Algiers having a free intercourse with each other, either at their own houses or at the public baths, which are much frequented by them, and in the afternoon they are sacred to their use. Marriages amongst the superior classes are frequently celebrated by the women with much eclat. On these occasions, the female relations and friends of the parties assemble together and enjoy themselves during several days, to the utter discomfiture of the men, who are then either driven out of the house, or to hide themselves in some corner, where they can neither see nor be seen by the joyous band.' pp. 62, 63.

We have before observed, that there are colleges in Algiers. These, as far as we can learn, are a sort of Mohammedan theological seminaries, designed for instructing persons in the doctrines of that faith, and qualifying them to be priests in the mosques, and religious teachers of the people. It is creditable to the citizens of Algiers, that one of these colleges is exclusively set apart for the instruction of the Kabyles, who are natives of the interior, and reside in the city as servants and laborers. But as the whole extent of Algerine literature is confined to the Koran, and such a thing as a printing press is rarely found in all the regions, where the creed of the Prophet predominates, it is not to be supposed, that the business of education has been carried to a very high degree of perfection.

Common schools are, however, numerous in Algiers, where boys of the age of five or six years and upwards, are taught to read and write. From the invariable character of the customs of these countries, I am induced to believe, that their practice is the probable origin of the Lancasterian system of tuition. Each scholar is provided with a board, upon which anything may be fairly written with chalk, and easily effaced; a lesson from the Koran is transcribed in fair and legible characters upon one of these boards, which is then copied upon all the others, the scholars mutually teaching each other, both in the meaning and in the formation of the letters of the text. These lessons are loudly rehearsed to the pedagogue, who sits upon his heels in a corner with a long rod, through the terror of which he maintains order and due attention among his scholars. Thus reading and writing are taught simultaneously, and the beautiful uniformity that characterizes the Arabic handwriting, is probably owing to this method of tuition. The education of the Algeriné youth is completed when, having learnt to read and write the Koran, he is duly instructed by the same preceptor in the forms and modes of prayer. The expenses of this course of education are very

trifling, and I am informed that similar schools are kept by women for the instruction of young girls.' pp. 57, 58.

In the city of Algiers are about five thousand Jews, whose condition is far from being enviable.

They are governed by their own laws in civil cases, administered by a chief of their own nation, who is appointed by the Bashaw; as Algerine subjects they may circulate freely, establish themselves where they please, and exercise any lawful calling throughout the kingdom; and they cannot be reduced to slavery. They pay a capitation tax, and double duties on every species of merchandise imported from abroad; as elsewhere, they practise trade in all its branches, and are here the only brokers and dealers in money and exchanges; there are many gold and silver smiths amongst them, and they are the only artificers employed in the mint.

Independent of the legal disabilities of the Jews, they are in Algiers a most oppressed people; they are not permitted to resist any personal violence of whatever nature, from a Mussulman; they are compelled to wear clothing of a black or dark colour; they cannot ride on horseback, or wear arms of any sort, not even a cane; they are permitted only on Saturdays and Wednesdays to pass out of the gates of the city without permission; and on any unexpected call for hard labour, the Jews are turned out to execute it. In the summer of 1815, this country was visited by incredible swarms of locusts, which destroyed every green thing before them; when several hundred Jews were ordered out to protect the Bashaw's gardens, where they were obliged to watch and toil day and night, as long as these insects continued to infest the country.

'On several occasions of sedition amongst the Janissaries, the Jews have been indiscriminately plundered, and they live in the perpetual fear of a renewal of such scenes; they are pelted in the streets even by children, and in short, the whole course of their existence here is a state of the most abject oppression and contumely. The children of Jacob bear these indignities with wonderful patience; they learn submission from infancy, and practise it throughout their lives, without ever daring to murmur at their hard lot. Notwithstanding these discouraging circumstances in their condition, the Jews, who through their correspondence with foreign countries are the only class of Algerine society possessing any accurate knowledge of external affairs, meddle with all sorts of intrigue, even at the risk of their lives, which are not unfrequently forfeited in consequence. The post of chief of the Jews is procured and held through bribery and

intrigue, and is exercised with a tyranny and oppression corresponding to the tenure by which it is retained. During the times of prosperity of the Regency, several Jewish houses of trade rose here to great opulence, but of late years, through the intolerable oppression under which they live, many wealthy individuals have been ruined, others have found means to emigrate, and the Moors, who have a singular aptness for trade, are daily supplanting them in the different branches of commerce practicable in this country; so that they appear now to be on a rapid decline even as to their numbers. It appears to me that the Jews at this day in Algiers, constitute one of the least fortunate remnants of Israel existing.' pp. 65-67.

The kingdom of Algiers is inhabited by tribes of men, differing in some essential respects from each other. A large part of the population consists of Moors, a mixed race, descended from the ancient Numidians, or Mauritanians, the Arabs, Spaniards, and Turks, who have from time to time found their way into the country. It is obvious, therefore, that the Moors, as a class, exhibit a great variety of moral and physical traits, according as they are more or less nearly allied to any one of the original stocks, from which they are derived. Besides this compound race, there are other tribes inhabiting the interior of the country, who maintain their distinctive characteristics, such as the Arabs, Biscaries, Mozabis, and Kabyles.

The Arabs are wanderers, as in other regions where they are found, both in Africa and Asia. They live in tents, rear flocks, are governed by their own chiefs, or sheichs, and when they are weary of the oppression of the Beys, or governors of the provin ces, they remove farther from their reach, and perhaps go off into the Sahara,* and enjoy an entire independence. The Biscaries are a more quiet people, inhabiting the borders of the desert, yielding submission to the Regency of Algiers, and speaking a broken dialect of the Arabic. The author thinks they were orignally of Arabian descent, but have become mingled with the Africans, and assumed their habits. The Mozabis dwell in a distant region at the south, quite beyond the limits of the dominions of the Algerines, and are independent of their government. They have mercantile relations with Algiers; many of them reside there, with specific privileges of trade, and with an Amin, or public officer, who is recognised as consul

*This word, so common in all accounts of Africa, is pronounced with a strongly aspirated accent on the first syllable, Sah'ara.

from their nation. But, among the different tribes found in the North of Africa, the Kabyles seem to be the most remarkable. They are otherwise called Berebers. They live in the mountainous districts, independent of the Algerine government, forming a population so numerous, that were they not divided into a great number of small tribes, perpetually at war with each other, they would soon constitute a power too formidable for the Regency to control.

The Kabyles speak a language, called the Showiah, having, as far as has been discovered, no resemblance to those spoken by the other tribes, and which, there are many reasons to believe, is of great antiquity. It is supposed to be identified with that of the Tuaricks, who inhabit the interior parts of Libya to the borders of Egypt. Should this position prove correct, and there are strong grounds for sustaining it, the Tuaricks and Kabyles must be considered people of the same origin. That is, the same people and the same language prevail throughout the whole northern range of Africa, from the Atlantic to Egypt, and this people and language show marked peculiarities, which distinguish them from any other now known. Their origin, therefore, becomes a very curious subject of inquiry. The author devotes a few pages to a discussion of the point, which will be read with great interest by those, who are curious in these matters. His opinion is, and he supports it by considerations not easily to be shaken, that the Showiah is a language of greater antiquity, than any other spoken in northern Africa. It is remarkable, as he states, that every trace of the Roman language appears to have been eradicated by the Saracen conquest.' Nor has it been discovered, that the language in question has any analogy to the Punic, or the Arabic, and of course it must have been formed before the introduction of those tongues into Africa. After a brief, but lucid examination of the question, Mr Shaler concludes, that, from the facts adduced, 'there appears to be nothing unreasonable in believing, that the Tuaricks are an original, unconquered people, and the depository of an ancient language, which, being identified with that of the Kabyles, the Showiah, naturally leads to the conclusion, that it is one of the most ancient in the world, which has withstood and survived the conquests of the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Vandals, and the Arabs.' In his Appendix the author has inserted a vocabulary of this language, as far as he has been able to collect it, and he is still pursuing this branch of the inVOL. XXII.-No. 51.

55

quiry. A correspondence between him and Mr Du Ponceau, on this subject, is contained in the volume of Philosophical Transactions recently published in Philadelphia.

We should be tempted too far, were we to follow the author in his ingenious speculations, respecting the future destiny of that portion of Africa now subject to Algerine domination. The natural resources of this country, and the prosperity to which it might attain under a mild and equitable government, are set forth by him with a glowing, and we doubt not a judicious pen. His views of colonization seem to us correct; but to what extent his theory, that it would be expedient and conducive to human happiness and improvement for England to take possession of this region and colonize it, may be approved by the wise and prudent, we venture not to pronounce. His reasonings are not without weight, and we have no disposition to confute them, if we could. And in truth, if we should attempt it and succeed, there would still remain one irresistible argument, which is, that it is impossible for the reins of power to be in worse hands than at present, and therefore any transfer would be a gain, both to the general cause of human advancement, and to the immediate and dearest interests of the people themselves. But, after all, we should be loath to witness the scenes of India acted over in Africa; and we fear the descendants of the Numidians would be little benefited, even by throwing off the yoke of the pirates, if it must be done by such a mode of release.

Mr Shaler's last chapter contains a selection from the Journal, kept in the Consulate of the United States at Algiers. It embraces the chief events in the recent political history of the Regency, particularly in its intercourse with Great Britain, on a threatened abrogation of the treaty, and renewal of hostilities. As the author acted an important part in these events, was himself involved in various intricate and embarrassing circumstances, and personally acquainted with almost every incident he narrates, this selection from his official Journal constitutes at once a most valuable, and highly interesting part of his book. It affords an insight into the details of Algerine diplomacy, which, we venture to say, can be obtained from no other quarter. The account given of the Consul's firmness, in resisting the demands of the Regency to give up the defenceless Kabyles under his protection, when the other consuls submitted to the outrage, will be read with warm approbation by every American. It was a measure, on the Consul's part, as bold as it was just, and not