November, 1920 
FOREST AND STREAM 
593 
Hall of Lions in the Alhambra, Granada, Spain 
“The contrast between the north and 
south shores of the Mediterranean is 
really extr’ordin’ry ; that about Malaga 
is not so had, but this shore seems to be 
more rocky.” 
“Yes,” assented Longworth, “this is 
Morocco!” 
Unaware of the pun he said, “You 
Americans pronounce some of your 
words so differently; I said more rocky, 
but you said mo’ rocky; d’ye see?” 
“Oh, yes,” rejoined the Judge, “some- 
times we drop into the lingo of the 
southern negro who always says mo’ for 
more, and which reminds me of an inci- 
dent that has some bearing on the mat- 
ter. Once, down in Kentucky, a negro 
family was at breakfast, when one of 
the children said: ‘Please, Mammy, I 
wants some ’lasses.’ The mother, who 
had been a house servant, was trying to 
bring up her brood with proper table 
manners. She said : ‘Amos, how many 
times have I tol’ yo’ to say molasses and 
not ’lasses?’ Pretty soon Amos said: 
‘Please, Mammy, I wants some mo.’ ‘Mo’ 
what, Amos?’ ‘Mo’ lasses, Mammy.’ ” 
Without a smile our friend said, “How 
silly, he should have said more treacle.” 
“Skipper,” I interjected, “what’s the 
use?” 
Our attention was now directed to the 
rattling of the chain cable as the anchor 
was being lowered. We had stopped in 
front of a Spanish prison in Morocco, 
and some convicts were taken ashore in 
the long boat. 
Nearby a felucca was anchored, with 
fishing nets drying on her spars, from 
which some fishermen put off in a boat 
with a supply of fish for the steamer. 
As they were taken aboard I recognized 
representatives of a number of families, 
and among others more familiar were 
some Florida favorites, the ladyfish or 
bonefish. A sHallow basket was filled 
with squids and sea-urchins, which are 
considered real delicacies. The sea- 
urchin is cracked open, and with a little 
salt and pepper is eaten raw like an 
oyster on the half shell. The flat fishes 
or flounders were well represented. 
Everything taken in the nets of these 
fishermen is utilized for food; nothing 
is wasted or thrown away. 
It is a matter of wonder that the un- 
gainly flat fishes, numbering nearly five 
hundred species, from the giant halibut 
of three hundred pounds to the little sand 
dab of a few ounces, have become dis- 
persed and distributed to the uttermost 
parts of the globe, and are to be found 
on the sandy beaches of every sea from 
the polar regions to the equator. The 
wonder is increased when the queer shape 
of its awkward and ungainly body is 
considered, together with its wiggling, 
wobbling manner of locomotion, owing to 
its inadequate equipment for swimming, 
and with no propelling power to speak 
of in its small, round or square tail. 
Yet the fact remains that it is a cos- 
mopolite and one of the best food fishes, 
and is bountifully supplied to the in- 
habitants of every clime. When the 
scales of one of the smaller species are 
removed, the encircling border of fins 
clipped off, and the head and tail like- 
wise removed, it becomes at once a de- 
licious filet all ready for the frying pan. 
When a young flatfish begins life it 
starts out with the best intentions in the 
world. It swims in an upright manner, 
in the usual way of most fishes, and with 
an eye on either side of its head. But 
finding its food abundant and easy to 
get, it becomes lazy and listless and in- 
clined to rest between meals by lying on 
its side on the warm sand, until finally, 
like all bad habits, it becomes confirmed 
and a second nature. Its under side 
becomes pale and colorless, while the 
upper side, being exposed to the light, 
becomes of a dark hue, simulating the 
color of the sand, and this mimicry in- 
sures safety from its enemies, except 
the hook of the angler, the heavily-leaded 
seine or the dredge. In the meantime 
the under eye, not satisfied with this 
order of things, begins to work its way 
around the head until finally it takes its 
place beside the other eye, on the same 
side of the head, and the fish may now 
be said to see double. 
T HE next day we stopped for a few 
hours at Oran, in Algeria. Taking 
advantage of the delay, we went 
ashore to stretch our legs by walking 
about the city, which we found rather 
attractive, the old part being Moorish 
with a mosque, and the other or new 
part being French with a cathedral, in 
addition to several fine public buildings. 
We partook of a good luncheon and a cup 
of fragrant French coffee at a cafe, and 
on stepping outside I saw a well-filled 
garbage barrel with some empty snail 
shells that were new to me on the top. 
The shells were translucent and very 
beautifully marked. Putting a few in 
my handkerchief, a couple of boys nearby 
were much amused at my raid on the 
garbage barrel, and began to laugh and 
jeer. I gave each one a sou or two, when 
they at once began to forage in other 
garbage barrels, and brought me a pint 
or more which I gracefully accepted, and 
afterward threw away, except those first 
gathered. The French are very fond of 
this mollusk. 
The city of Algiers is situated on a 
steep and high hillside, which arising 
from the sea extends upward for several 
hundred feet, and is crowned at the 
summit by an old Moorish fortress. The 
lower part of the city is French and 
modern, mostly, and is occupied along 
the water front by docks, forts, govern- 
ment buildings and promenades. The 
tall buildings and steeples of the city 
proper, together with the mosques and 
minarets of the Moorish quarter, all of 
a dazzling whiteness, formed a charming 
and beautiful picture as we entered the 
roadstead. We found the streets of the 
new, or French lower town, wide and spa- 
cious, which with the magnificent boule- 
vard and terrace, were more elegant and 
handsome than those of most European 
cities. 
The streets were thronged with a gay 
and motley crowd; French soldiers in bag- 
gy red Zouave trousers, blue jackets and 
jaunty red caps set rakishly on their 
heads; well-dressed women in Parisian 
toilettes, and Moorish women, veiled and 
attired in silken or cotton flowing gar- 
ments; and swarthy Moors and Arabs in 
turban or red fez and loose gowns, pre- 
sented a lively and picturesque scene. 
The upper, or Moorish town, is very 
steep, with very narrow streets, which 
are really only a succession of stone 
steps with intermediate landings. 
The winter climate of Algiers is usu- 
ally mild and delightful, and is a favor- 
able resort for invalids, especially those 
afflicted with throat or lung troubles. 
During our brief stay, however, the 
weather turned suddenly quite cool with 
an icy blast from the mountains sweep- 
ing through the streets, which caused the 
people to put on wraps and shawls, while 
the shivering Moors and Arabs, with 
bare feet and legs, wrapped their heads 
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