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270 and the descendants of these original inhabitants, known as Kabyles, remain a free and independent people at the present day, having successfully defied the might of Romans, Vandals, Arabs, and others, since the beginning of time."

"You don't say so, sir," remarked Flaggan, blowing a thin cloud of admiration into the air; "well, an' how did things git along arter the abridginal inhabitants was fust druv back into the mountains?"

"They did not get along quite so quietly as might have been desired," said Lucien.

"The early history of the northern shores of Africa now known as Algeria," he continued, "is involved in the mists of antiquity."

"Arra! now, don't misremimber," said Ted, with a quiet grin, "that I ain't bin edicated quite up to that."

"Well, the beginning of it all," said Lucien, returning the grin with a smile, "is rather foggy."

"Ah! that's plain enough. Heave ahead, an' whativer ye do, steer clear o' jaw-breakers," murmured the seaman.

"The region," said Lucien, "was first known as Numidia and Mauritania; Numidia being so named by the Greeks, who styled its wandering tribes