Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 1.djvu/601

Rh 503 desert of the Sahara, and E. by Tunis. The boundaries, however, are in many parts not accurately determined. It extends for about 550 miles along the coast, and stretches inland from 320 to 380 miles; lying between 2 10 W. and 8 50 E. long., and 32 and 37 N. lat. The area is estimated at about 150,500 English square miles. Surface. The country is generally mountainous, being traversed by lofty ranges of the Atlas system, which run nearly parallel to the coast, and rise in some places to the height of upwards of 7000 feet. These are commonly divided into two leading chains, which are distinguished as the Great and Little Atlas. The former, which is the more southern and bordering on the Sahara, contains some of the highest points in the country. The Little Atlas or Maritime Atlas, as it is sometimes called, lies between the sea and the Great Atlas, and is composed of numerous diversified ranges generally of no great elevation. A number of smaller chains lie between these principal ones, and also between the latter and the sea, forming so many ascending steps or degrees. These principal ranges are connected by numerous transverse ones, thus forming extensive table-lands and elevated valleys, with no connec tion between them but the intervening heights. Occasion ally the principal ranges are broken by deep denies and narrow valleys. The maritime, region presents numerous narrow valleys, each carrying down to the sea its mountain stream. In some parts the mountains rise abruptly from the sea, in others a tract of flat land intervenes between the mountains and the coast, and this is usually marshy, but sometimes fertile and well cultivated. There are a number of extensive plains near the coast, one of the most important of which is that of Metidja, commencing on the eastern side of the bay of Algiers, and stretching thence inland to the south and west. It is about GO miles in length by 10 or 12 in breadth. Another great alluvial plain extends south and west&quot; for many miles from the vicinity of Bona. A third similar plain lies to the south east and south-west of Oran, and south of Mostaganem is the plain of Shellif. The coast is generally steep and rocky, abounding in capes and gulfs, but very deficient in good harbours, and even in secure roadsteads, in conse quence of its exposure to the north winds. Rivers. The rivers are numerous, but the majority of them have short courses. They mostly rise in the mountains near the coast, and rush down with great impetuosity through deep and rocky channels, presenting the character of mountain torrents. During the rainy season they are much swollen, so as to render communication with different parts of the country extremely difficult. The most important river, both from the length of its course and the volume of its waters, is the Shellif, which, rising in the northern slopes of the Djebel Amur, flows first north and then west till it empties itself into the Mediterranean near Mostaganem after a course of 370 miles, during which it receives numerous tributary streams. The Seybouse is formed by the union of several small streams in the interior of the province of Constantino, south-east of the town of that name, and after a course of about 120 miles falls into the Mediterranean near Bona. The Summam, which contains the greatest body of water after the Shellif, rises in the interior of the province of Algiers near Aumale, and pursues a generally north-east direction to its mouth near Bougie. The Hum mel, formed of several small streams south of the town of Constantino, passes that town and pursues a north-west direction to the sea. Among the less important rivers whicn empty themselves into the Mediterranean are the Harrach, Isser, Mazefran, Tafna, and Macta. Besides these, there are a number of streams in the interior, but they are less known and are generally dry except in the rainy season. Algeria abounds in extensive lakes and marshes. Of the lakes in the northern part of the country, near the Lakes, coast, the principal are, the Fezara 14 miles south-west of Bona; the two lakes Sebkha and El Melah south of Oran; the three small lakes in the immediate vicinity of Calle, and several others. In the southern parts of the country are the extensive lakes of Chott-el-Harbi or Western Chott. the Chott-el-Chergui or Eastern Chott; the Zarhez-Gherbi and the Zarhez-Chergui; the Grand Sebkha-el-Chott, and a number of others. These are mostly dried up in summer, leaving a thick stratum of salt. Many of the marshes, especially in the neighbourhood of the larger towns, have been drained by the French, and the climate has thus been rendered more salubrious. There are also a number of warm mineral springs, containing principally salts of lime, which are used with success by the Arabs in several kinds of disease. Some of these are in the vicinity of Calle Bougie, Milianah, &c. Algeria is divided by a line running nearly east and Natun west into two distinct zones, called by the natives the Tell Divisii and Sahara. The Tell constitutes the zone bordering upon the Mediterranean, and is the cultivated land the land of corn. It consists of a series of fertile basins, yielding almost exclusively corn of different kinds, especially wheat and barley. Some parts of it are extremely fertile, but at the same time flat and uniform. The chains separating the basins are clothed with timber, and peopled by the Kabyles. The Sahara lies to the south of the Tell, and is the region of pastures and of fruits. Hence, while the inhabitants of the Tell are agriculturists, those of the Sahara are shepherds and gardeners. The Sahara is some times spoken of as a desert, at other times as the country of dates. It may properly be divided into two regions; the northern is mountainous, but at the same time more fertile, better watered, and more populous than the other, which, bordering on the Great Desert, consists chiefly of oases of greater or less extent. The villages of the Sahara are surrounded by belts of fruit trees, of which the palm is the chief, though there are also pomegranate, fig, apricot, peach, and other trees, and vines. On the mountain ranges near the coast are extensive forests of various species of oak, pine, cedar, elm, ash, maple, olive, &c. The cork tree is also very common. The trees, especially the cedars and oaks, are frequently of gigantic size. Great injury is often done to the forests by the people annually burning up the grass of their fields. In this way extensive forests are sometimes consumed. The want of roads and navigable rivers has prevented the French from deriving much benefit as yet from the forests. Besides wheat and barley, the cotton plant, sugar-cane, and tobacco are extensively cultivated. The animal kingdom presents little calling for notice. Anima Lions, formerly very plentiful, are now extremely rare; leopards, panthers, jackals, and hyaenas are still common; and monkeys and apes are numerous. The wild boar is found in the oak forests, and the brown bear in the higher parts of the country. There are also various species of antelope. Of the feathered tribes, eagles, vultures, hawks, and owls are common; snipes, curlews, plovers, storks, and herons frequent the marshy parts; and the ostrich has its habitat in the desert. Among the reptiles are various species of serpents, tortoises, turtles, lizards, &c. Locusts are common, and sometimes do great damage to the crops. One of the severest invasions of these pests ever known occurred in 18G6, when the crops were nearly all destroyed, and the loss sustained by the colonists was estimated at .800,000. The coast is rich in coral and sponges, and the obtaining of these forms a considerable branch of industry. The chief wealth of most of the Arab tribes consists in their sheep, of which they frequently possess immense flocks; camels are also common, but the horses and mules are more esteemed, and are noted for their excellence.