Cattle Hereabouts Is Of Fine Quality.
Oushda Is A Species Of Oasis Of The Desert Of Angad, And The Aridity Of
The Surrounding Country Makes These Gardens Appear Delicious, Melons,
Olives, And Figs Being Produced In Abundance.
The distance between Tlemsen and Oushda is sixteen leagues, or about
sixteen hours' march for troops; Oushda is also four or five days from
Oran, and six days from Fez.
The Desert commences beyond the Mulweeah,
at more than forty leagues from Tlemsen. Like the Algerian Angad, which
extends to the south of Tlemsen, it is of frightful sterility,
particularly in summer. In this season, one may march for six or eight
hours without finding any water. It is impossible to carry on military
operations in such a country during summer. On this account, Marshal
Bugeaud soon excavated Oushda and returned to the Tlemsen territory.
Aghla is a town, or rather large village, of the district of Fez, where
the late Muley Suleiman occasionally resided. It is situated along the
river Wad Vergha, in a spacious and well-cultivated district. A great
market of cattle, wool, and bees'-wax, is held in the neighbourhood. The
country abounds in lions; but, it is pretended, of such a cowardly race,
that a child can frighten them away. Hence the proverb addressed to a
pusillanimous individual, "You are as brave as the lions of Aghla, whose
tails the calves eat." The Arabs certainly do occasionally run after
lions with sticks, or throw stones at them, as we are accustomed to
throw stones at dogs.
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