80,000 fighting men within the limits above given.

Regarding the character and social condition of the very ancient and peculiar race which hold these rugged fastnesses of Algeria, they delight in a sedentary life, inhabiting in some parts huts of mud and turf, or of rough stones, and in others solidly and well-constructed villages. They are industrious in the highest degree, cultivating with great care the valleys and slopes of their mountain home, and fabricating their own agricultural instruments, arms, gunpowder, haïks, carpets, leather, and other articles of manual industry. This distaste to a wandering life, this disposition for labour and skill in agriculture and manufactures, might be supposed to render these mountain clans more open to the advance of civilisation than the nomad tribes of the plain; but the Kabaïle inherits a profound aversion and contempt for all strangers not of his own race, whether Mahommetan or "Infidel."

The mode of life of this remarkable race is simple and frugal; their chief nourishment consisting of a kind of pancake (called galette), baked upon a plate of clay, milk, butter, honey, and figs soaked in oil, of which latter article they make and consume immense quantities. Their luxuries are meat, and a national dish

called cous-coussou; the mode of making which is this: they place upon the fire an earthen pot, containing grease or oil, tomatoes, onions, capsicums cut in small strips or pounded, aromatic herbs, and some pieces of meat or a fowl; above this well-filled pot is placed a flat dish of clay pierced with small holes, and filled with crumbs of dried paste of wheat flour rubbed into grains by the hand; now, the vapour of the pot below, passing through the holes of the dish above, causes its contents to become fat, unctuous, and grateful to the palate. As soon as cooked, the whole is placed in a large and shallow wooden vase supported by a pedestal of about a foot high, the meat being laid upon the summit of the goodly pyramid of farinaceous food. The signal given, and the "Bismillah" said, all gather round cross-legged upon the ground, and by turns dip their hands into the dish in the centre, each one tearing the meat into smaller fragments with his fingers. The Kabaïle's wardrobe consists of the "khandoura," a kind of woollen shirt with large loose sleeves, and the "burnoose," a white or black-and-white woollen mantle with a large hood. None but the very poorest are without this latter garment: it is worn night and day, summer and winter, and is handed down from generation to generation,

until perfectly reduced by the ravages of time and filth. Like Masinissa of old, the Kabyle generally marches with his head bare; and when the feet are not so they are merely covered with a slight sandal of hide, whilst a kind of buskin of strips of the same is often worn upon the leg.

These wild mountaineers, excepting in religious tenets, have nothing in common with the tribes of the plain in character, customs, or institutions: again, their language is altogether distinct from the Arabic, they speaking only the Showiah or Shilha tongue, the ancient Berber signification of which is said to be "the free or noble speech." Their form of government is purely democratic, whereas that of the Arab is as purely aristocratic. The chiefs or "Amims" of their tribes become so by election, and not by right of blood, and are frequently deposed without form or ceremony: their authority, whilst in power, is but small, the influence of the "Marabbuts," or saints, being far greater, and regulated according to the extent of the renown they may have for working miracles, or for the austerity of their lives. Each tribe forming a little republic, continual feuds arise between them, giving birth to inveterate hostilities; which, however, upon the approach of a common enemy, and that, above all, of a "Christian" host, are stifled for a time, that

all may unite in defence of their country: for the paramount feeling of this fierce race is devout love for their mountain homes, and a no less devout hatred for all that tends to interfere with their independence.

The last words of advice relating to these tribes given by Hussein Dey to the French, after deposing the reins of government over the Regency of Algiers, are worthy of record. "As for the Kabaïles, they have always detested strangers; they moreover detest one another. Avoid a general war with this people, warlike as numerous; you will derive little advantage from it: adopt with regard to them the policy constantly pursued by the Deys of Algiers; encourage their divisions, and profit by their quarrels." Marshal Bugeaud, in speaking of the Kabailes in the French Chambers some time back, says, "Les populations de la Kabylie ne sont ni évahissantes, ni hostiles; elles se defendent vigoureusement quand on va chez elles, mais elles n'attaquent pas." And again, in a brochure published by him only a few years ago, "Les Kabaïles sont nombreux et tresguerriers; ils ont des villages, et leur culture est sédentaire; il ya déjà pour eux trop peu de terre cultivable; il n'y a donc pas place pour les Européens dans les montagnes Kabyles,

ers.

et ils y feraient une bien triste figure." That the exposed tribes have a dread of the power of the present possessors of Algeria, is shown in some measure by the characteristic answer of the "Bit el Crikh ben-Abd-er-Rhaman" to the Emir, Abd-el-Kader, when, in 1845, he applied to them for hospitality for himself and follow"We would wish to yield you that hospitality so pleasing to the great God; but the Christian is powerful. We have this year cultivated certain tracts upon the plains of Boghni and of Hamza: our works of husbandry are there considerable. The Christian will come up to burn our crops; what shall we then say to the poor and the needy, who look to us for their sustenance? Behold, it is our duty to refuse your demand, and we do refuse!" This was a response denoting a happy combination of temporal and spiritual interest.

Algeria being thus divided, as it were, into two distinct zones, inhabited by two races as distinct, viz. the Arab and the Kabyle, and France not having yet subdued the former, or colonized to any extent the zone occupied by them, and yet being at the same time grievously embarrassed with what she has subdued and colonized, public opinion has loudly and frequently exclaimed against entering upon hos