National Geographic Society THE OASIS TOWN OF BOU-SAADA ATTRACTS MANY OULED NAÏLS The girls of this tribe frequently leave their desert homes and go to the more populous cities to earn a dower by their dancing. When they have accumulated a sufficient amount they forsake their art for a home and husband. ALGERIAN GIRLS STILL WEAVE "MAGIC CARPETS" Children are sent to work in rug and carpet factories as apprentices and they produce some fine reproductions of old oriental pieces. This work does not interfere with their education, for the simple reason that girls rarely receive any. Autochromes by Gervais Courtellemont The couscous might be termed the Arab version of an Irish stew and is the pièce de résistance of most well-ordered Arab dinners. It consists of mutton or fowl and various vegetables, cooked separately, highly seasoned, and served together with steamed wheat dumplings. According to Arab tradition the great rift in the rock wall at El Kantara was made by Hercules with a single twist of his foot, to form a gateway between mountains and desert. The place derives its name from the remains of a Roman bridge which are still to be seen near by. THE KORAN REPLACES THE THREE R'S IN THIS SCHOOL In compliance with the injunctions of the Prophet, all Arab boys must learn the Koran. However, the language which they speak has drifted so far away from the pure Arabic of their sacred book that they can not understand passages they memorize, but simply repeat them parrot fashion. THE ROAD TO GLORY IS SOMETIMES A ROCKY ONE The heterogeneous individuals who comprise the French Foreign Legion have penetrated the Algerian Desert with good roads. Assignment to a long term of road-building work is one of the punishments for attempted desertion from the Legion. The motto of the Foreign Legion is, "No questions asked," and many a man buries his past under its uniform. The life of the Légionnaires seems romantic, but instead is the sternest reality. National Geographic Society HIS SCARLET CLOAK DENOTES HIGH OFFICE At the head of each Algerian tribe is a Caïd who dispenses justice according to tribal usage. These men frequently possess marked qualities of leadership and executive ability. Autochromes by Gervais Courtellemont THE FAME OF THEIR DANCING SPREADS AFAR Throughout Algeria the dancing of the Ouled Nails is known. These |