Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 5 1887.djvu/299

Rh two of one spot: when the pasture immediately round their tents is exhausted, they move them a short distance only,

Biskra, a town situated on an oasis of considerable size, was, in 1866-7, the last permanent outpost occupied by the French in that direction. At that time it was at least a six days' journey from the coast; doubtless the railway has since rendered it more easy of access. Its main product is the date-palm: a small river flows through it, and a certain quantity of water is apportioned to each tree; what remains over (or possibly at certain seasons of the year the palm-trees do not need watering) is applied to the cultivation of a variety of barley; its stalks do not seem to attain a height of more than one foot, or eighteen inches at most.

A short day's journey from Biskra is another oasis, called Sidi Okbar, after a celebrated Mahommedan saint of those parts; this is a purely native village; no French troops were kept there at the time of our visit; Europeans could only go thither under the protection of and by the favour of the caïd, or Arab governor of Biskra, whose son was the sub-governor: it was under such conditions, and accompanied by the caïd's young nephew, that we made this expedition.

At the entrance to this village, in the midst of a grove of palm-trees, is a large open space, within which repose the remains of the deceased inhabitants of Sidi Okbar. As we passed by it so happened that a funeral was taking place in this cemetery. The grave had just been filled in, and the hired female mourners, who had accompanied the corpse to its last resting-place, were dancing on the surface of the newly-made grave; they were tearing their long black locks which flowed wildly over their shoulders, and uttering wild shrieks.

We have it on the authority of Dionysus of Halicarnassus that the Romans danced before their dead at funerals.

It is also worthy of remark that the mosque at Sidi Okbar contains some exquisitely carved wooden gates, which are said to be of Roman workmanship.