared facts haunted me all night, besides, the peril- 

 ous state of my owu situation drove sleep from my eyes and 

 left me with a'ehing head and tired frame to renew my jour- 

 ney at daybreak. 1 avoided the highways, turning directly 

 across country. You may well imagine that when darkness 

 fell again I was right well tired out. This time I selected a 

 biding place Within hearing distance of the road from Bli- 

 dah to the city (by city w e always meant Algiers), for I had 

 lived on dates and water for two' days, and besides hunger; 

 I knew that I could uot hold out a' couple of days more. 

 By keeping near the road 1 was certain that the French 

 soldiers would be out scouring the land and that I might 

 have the luck to fall in with some. I had not remained long 

 in my concealment before, by the stamping of feet, I knew 

 that a band of men were passing. Sliding cautiously from 

 behind the stump I at once perceived by the bayonets 

 that they were our troops. 1 hailed I hem. and taking 

 my horse with me joined them, describing to them the stoiy 

 I have just related to you. I remained with them until w'e 

 had subdued the entire country, and I served as courier on 

 several occasions, having captured by chance a rare animal 

 for speed and spirit. Not until the" murdered folks were 

 fully avenged did I return to my uncle, at Algiers, and glad 

 he was to see me. for he had thought me dead." 



The fresh night air reminded me that our cigars had long 

 since burnt themselves out and I proposed thai the ( 

 should resume the story another time. That, time never came. 

 for we were ever after busy at something else The next 

 morning, after a refreshing sleep, the guide called me to 

 breakfast, after partaking of which I prepared myself for 

 a day's journey on donkey back. We soon left behind us 

 the low stone houses of the village and began climbing grad- 

 ually the high hills. By noon we had arrived on the Sel lkhas. 

 These plains, though destitute of culture, are teeming with 

 game. The ground is not even but undulating, and when 

 seen from a distance bears a resemblance to the bed of an ex- 

 tinct volcano of great expanse. These deserts, one may call 

 them, cover miles of country and the only vegetation which 

 is met with is a rough heather, in growth and foliage some- 

 thing similar to the Scottish heath. Now and again during 

 the passage over them the sportsman comes unexpectedly 

 upon a beautiful oasis; at other times these are seen at a 



. i , ;,; i a.i. ,■ , ,ll' and he loVgi;'!-, the ii'iillllll ol the ridl' at 



the prospects of a refreshing drink of limpid and cool water 

 and a handful of plump, juicy dates. They are often rich 

 in palm trees anil peopled with Arabs. Salt, lakes relieve 

 the otherwise dreary monotony of these wastes, yel these have 

 little comfort loi the traveler as their waters are not fit for 

 drinking and ouly tantalize him should his mouth be parched 

 and dry. It is a'wise precaution with the sportsman desiring 

 much sport to keep his donkey or horse with him (the horse 

 is useless seeing it is almost impossible to go oft' a walk over 

 the rugged paths), then he can run over a much greater 

 stretch of laud and probably duplicate his game bug in a day. 



When we reached the mountains the air became cool, 

 almost cold, and in general on these table lands or plateaus 

 situated between the first and second Atlas, the flights in 

 winter are frosty, and a good fire is not a luxury to be 

 despised. 1 say luxury, for it is difficult on the plains to 

 pick up enough' dry wood to make a big American camp-fire 

 like those enjoyed iu the virgin forests of this "New AY oriel." 



By noon we 'had reached a farm, where we proposed to 

 take' up our quarters for a day or so. profiting by the game 

 in the vicinity, which was plentiful. Early the next morn- 

 ing, before the sun had brightened the eastern horizon, we 

 were upon our feet. Thirteen Arabs had the night before 

 been chartered, for we were to have a grand beat, and ex- 

 pected a heavy bag by the evening. Taking with us a 

 couple of pointers, a lunch bag. a couple of breech-loaders 

 and one rifle, which a young Arab carried in the rear, we 

 set out. Unlike shooting iu America, where the thick under- 

 brush and dense foliage often intercepts the sportsman's view 

 of his game, here one enjoys an open country, and if he 

 misses his game, the fault must be laid to the incorrectness 

 of his piece, or to his own stupidity and blunder. 



The guide proposed the line of march. distributing the Arabs 

 on our "right and left. They had been ordered to walk some, 

 twenty yards apart, but in the same direct ion. We were to 

 form the center, walking within thirty yards of each other. 

 The outside '-drivers" were every now and then to advance 

 upon the •'center march" and thus encircle the game driven, 

 the latter toward us, while at the same time preventing any 

 from escaping. They were I o keep up the movement untU 

 the two extreme sides met. and the game was thus completely 

 surrounded. None of the Arabs carried guns, but w ith their 

 short siir-ks were equally well armed with us. They never 

 missed a partridge on the wing, nor a hare when even twenty 

 yards off, so sure was their aim and bo dexterous their tloow 

 with the boomerang. Before half the circle had been twice 

 formed, I brought to bag twenty-two red-legged partridge, 

 with my own piece. These differ very much from our 

 grouse. ' The meat of the body is better if anything, but the 

 tegs are uneatable owing to the large amount of muscular ex- 

 ercise they are put to by the bird in running along the ground 

 The partridges are more prolific than the American grouse, 

 though much more difficult of approach. 



The quail were not so numerous, but, the Arabs dispose of 

 them so summarily that it was thought useless lo waste our 

 powder upon them. In the winter these feathered migrants 

 flock in immense numbers to the coasts of Africa and Malta 

 from Europe, where they have gorged themselves to plump- 

 ness on grain and berries. They are so laden with fat that, 

 being unable to accomplish the entire journey by wing, they 

 fall exhausted into the sea and are washed south by the pre- 

 vailing winds and hv aid of their natural means of progres- 

 sion. Numbers fal'l victims to the hungry sharks, while 

 those which finally reach land are picked up by hand or 

 mercilessly slaughtered with rocks by Ihe native* and In." 

 to Yellita 'for sale They are then 'in most excellent condi- 

 tion tor eating. The sandpipers and snipe gave us every 



