LIFE IN MOROCCO

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

In uniform style. Demy 8vo, 15s. Each. 

THE MOORS: an Account of People and Customs. With 132 Illustrations. 

 CONTENTS:--"The Madding Crowd"--Within the Gates--Where the Moors Live--How the Moors Dress--Moorish Courtesy and Etiquette--What the Moors Eat and Drink--Everyday Life--Slavery and Servitude--Country Life--Trade--Arts and Manufactures--Matters Medical. 

 Some Moorish Characteristics--The Mohammedan Year (Feasts and Fasts)--Places of Worship--Alms, Hospitality, and Pilgrimage--Education--Saints and Superstitions--Marriage--Funeral Rites. 

 The Morocco Berbers--The Jews of Morocco--The Jewish Year. 

THE LAND OF THE MOORS: A Comprehensive Description. With a New Map and83 Illustrations. 

 CONTENTS:--Physical Features--Natural Resources--Vegetable Products--Animal Life. 

 Descriptions and Histories of Tangier, Tetuan, Laraiche, Salli-Rabat, Dar el Baida, Mazagan, Saffi and Mogador; Azîla, Fedála, Mehedia, Mansûrîya, Azammûr and Waladîya; Fez, Mequinez and Marrákesh; Zarhôn, Wazzán and Shesháwan; El Kasar, Sifrû, Tadla, Damnát, Táza, Dibdû and Oojda; Ceuta, Velez, Alhucemas, Melilla and the Zaffarines; Sûs, the Draa, Tafilált, Fîgîg, and Tûát. 

 Reminiscences of Travel--In the Guise of a Moor--To Marrákesh on a Bicycle--In Search of Miltsin. 

THE MOORISH EMPIRE: A Historical Epitome. With Maps, 118Illustrations, and a unique Chronological, Geographical, andGenealogical Chart. 

 CONTENTS:--Mauretania--The Mohammedan Invasion--Foundation of Empire--Consolidation of Empire--Extension of Empire--Contraction of Empire--Stagnation of Empire--Personification of Empire--The Reigning Shareefs--The Moorish Government--Present Administration. 

 Europeans in the Moorish Service--The Salli Rovers--Record of the Christian Slaves--Christian Influences in Morocco--Foreign Relations--Moorish Diplomatic Usages--Foreign Rights and Privileges--Commercial Intercourse--The Fate of the Empire. 

 Works on Morocco reviewed (213 vols. In 11 languages)--The Place of Morocco in Fiction--Journalism in Morocco--Works Recommended--Classical Authorities on Morocco. 

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AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ARABIC OF MOROCCO: VOCABULARY, GRAMMAR NOTES, ETC. , IN ROMAN CHARACTERS. Specially prepared for Visitors andBeginners on a new and eminently practical system. 

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_IN ARABIC CHARACTERS_

MOROCCO-ARABIC DIALOGUES, OR

DIÁLOGOS EN ARABE MAROQUÍ. 

By C. W. BALDWIN. 

 * * * * *

LONDON: BERNARD QUARITCH, PICCADILLY. 

TANGIER: BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY'S DEPÔT. 

[Illustration: _Photograph by Edward Lee, Esq. , Saffi. _

A MOORISH THOROUGHFARE. ]

 * * * * *

 =LIFE IN MOROCCO=

 AND GLIMPSES BEYOND

 BY

 BUDGETT MEAKIN

 AUTHOR OF

 "THE MOORS, " "THE LAND OF THE MOORS, " "THE MOORISH EMPIRE, " "MODEL FACTORIES AND VILLAGES, " ETC. 

 [Illustration]

 WITH TWENTY-FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS

 LONDON CHATTO & WINDUS 1905

 PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BECCLES. 

=FOREWORD=

Which of us has yet forgotten that first day when we set foot inBarbary? Those first impressions, as the gorgeous East with all itscountless sounds and colours, forms and odours, burst upon us; mingledpleasures and disgusts, all new, undreamed-of, or our wildest dreamsenhanced! Those yelling, struggling crowds of boatmen, porters, donkey-boys; guides, thieves, and busy-bodies; clad in mingled fineryand tatters; European, native, nondescript; a weird, incongruousmedley--such as is always produced when East meets West--how they didastonish and amuse us! How we laughed (some trembling inwardly) andthen, what letters we wrote home!

One-and-twenty years have passed since that experience entranced thepresent writer, and although he has repeated it as far as possible inpractically every other oriental country, each fresh visit to Moroccobrings back somewhat of the glamour of that maiden plunge, andsomewhat of that youthful ardour, as the old associations are renewed. Nothing he has seen elsewhere excels Morocco in point of life andcolour save Bokhára; and only in certain parts of India or in China isit rivalled. Algeria, Tunisia and Tripoli have lost much of that charmunder Turkish or western rule; Egypt still more markedly so, whilePalestine is of a population altogether mixed and heterogeneous. Thebazaars of Damascus, even, and Constantinople, have given way toplate-glass, and nothing remains in the nearer East to rival Morocco. 

Notwithstanding the disturbed condition of much of the country, nothing has occurred to interfere with the pleasure certain to beafforded by a visit to Morocco at any time, and all who can do soare strongly recommended to include it in an early holiday. The bestmonths are from September to May, though the heat on the coastis never too great for an enjoyable trip. The simplest way ofaccomplishing this is by one of Messrs. Forwood's regular steamersfrom London, calling at most of the Morocco ports and returning by theCanaries, the tour occupying about a month, though it may be brokenand resumed at any point. Tangier may be reached direct from Liverpoolby the Papayanni Line, or indirectly _viâ_ Gibraltar, subsequentmovements being decided by weather and local sailings. Britishconsular officials, missionaries, and merchants will be found at thevarious ports, who always welcome considerate strangers. 

Comparatively few, even of the ever-increasing number of visitors whoyear after year bring this only remaining independent Barbary Statewithin the scope of their pilgrimage, are aware of the interest withwhich it teems for the scientist, the explorer, the historian, andstudents of human nature in general. One needs to dive beneath thesurface, to live on the spot in touch with the people, to fathom thereal Morocco, and in this it is doubtful whether any foreigners notconnected by ties of creed or marriage ever completely succeed. Whatcan be done short of this the writer attempted to do, mingling withthe people as one of themselves whenever this was possible. Inspiredby the example of Lane in his description of the "Modern Egyptians, "he essayed to do as much for the Moors, and during eighteen years helaboured to that end. 

The present volume gathers together from many quarters sketches drawnunder those circumstances, supplemented by a _resumé_ of recent eventsand the political outlook, together with three chapters--viii. , xi. , and xiv. --contributed by his wife, whose assistance throughout itspreparation he has once more to acknowledge with pleasure. To manycorrespondents in Morocco he is also indebted for much valuableup-to-date information on current affairs, but as most for variousreasons prefer to remain unmentioned, it would be invidious to nameany. For most of the illustrations, too, he desires to express hishearty thanks to the gentlemen who have permitted him to reproducetheir photographs. 

Much of the material used has already appeared in more fugitive formin the _Times of Morocco_, the _London Quarterly Review_, the _Forum_, the _Westminster Review_, _Harper's Magazine_, the _Humanitarian_, the _Gentleman's Magazine_, the _Independent_ (New York), the_Modern Church_, the _Jewish Chronicle_, _Good Health_, the _MedicalMissionary_, the _Pall Mall Gazette_, the _Westminster Gazette_, the_Outlook_, etc. , while Chapters ix. , xix. , and xxv. To xxix. Have beenextracted from a still unpublished picture of Moorish country life, "Sons of Ishmael. "

 B. M. 

 HAMPSTEAD, _November 1905. _

CONTENTS

 PART I

 CHAPTER PAGE

 I. RETROSPECTIVE 1

 II. THE PRESENT DAY 14

 III. BEHIND THE SCENES 36

 IV. THE BERBER RACE 47

 V. THE WANDERING ARAB 57

 VI. CITY LIFE 63

 VII. THE WOMEN-FOLK 71

 VIII. SOCIAL VISITS 82

 IX. A COUNTRY WEDDING 88

 X. THE BAIRNS 94

 XI. "DINING OUT" 102

 XII. DOMESTIC ECONOMY 107

 XIII. THE NATIVE "MERCHANT" 113

 XIV. SHOPPING 118

 XV. A SUNDAY MARKET 125

 XVI. PLAY-TIME 133

 XVII. THE STORY-TELLER 138

 XVIII. SNAKE-CHARMING 151

 XIX. IN A MOORISH CAFÉ 159

 XX. THE MEDICINE-MAN 166

 XXI. THE HUMAN MART 179

 XXII. A SLAVE-GIRL'S STORY 185

 XXIII. THE PILGRIM CAMP 191

 XXIV. RETURNING HOME 201

 PART II

 XXV. DIPLOMACY IN MOROCCO 205

 XXVI. PRISONERS AND CAPTIVES 233

 XXVII. THE PROTECTION SYSTEM 242

XXVIII. JUSTICE FOR THE JEW 252

 XXIX. CIVIL WAR IN MOROCCO 261

 XXX. THE POLITICAL SITUATION 267

 XXXI. FRANCE IN MOROCCO 292

 PART III

 XXXII. ALGERIA VIEWED FROM MOROCCO 307

XXXIII. TUNISIA VIEWED FROM MOROCCO 318

 XXXIV. TRIPOLI VIEWED FROM MOROCCO 326

 XXXV. FOOT-PRINTS OF THE MOORS IN SPAIN 332

 APPENDIX

 "MOROCCO NEWS" 381

 INDEX 395

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

 TO FACE PAGE

A MOORISH THOROUGHFARE _Frontispiece_

GATE OF THE SEVEN VIRGINS, SALLI 1

CROSSING A MOROCCO RIVER 26

A BERBER VILLAGE IN THE ATLAS 47

AN ARAB TENT IN MOROCCO 57

ROOFS OF TANGIER FROM THE BRITISH CONSULATE 71

A MOORISH CARAVAN 91

FRUIT-SELLERS 107

A TUNISIAN SHOPKEEPER 118

THE SUNDAY MARKET, TANGIER 128

GROUP AROUND PERFORMERS, MARRÁKESH 141

A MOROCCO FANDAK (CARAVANSARAI) 159

RABHAH, NARRATOR OF THE SLAVE-GIRL'S STORY 185

WAITING FOR THE STEAMER 201

A CITY GATEWAY IN MOROCCO 211

CENTRAL MOROCCO HOMESTEAD 242

JEWESSES OF THE ATLAS 256

A MOORISH KAÏD AND ATTENDANTS 275

TUNISIA UNDER THE FRENCH--AN EXECUTION 299

TENT OF AN ALGERIAN SHEÏKH 313

A TUNISIAN JEWESS IN STREET DRESS 325

OUTSIDE TRIPOLI 330

A SHRINE IN CORDOVA MOSQUE 340

THE MARKET-PLACE, TETUAN 375

 NOTE. --_The system of transliterating Arabic adopted by the Author in his previous works has here been followed only so far as it is likely to be adopted by others than specialists, all signs being omitted which are not essential to approximate pronunciation. _

=LIFE IN MOROCCO=

PART I

I

RETROSPECTIVE

 "The firmament turns, and times are changing. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

By the western gate of the Mediterranean, where the narrowed sea hasso often tempted invaders, the decrepit Moorish Empire has becomeitself a bait for those who once feared it. Yet so far Morocco remainsuntouched, save where a fringe of Europeans on the coast purvey theluxuries from other lands that Moorish tastes demand, and in exchangetake produce that would otherwise be hardly worth the raising. Evenhere the foreign influence is purely superficial, failing to affectthe lives of the people; while the towns in which Europeans reside areso few in number that whatever influence they do possess is limitedin area. Moreover, Morocco has never known foreign dominion, not eventhat of the Turks, who have left their impress on the neighbouringAlgeria and Tunisia. None but the Arabs have succeeded in obtaining afoothold among its Berbers, and they, restricted to the plains, havelong become part of the nation. Thus Morocco, of all the North Africankingdoms, has always maintained its independence, and in spite ofchanges all round, continues to live its own picturesque life. 

Picturesque it certainly is, with its flowing costumes and primitivehomes, both of which vary in style from district to district, but allof which seem as though they must have been unchanged for thousandsof years. Without security for life or property, the mountaineers goarmed, they dwell in fortresses or walled-in villages, and are atconstant war with one another. On the plains, except in the vicinityof towns, the country people group their huts around the fortress oftheir governor, within which they can shelter themselves and theirpossessions in time of war. No other permanent erection is to be seenon the plains, unless it be some wayside shrine which has outlivedthe ruin fallen on the settlement to which it once belonged, and isrespected by the conquerors as holy ground. Here and there gauntruins rise, vast crumbling walls of concrete which have once beenfortresses, lending an air of desolation to the scene, but offering noattraction to historian or antiquary. No one even knows their names, and they contain no monuments. If ever more solid remains areencountered, they are invariably set down as the work of the Romans. 

[Illustration: _Cavilla, Photo. , Tangier. _

GATE OF THE SEVEN VIRGINS, SALLI. ]

Yet Morocco has a history, an interesting history indeed, onelinked with ours in many curious ways, as is recorded in scores oflittle-known volumes. It has a literature amazingly voluminous, butthere were days when the relations with other lands were much closer, if less cordial, the days of the crusades and the Barbary pirates, the days of European tribute to the Moors, and the days of Christianslavery in Morocco. Constantly appearing brochures in many tonguesmade Europe of those days acquainted with the horrors of that dreadfulland. All these only served to augment the fear in which its peoplewere held, and to deter the victimized nations from taking actionwhich would speedily have put an end to it all, by demonstrating theinherent weakness of the Moorish Empire. 

But for those whose study is only the Moors as they exist to-day, thestory of Morocco stretches back only a thousand years, as until thenits scattered tribes of Berber mountaineers had acknowledged no head, and knew no common interests; they were not a nation. War was theirpastime; it is so now to a great extent. Every man for himself, everytribe for itself. Idolatry, of which abundant traces still remain, had in places been tinged with the name and some of the forms ofChristianity, but to what extent it is now impossible to discover. Inthe Roman Church there still exist titular bishops of North Africa, one, in particular, derives his title from the district of Morocco ofwhich Fez is now the capital, Mauretania Tingitana. 

It was among these tribes that a pioneer mission of Islám penetratedin the eighth of our centuries. Arabs were then greater strangers inBarbary than we are now, but they were by no means the first strangefaces seen there. Ph[oe]nicians, Romans and Vandals had preceded them, but none had stayed, none had succeeded in amalgamating with theBerbers, among whom those individuals who did remain were absorbed. These hardy clansmen, exhibiting the characteristics of hill-folkthe world round, still inhabited the uplands and retained theirindependence. In this they have indeed succeeded to a great extentuntil the present day, but between that time and this they have givenof their life-blood to build up by their side a less pure nation ofthe plains, whose language as well as its creed is that of Arabia. 

To imagine that Morocco was invaded by a Muslim host who carriedall before them is a great mistake, although a common one. MulaiIdrees--"My Lord Enoch" in English--a direct descendant of Mohammed, was among the first of the Arabian missionaries to arrive, with one ortwo faithful adherents, exiles fleeing from the Khalîfa of Mekka. Sosoon as he had induced one tribe to accept his doctrines, he assistedthem with his advice and prestige in their combats with hereditaryenemies, to whom, however, the novel terms were offered of fraternalunion with the victors, if they would accept the creed of which theyhad become the champions. Thus a new element was introduced into theBerber polity, the element of combination, for the lack of whichthey had always been weak before. Each additional ally meant anaugmentation of the strength of the new party out of all proportion tothe losses from occasional defeats. 

In course of time the Mohammedan coalition became so strong that itwas in a position to dictate terms and to impose governors upon themost obstinate of its neighbours. The effect of this was to divide theallies into two important sections, the older of which founded Fezin the days of the son of Idrees, accounted the second ameer of thatname, who there lies buried in the most important mosque of theEmpire, the very approaches of which are closed to the Jew and theNazarene. The only spot which excels it in sanctity is that at Zarhôn, a day's journey off, in which the first Idrees lies buried. There thewhole town is forbidden to the foreigner, and an attempt made by thewriter to gain admittance in disguise was frustrated by discoveryat the very gate, though later on he visited the shrine in Fez. Thedynasty thus formed, the Shurfà Idreeseeïn, is represented to-day bythe Shareef of Wazzán. 

In southern Morocco, with its capital at Aghmát, on the Atlas slopes, was formed what later grew to be the kingdom of Marrákesh, the city ofthat name being founded in the middle of the eleventh century. Towardsthe close of the thirteenth, the kingdoms of Fez and Marrákesh becameunited under one ruler, whose successor, after numerous dynasticchanges, is the Sultan of Morocco now. [1]

 [1: For a complete outline of Moorish history, see the writer's "Moorish Empire. "]

But from the time that the united Berbers had become a nation, toprevent them falling out among themselves again it was necessary tofind some one else to fight, to occupy the martial instinct nursed infighting one another. So long as there were ancient scores to be wipedout at home, so long as under cover of a missionary zeal they couldcontinue intertribal feuds, things went well for the victors; but assoon as excuses for this grew scarce, it was needful to fare afield. The pretty story--told, by the way, of other warriors as well--of theArab leader charging the Atlantic surf, and weeping that the worldshould end there, and his conquests too, may be but fiction, but itillustrates a fact. Had Europe lain further off, the very causes whichhad conspired to raise a central power in Morocco would have sufficedto split it up again. This, however, was not to be. In full view ofthe most northern strip of Morocco, from Ceuta to Cape Spartel, thenorth-west corner of Africa, stretches the coast of sunny Spain. Between El K'sar es-Sagheer, "The Little Castle, " and Tarifa Point isonly a distance of nine or ten miles, and in that southern atmospherethe glinting houses may be seen across the straits. 

History has it that internal dissensions at the Court of Spain led tothe Moors being actually invited over; but that inducement was hardlyneeded. Here was a country of infidels yet to be conquered; here wasindeed a land of promise. Soon the Berbers swarmed across, and inspite of reverses, carried all before them. Spain was then almost asmuch divided into petty states as their land had been till the Arabstaught them better, and little by little they made their way ina country destined to be theirs for five hundred years. Córdova, Sevílle, Granáda, each in turn became their capital, and rivalled Fezacross the sea. 

The successes they achieved attracted from the East adventurers andmerchants, while by wise administration literature and science wereencouraged, till the Berber Empire of Spain and Morocco took aforemost rank among the nations of the day. Judged from the standpointof their time, they seem to us a prodigy; judged from our standpoint, they were but little in advance of their descendants of the twentiethcentury, who, after all, have by no means retrograded, as they aresupposed to have done, though they certainly came to a standstill, and have suffered all the evils of four centuries of torpor andstagnation. Civilization wrought on them the effects that it too oftenproduces, and with refinement came weakness. The sole remaining stateof those which the invaders, finding independent, conquered one byone, is the little Pyrenean Republic of Andorra, still enjoyingprivileges granted to it for its brave defence against the Moors, which made it the high-water mark of their dominion. As peace oncemore split up the Berbers, the subjected Spaniards became strongby union, till at length the death-knell of Moorish rule in Europesounded at the nuptials of the famous Ferdinand and Isabella, linkingAragon with proud Castile. 

Expelled from Spain, the Moor long cherished plans for the recovery ofwhat had been lost, preparing fleets and armies for the purpose, butin vain. Though nominally still united, his people lacked that zeal ina common cause which had carried them across the straits before, andby degrees the attempts to recover a kingdom dwindled into continuedattacks upon shipping and coast towns. Thus arose that piracy whichwas for several centuries the scourge of Christendom. Further east adistinct race of pirates flourished, including Turks and Greeks andruffians from every shore, but they were not Moors, of whom the Sallirover was the type. Many thousands of Europeans were carried off byMoorish corsairs into slavery, including not a few from England. Thosewho renounced their own religion and nationality, accepting those oftheir captors, became all but free, only being prevented from leavingthe country, and often rose to important positions. Those who had thecourage of their convictions suffered much, being treated likecattle, or worse, but they could be ransomed when their price wasforthcoming--a privilege abandoned by the renegades--so that theprincipal object of every European embassy in those days was theredemption of captives. Now and then escapes would be accomplished, but such strict watch was kept when foreign merchantmen were inport, or when foreign ambassadors came and went, that few attemptssucceeded, though many were made. 

Sympathies are stirred by pictures of the martyrdom of Englishmen andIrishmen, Franciscan missionaries to the Moors; and side by side withthem the foreign mercenaries in the native service, Englishmen amongthem, who would fight in any cause for pay and plunder, even thoughtheir masters held their countrymen in thrall. And thrall it was, asthat of Israel in Egypt, when our sailors were chained to galley seatsbeneath the lash of a Moor, or when they toiled beneath a broilingsun erecting the grim palace walls of concrete which still stand aswitnesses of those fell days. Bought and sold in the market likecattle, Europeans were more despised than Negroes, who at leastacknowledged Mohammed as their prophet, and accepted their lot withoutattempt to escape. 

Dark days were those for the honour of Europe, when the Moors inspiredterror from the Balearics to the Scilly Isles, and when their roversswept the seas with such effect that all the powers of Christendomwere fain to pay them tribute. Large sums of money, too, collectedat church doors and by the sale of indulgences, were conveyed by thehands of intrepid friars, noble men who risked all to relieve thoseslaves who had maintained their faith, having scorned to accept ameasure of freedom as the reward of apostasy. Thousands of Englishand other European slaves were liberated through the assistance offriendly letters from Royal hands, as when the proud Queen Bessaddressed Ahmad II. , surnamed "the Golden, " as "Our Brother after theLaw of Crown and Sceptre, " or when Queen Anne exchanged complimentswith the bloodthirsty Ismáïl, who ventured to ask for the hand of adaughter of Louis XIV. 

In the midst of it all, when that wonderful man, with a householdexceeding Solomon's, and several hundred children, had reignedforty-three of his fifty-five years, the English, in 1684, ceded tohim their possession of Tangier. For twenty-two years the "Castle inthe streights' mouth, " as General Monk had described it, had been thescene of as disastrous an attempt at colonization as we have everknown: misunderstanding of the circumstances and mismanagementthroughout; oppression, peculation and terror within as well aswithout; a constant warfare with incompetent or corrupt officialswithin as with besieging Moors without; till at last the place had tobe abandoned in disgust, and the expensive mole and fortificationswere destroyed lest others might seize what we could not hold. 

Such events could only lower the prestige of Europeans, if, indeed, they possessed any, in the eyes of the Moors, and the slaves upcountry received worse treatment than before. Even the ambassadorsand consuls of friendly powers were treated with indignities beyondbelief. Some were imprisoned on the flimsiest pretexts, all had toappear before the monarch in the most abject manner, and many wereconstrained to bribe the favourite wives of the ameers to secure theirrequests. It is still the custom for the state reception to take placein an open courtyard, the ambassador standing bareheaded before themounted Sultan under his Imperial parasol. As late as 1790 the brutalSultan El Yazeed, who emulated Ismáïl the Bloodthirsty, did nothesitate to declare war on all Christendom except England, agreeing toterms of peace on the basis of tribute. Cooperation between the Powerswas not then thought of, and one by one they struck their bargains asthey are doing again to-day. 

Yet even at the most violent period of Moorish misrule it is aremarkable fact that Europeans were allowed to settle and trade in theEmpire, in all probability as little molested there as they wouldhave been had they remained at home, by varying religious tests andchanging governments. It is almost impossible to conceive, withouta perusal of the literature of the period, the incongruity of theposition. Foreign slaves would be employed in gangs outside thedwellings of free fellow-countrymen with whom they were forbidden tocommunicate, while every returning pirate captain added to the numberof the captives, sometimes bringing friends and relatives of thosewho lived in freedom as the Sultan's "guests, " though he consideredhimself "at war" with their Governments. So little did the Moorsunderstand the position of things abroad, that at one time they madewar upon Gibraltar, while expressing the warmest friendship forEngland, who then possessed it. This was done by Mulai Abd Allah V. , in 1756, because, he said, the Governor had helped his rebel uncle atArzîla, so that the English, his so-called friends, did more harm thanhis enemies--the Portuguese and Spaniards. "My father and I believe, "wrote his son, Sidi Mohammed, to Admiral Pawkers, "that the king yourmaster has no knowledge of the behaviour towards us of the Governor ofGibraltar, ... So Gibraltar shall be excluded from the peace to whichI am willing to consent between England and us, and with the aid ofthe Almighty God, I will know how to avenge myself as I may on theEnglish of Gibraltar. "

Previously Spain and Portugal had held the principal Moroccanseaports, the twin towns of Rabat and Salli alone remaining alwaysMoorish, but these two in their turn set up a sort of independentrepublic, nourished from the Berber tribes in the mountains to thesouth of them. No Europeans live in Salli yet, for here the oldfanaticism slumbers still. So long as a port remained in foreign handsit was completely cut off from the surrounding country, and played nopart in Moorish history, save as a base for periodical incursions. One by one most of them fell again into the hands of their rightfulowners, till they had recovered all their Atlantic sea-board. On theMediterranean, Ceuta, which had belonged to Portugal, came under therule of Spain when those countries were united, and the Spaniards holdit still, as they do less important positions further east. 

The piracy days of the Moors have long passed, but they only ceased atthe last moment they could do so with grace, before the introductionof steamships. There was not, at the best of times, much of the nobleor heroic in their raids, which generally took the nature of lyingin wait with well-armed, many-oared vessels, for unarmed, unwieldymerchantmen which were becalmed, or were outpaced by sail and oartogether. 

Early in the nineteenth century Algiers was forced to abandon piracybefore Lord Exmouth's guns, and soon after the Moors were given tounderstand that it could no longer be permitted to them either, sincethe Moorish "fleets"--if worthy the name--had grown so weak, and thoseof the Nazarenes so strong, that the tables were turned. Yet for manyyears more the nations of Europe continued the tribute wherewith therapacity of the Moors was appeased, and to the United States belongsthe honour of first refusing this disgraceful payment. 

The manner in which the rovers of Salli and other ports were permittedto flourish so long can be explained in no other way than by thesupposition that they were regarded as a sort of necessary nuisance, just a hornet's-nest by the wayside, which it would be hopeless todestroy, as they would merely swarm elsewhere. And then we mustremember that the Moors were not the only pirates of those days, andthat Europeans have to answer for the most terrible deeds of theMediterranean corsairs. News did not travel then as it does now. Though students of Morocco history are amazed at the frequent capturesand the thousands of Christian slaves so imported, abroad it was onlyhere and there that one was heard of at a time. 

To-day the plunder of an Italian sailing vessel aground on theirshore, or the fate of too-confident Spanish smugglers running close inwith arms, is heard of the world round. And in the majority of casesthere is at least a question: What were the victims doing there? Notthat this in any way excuses the so-called "piracy, " but it must notbe forgotten in considering the question. Almost all these tribesin the troublous districts carry European arms, instead of the morepicturesque native flint-lock: and as not a single gun is legallypermitted to pass the customs, there must be a considerable inletsomewhere, for prices are not high. 

II

THE PRESENT DAY

 "What has passed has gone, and what is to come is distant; Thou hast only the hour in which thou art. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Far from being, as Hood described them, "poor rejected Moors whoraised our childish fears, " the people of Morocco consist of fine, open races, capable of anything, but literally rotting in one of thefinest countries of the world. The Moorish remains in Spain, as wellas the pages of history, testify to the manner in which they onceflourished, but to-day their appearance is that of a nation asleep. Yet great strides towards reform have been made during the pastcentury, and each decade sees steps taken more important than thelast. For the present decade is promised complete transformation. 

But how little do we know of this people! The very name "Moor" isa European invention, unknown in Morocco, where no more precisedefinition of the inhabitants can be given than that of"Westerners"--Maghribîn, while the land itself is known as "TheFurther West"--El Moghreb el Aksa. The name we give to the country isbut a corruption of that of the southern capital, Marrákesh ("MoroccoCity") through the Spanish version, Marueccos. 

The genuine Moroccans are the Berbers among whom the Arabs introducedIslám and its civilization, later bringing Negroes from their raidsacross the Atlas to the Sudán and Guinea. The remaining importantsection of the people are Jews of two classes--those settled in thecountry from prehistoric times, and those driven to it when expelledfrom Spain. With the exception of the Arabs and the Blacks, none ofthese pull together, and in that case it is only because the latterare either subservient to the former, or incorporated with them. 

First in importance come the earliest known possessors of the land, the Berbers. These are not confined to Morocco, but still hold therocky fastnesses which stretch from the Atlantic, opposite theCanaries, to the borders of Egypt; from the sands of the Mediterraneanto those of the Sáhara, that vast extent of territory to which we havegiven their name, Barbary. Of these but a small proportion reallyamalgamated with their Muslim victors, and it is only to this mixedrace which occupies the cities of Morocco that the name "Moor" isstrictly applicable. 

On the plains are to be found the Arabs, their tents scattered inevery direction. From the Atlantic to the Atlas, from Tangier toMogador, and then away through the fertile province of Sûs, one ofthe chief features of Morocco is the series of wide alluvial treelessplains, often apparently as flat as a table, but here and there cut upby winding rivers and crossed by low ridges. The fertility of thesedistricts is remarkable; but owing to the misgovernment of thecountry, which renders native property so insecure, only a smallportion is cultivated. The untilled slopes which border the plainsare generally selected by the Arabs for their encampments, circles orovals of low goat-hair tents, each covering a large area in proportionto the number of its inhabitants. 

The third section of the people of Morocco--by no means the leastimportant--has still to be glanced at; these are the ubiquitous, persecuted and persecuting Jews. Everywhere that money changes handsand there is business to be done they are to be found. In the townsand among the thatched huts of the plains, even in the Berber villageson the slopes of the Atlas, they have their colonies. With theexception of a few ports wherein European rule in past centurieshas destroyed the boundaries, they are obliged to live in their ownrestricted quarters, and in most instances are only permitted to crossthe town barefooted and on foot, never to ride a horse. In the Atlasthey live in separate villages adjoining or close to those belongingto the Berbers, and sometimes even larger than they. Always cladin black or dark-coloured cloaks, with hideous black skull-caps orwhite-spotted blue kerchiefs on their heads, they are conspicuouseverywhere. They address the Moors with a villainous, cringing lookwhich makes the sons of Ishmael savage, for they know it is onlyfeigned. In return they are treated like dogs, and cordial hatredexists on both sides. So they live, together yet divided; the Jewdespised but indispensable, bullied but thriving. He only wins atlaw when richer than his opponent; against a Muslim he can bear notestimony; there is scant pretence at justice. He dares not lift hishand to strike a Moor, however ill-treated, but he finds revenge insucking his life's blood by usury. Receiving no mercy, he shows none, and once in his clutches, his prey is fortunate to escape with hislife. 

The happy influence of more enlightened European Jews is, however, making itself felt in the chief towns, through excellent schoolssupported from London and Paris, which are turning out a classof highly respectable citizens. While the Moors fear the tide ofadvancing westernization, the town Jews court it, and in them centresone of the chief prospects of the country's welfare. Into their handshas already been gathered much of the trade of Morocco, and there canbe little doubt that, by the end of the thirty years' grace affordedto other merchants than the French, they will have practicallyabsorbed it all, even the Frenchmen trading through them. They haveat least the intimate knowledge of the people and local conditions towhich so few foreigners ever attain. 

When the Moorish Empire comes to be pacifically penetrated andsystematically explored, it will probably be found that little moreis known of it than of China, notwithstanding its proximity, andits comparatively insignificant size. A map honestly drawn, fromobservations only, would astonish most people by its vastblank spaces. [2] It would be noted that the limit of Europeanexploration--with the exception of the work of two or three hardytravellers in disguise--is less than two hundred miles from the coast, and that this limit is reached at two points only--south of Fez andMarrákesh respectively, --which form the apices of two well-knowntriangular districts, the contiguous bases of which form part of theAtlantic coast line, under four hundred miles in length. Beyond theselimits all is practically unknown, the language, customs and beliefsof the people providing abundant ground for speculation, andpermitting theorists free play. So much is this the case, that a fewyears ago an enthusiastic "savant" was able to imagine that he haddiscovered a hidden race of dwarfs beyond the Atlas, and to obtaincredence for his "find" among the best-informed students of Europe. 

 [2: An approximation to this is given in the writer's "Land of the Moors. "]

But there is also another point of view from which Morocco is unknown, that of native thought and feeling, penetrated by extremely fewEuropeans, even when they mingle freely with the people, and conversewith them in Arabic. The real Moor is little known by foreigners, a very small number of whom mix with the better classes. Some, asofficials, meet officials, but get little below the official exterior. Those who know most seldom speak, their positions or their occupationspreventing the expression of their opinions. Sweeping statementsabout Morocco may therefore be received with reserve, and dogmaticassertions with caution. This Empire is in no worse condition now thanit has been for centuries; indeed, it is much better off than eversince its palmy days, and there is no occasion whatever to fear itscollapse. 

Few facts are more striking in the study of Morocco than the absolutestagnation of its people, except in so far as they have been to a verylimited extent affected by outside influences. Of what European--oreven oriental--land could descriptions of life and manners written inthe sixteenth century apply as fully in the twentieth as do thoseof Morocco by Leo Africanus? Or even to come later, compare thetransitions England has undergone since Höst and Jackson wrote ahundred years ago, with the changes discoverable in Morocco since thattime. The people of Morocco remain the same, and their more primitivecustoms are those of far earlier ages, of the time when theirancestors lived upon the plain of Palestine and North Arabia, and when"in the loins of Abraham" the now unfriendly Jew and Arab were yetone. It is the position of Europeans among them which has changed. 

In the time of Höst and Jackson piracy was dying hard, restrained bytribute from all the Powers of Europe. The foreign merchant was notonly tolerated, but was at times supplied with capital by the Moorishsultans, to whom he was allowed to go deeply in debt for custom'sdues, and half a century later the British Consul at Mogador was notpermitted to embark to escape a bombardment of the town, because ofhis debt to the Sultan. Many of the restrictions complained of to-dayare the outcome of the almost enslaved condition of the merchants ofthose times in consequence of such customs. Indeed, the position ofthe European in Morocco is still a series of anomalies, and so it islikely to continue until it passes under foreign rule. 

The same old spirit of independence reigns in the Berber breast to-dayas when he conquered Spain, and though he has forgotten his past andcares naught for his future, he still considers himself a superiorbeing, and feels that no country can rival his home. In his eyes theembassies from Europe and America come only to pay the tribute whichis the price of peace with his lord, and when he sees a foreignminister in all his black and gold stand in the sun bareheaded toaddress the mounted Sultan beneath his parasol, he feels more proudthan ever of his greatness, and is more decided to be pleasant to thestranger, but to keep him out. 

Instead of increased relations between Moors and foreigners tending tofriendship, the average foreign settler or tourist is far too bigotedand narrow-minded to see any good in the native, much less toacknowledge his superiority on certain points. Wherever the Sultan'sauthority is recognized the European is free to travel and live, though past experience has led officials not to welcome him. At thesame time, he remains entirely under the jurisdiction of his ownauthorities, except in cases of murder or grave crime, when he must beat once handed over to the nearest consul of his country. Not only arehe and his household thus protected, but also his native employees, and, to a certain extent, his commercial and agricultural agents. 

Thus foreigners in Morocco enjoy within the limits of the centralpower the security of their own lands, and the justice of their ownlaws. They do not even find in Morocco that immunity from justicewhich some ignorant writers of fiction have supposed; for unless aforeigner abandons his own nationality and creed, and buries himselfin the interior under a native name, he cannot escape the writs offoreign courts. In any case, the Moorish authorities will arrest himon demand, and hand him over to his consul to be dealt with accordingto law. The colony of refugees which has been pictured by imaginativeraconteurs is therefore non-existent. Instead there are growingcolonies of business men, officials, missionaries, and a few retiredresidents, quite above the average of such colonies in the Levant, forinstance. 

For many years past, though the actual business done has shown afairly steady increase, the commercial outlook in Morocco has gonefrom bad to worse. Yet more of its products are now exported, andthere are more European articles in demand, than were thought oftwenty years ago. This anomalous and almost paradoxical condition isdue to the increase of competition and the increasing weakness of theGovernment. Men who had hope a few years ago, now struggle on becausethey have staked too much to be able to leave for more promisingfields. This has been especially the case since the late Sultan'sdeath. The disturbances which followed that event impoverished manytribes, and left behind a sense of uncertainty and dread. No EuropeanBourse is more readily or lastingly affected by local politicaltroubles than the general trade of a land like Morocco, in which menlive so much from hand to mouth. 

It is a noteworthy feature of Moorish diplomatic history that to theMoors' love of foreign trade we owe almost every step that has led toour present relations with the Empire. Even while their rovers werethe terror of our merchantmen, as has been pointed out, foreigntraders were permitted to reside in their ports, the facilitiesgranted to them forming the basis of all subsequent negotiations. Nowthat concession after concession has been wrung from their unwillingGovernment, and in spite of freedom of residence, travel, and trade inthe most important parts of the Empire, it is disheartening to see theforeign merchant in a worse condition than ever. 

The previous generation, fewer in number, enjoying far lessprivileges, and subjected to restrictions and indignities that wouldnot be suffered to-day, were able to make their fortunes and retire, while their successors find it hard to hold their own. The "hundredtonners" who, in the palmy days of Mogador, were wont to boast thatthey shipped no smaller quantities at once, are a dream of the past. The ostrich feathers and elephants' tusks no longer find their way outby that port, and little gold now passes in or out. Merchant princeswill never be seen here again; commercial travellers from Germany arefound in the interior, and quality, as well as price, has been reducedto its lowest ebb. 

A crowd of petty trading agents has arisen with no capital to speakof, yet claiming and abusing credit, of which a most ruinous systemprevails, and that in a land in which the collection of debts isproverbially difficult, and oftentimes impossible. The native Jews, who were interpreters and brokers years ago, have now learned thebusiness and entered the lists. These new competitors contentthemselves with infinitesimal profits, or none at all in cases wherethe desideratum is cash to lend out at so many hundreds per cent. Perannum. Indeed, it is no uncommon practice for goods bought on longcredit to be sold below cost price for this purpose. Against suchmethods who can compete?

Yet this is a rich, undeveloped land--not exactly an El Dorado, thoughcertainly as full of promise as any so styled has proved to be whenreached--favoured physically and geographically, but politicallystagnant, cursed with an effete administration, fettered by a decrepitcreed. In view of this situation, it is no wonder that from time totime specious schemes appear and disappear with clockwork regularity. Now it is in England, now in France, that a gambling public is foundto hazard the cost of proving the impossibility of opening the countrywith a rush, and the worthlessness of so-called concessions andmonopolies granted by sheïkhs in the south, who, however they maychafe under existing rule which forbids them ports of their own, possess none of the powers required to treat with foreigners. 

As normal trade has waned in Morocco, busy minds have not been slow indevising illicit, or at least unusual, methods of making money, even, one regrets to say, of making false money. Among the drawbackssuffered by the commerce which pines under the shade of the shareefianumbrella, one--and that far from the least--is the unsatisfactorycoinage, which till a few years ago was almost entirely foreign. Tohave to depend in so important a matter on any mint abroad is badenough, but for that mint to be Spanish means much. Centuries agothe Moors coined more, but with the exception of a horrible token ofinfinitesimal value called "floos, " the products of their extinctmints are only to be found in the hands of collectors, in buriedhoards, or among the jewellery displayed at home by Mooresses andJewesses, whose fortunes, so invested, may not be seized for debt. Some of the older issues are thin and square, with well-preservedinscriptions, and of these a fine collection--mostly gold--may be seenat the British Museum; but the majority, closely resembling those ofIndia and Persia, are rudely stamped and unmilled, not even round, but thick, and of fairly good metal. The "floos" referred to (_sing. _"fils") are of three sizes, coarsely struck in zinc rendered hard andyellow by the addition of a little copper. The smallest, now rarelymet with, runs about 19, 500 to £1 when this is worth 32-1/2 Spanishpesetas; the other two, still the only small change of the country, are respectively double and quadruple its value. The next coin ingeneral circulation is worth 2_d. _, so the inconvenience is great. A few years ago, however, Europeans resident in Tangier resolutelyintroduced among themselves the Spanish ten and five céntimo pieces, corresponding to our 1_d. _ and 1/2_d. _, which are now in free localuse, but are not accepted up-country. 

What passes as Moorish money to-day has been coined in France for manyyears, more recently also in Germany; the former is especially neat, but the latter lacks style. The denominations coincide with those ofSpain, whose fluctuations in value they closely follow at a respectfuldistance. This autumn the "Hasáni" coin--that of Mulai el Hasan, thelate Sultan--has fallen to fifty per cent. Discount on Spanish. Withthe usual perversity also, the common standard "peseta, " in whichsmall bargains are struck on the coast, was omitted, the nearest coin, the quarter-dollar, being nominally worth ptas. 1. 25. It was onlyafter a decade, too, that the Government put in circulation thedollars struck in France, which had hitherto been laid up in thetreasury as a reserve. And side by side with the German issue cameabundant counterfeit coins, against which Government warnings werepublished, to the serious disadvantage of the legal issue. Even theSpanish copper has its rival, and a Frenchman was once detected tryingto bring in a nominal four hundred dollars' worth of an imitation, which he promptly threw overboard when the port guards raisedobjections to its quality. 

The increasing need of silver currency inland, owing to its free usein the manufacture of trinkets, necessitates a constant importation, and till recently all sorts of coins, discarded elsewhere, were incirculation. This was the case especially with French, Swiss, Belgian, Italian, Greek, Roumanian, and other pieces of the value of twentycéntimos, known here by the Turkish name "gursh, " which were acceptedfreely in Central Morocco, but not in the north. Twenty years agoSpanish Carolus, Isabella and Philippine shillings and kindred coinswere in use all over the country, and when they were withdrawn fromcirculation in Spain they were freely shipped here, till the countrywas flooded with them. When the merchants and customs at last refusedthem, their astute importers took them back at a discount, puttingthem into circulation later at what they could, only to repeat thetransaction. In Morocco everything a man can be induced to take islegal tender, and for bribes and religious offerings all things pass, this practice being an easier matter than at first sight appears; soin the course of a few years one saw a whole series of coins in vogue, one after the other, the main transactions taking place on the coastwith country Moors, than whom, though none more suspicious, none aremore easily gulled. 

A much more serious obstacle to inland trade is the periodicallydisturbed state of the country, not so much the local struggles anduprisings which serve to free superfluous energy, as the regularadministrative expeditions of the Moorish Court, or of considerablebodies of troops. These used to take place in some direction everyyear, "the time when kings go forth to war" being early summer, justwhen agricultural operations are in full swing, and every man isneeded on his fields. In one district the ranks of the workers aredepleted by a form of conscription or "harka, " and in another theseunfortunates are employed preventing others doing what they shouldbe doing at home. Thus all suffer, and those who are not themselvesengaged in the campaign are forced to contribute cash, if only to findsubstitutes to take their places in the ranks. 

The movement of the Moorish Court means the transportation of anumerous host at tremendous expense, which has eventually to berecouped in the shape of regular contributions, arrears of taxes andfines, collected _en route_, so the pace is abnormally slow. Notonly is there an absolute absence of roads, and, with one or twoexceptions, of bridges, but the Sultan himself, with all his army, cannot take the direct route between his most important inland citieswithout fighting his way. The configuration of the empire explains itsprevious sub-division into the kingdoms of Fez, Marrákesh, Tafiláltand Sûs, and the Reef, for between the plains of each run mountainranges which have never known absolute "foreign" rulers. 

[Illustration: CROSSING A MOROCCO RIVER. _Molinari, Photo. , Tangier. _]

To European engineers the passes through these closed districts wouldoffer no great obstacles in the construction of roads such as threadthe Himalayas, but the Moors do not wish for the roads; for, whilewhat the Government fears to promote thereby is combination, theactual occupants of the mountains, the native Berbers, desire not tosee the Arab tax-gatherers, only tolerating their presence as long asthey cannot help it, and then rising against them. 

Often a tribe will be left for several years to enjoy independence, while the slip-shod army of the Sultan is engaged elsewhere. Whenits turn comes it holds out for terms, since it has no hope ofsuccessfully confronting such an overwhelming force as is sooneror later brought against it. The usual custom is to send smalldetachments of soldiers to the support of the over-graspingfunctionaries, and when they have been worsted, to send down anarmy to "eat up" the province, burning villages, deporting cattle, ill-treating the women, and often carrying home children as slaves. The men of the district probably flee and leave their homes to beransacked. They content themselves with hiding behind crags which seemto the plainsmen inaccessible, whence they can in safety harass thetroops on the march. After more or less protracted skirmishing, thecountry having been devastated by the troops, who care only for thebooty, women will be sent into the camp to make terms, or one of theshareefs or religious nobles who accompany the army is sent out totreat with the rebels. The terms are usually hard--so much arrearsof tribute in cash and kind, so much as a fine for expenses, so manyhostages. Then hostages and prisoners are driven to the capital inchains, and pickled heads are exposed on the gateways, imperialletters being read in the chief mosques throughout the country, telling of a glorious victory, and calling for rejoicings. To anyother people the short spell of freedom would have been too dearlybought for the experiment to be repeated, but as soon as they begin tochafe again beneath the lawless rule of Moorish officials, the Berbersrebel once more. It has been going on thus for hundreds of years, andwill continue till put an end to by France. 

In Morocco each official preys upon the one below him, and on allothers within his reach, till the poor oppressed and helpless villagerlives in terror of them all, not daring to display signs of prosperityfor fear of tempting plunder. Merit is no key to positions of trustand authority, and few have such sufficient salary attached to renderthem attractive to honest men. The holders are expected in most casesto make a living out of the pickings, and are allowed an unquestionedrun of office till they are presumed to have amassed enough to make itworth while treating them as they have treated others, when they arecalled to account and relentlessly "squeezed. " The only means ofstaving off the fatal day is by frequent presents to those above them, wrung from those below. A large proportion of Moorish officials endtheir days in disgrace, if not in dungeons, and some meet their endby being invited to corrosive sublimate tea, a favourite beverage inMorocco--for others. Yet there is always a demand for office, andlarge prices are paid for posts affording opportunities for plunder. 

The Moorish financial system is of a piece with this method. When thebudget is made out, each tribe or district is assessed at the utmostit is believed capable of yielding, and the candidate for itsgovernorship who undertakes to get most out of it probably has thetask allotted to him. His first duty is to repeat on a small scalethe operation of the Government, informing himself minutely as to theresources under his jurisdiction, and assessing the sub-divisionsso as to bring in enough for himself, and to provide againstcontingencies, in addition to the sum for which he is responsible. Thelocal sheïkhs or head-men similarly apportion their demands among theindividuals entrusted to their tender mercy. A fool is said to haveonce presented the Sultan with a bowl of skimmed and watered milk, andon being remonstrated with, to have declared that His Majesty receivedno more from any one, as his wazeers and governors ate half therevenue cream each, and the sheïkhs drank half the revenue milk. Thefool was right. 

The richer a man is, the less proportion he will have to pay, for hecan make it so agreeable--or disagreeable--for those entrusted with alittle brief authority. It is the struggling poor who have to payor go to prison, even if to pay they have to sell their means ofsubsistence. Three courses lie before this final victim--to obtainthe protection of some influential name, native or foreign, to buy a"friend at court, " or to enter Nazarene service. But native friendsare uncertain and hard to find, and, above all, they may be alienatedby a higher bid from a rival or from a rapacious official. Suchaffairs are of common occurrence, and harrowing tales might be told ofhomes broken up in this way, of tortures inflicted, and of livesspent in dungeons because display has been indulged in, or because anindependent position has been assumed under cover of a protection thathas failed. But what can one expect with such a standard of honour?

Foreigners, on the other hand, seldom betray their_protégés_--although, to their shame be it mentioned, some in highplaces have done so, --wherefore their protection is in greater demand;besides which it is more effectual, as coming from outside, while noMoor, however well placed, is absolutely secure in his own position. Thus it is that the down-trodden natives desire and are willing to payfor protection in proportion to their means; and it is this powerof dispensing protection which, though often abused, does more thananything else to raise the prestige of the foreigner, and in turn toprotect him. 

The claims most frequently made against Moors by foreign countries arefor debt, claims which afford the greatest scope for controversyand the widest loophole for abuse. Although, unfortunately, for thegreater part usurious, a fair proportion are for goods delivered, butto evade the laws even loan receipts are made out as for goods to bedelivered, a form in which discrimination is extremely difficult. Thecondition of the country, in which every man is liable to be arrested, thrashed, imprisoned, if not tortured, to extort from him his wealth, is such as furnishes the usurer with crowding clients; and thecondition of things among the Indian cultivators, bad as it is, sincethey can at least turn to a fair-handed Government, is not to becompared to that of the down-trodden Moorish farmer. 

The assumption by the Government of responsibility for the debts ofits subjects, or at all events its undertaking to see that they pay, is part of the patriarchal system in force, by which the family ismade responsible for individuals, the tribe for families, and so on. No other system would bring offenders to justice without police; butit transforms each man into his brother's keeper. This, however, doesnot apply only to debts the collection of which is urged upon theGovernment, for whom it is sufficient to produce the debtor and lethim prove absolute poverty for him to be released, with the claimcancelled. This in theory: but in practice, to appease these claims, however just, innocent men are often thrown into prison, and untoldhorrors are suffered, in spite of all the efforts of foreign ministersto counteract the injustice. 

A mere recital of tales which have come under my own observation wouldbut harrow my readers' feelings to no purpose, and many would appearincredible. With the harpies of the Government at their heels, menborrow wildly for a month or two at cent. Per cent. , and as theMoorish law prohibits interest, a document is sworn to before notariesby which the borrower declares that he has that day taken in hard cashthe full amount to be repaid, the value of certain crops or produce ofwhich he undertakes delivery upon a certain date. Very seldom, indeed, does it happen that by that date the money can be repaid, andgenerally the only terms offered for an extension of time for anotherthree or six months are the addition of another fifty or one hundredper cent. To the debt, always fully secured on property, or by thebonds of property holders. Were not this thing of everyday occurrencein Morocco, and had I not examined scores of such papers, the way inwhich the ignorant Moors fall into such traps would seem incredible. It is usual to blame the Jews for it all, and though the business liesmostly in their hands, it must not be overlooked that many foreignersengage in it, and, though indirectly, some Moors also. 

But besides such claims, there is a large proportion of just businessdebts which need to be enforced. It does not matter how fair a claimmay be, or how legitimate, it is very rarely that trouble is notexperienced in pressing it. The Moorish Courts are so venal, sodegraded, that it is more often the unscrupulous usurer who wins hiscase and applies the screw, than the honest trader. Here lies therub. Another class of claims is for damage done, loss suffered, orcompensation for imaginary wrongs. All these together mount up, and anewly appointed minister or consul-general is aghast at the list whichawaits him. He probably contents himself at first with asking for theappointment of a commission to examine and report on the legality ofall these claims, and for the immediate settlement of those approved. But he asks and is promised in vain, till at last he obtains the moralsupport of war-ships, in view of which the Moorish Government mostlikely pays much more than it would have got off with at first, andthen proceeds to victimize the debtors. 

It is with expressed threats of bombardment that the ships come, butexperience has taught the Moorish Government that it is well not tolet things go that length, and they now invariably settle amicably. Toour western notions it may seem strange that whatever questions haveto be attended to should not be put out of hand without requiringsuch a demonstration; but while there is sleep there is hope for anOriental, and the rulers of Morocco would hardly be Moors if theyresisted the temptation to procrastinate, for who knows what mayhappen while they delay? And then there is always the chance ofdriving a bargain, so dear to the Moorish heart, for the wazeer knowsfull well that although the Nazarene may be prepared to bombard, ashe has done from time to time, he is no more desirous than the Sultanthat such an extreme measure should be necessary. 

So, even when things come to the pinch, and the exasperatedrepresentative of Christendom talks hotly of withdrawing, hauling downhis flag and giving hostile orders, there is time at least to make anoffer, or to promise everything in words. And when all is over, claimspaid, ships gone, compliments and presents passed, nothing reallyserious has happened, just the everyday scene on the market applied tothe nation, while the Moorish Government has once more given proof ofworldly wisdom, and endorsed the proverb that discretion is the betterpart of valour. 

An illustration of the high-handed way in which things are donein Morocco has but recently been afforded by the action of Franceregarding an alleged Algerian subject arrested by the Moorishauthorities for conspiracy. The man, Boo Zîan Miliáni by name, was theson of one of those Algerians who, when their country was conquered bythe French, preferred exile to submission, and migrated to Morocco, where they became naturalized. He was charged with supporting theso-called "pretender" in the Reef province, where he was arrested withtwo others early in August last. His particular offence appears tohave been the reading of the "Rogi's" proclamations to the public, andinciting them to rebel against the Sultan. But when brought aprisoner to Tangier, and thence despatched to Fez, he claimed Frenchcitizenship, and the Minister of France, then at Court, demanded hisrelease. 

This being refused, a peremptory note followed, with a threat to breakoff diplomatic negotiations if the demand were not forthwith compliedwith. The usual _communiqués_ were made to the Press, whereby a choruswas produced setting forth the insult to France, the imminence of war, and the general gravity of the situation. Many alarming head-lineswere provided for the evening papers, and extra copies were doubtlesssold. In Morocco, however, not only the English and Spanish papers, but also the French one, admitted that the action of France was wrong, though the ultimate issue was never in doubt, and the man's releasewas a foregone conclusion. Elsewhere the rights of the matter wouldhave been sifted, and submitted at least to the law-courts, if not toarbitration. 

While the infliction of this indignity was stirring up northernMorocco, the south was greatly exercised by the presence on thecoast of a French vessel, _L'Aigle_, officers from which proceededostentatiously to survey the fortifications of Mogador and its island, and then effected a landing on the latter by night. Naturally thecoastguards fired at them, fortunately without causing damage, buthad any been killed, Europe would have rung with the "outrage. " FromMogador the vessel proceeded after a stay of a month to Agadir, thefirst port of Sûs, closed to Europeans. 

Here its landing-party was met on the beach by some hundreds of armedmen, whose commander resolutely forbade them to land, so they had toretire. Had they not done so, who would answer for the consequences?As it was, the natives, eager to attack the "invaders, " were withdifficulty kept in hand, and one false step would undoubtedly haveled to serious bloodshed. Of course this was a dreadful rebuff for"pacific penetration, " but the matter was kept quiet as a littlepremature, since in Europe the coast is not quite clear enough yet forretributory measures. The effect, however, on the Moors, among whomthe affair grew more grave each time it was recited, was out of allproportion to the real importance of the incident, which otherwisemight have passed unnoticed. 

III

BEHIND THE SCENES

 "He knows of every vice an ounce. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Though most eastern lands may be described as slip-shod, withreference both to the feet of their inhabitants and to the way inwhich things are done, there can be no country in the world more aptlydescribed by that epithet than Morocco. One of the first things whichstrikes the visitor to this country is the universality of the slipperas foot-gear, at least, so far as the Moors are concerned. In themajority of cases the men wear the heels of their slippers folded downunder the feet, only putting them up when necessity compels them torun, which they take care shall not be too often, as they much prefera sort of ambling gait, best compared to that of their mules, or tothat of an English tramp. 

Nothing delights them better as a means of agreeably spending anhour or two, than squatting on their heels in the streets or on somedoor-stoop, gazing at the passers-by, exchanging compliments withtheir acquaintances. Native "swells" consequently promenade with apiece of felt under their arms on which to sit when they wish, inaddition to its doing duty as a carpet for prayer. The most publicplaces, and usually the cool of the afternoon, are preferred for thispastime. 

The ladies of their Jewish neighbours also like to sit at their doorsin groups at the same hour, or in the doorways of main thoroughfareson moonlight evenings, while the gentlemen, who prefer to do theirgossiping afoot, roam up and down. But this is somewhat apart from thepoint of the lazy tendencies of the Moors. With them--since they haveno trains to catch, and disdain punctuality--all hurry is undignified, and one could as easily imagine an elegantly dressed Moorish scribeliterally flying as running, even on the most urgent errand. "Whyrun, " they ask, "when you might just as well walk? Why walk, whenstanding would do? Why stand, when sitting is so much less fatiguing?Why sit, when lying down gives so much more rest? And why, lying down, keep your eyes open?"

In truth, this is a country in which things are left pretty much tolook after themselves. Nothing is done that can be left undone, andeverything is postponed until "to-morrow. " Slipper-slapper go thepeople, and slipper-slapper goes their policy. If you can get througha duty by only half doing it, by all means do so, is the generallyaccepted rule of life. In anything you have done for you by a Moor, you are almost sure to discover that he has "scamped" some part;perhaps the most important. This, of course, means doing a gooddeal yourself, if you like things done well, a maxim holding goodeverywhere, indeed, but especially here. 

The Moorish Government's way of doing things--or rather, of not doingthem if it can find an excuse--is eminently slip-shod. The only pointin which they show themselves astute is in seeing that their Rubiconhas a safe bridge by which they may retreat, if that suits their plansafter crossing it. To deceive the enemy they hide this as bestthey can, for the most part successfully, causing the greatestconsternation in the opposite camp, which, at the moment when itthinks it has driven them into a corner, sees their ranks graduallythinning from behind, dribbling away by an outlet hitherto invisible. Thus, in accepting a Moor's promise, one must always consider theconditions or rider annexed. 

This can be well illustrated by the reluctant permission to transportgrain from one Moorish port to another, granted from time to time, but so hampered by restrictions as to be only available to a few, theMoorish Government itself deriving the greatest advantage from it. Then, too, there is the property clause in the Convention of Madrid, which has been described as the sop by means of which the Powers wereinduced to accept other less favourable stipulations. Instead of beingthe step in advance which it appeared to be, it was, in reality, abackward step, the conditions attached making matters worse thanbefore. 

In this way only do the Moors shine as politicians, unlessprevarication and procrastination be included, Machiavellian arts inwhich they easily excel. Otherwise they are content to jog along inthe same slip-shod manner as their fathers did centuries ago, as soonas prosperity had removed the incentive to exert the energy they oncepossessed. The same carelessness marks their conduct in everything, and the same unsatisfactory results inevitably follow. 

But to get at the root of the matter it is necessary to go a stepfurther. The absolute lack of morals among the people is the realcause of the trouble. Morocco is so deeply sunk in the degradation ofvice, and so given up to lust, that it is impossible to lay bare itsdeplorable condition. In most countries, with a fair proportion ofthe pure and virtuous, some attempt is made to gloss over and concealone's failings; but in this country the only vice which public opinionseriously condemns is drunkenness, and it is only before foreignersthat any sense of shame or desire for secrecy about others isobservable. The Moors have not yet attained to that state ofhypocritical sanctimoniousness in which modern society in civilizedlands delights to parade itself. 

The taste for strong drink, though still indulged comparatively insecret, is steadily increasing, the practice spreading from forceof example among the Moors themselves, as a result of the strenuousefforts of foreigners to inculcate this vice. European consularreports not infrequently note with congratulation the growing importsof wines and liqueurs into Morocco, nominally for the sole use offoreigners, although manifestly far in excess of their requirements. As yet, it is chiefly among the higher and lower classes that thevictims are found, the former indulging in the privacy of their ownhomes, and the latter at the low drinking-dens kept by the scum offoreign settlers in the open ports. Among the country people ofthe plains and lower hills there are hardly any who would touchintoxicating liquor, though among the mountaineers the use of alcoholhas ever been more common. 

Tobacco smoking is very general on the coast, owing to contact withEuropeans, but still comparatively rare in the interior, although thenative preparations of hemp (keef), and also to some extent opium, have a large army of devotees, more or less victims. The latter, however, being an expensive import, is less known in the interior. Snuff-taking is fairly general among men and women, chiefly theelderly. What they take is very strong, being a composition oftobacco, walnut shells, and charcoal ash. The writer once saw a youngEnglishman, who thought he could stand a good pinch of snuff, fairly"knocked over" by a quarter as much as the owner of the nut from whichit came took with the utmost complacency. 

The feeling of the Moorish Government about smoking has long been sostrong that in every treaty with Europe is inserted a clause reservingthe right of prohibiting the importation of all narcotics, or articlesused in their manufacture or consumption. Till a few years ago theright to deal in these was granted yearly as a monopoly; but in 1887the late Sultan, Mulai el Hasan, and his aoláma, or councillors, decided to abolish the business altogether, so, purchasing theexisting stocks at a valuation, they had the whole burned. But firstthe foreign officials and then private foreigners demanded the rightto import whatever they needed "for their own consumption, " and theabuse of this courtesy has enabled several tobacco factories to springup in the country. The position with regard to the liquor traffic isalmost the same. If the Moors were free to legislate as they wished, they would at once prohibit the importation of intoxicants. 

Of late years, however, a great change has come over the Moors of theports, more especially so in Tangier, where the number of taverns and_cafés_ has increased most rapidly. During many years' residence therethe cases of drunkenness met with could be counted on the fingers, andwere then confined to guides or servants of foreigners; on the lastvisit paid to the country more were observed in a month than then inyears. In those days to be seen with a cigarette was almost a crime, and those who indulged in a whiff at home took care to deodorize theirmouths with powdered coffee; now Moors sit with Europeans, smoking anddrinking, unabashed, at tables in the streets, but not those of thebetter sort. Thus Morocco is becoming civilized!

However ashamed a Moor may be of drunkenness, no one thinks of makinga pretence of being chaste or moral. On the contrary, no worse isthought of a man who is wholly given up to the pleasures of the fleshthan of one who is addicted to the most innocent amusements. If aMoor is remonstrated with, he declares he is not half so bad as the"Nazarenes" he has come across, who, in addition to practising most ofhis vices, indulge in drunkenness. It is not surprising, therefore, that the diseases which come as a penalty for these vices arefearfully prevalent in Morocco. Everywhere one comes across theravages of such plagues, and is sickened at the sight of theirvictims. Without going further into details, it will suffice tomention that one out of every five patients (mostly males) who attendat the dispensary of the North Africa Mission at Tangier are direct, or indirect, sufferers from these complaints. 

The Moors believe in "sowing wild oats" when young, till their energyis extinguished, leaving them incapable of accomplishing anything. Then they think the pardon of God worth invoking, if only in the vainhope of having their youth renewed as the eagle's. Yet if this couldhappen, they would be quite ready to commence a fresh series offollies more outrageous than before. This is a sad picture, butnevertheless true, and, far from being exaggerated, does not even hintat much that exists in Morocco to-day. 

The words of the Korán about such matters are never considered, thoughnominally the sole guide for life. The fact that God is "the Pitying, the Pitiful, King of the Day of Judgement, " is considered sufficientwarrant for the devotees of Islám to lightly indulge in breaches oflaws which they hold to be His, confident that if they only performenough "vain repetitions, " fast at the appointed times, and give alms, visiting Mekka, if possible, or if not, making pilgrimages to shrinesof lesser note nearer home, God, in His infinite mercy, will overlookall. 

An anonymous writer has aptly remarked--"Every good Mohammedan hasa perpetual free pass over that line, which not only secures to himpersonally a safe transportation to Paradise, but provides for himupon his arrival there so luxuriously that he can leave all thecumbersome baggage of his earthly harem behind him, and begin hiscelestial house-keeping with an entirely new outfit. "

Here lies the whole secret of Morocco's backward state. Her people, having outstepped even the ample limits of licentiousness laid down inthe Korán, and having long ceased to be even true Mohammedans, bythe time they arrive at manhood have no energy left to promote herwelfare, and sink into an indolent, procrastinating race, capable oflittle in the way of progress till a radical change takes place intheir morals. 

Nothing betrays their moral condition more clearly than theirunrestrained conversation, a reeking vapour arising from a mass ofcorruption. The foul ejaculations of an angry Moor are unreproducible, only serving to show extreme familiarity with vice of every sort. Thetales to which they delight to listen, the monotonous chants rehearsedby hired musicians at public feasts or private entertainments, and thevoluptuous dances they delight to have performed before them as theylie sipping forbidden liquors, are all of one class, recounting andsuggesting evil deeds to hearers or observers. 

The constant use made of the name of God, mostly in stock phrasesuttered without a thought as to their real meaning, is counterbalancedin some measure by cursing of a most elaborate kind, and the frequentmention of the "Father of Lies, " called by them "The Liar" _parexcellence_. The term "elaborate" is the only one wherewith todescribe a curse so carefully worded that, if executed, it wouldleave no hope of Paradise either for the unfortunate addressee or hisancestors for several generations. On the slightest provocation, or without that excuse, the Moor can roll forth the most intricategenealogical objurgations, or rap out an oath. In ordinary cases ofdispleasure he is satisfied with showering expletives on the parentsand grand-parents of the object of his wrath, with derogatoryallusions to the morals of those worthies' "better halves. " "May Godhave mercy on thy relatives, O my Lord, " is a common way of addressinga stranger respectfully, and the contrary expression is used toproduce a reverse effect. 

I am often asked, "What would a Moor think of this?" Probably somegreat invention will be referred to, or some manifest improvement inour eyes over Moorish methods or manufactures. If it was somethinghe could see, unless above the average, he would look at it as a cowlooks at a new gate, without intelligence, realizing only the change, not the cause or effect. By this time the Moors are becoming familiar, at least by exaggerated descriptions, with most of the foreigner'sfreaks, and are beginning to refuse to believe that the Devil assistsus, as they used to, taking it for granted that we should be moreingenious, and they more wise! The few who think are apt to pity therush of our lives, and write us down, from what they have themselvesobserved in Europe as in Morocco, as grossly immoral beside even theiracknowledged failings. The faults of our civilization they quicklydetect, the advantages are mostly beyond their comprehension. 

Some years ago a friend of mine showed two Moors some of the sightsof London. When they saw St. Paul's they told of the glories of theKarûeeïn mosque at Fez; with the towers of Westminster before themthey sang the praises of the Kûtûbîya at Marrákesh. Whatever they sawhad its match in Morocco. But at last, as a huge dray-horse passedalong the highway with its heavy load, one grasped the other's armconvulsively, exclaiming, "M'bark Allah! Aoûd hadhá!"--"Blessed beGod! That's a horse!" Here at least was something that did appeal tothe heart of the Arab. For once he saw a creature he could understand, the like of which was never bred in Barbary, and his wonder knew nobounds. 

An equally good story is told of an Englishman who endeavoured toconvince a Moor at home of the size of these horses. With his stick hedrew on the ground one of their full-sized shoes. "But we have horsesbeyond the mountains with shoes _this_ size, " was the ready reply, asthe native drew another twice as big. Annoyed at not being able toconvince him, the Englishman sent home for a specimen shoe. When heshowed it to the Moor, the only remark he elicited was that a nativesmith could make one twice the size. Exasperated now, and not to beoutdone, the Englishman sent home for a cart-horse skull. "Now you'vebeaten me!" at last acknowledged the Moor. "You Christians can makeanything, but _we can't make bones!_"

Bigoted and fanatical as the Moors may show themselves at times, they are generally willing enough to be friends with those who showthemselves friendly. And notwithstanding the way in which the strongoppress the weak, as a nation they are by no means treacherous orcruel; on the contrary, the average Moor is genial and hospitable, does not forget a kindness, and is a man whom one can respect. Yet itis strange how soon a little power, and the need for satisfying thedemands of his superiors, will corrupt the mildest of them; and theworst are to be found among families which have inherited office. Thebest officials are those chosen from among retired merchants whosepalms no longer itch, and who, by intercourse with Europeans, have hadtheir ideas of life broadened. 

The greatest obstacle to progress in Morocco is the blind prejudiceof ignorance. It is hard for the Moors to realize that their presumedhereditary foes can wish them well, and it is suspicion, rather thanhostility, which induces them to crawl within their shell and ask tobe left alone. Too often subsequent events have shown what good groundthey have had for suspicion. It is a pleasure for me to be able tostate that during all the years that I have lived among them, often inthe closest intercourse, I have never received the least insult, buthave been well repaid in my own coin. What more could be wished?

[Illustration: _Photograph by Dr. Rudduck. _

A BERBER VILLAGE IN THE ATLAS]

IV

THE BERBER RACE

 "Every lion in his own forest roars. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Few who glibly use the word "Barbarian" pause to consider whether thepresent meaning attached to the name is justified or not, or whetherthe people of Barbary are indeed the uncivilized, uncouth, incapablelot their name would seem to imply to-day. In fact, the popularignorance regarding the nearest point of Africa is even greater thanof the actually less known central portions, where the white manpenetrates with every risk. To declare that the inhabitants of thefour Barbary States--Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Tripoli--are not"Blackamoors" at all, but white like ourselves, is to astonish mostfolk at the outset. 

Of course in lands where the enslavement of neighbouring negro raceshas been an institution for a thousand years or more, there is agoodly proportion of mulattoes; and among those whose lives have beenspent for generations in field work there are many whose skins arebronzed and darkened, but they are white by nature, nevertheless, andtown life soon restores the original hue. The student class of Fez, drawn from all sections of the population of Morocco, actually makesa boast of the pale and pasty complexions attained by life amid theshaded cloisters and covered streets of the intellectual capital. Thenagain those who are sunburned and bronzed are more of the Arab stockthan of the Berber. 

These Berbers, the original Barbarians, known to the Romans and Greeksas such before the Arab was heard of outside Arabia, are at once thegreatest and the most interesting nation, or rather race, of the wholeof Africa. Had such a coalition as "the United States of North Africa"been possible, Europe would long ago have learned to fear and respectthe title "Barbarian" too much to put it to its present use. But theweak point of the Berber race has been its lack of homogeneity; ithas ever been split up into independent states and tribes, constantlyindulging in internecine warfare. This is a principle which has itsorigin in the relations of the units whereof they are composed, ofwhom it may be said as of the sons of Ishmael, that every man's handis against his neighbour. The vendetta, a result of the _lex talionis_of "eye for eye and tooth for tooth, " flourishes still. No youth issupposed to have attained full manhood until he has slain his man, andexcuses are seldom lacking. The greatest insult that can be offered toan enemy is to tell him that his father died in bed--even greater thanthe imputation of evil character to his maternal relatives. 

Some years ago I had in my service a lad of about thirteen, oneof several Reefians whom I had about me for the practice of theirlanguage. Two or three years later, on returning to Morocco, I met himone day on the market. 

"I am so glad to see you, " he said; "I want you to help me buy someguns. "

"What for?"

"Well, my father's dead; may God have mercy on him!"

"How did he die?"

"God knows. "

"But what has that to do with the gun?"

"You see, we must kill my three uncles, I and my two brothers, and wewant three guns. "

"What! Did they kill your father?"

"God knows. "

"May He deliver you from such a deed. Come round to the house for somefood. "

"But I've got married since you saw me, and expect an heir, yet theychaff me and call me a boy because I have never yet killed a man. "

I asked an old servant who had been to England, and seemed "almosta Christian, " to try and dissuade him, but only to meet with anappreciative, "Well done! I always thought there was something in thatlad. "

So I tried a second, but with worse results, for he patted the boyon the back with an assurance that he could not dissuade him from sosacred a duty; and at last I had to do what I could myself. I extorteda promise that he would try and arrange to take blood-money, but as heleft the door his eye fell on a broken walking-stick. 

"Oh, do give me that! It's no use to you, and it _would_ make such anice prop for my gun, as I am a very bad shot, and we mean to waitoutside for them in the dark. "

The sequel I have never heard. 

Up in those mountains every one lives in fortified dwellings--big menin citadels, others in wall-girt villages, all from time to timeat war with one another, or with the dwellers in some neighbouringvalley. Fighting is their element; as soon as "the powder speaks"there are plenty to answer, for every one carries his gun, and it iswonderful how soon upon these barren hills an armed crowd can muster. Their life is a hard fight with Nature; all they ask is to be leftalone to fight it out among themselves. Even on the plains among theArabs and the mixed tribes described as Moors, things are not muchbetter, for there, too, vendettas and cattle lifting keep them atloggerheads, and there is nothing the clansmen like so well as a raidon the Governor's kasbah or castle. These kasbahs are great walledstrongholds dotted about the country; in times of peace surrounded bygroups of huts and tents, whose inhabitants take refuge inside whentheir neighbours appear. The high walls and towers are built of mudconcrete, often red like the Alhambra, the surface of which stands theweather ill, but which, when kept in repair, lasts for centuries. 

The Reefian Berbers are among the finest men in Morocco--warlike andfierce, it is true, from long habit and training; but they have manyexcellent qualities, in addition to stalwart frames. "If you don'twant to be robbed, " say they, "don't come our way. We only care to seemen who can fight, with whom we may try our luck. " They will come andwork for Europeans, forming friendships among them, and if it werenot for the suspicion of those who have not done so, who always fearpolitical agents and spies, they would often be willing to takeEuropeans through their land. I have more than once been invited togo as a Moor. But the ideas they get of Europeans in Tangier do notpredispose to friendship, and they will not allow them to enter theirterritories if they can help it. Only those who are in subjection tothe Sultan permit them to do so freely. 

The men are a hardy, sturdy race, wiry and lithe, inured to toil andcold, fonder far of the gun and sword than of the ploughshare, andsteady riders of an equally wiry race of mountain ponies. Theirdwellings are of stone and mud, often of two floors, flat-topped, withrugged, projecting eaves, the roofs being made of poles covered withthe same material as the walls, stamped and smoothed. These houses areseldom whitewashed, and present a ruinous appearance. Their ovens aredomes about three feet or less in height outside; they are heated bya fire inside, then emptied, and the bread put in. Similar ovens areemployed in camp to bake for the Court. 

Instead of that forced seclusion and concealment of the features towhich the followers of Islám elsewhere doom their women, in thesemountain homes they enjoy almost as perfect liberty as their sistersin Europe. I have been greatly struck with their intelligence andgenerally superior appearance to such Arab women as I have by chancebeen able to see. Once, when supping with the son of a powerfulgovernor from above Fez, his mother, wife, and wife's sister satcomposedly to eat with us, which could never have occurred in thedwelling of a Moor. No attempt at covering their faces was made, though male attendants were present at times, but the little daughtershrieked at the sight of a Nazarene. The grandmother, a fine, buxom dame, could read and write--which would be an astonishingaccomplishment for a Moorish woman--and she could converse better thanmany men who would in this country pass for educated. 

The Berber dress has either borrowed from or lent much to the Moor, but a few articles stamp it wherever worn. One of these is a largeblack cloak of goat's-hair, impervious to rain, made of one piece, with no arm-holes. At the point of the cowl hangs a black tassel, and right across the back, about the level of the knees, runs anassagai-shaped patch, often with a centre of red. It has been opinedthat this remarkable feature represents the All-seeing Eye, so oftenused as a charm, but from the scanty information I could gather fromthe people themselves, I believe that they have lost sight of theoriginal idea, though some have told me that variations in thepattern mark clan distinctions. I have ridden--when in the guise of anative--for days together in one of these cloaks, during pelting rainwhich never penetrated it. In more remote districts, seldom visited byEuropeans, the garments are ruder far, entirely of undyed wool, andunsewn, mere blankets with slits cut in the centre for the head. Thisis, however, in every respect, a great difference between the variousdistricts. The turban is little used by these people, skull-capsbeing preferred, while their red cloth gun-cases are commonly twistedturban-wise as head-gear, though often a camel's-hair cord is deemedsufficient protection for the head. 

Every successive ruler of North Africa has had to do with the problemof subduing the Berbers and has failed. In the wars between Rome andCarthage it was among her sturdy Berber soldiers that the southernrival of the great queen city of the world found actual sinews enoughto hold the Roman legions so long at bay, and often to overcome hervaunted cohorts and carry the war across into Europe. Where else didRome find so near a match, and what wars cost her more than did thoseof Africa? Carthage indeed has fallen, and from her once famed Byrsathe writer has been able to count on his fingers the local remains ofher greatness, yet the people who made her what she was remain--theBerbers of Tunisia. The Ph[oe]nician settlers, though bringing withthem wealth and learning and arts, could never have done alone whatthey did without the hardy fighting men supplied by the hills around. 

When Rome herself had fallen, and the fames of Carthage and Utica wereforgotten, there came across North Africa a very different race fromthose who had preceded them, the desert Arabs, introducing the creedof Islám. In the course of a century or two, North Africa becameMohammedan, pagan and Christian institutions being swept away beforethat onward wave. It is not probable that at any time Christianityhad any real hold upon the Berbers themselves, and Islám itself sitslightly on their easy consciences. 

The Arabs had for the moment solved the Berber problem. They were theamalgam which, by coalescing with the scattered factions of theirrace, had bound them up together and had formed for once a nation ofthem. Thus it was that the Muslim armies obtained force to carry allbefore them, and thus was provided the new blood and the activetemper to which alone are due the conquest of Spain, and subsequentachievements there. The popular description of the Mohammedan rulersof Spain as "Saracens"--Easterners--is as erroneous as the suppositionthat they were Arabs. The people who conquered Spain were Berbers, although their leaders often adopted Arabic names with an Arabreligion and Arab culture. The Arabic language, although official, wasby no means general, nor is it otherwise to-day. The men who foughtand the men who ruled were Berbers out and out, though the latter wereoften the sons of Arab fathers or mothers, and the great religiouschiefs were purely Arab on the father's side at least, the majorityclaiming descent from Mohammed himself, and as such forming a classapart of shareefs or nobles. 

Though nominal Mohammedans, and in Morocco acknowledging the religioussupremacy of the reigning shareefian family, the Moorish Berbers stillretain a semi-independence. The mountains of the Atlas chain havealways been their home and refuge, where the plainsmen find itdifficult and dangerous to follow them. The history of the conquestof Algeria and Tunisia by the French has shown that they are no meanopponents even to modern weapons and modern warfare. The Kabyles, [3]as they are erroneously styled in those countries, have still to bekept in check by the fear of arms, and their prowess no one disputes. These are the people the French propose to subdue by "pacificpenetration. " The awe with which these mountaineers have inspired theplainsmen and townsfolk is remarkable; as good an illustration of itas I know was the effect produced on a Moor by my explanation that aHighland friend to whom I had introduced him was not an Englishman, but what I might call a "British Berber. " The man was absolutelyawe-struck. 

 [3: _I. E. _ "Provincials, " so misnamed from Kabîlah (_pl. _ Kabáïl), a province. ]

Separated from the Arab as well as from the European by a totallydistinct, unwritten language, with numerous dialects, these peoplestill exist as a mine of raw material, full of possibilities. Inhabits and style of life they may be considered uncivilized even incontrast to the mingled dwellers on the lowlands; but they are farfrom being savages. Their stalwart frames and sturdy independence fitthem for anything, although the latter quality keeps them aloof, andhas so far prevented intercourse with the outside world. 

Many have their own pet theories as to the origin of the Berbers andtheir language, not a few believing them to have once been altogetherChristians, while others, following native authors, attribute to themCanaanitish ancestors, and ethnologists dispute as to the branch ofNoah's family in which to class them. It is more than probable thatthey are one with the ancient Egyptians, who, at least, were nobarbarians, if Berbers. But all are agreed that some of the fineststocks of southern and western Europe are of kindred origin, if notidentical with them, and even if this be uncertain, enough has beensaid to show that they have played no unimportant part in Europeanhistory, though it has ever been their lot to play behind thescenes--scene-shifters rather than actors. 

[Illustration: _Photograph by Dr. Rudduck. _

AN ARAB TENT IN MOROCCO. ]

V

THE WANDERING ARAB

 "I am loving, not lustful. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Some strange fascination attaches itself to the simple nomad life ofthe Arab, in whatever country he be found, and here, in the far westof his peregrinations, he is encountered living almost in the samestyle as on the other side of Suez; his only roof a cloth, his countrythe wide world. Sometimes the tents are arranged as many as thirtyor more in a circle, and at other times they are grouped hap-hazard, intermingled with round huts of thatch, and oblong ones of sun-driedbricks, thatched also; but in the latter cases the occupants areunlikely to be pure Arabs, for that race seldom so nearly approachesto settling anywhere. When the tents are arranged in a circle, theanimals are generally picketed in the centre, but more often some areto be found sharing the homes of their owners. 

The tent itself is of an oval shape, with a wooden ridge on two polesacross the middle third of the centre, from front to back, with acouple of strong bands of the same material as the tent fixed oneither side, whence cords lead to pegs in the ground, passing over twolow stakes leaning outwards. A rude camel's hair canvas is stretchedover this frame, being kept up at the edges by more leaning stakes, and fastened by cords to pegs all round. The door space is left onthe side which faces the centre of the encampment, and the walls or"curtains" are formed of high thistles lashed together in sheaves. Surrounding the tent is a yard, a simple bog in winter, the boundaryof which is a ring formed by bundles of prickly branches, whichcompose a really formidable barrier, being too much for a jump, andtoo tenacious to one another and to visitors for penetration. Thebreak left for an entrance is stopped at night by another bundle whichmakes the circle complete. 

The interior of the tent is often more or less divided by the polesupporting the roof, and by a pile of household goods, such as theyare. Sometimes a rude loom is fastened to the poles, and at it a womansits working on the floor. The framework--made of canes--is kept inplace by rigging to pegs in the ground. The woman's hand is her onlyshuttle, and she threads the wool through with her fingers, a span ata time, afterwards knocking it down tightly into place with a heavywrought-iron comb about two inches wide, with a dozen prongs. Sheseems but half-dressed, and makes no effort to conceal either face orbreast, as a filthy child lies feeding in her lap. Her seat is a pieceof matting, but the principal covering for the floor of trodden mud isa layer of palmetto leaves. Round the "walls" are several hens withchicks nestling under their wings, and on one side a donkey istethered, while a calf sports at large. 

The furniture of this humble dwelling consists of two or three large, upright, mud-plastered, split-cane baskets, containing corn, partiallysunk in the ground, and a few dirty bags. On one side is the mill, acouple of stones about eighteen inches across, the upper one convex, with a handle at one side. Three stones above a small hole in theground serve as a cooking-range, while the fuel is abundant in theform of sun-dried thistles and other weeds, or palmetto leaves andsticks. Fire is obtained by borrowing from one another, but should ithappen that no one in the encampment had any, the laborious operationof lighting dry straw from the flash in the pan of a flint-lock wouldhave to be performed. To light the rude lamp--merely a bit of cottonprotruding from anything with olive-oil in it--it is necessary to blowsome smoking straw or weed till it bursts into a flame. 

Little else except the omnipresent dirt is to be found in the averageArab tent. A tin or two for cooking operations, a large earthenwater-jar, and a pan or two to match, in which the butter-milk iskept, a sieve for the flour, and a few rough baskets, usually completethe list, and all are remarkable only for the prevailing grime. Makinga virtue of necessity, the Arab prefers sour milk to fresh, for withthis almost total lack of cleanliness, no milk would long keep sweet. Their food is of the simplest, chiefly the flour of wheat, barley, orIndian millet prepared in various ways, for the most part made up intoflat, heavy cakes of bread, or as kesk'soo. Milk, from which butter ismade direct by tossing it in a goat-skin turned inside out, eggs andfowls form the chief animal food, butcher's meat being but seldomindulged in. Vegetables do not enter into their diet, as they have nogardens, and beyond possessing flocks and herds, those Arabs met within Barbary are wretchedly poor and miserably squalid. The patriarchaldisplay of Arabia is here unknown. 

Of children and dogs there is no lack. Both abound, and wallow in themud together. Often the latter seem to have the better time of it. Twofamilies by one father will sometimes share one tent between them, butgenerally each "household" is distinct, though all sleep togetherin the one apartment of their abode. As one approaches a dûár, orencampment, an early warning is given by the hungry dogs, and soon thehalf-clad children rush out to see who comes, followed leisurely bytheir elders. Hospitality has ever been an Arab trait, and these poorcreatures, in their humble way, sustain the best traditions of theirrace. A native visitor of their own class is entertained and fed bythe first he comes across, while the foreign traveller or native ofmeans with his own tent is accommodated on the rubbish in the midstof the encampment, and can purchase all he wishes--all that theyhave--for a trifle, though sometimes they turn disagreeable and "pileit on. " A present of milk and eggs, perhaps fowls, may be brought, forwhich, however, a _quid pro quo_ is expected. 

Luxuries they have not. Whatever they need to do in the way ofshopping, is done at the nearest market once a week, and nothing butthe produce already mentioned is to be obtained from them. In theevenings they stuff themselves to repletion, if they can afford it, with a wholesome dish of prepared barley or wheat meal, sometimescrowned with beans; then, after a gossip round the crackling fire, or, on state occasions, three cups of syrupy green tea apiece, they rollthemselves in their long blankets and sleep on the ground. 

The first blush of dawn sees them stirring, and soon all is life andexcitement. The men go off to their various labours, as do many of thestronger women, while the remainder attend to their scanty householdduties, later on basking in the sun. But the moment the strangerarrives the scene changes, and the incessant din of dogs, hags andbabies commences, to which the visitor is doomed till late atnight, with the addition then of neighs and brays and occasionalcock-crowing. 

It never seemed to me that these poor folk enjoyed life, but ratherthat they took things sadly. How could it be otherwise? No securityof life and property tempts them to make a show of wealth; on thecontrary, they bury what little they may save, if any, and lead livesof misery for fear of tempting the authorities. Their work is hard;their comforts are few. The wild wind howls through their humbledwellings, and the rain splashes in at the door. In sickness, for lackof medical skill, they lie and perish. In health their only pleasuresare animal. Their women, once they are past the prime of life, whichmeans soon after thirty with this desert race, go unveiled, and workoften harder than the men, carrying burdens, binding sheaves, or evenperhaps helping a donkey to haul a plough. Female features are neverso jealously guarded here as in the towns. 

Yet they are a jolly, good-tempered, simple folk. Often have I spent amerry evening round the fire with them, squatted on a bit of matting, telling of the wonders of "That Country, " the name which alternates intheir vocabulary with "Nazarene Land, " as descriptive of all the worldbut Morocco and such portions of North Africa or Arabia as they mayhave heard of. Many an honest laugh have we enjoyed over their wordytales, or perchance some witty sally; but in my heart I have pitiedthese down-trodden people in their ignorance and want. Home they donot know. When the pasture in Shechem is short, they remove to Dothan;next month they may be somewhere else. But they are always ready toshare their scanty portion with the wayfarer, wherever they are. 

When the time comes for changing quarters these wanderers find themove but little trouble. Their few belongings are soon collected andpacked, and the tent itself made ready for transportation. Theiranimals are got together, and ere long the cavalcade is on the road. Often one poor beast will carry a fair proportion of the family--themother and a child or two, for instance--in addition to a load ofhousehold goods, and bundles of fowls slung by their feet. At the sidemen and boys drive the flocks and herds, while as often as not theelder women-folk take a full share in the porterage of their property. To meet such a caravan is to feel one's self transported to Bibletimes, and to fancy Jacob going home from Padan Aram. 

VI

CITY LIFE

 "Seek the neighbour before the house, And the companion before the road. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Few countries afford a better insight into typical Mohammedan life, orboast a more primitive civilization, than Morocco, preserved as ithas been so long from western contamination. The patriarchal system, rendered more or less familiar to us by our Bibles, still exists inthe homes of its people, especially those of the country-side; butMoorish city life is no less interesting or instructive. If anEnglishman's house is his castle, the Mohammedan's house is aprison--not for himself, but for his women. Here is the radicaldifference between their life and ours. No one who has not mixedintimately with the people as one of themselves, lodging in theirhouses and holding constant intercourse with them, can form anadequate idea of the lack of home feeling, even in the happiestfamilies. 

The moment you enter a town, however, the main facts are broughtvividly before you on every hand. You pass along a narrowthoroughfare--maybe six, maybe sixteen feet in width--bounded byalmost blank walls, in some towns whitewashed, in others bare mud, inwhich are no windows, lest their inmates might see or be seen. Evenabove the roofs of the majority of two-storied houses (for very manyin the East consist but of ground floor), the wall is continued toform a parapet round the terrace. If you meet a woman in the street, she is enveloped from head to ankle in close disguise, with only apeep-hole for one or both eyes, unless too ugly and withered for suchprecautions to be needful. 

You arrive at the door of your friend's abode, a huge massive barrierpainted brown or green--if not left entirely uncoloured--and studdedall over with nails. A very prison entrance it appears, for the onlyother breaks in the wall above are slits for ventilation, all placedso high in the room as to be out of reach. In the warmer parts ofthe country you would see latticed boxes protruding from thewalls--meshrabîyahs or drinking-places--shelves on which porousearthen jars may be placed to catch the slightest breeze, that theGod-sent beverage to which Mohammedans are wisely restricted may be atall times cool. You are terrified, if a stranger, by the resonance ofthis great door, as you let the huge iron ring which serves as knockerfall on the miniature anvil beneath it. Presently your scatteredthoughts are recalled by a chirping voice from within--

"Who's that?"

You recognize the tones as those of a tiny negress slave, mayhap adozen years of age, and as you give your name you hear a patter ofbare feet on the tiles within, but if you are a male, you are leftstanding out in the street. In a few moments the latch of the innerdoor is sedately lifted, and with measured tread you hear the slippersof your friend advancing. 

"Is that So-and-so?" he asks, pausing on the other side of the door. 

"It is, my Lord. "

"Welcome, then. "

The heavy bolt is drawn, and the door swings on its hinges during avolley and counter-volley of inquiries, congratulations, and thanks toGod, accompanied by the most graceful bows, the mutual touching andkissing of finger-tips, and the placing of hands on hearts. As theseexercises slacken, your host advances to the inner door, and possiblydisappears through it, closing it carefully behind him. You hear hisstentorian voice commanding, "_Amel trek!_"--"Make way!"--and this isfollowed by a scuffle of feet which tells you he is being obeyed. Nota female form will be in sight by the time your host returns to leadyou in by the hand with a thousand welcomes, entreating you to makeyourself at home. 

The passage is constructed with a double turn, so that you could notlook, if you would, from the roadway into the courtyard which you nowenter. If one of the better-class houses, the floor will be paved withmarble or glazed mosaics, and in the centre will stand a bubblingfountain. Round the sides is a colonnade supporting the first-floorlanding, reached by a narrow stairway in the corner. Above is thedeep-blue sky, obscured, perhaps, by the grateful shade of fig ororange boughs, or a vine on a trellis, under which the people live. The walls, if not tiled, are whitewashed, and often beautifullydecorated in plaster mauresques. In the centre of three of the foursides are huge horseshoe-arched doorways, two of which will probablybe closed by cotton curtains. These suffice to ensure the strictestprivacy within, as no one would dream of approaching within a coupleof yards of a room with the curtain down, till leave had been askedand obtained. 

You are led into the remaining room, the guest-chamber, and thecurtain over the entrance is lowered. You may not now venture to risefrom your seat on the mattress facing the door till the women whom youhear emerging from their retreats have been admonished to withdrawagain. The long, narrow apartment, some eight feet by twenty, inwhich you find yourself has a double bed at each end, for it issleeping-room and sitting-room combined, as in Barbary no distinctionis known between the two. However long you may remain, you see nofemale face but that of the cheery slave-girl, who kisses your hand sodemurely as she enters with refreshments. 

Thus the husband receives his friends--perforce all males unless he be"on the spree, "--in apartments from which all women-folk are banished. Likewise the ladies of the establishment hold their festive gatheringsapart. Most Moors, however, are too strict to allow much visitingamong their women, especially if they be wealthy and have a goodcomplexion, when they are very closely confined, except when allowedto visit the bath at certain hours set apart for the fair sex, or onFridays to lay myrtle branches on the tombs of saints and departedrelatives. Most of the ladies' calls are roof-to-roof visitations, andvery nimble they are in getting over the low partition walls, evendragging a ladder up and down with them if there are high ones tobe crossed. The reason is that the roofs, or rather terraces, areespecially reserved for women-folk, and men are not even allowed to goup except to do repairs, when the neighbouring houses are duly warned;it is illegal to have a window overlooking another's roof. David'stemptation doubtless arose from his exercise of a Royal exemption fromthis all-prevailing custom. 

But for their exceedingly substantial build, the Moorish women in thestreets might pass for ghosts, for with the exception of their redMorocco slippers, their costume is white--wool-white. A long and heavyblanket of coarse homespun effectually conceals all features butthe eyes, which are touched up with antimony on the lids, and aresufficiently expressive. Sometimes a wide-brimmed straw hat isjauntily clapped on; but here ends the plate of Moorish out-doorfashions. In-doors all is colour, light and glitter. 

In matters of colour and flowing robes the men are not far behind, andthey make up abroad for what they lack at home. No garment is moreartistic, and no drapery more graceful, than that in which the wealthyMoor takes his daily airing, either on foot or on mule back. Beneatha gauze-like woollen toga--relic of ancient art--glimpses of luscioushue are caught--crimson and purple; deep greens and "afternoon suncolour" (the native name for a rich orange); salmons, and pale, clearblues. A dark-blue cloak, when it is cold, negligently but gracefullythrown across the shoulders, or a blue-green prayer-carpet foldedbeneath the arm, helps to set off the whole. 

_Chez lui_ our friend of the flowing garments is a king, with slavesto wait upon him, wives to obey him, and servants to fear his wrath. But his everyday reception-room is the lobby of his stables, where hesits behind the door in rather shabby garments attending to businessmatters, unless he is a merchant or shopkeeper, when his store servesas office instead. 

If all that the Teuton considers essential to home-life is really a_sine quâ non_, then Orientals have no home-life. That is our wayof looking upon it, judging in the most natural way, by our ownstandards. The Eastern, from his point of view, forms an equally pooridea of the customs which familiarity has rendered most dear to us. It is as difficult for us to set aside prejudice and to consider hissystems impartially, as for him to do so with regard to our peculiarstyle. There are but two criteria by which the various forms ofcivilization so far developed by man may be fairly judged. The firstis the suitability of any given form to the surroundings and exteriorconditions of life of the nation adopting it, and the second is themoral or social effect on the community at large. 

Under the first head the unbiassed student of mankind will approve inthe main of most systems adopted by peoples who have attained thatartificiality which we call civilization. An exchange among Westernersof their time-honoured habits for those of the East would not be lessbeneficial or more incongruous than a corresponding exchange on thepart of orientals. Those who are ignorant of life towards the sunrisecommonly suppose that they can confer no greater benefit upon thenatives of these climes than chairs, top-hats, and so on. Hardly couldthey be more mistaken. The Easterner despises the man who cannot eathis dinner without a fork or other implement, and who cannot tuck hislegs beneath him, infinitely more than ill-informed Westerners despisepetticoated men and shrouded women. Under the second head, however, a very different issue is reached, and one which involves not onlysocial, but religious life, and consequently the creed on which thislast is based. It is in this that Moorish civilization fails. 

 * * * * *

But list! what is that weird, low sound which strikes upon our ear andinterrupts our musings? It is the call to prayer. For the fifth timeto-day that cry is sounding--a warning to the faithful that the hourfor evening devotions has come. See! yonder Moor has heard it too, andis already spreading his felt on the ground for the performance of hisnightly orisons. Standing Mekka-wards, and bowing to the ground, hegoes through the set forms used throughout the Mohammedan world. Themajority satisfy their consciences by working off the whole five setsat once. But that cry! I hear it still; as one voice fails anothercarries on the strain in ever varying cadence, each repeating it tothe four quarters of the heavens. 

It was yet early in the morning when the first call of the day burston the stilly air; the sun had not then risen o'er the hill tops, norhad his first, soft rays dispelled the shadows of the night. Only therustling of the wind was heard as it died among the tree tops--thatwind which was a gale last night. The hurried tread of the night guardgoing on his last--perhaps his only--round before returning home, hadawakened me from dreaming slumbers, and I was about to doze away intothat sweetest of sleeps, the morning nap, when the distant cry brokeforth. Pitched in a high, clear key, the Muslim confession of faithwas heard; "Lá iláha il' Al-lah; wa Mohammed er-rasool Al-l-a-h!"Could ever bell send thrill like that? I wot not. 

[Illustration: _Cavilla, Photo. , Tangier. _

ROOFS OF TANGIER FROM THE BRITISH CONSULATE, SHOWING FLAGSTAFFS OFFOREIGN LEGATIONS. ]

VII

THE WOMEN-FOLK

 "Teach not thy daughter letters; let her not live on the roof. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Of no country in the world can it more truly be said than of theMoorish Empire that the social condition of the people may be measuredby that of its women. Holding its women in absolute subjection, theMoorish nation is itself held in subjection, morally, politically, socially. The proverb heading this chapter, implying that women shouldnot enjoy the least education or liberty, expresses the universaltreatment of the weaker sex among Mohammedans. It is the subservientposition of women which strikes the visitor from Europe more than allthe oriental strangeness of the local customs or the local art andcolour. Advocates of the restriction of the rights of women in our ownland, and of the retention of disabilities unknown to men, who fail torecognize the justice and invariability of the principle of absoluteequality in rights and liberty between the sexes, should investigatethe state of things existing in Morocco, where the natural results ofa fallacious principle have had free course. 

No welcome awaits the infant daughter, and few care to bear the evilnews to the father, who will sometimes be left uninformed as to thesex of his child till the time comes to name her. It is rarely thatgirls are taught to read, or even to understand the rudiments of theirreligious system. Here and there a father who ranks in Morocco asscholarly, takes the trouble to teach his children at home, includinghis daughters in the class, but this is very seldom the case. Onlythose women succeed in obtaining even an average education in whoma thirst for knowledge is combined with opportunities in every wayexceptional. In the country considerably more liberty is permittedthan in the towns, and the condition of the Berber women has alreadybeen noted. 

Nevertheless, in certain circumstances, women attain a power quiteabnormal under such conditions, usually the result of naturalastuteness, combined--at the outset, at least--with a reasonable shareof good looks, for when a woman is fairly astute she is a match for aman anywhere. A Mohammedan woman's place in life depends entirely onher personal attractions. If she lacks good looks, or is thin--whichin Barbary, as in other Muslim countries, amounts to much thesame thing--her future is practically hopeless. The chances beingless--almost _nil_--of getting her easily off their hands by marriage, the parents feel they must make the best they can of her by settingher to work about the house, and she becomes a general drudge. If thehome is a wealthy one, she may be relieved from this lot, and steadilyply her needle at minutely fine silk embroidery, or deck and paintherself in style, but, despised by her more fortunate sisters, she iseven then hardly better off. 

If, on the other hand, a daughter is the beauty of the family, everyone pays court to her in some degree, for there is no telling to whatshe may arrive. Perhaps, in Morocco, she is even thought good enoughfor the Sultan--plump, clear-skinned, bright-eyed. Could she but get aplace in the Royal hareem, it would be in the hands of God to make herthe mother of the coming sultan. But good looks alone will not sufficeto take her there. Influence--a word translatable in the Orient by ashorter one, cash--must be brought to bear. The interest of a wazeeror two must be secured, and finally an interview must take place withone of the "wise women" who are in charge of the Imperial ladies. She, too, must be convinced by the eloquence of dollars, that His Majestycould not find another so graceful a creature in all his dominions. 

When permission is given to send her to Court, what joy there is, what bedecking, what congratulation! At last she is taken away witha palpitating heart, as she thinks of the possibilities before her, bundled up in her blanket and mounted on an ambling mule understrictest guard. On arrival at her new home her very beauty will makeenemies, especially among those who have been there longest, and whofeel their chances grow less as each new-comer appears. Perhaps oneFriday the Sultan notices her as he walks in his grounds in theafternoon, and taking a fancy to her, decides to make her his wife. Atonce all jealousies are hidden, and each vies with the other to renderher service, and assist the preparations for the coming event. For awhile she will remain supreme--a very queen indeed--but only till herplace is taken by another. If she has sons her chances are better; butunless she maintains her influence over her husband till her offspringare old enough to find a lasting place in his affections, she willprobably one day be despatched to Tafilált, beyond the Atlas by theSáharah, whence come those luscious dates. There every other man is adirect descendant of some Moorish king, as for centuries it has servedas a sort of overflow for the prolific Royal house. 

As Islám knows no right of primogeniture, each sultan appoints hisheir; so each wife strives to obtain this favour for her son, andoften enough the story of Ishmael and Isaac repeats itself among thesereputed descendants of Hagar. The usual way is for the pet son tobe placed in some command, even before really able to discharge theduties of the post, which shall secure him supreme control on hisfather's death. The treasury and the army are the two great meansto this end. Those possible rivals who have not been sent away toTafilált are as often as not imprisoned or put to death on some slightcharge, as used to be the custom in England a few hundred years ago. 

This method of bequeathing rights which do not come under the strictscale for the division of property contained in the Korán is notconfined to Royalty. It applies also to religious sanctity. Aninstance is that of the late Shareef, or Noble, of Wazzán, a feudal"saint" of great influence. His father, on his deathbed, appointedas successor to his title, his holiness, and the estates connectedtherewith, the son who should be found playing with a certain stick, a common toy of his favourite. But a black woman by whom he had a sonwas present, and ran out to place the stick in the hands of her ownchild, who thus inherited his father's honours. Some of the queens ofMorocco have arrived at such power through their influence over theirhusbands that they have virtually ruled the Empire. 

Supposing, however, that the damsel who has at last found admittanceto the hareem does not, after all, prove attractive to her lord, shewill in all probability be sent away to make room for some one else. She will be bestowed upon some country governor when he comesto Court. Sometimes it is an especially astute one who is thustransferred, that she may thereafter serve as a spy on his actions. 

Though those before whom lies such a career as has been described willbe comparatively few, none who can be considered beautiful are withouttheir chances, however poor. Many well-to-do men prefer a poor wifeto a rich one, because they can divorce her when tired of her withoutincurring the enmity of powerful relatives. Marriage is enjoinedupon every Muslim as a religious duty, and, if able to afford it, heusually takes to himself his first wife before he is out of his teens. He is relieved of the choice of a partner which troubles some of us somuch, for the ladies of his family undertake this for him: if they donot happen to know of a likely individual they employ a professionalgo-between, a woman who follows also the callings of pedlar andscandal-monger. It is the duty of this personage, on receipt of apresent from his friends, to sing his praises and those of his familyin the house of some beautiful girl, whose friends are thereby inducedto give her a present to go and do likewise on their behalf in thehouse of so promising a youth. Personal negotiations will thenprobably take place between the lady friends, and all things provingsatisfactory, the fathers or brothers of the might-be pair discuss thedowry and marriage-settlement from a strictly business point of view. 

At this stage the bride-elect will perhaps be thought not fat enough, and will have to submit to a course of stuffing. This consists inswallowing after each full meal a few small sausage-shaped bolusesof flour, honey and butter, flavoured with anise-seed or somethingsimilar. A few months of this treatment give a marvellous rotundity tothe figure, thus greatly increasing her charms in the native eye. Butof these the bridegroom will see nothing, if not surreptitiously, tillafter the wedding, when she is brought to his house. 

By that time formal documents of marriage will have been drawn up, and signed by notaries before the kádi or judge, setting forth thecontract--with nothing in it about love or honour, --detailing everyarticle which the wife brings with her, including in many instances aconsiderable portion of the household utensils. Notwithstanding allthis, she may be divorced by her husband simply saying, "I divorcethee!" and though she may claim the return of all she brought, shehas no option but to go home again. He may repent and take her back afirst and a second time, but after he has put her away three times hemay not marry her again till after she has been wedded to some oneelse and divorced. Theoretically she may get a divorce from him, butpractically this is a matter of great difficulty. 

The legal expression employed for the nuptial tie is one which conveysthe idea of purchasing a field, to be put to what use the owner will, according him complete control. This idea is borne out to the full, and henceforward the woman lives for her lord, with no thought ofindependence or self-assertion. If he is poor, all work too hard forhim that is not considered unwomanly falls to her share, hewing ofwood and drawing of water, grinding of corn and making of bread, weaving and washing; but, strange to us, little sewing. When decidedly_passée_, she saves him a donkey in carrying wood and charcoal andgrass to market, often bent nearly double under a load which shecannot lift, which has to be bound on her back. Her feet are bare, but her sturdy legs are at times encased in leather to ward off thewayside thorns. No longer jealously covered, she and her unmarrieddaughters trudge for many weary miles at dawn, her decidedlybetter-off half and a son or two riding the family mule. From this itis but a short step to helping the cow or donkey draw the plough, andthis step is sometimes taken. 

Until a woman's good looks have quite disappeared, whichgenerally occurs about the time they become grandmothers--saythirty, --intercourse of any sort with men other than her relativesof the first degree is strictly prohibited, and no one dare salute awoman in the street, even if her attendant or mount shows her to bea privileged relative. The slightest recognition of a manout-of-doors--or indeed anywhere--would be to proclaim herself one ofthat degraded outcaste class as common in Moorish towns as in Europe. 

Of companionship in wedlock the Moor has no conception, and his ideasof love are those of lust. Though matrimony is considered by theMuslim doctors as "half of Islám, " its value in their eyes is purelyas a legalization of license by the substitution of polygamy forpolyandry. Slavishly bound to the observance of wearisome customs, immured in a windowless house with only the roof for a promenade, seldom permitted outside the door, and then most carefully wrapped ina blanket till quite unrecognizable, the life of a Moorish woman, fromthe time she has first been caught admiring herself in a mirror, isthat of a bird encaged. Lest she might grow content with such a lot, she has before her eyes from infancy the jealousies and rivalries ofher father's wives and concubines, and is early initiated into thedisgusting and unutterable practices employed to gain the favour oftheir lord. Her one thought from childhood is man, and distance lendsenchantment. A word, the interchange of a look, with a man is soughtfor by the Moorish maiden more than are the sighs and glances of acoy brunette by a Spaniard. Nothing short of the unexpurgated ArabianNights' Entertainments can convey an adequate idea of what goes onwithin those whited sepulchres, the broad, blank walls of Moorishtowns. A word with the mason who comes to repair the roof, or even apeep at the men at work on the building over the way, on whose accountthe roof promenade is forbidden, is eagerly related and expatiatedon. In short, all the training a Moorish woman receives is sensual, a training which of itself necessitates most rigorous, though oftenunavailing, seclusion. 

Both in town and country intrigues are common, but intrigues whichhave not even the excuse of the blindness of love, whose only motiveis animal passion. The husband who, on returning home, finds a pairof red slippers before the door of his wife's apartment, is bound tounderstand thereby that somebody else's wife or daughter is within, and he dare not approach. If he has suspicions, all he can do isto bide his time and follow the visitor home, should the route liethrough the streets, or despatch a faithful slave-girl or jealousconcubine on a like errand, should the way selected be overthe roof-tops. In the country, under a very different set ofconventionalities, much the same takes place. 

In a land where woman holds the degraded position which she does underIslám, such family circles as the Briton loves can never exist. Thefoundation of the home system is love, which seldom links the membersof these families, most seldom of all man and wife. Anything else isnot to be expected when they meet for the first time on their weddingnight. To begin with, no one's pleasure is studied save that ofthe despotic master of the house. All the inmates, from the poorimprisoned wives down to the lively slave-girl who opens the door, allare there to serve his pleasure, and woe betide those who fail. 

The first wife may have a fairly happy time of it for a season, if herlooks are good, and her ways pleasing, but when a second usurps herplace, she is generally cast aside as a useless piece of furniture, unless set to do servile work. Although four legal wives are allowedby the Korán, it is only among the rich that so many are found, onaccount of the expense of their maintenance in appropriate style. Thefacility of divorce renders it much cheaper to change from time totime, and slaves are more economical. To the number of such women thata man may keep no limit is set; he may have "as many as his right handcan possess. " Then, too, these do the work of the house, and ifthey bear their master no children, they may be sold like any otherchattels. 

The consequence of such a system is that she reigns who for the timestands highest in her lord's favour, so that the strife and jealousieswhich disturb the peace of the household are continual. This rivalryis naturally inherited by the children, who side with their severalmothers, which is especially the case with the boys. Very often thelegal wife has no children, or only daughters, while quite a littletroop of step-children play about her house. In these cases it isnot uncommon for at least the best-looking of these youngsters to betaught to call her "mother, " and their real parent "Dadda M'barkah, "or whatever her name may be. The offspring of wives and bondwomenstand on an equal footing before the law, in which Islám is stillahead of us. 

Such is the sad lot of women in Morocco. Religion itself being all butdenied them in practice, whatever precept provides, it is with blankastonishment that the majority of them hear the message of those nobleforeign sisters of theirs who have devoted their lives to showing thema better way. The greatest difficulty is experienced in arousingin them any sense of individuality, any feeling of personalresponsibility, or any aspiration after good. They are so accustomedto be treated as cattle, that their higher powers are altogetherdormant, all possibilities of character repressed. The welfare oftheir souls is supposed to be assured by union with a Muslim, and fewknow even how to pray. Instead of religion, their minds are saturatedwith the grossest superstition. If this be the condition of the freewoman, how much worse that of the slave!

The present socially degraded state in which the people live, and their apparent, though not real, incapacity for progress anddevelopment, is to a great extent the curse entailed by thisbrutalization of women. No race can ever rise above the level of itsweaker sex, and till Morocco learns this lesson it will never rise. The boy may be the father of the man, but the woman is the mother ofthe boy, and so controls the destiny of the nation. Nothing can indeedbe hoped for in this country in the way of social progress till theminds of the men have been raised, and their estimation of womenentirely changed. Though Turkey was so long much in the position inwhich Morocco remains to-day, it is a noteworthy fact that as shesteadily progresses in the way of civilization, one of the mostapparent features of this progress is the growing respect for women, and the increasing liberty which is allowed them, both in public andprivate. 

VIII

SOCIAL VISITS[4][4: Contributed by my wife. --B. M. ]

 "Every country its customs. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

"Calling" is not the common, every-day event in Barbary which it hasgrown to be in European society. The narrowed-in life of the Moorishwoman of the higher classes, and the strict watch which is kept lestsome other man than her husband should see her, makes a regularinterchange of visits practically impossible. No doubt the Moorishwoman would find them quite as great a burden as her western sister, and in this particular her ignorance may be greater bliss than herknowledge. In spite of the paucity of the "calls" she receives orpays, she is by no means ignorant of the life and character of herneighbours, thanks to certain old women (amongst them the professionalmatch-makers) who go about as veritable gossip-mongers, and preservetheir more cloistered sisters at least from dying of inanition. Thusthe veriest trifles of house arrangement or management are thoroughlycanvassed. 

Nor is it a privilege commonly extended to European women to bereceived into the hareems of the high-class and wealthy Moors, although lady missionaries have abundant opportunities for makingthe acquaintance of the women of the poorer classes, especially whenmedical knowledge and skill afford a key. But the wives of the richare shut away to themselves, and if you are fortunate enough to beinvited to call upon them, do not neglect your opportunity. 

You will find that the time named for calling is not limited to theafternoon. Thus it may be when the morning air is blowing fresh fromthe sea, and the sun is mounting in the heavens, that you are ushered, perhaps by the master of the house, through winding passages to thequarters of the women. If there is a garden, this is frequentlyreserved for their use, and jealously protected from view, and as inall cases they are supposed to have the monopoly of the flat roof, thecourteous male foreigner will keep his gaze from wandering thither toofrequently, or resting there too long. 

Do not be surprised if you are ushered into an apparently empty room, furnished after the Moorish manner with a strip of richly colouredcarpet down the centre, and mattresses round the edge. If there is amusical box in the room, it will doubtless be set going as a pleasantaccompaniment to conversation, and the same applies to striking orchiming clocks, for which the Moors have a strong predilection as_objets d'art_, rather than to mark the march of time. 

Of course you will not have forgotten to remove your shoes at thedoor, and will be sitting cross-legged and quite at ease on one ofthe immaculate mattresses, when the ladies begin to arrive from theirretreats. As they step forward to greet you, you may notice theirhenna-stained feet, a means of decoration which is repeated on theirhands, where it is sometimes used in conjunction with harkos, a blackpigment with which is applied a delicate tracery giving the effect ofblack silk mittens. The dark eyes are made to appear more lustrousand almond-shaped by the application of antimony, and the brows areextended till they meet in a black line above the nose. The hairis arranged under a head-dress frequently composed of twobright-coloured, short-fringed silk handkerchiefs, knotted togetherabove the ears, sometimes with the addition of an artificial flower:heavy ear-rings are worn, and from some of them there are suspendedlarge silver hands, charms against the "evil eye. " But undoubtedly themain feature of the whole costume is the kaftán or tunic of lustroussatin or silk, embroidered richly in gold and silver, of a colourshowing to advantage beneath a white lace garment of similar shape. 

The women themselves realize that such fine feathers must be guardedfrom spot or stain, for they are in many cases family heir-looms, soafter they have greeted you with a slight pressure of their fingertips laid upon yours, and taken their seats, tailor fashion, you willnotice that each sedulously protects her knees with a rough Turkishtowel, quite possibly the worse for wear. In spite of her love forpersonal decoration, evidenced by the strings of pearls with which herneck is entwined, and the heavy silver armlets, the well-bred Moorishwoman evinces no more curiosity than her European sister about thesmall adornments of her visitor, and this is the more remarkable whenyou remember how destitute of higher interests is her life. She willmake kindly and very interested inquiries about your relatives, andeven about your life, though naturally, in spite of your explanations, it remains a sealed book to her. The average Moorish woman, however, shows herself as inquisitive as the Chinese. 

It is quite possible that you may see some of the children, fascinating, dark-eyed, soft-skinned morsels of humanity, withhenna-dyed hair, which may be plaited in a pig-tail, the length ofwhich is augmented by a strange device of coloured wool with which theends of the hair are interwoven. But children of the better class inMorocco are accustomed to keep in the background, and unless invited, do not venture farther than the door of the reception room, and thenwith a becoming modesty. If any of the slave-wives enter, you willhave an opportunity of noticing their somewhat quaint greeting ofthose whom they desire to honour, a kiss bestowed on each hand, whichthey raise to meet their lips, and upon each shoulder, before they, too, take their seats upon the mattresses. 

Probably you will not have long to wait before a slave-girl enterswith the preparations for tea, orange-flower water, incense, awell-filled tray, a samovar, and two or three dishes piled high withcakes. If you are wise, you will most assuredly try the "gazelle'shoofs, " so-called from their shape, for they are a most deliciouscompound of almond paste, with a spiciness so skilfully blended as tobe almost elusive. If you have a sweet tooth, the honey cakes will beeminently satisfactory, but if your taste is plainer, you will enjoythe f'kákis, or dry biscuit. Three cups of their most fragrant tea isthe orthodox allowance, but a Moorish host or hostess is not slow toperceive any disinclination, however slight, and will sometimes of hisor her own accord pave your way to a courteous refusal, by appearingnot over anxious either for the last cup. 

If you have already had an experience of dining in Morocco, the wholeprocess of the tea-making will be familiar; if not, you will beinterested to notice how the tea ("gunpowder") is measured in thehand, then emptied into the pot, washed, thoroughly sweetened, madewith boiling water from the samovar, and flavoured with mint orverbena. If the master of the house is present, he is apt to keep thetea-making in his own hands, although he may delegate it to one of hiswives, who thus becomes the hostess of the occasion. 

After general inquiries as to the purpose of your visit to Morocco, you may be asked if you are a tabeebah or lady doctor, the oneprofession which they know, by hearsay at least, is open to women. Ifyou can claim ever so little knowledge, you will probably be asked fora prescription to promote an increase of adipose tissue, which theyconsider their greatest charm; perhaps a still harder riddle may bepropounded, with the hope that its satisfactory solution may secure tothem the wavering affection of their lord, and prevent alienationand, perhaps, divorce. Yet all you can say is, "In shá Allah" (If Godwill!)

When you bid them farewell it will be with a keen realization of theirnarrow, cramped lives, and an appreciation of your own opportunities. Did you but know it, they too are full of sympathy for that poor, over-strained Nazarene woman, who is obliged to leave the shelter ofher four walls, and face the world unveiled, unprotected, unabashed. 

And thus our proverb is proved true. 

IX

A COUNTRY WEDDING

 "Silence is at the door of consent. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Thursday was chosen as auspicious for the wedding, but the ceremoniescommenced on the Sunday before. The first item on an extensiveprogramme was the visit of the bride with her immediate femalerelatives and friends to the steam bath at the kasbah, a rarity incountry villages, in this case used only by special favour. At theclose of an afternoon of fun and frolic in the bath-house, Zóharah, the bride, was escorted to her home closely muffled, to keep her bedtill the following day. 

Next morning it was the duty of Mokhtar, the bridegroom, to send hisbetrothed a bullock, with oil, butter and onions; pepper, salt andspices; charcoal and wood; figs, raisins, dates and almonds; candlesand henna, wherewith to prepare the marriage feast. He had already, according to the custom of the country, presented the members of herfamily with slippers and ornaments. As soon as the bullock arrived itwas killed amid great rejoicings and plenty of "tom-tom, " especiallyas in the villages a sheep is usually considered sufficient provision. On this day Mokhtar's male friends enjoyed a feast in the afternoon, while in the evening the bride had to undergo the process ofre-staining with henna to the accompaniment of music. The usual effectof this was somewhat counteracted, however, by the wails of those whohad lost relatives during the year. On each successive night, when thedrumming began, the same sad scene was repeated--a strange alloy inall the merriment of the wedding. 

On the Tuesday Zóharah received her maiden friends, children attendingthe reception in the afternoon, till the none too roomy hut wascrowded to suffocation, and the bride exhausted, although customprescribed that she should lie all day on the bed, closely wrappedup, and seen by none of her guests, from whom she was separated by acurtain. Every visitor had brought with her some little gift, suchas handkerchiefs, candles, sugar, tea, spices and dried fruits, theinspection of which, when all were gone, was her only diversion thatday. Throughout that afternoon and the next the neighbouring villagesrivalled one another in peaceful sport and ear-splitting ululation, asthough, within the memory of man, no other state of things had everexisted between them. 

Meanwhile Mokhtar had a more enlivening time with his bachelorfriends, who, after feasting with him in the evening, escorted him, wrapped in a háïk or shawl, to the house of his betrothed, outsidewhich they danced and played for three or four hours by the light oflanterns. On returning home, much fun ensued round the supper-basinon the floor, while the palms of the whole company were stained withhenna. Then their exuberant spirits found relief in dancing roundwith basins on their heads, till one of them dropped his basin, andsnatching off Mokhtar's cloak as if for protection, was immediatelychased by the others till supper was ready. After supper all lay backto sleep. For four days the bridegroom's family had thus to feast andamuse his male friends, while the ladies were entertained by that ofthe bride. 

On Wednesday came the turn of the married women visitors, whosebulky forms crowded the hut, if possible more closely than had theirchildren. Gossip and scandal were now retailed with a zest andminuteness of detail not permissible in England, while rival belleswaged wordy war in shouts which sounded like whispers amid the din. The walls of the hut were hung with the brightest coloured garmentsthat could be borrowed, and the gorgeous finery of the guests madeup a scene of dazzling colour. Green tea and cakes were first passedround, and then a tray for offerings for the musicians, which, whencollected, were placed on the floor beneath a rich silk handkerchief. Presents were also made by all to the bride's mother, on behalf of herdaughter, who sat in weary state on the bed at one end of the room. Aseach coin was put down for the players, or for the hostess, a portlyfemale who acted as crier announced the sum contributed, with a prayerfor blessing in return, which was in due course echoed by the chiefmusician. At the bridegroom's house a similar entertainment was held, the party promenading the lanes at dusk with torches and lanterns, after which they received from the bridegroom the powder for nextday's play. 

[Illustration: A MOORISH CARAVAN. ]

Thursday opened with much-needed rest for Zóharah and her mother tillthe time came for the final decking; but Mokhtar had to go to the bathwith his bachelor friends, and on returning to his newly prepareddwelling, to present many of them with small coins, receiving inreturn cotton handkerchiefs and towels, big candles and matches. Thenall sat down to a modest repast, for which he had provided raisins andother dried fruits, some additional fun being provided by a number ofthe married neighbours, who tried in vain to gain admission, and inrevenge made off with other people's shoes, ultimately returning themfull of dried fruits and nuts. Then Mokhtar's head was shaved to theaccompaniment of music, and the barber was feasted, while the box inwhich the bride was to be fetched was brought in, and decked withmuslin curtains, surmounted by a woman's head-gear, handkerchiefs, anda sash. The box was about two and a half feet square, and somewhatmore in height, including its pointed top. 

After three drummings to assemble the friends, a procession was formedabout a couple of hours after sunset, lit by torches, lanternsand candles, led by the powder-players, followed by the mountedbridegroom, and behind him the bridal box lashed on the back of ahorse; surrounded by more excited powder-players, and closed by themusicians. As they proceeded by a circuitous route the women shrieked, the powder spoke, till all were roused to a fitting pitch of fervour, and so reached the house of the bride. "Behold, the bridegroomcometh!"

Presently the "litter" was deposited at the door, Mokhtar remaining ashort distance off, while the huge old negress, who had officiated sofar as mistress of the ceremonies, lifted Zóharah bodily off thebed, and placed her, crying, in the cage. In this a loaf of bread, acandle, some sugar and salt had been laid by way of securing good luckin her new establishment. Her valuables, packed in another box, wereentrusted to the negress, who was to walk by her side, while strongarms mounted her, and lashed the "amariah" in its place. As soon asthe procession had reformed, the music ceased, and a Fátihah[5] wassolemnly recited. Then they started slowly, as they had come, Mokhtarleaving his bride as she was ushered, closely veiled, from her boxinto her new home, contenting himself with standing by the side andletting her pass beneath his arm in token of submission. The door wasthen closed, and the bridegroom took a turn with his friends whilethe bride should compose herself, and all things be made ready by thenegress. Later on he returned, and being admitted, the newly marriedcouple met at last. 

 [5: The beautiful opening prayer of the Korán. ]

Next day they were afforded a respite, but on Saturday the bride hadonce more to hold a reception, and on the succeeding Thursday came theceremony of donning the belt, a long, stiff band of embroidered silk, folded to some six inches in width, wound many times round. Standingover a dish containing almonds, raisins, figs, dates, and a couple ofeggs, in the presence of a gathering of married women, one of whomassisted in the winding, two small boys adjusted the sash with all duestate, after which a procession was formed round the house, and theactual wedding was over. Thus commenced a year's imprisonment forthe bride, as it was not till she was herself a mother that she waspermitted to revisit her old home. 

X

THE BAIRNS

 "Every monkey is a gazelle to its mother. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

If there is one point in the character of the Moor which commendsitself above others to the mind of the European it is his love for hischildren. But when it is observed that in too many cases this loveis unequally divided, and that the father prefers his sons to hisdaughters, our admiration is apt to wane. Though by no means aninvariable rule, this is the most common outcome of the pride felt inbeing the father of a son who may be a credit to the house, andthe feeling that a daughter who has to be provided for is an addedresponsibility. 

All is well when the two tiny children play together on the floor, andquarrel on equal terms, but it is another thing when little Hamed goesdaily to school, and as soon as he has learned to read is brought homein triumph on a gaily dressed horse, heading a procession of shoutingschoolfellows, while his pretty sister Fátimah is fast developing intoa maid-of-all-work whom nobody thinks of noticing. And the distinctionwidens when Hamed rides in the "powder-play, " or is trusted to keepshop by himself, while Fátimah is closely veiled and kept a prisonerindoors, body and mind unexercised, distinguishable by colour anddress alone from Habîbah, the ebony slave-girl, who was sold like acalf from her mother's side. Yes, indeed, far different paths liebefore the two play-mates, but while they are treated alike, let ustake a peep at them in their innocent sweetness. 

Their mother, Ayeshah, went out as usual one morning to glean in thefields, and in the evening returned with two bundles upon her back;the upper one was to replace crowing Hamed in his primitive cradle: itwas Fátimah. Next day, as Ayeshah set off to work again, she left herson kicking up his heels on a pile of blankets, howling till he shouldbecome acquainted with his new surroundings, and a little skinny mitelay peacefully sleeping where he had hitherto lived. No mechanicalbassinette ever swung more evenly, and no soft draperies made a bettercot than the sheet tied up by the corners to a couple of ropes, andswung across the room like a hammock. The beauty of it was that, roll as he would, even active Hamed had been safe in it, and all hisenergies only served to rock him off to sleep again, for the sidesalmost met at the top. Yet he was by no means dull, for through a holeopposite his eye he could watch the cows and goats and sheep as theywandered about the yard, not to speak of the cocks and hens thatroamed all over the place. 

At last the time came when both the wee ones could toddle, and Ayeshahcarried them no more to the fields astride her hips or slung over hershoulders in a towel. They were then left to disport themselvesas they pleased--which, of course, meant rolling about on theground, --their garments tied up under their arms, leaving them barefrom the waist. No wonder that sitting on cold and wet stones hadthreatened to shrivel up their thin legs, which looked wonderfullyshaky at best. 

It seems to be a maxim among the Moors that neither head, arms norlegs suffer in any way from exposure to cold or heat, and the mothersof the poorer classes think nothing of carrying their children slungacross their backs with their little bare pates exposed to the sun andrain, or of allowing their lower limbs to become numbed with cold asjust described. The sole recommendation of such a system is that onlythe fittest--in a certain sense--survive. Of the attention supposed tobe bestowed in a greater or less degree upon all babes in our own landthey get little. One result, however, is satisfactory, for they earlygive up yelling, as an amusement which does not pay, and no one istroubled to march them up and down for hours when teething. Yet it ishardly surprising that under such conditions infant mortality isvery great, and, indeed, all through life in this doctorless landastonishing numbers are carried off by diseases we should hardlyconsider dangerous. 

Beyond the much-enjoyed dandle on Father's knee, or the cuddle withMother, delights are few in Moorish child-life, and of toys such as wehave they know nothing, whatever they may find to take their place. But when a boy is old enough to amuse himself, there is no end to themischief and fun he will contrive, and the lads of Barbary are as fondof their games as we of ours. You may see them racing about afterschool hours at a species of "catch-as-catch-can, " or playing footballwith their heels, or spinning tops, sometimes of European make. Or, dearest sport of all, racing a donkey while seated on its far hindquarters, with all the noise and enjoyment we threw into such pastimesa few years ago. To look at the merry faces of these lively youths, and to hear their cheery voices, is sufficient to convince anyone oftheir inherent capabilities, which might make them easily a match forEnglish lads if they had their chances. 

But what chances have they? At the age of four or five they aredrafted off to school, not to be educated, but to be taught to readby rote, and to repeat long chapters of the Korán, if not the wholevolume, by heart, hardly understanding what they read. Beyond thislittle is taught but the four great rules of arithmetic in the figureswhich we have borrowed from them, but worked out in the most primitivestyle. In "long" multiplication, for instance, they write every figuredown, and "carry" nothing, so that a much more formidable additionthan need be has to conclude the calculation. But they have a quaintsystem of learning their multiplication tables by mnemonics, in whichevery number is represented by a letter, and these being made up intowords, are committed to memory in place of the figures. 

A Moorish school is a simple affair. No forms, no desks, few books. A number of boards about the size of foolscap, painted white on bothsides, on which the various lessons--from the alphabet to portions ofthe Korán--are plainly written in large black letters; a switch ortwo, a pen and ink and a book, complete the furnishings. The dominie, squatted tailor-fashion on the ground, like his pupils, who may numberfrom ten to thirty, repeats the lesson in a sonorous sing-song voice, and is imitated by the little urchins, who accompany their voices bya rocking to and fro, which occasionally enables them to keep time. Asharp application of the switch is wonderfully effectual in re-callingwandering attention. Lazy boys are speedily expelled. 

On the admission of a pupil the parents pay some small sum, varying according to their means, and every Wednesday, which is ahalf-holiday, a payment is made from a farthing to twopence. Newmoons and feasts are made occasions for larger payments, and countas holidays, which last ten days on the occasion of the greaterfestivals. Thursday is a whole holiday, and no work is done on Fridaymorning, that being the Mohammedan Sabbath, or at least "meeting day, "as it is called. 

At each successive stage of the scholastic career the schoolmasterparades the pupils one by one, if at all well-to-do, in the stylealready alluded to, collecting gifts from the grateful parents tosupplement the few coppers the boys bring to school week by week. Ifthey intend to become notaries or judges, they go on to study at Fez, where they purchase the key of a room at one of the colleges, and readto little purpose for several years. In everything the Korán is thestandard work. The chapters therein being arranged without any ideaof sequence, only according to length, --with the exception of theFátihah, --the longest at the beginning and the shortest at the end, after the first the last is learned, and so backwards to the second. 

Most of the lads are expected to do something to earn their bread atquite an early age, in one way or another, even if not called on toassist their parents in something which requires an old head on youngshoulders. Such youths being so early independent, at least in ameasure, mix with older lads, who soon teach them all the vices theyhave not already learned, in which they speedily become as adept astheir parents. 

Those intended for a mercantile career are put into the shop at twelveor fourteen, and after some experience in weighing-out and bargainingby the side of a father or elder brother, they are left entirely tothemselves, being supplied with goods from the main shop as they needthem. 

It is by this means that the multitudinous little box-shops whichare a feature of the towns are enabled to pay their way, this beingrendered possible by an expensive minutely retail trade. The averageEnglish tradesman is a wholesale dealer compared to these pettyretailers, and very many middle-class English households take insufficient supplies at a time to stock one of their shops. One reasonfor this is the hand-to-mouth manner in which the bulk of the peoplelive, with no notion of thrift. They earn their day's wage, and ifanything remains above the expense of living, it is invested in gayclothing or jimcracks. Another reason is that those who could affordit have seldom any member of their household whom they can trust ashousekeeper, of which more anon. 

It seems ridiculous to send for sugar, tea, etc. , by the ounce orless; candles, boxes of matches, etc. , one by one; needles, thread, silk, in like proportion, even when cash is available, but such is thepractice here, and there is as much haggling over the price of onecandle as over that of an expensive article of clothing. Often quitelittle children, who elsewhere would be considered babes, are sent outto do the shopping, and these cheapen and bargain like the sharpestold folk, with what seems an inherent talent. 

Very little care is taken of even the children of the rich, and theyget no careful training. The little sons and daughters of quiteimportant personages are allowed to run about as neglected and dirtyas those of the very poor. Hence the practice of shaving the headcannot be too highly praised in a country where so much filth abounds, and where cutaneous diseases of the worst type are so frequent. It is, however, noteworthy that while the Moors do not seem to consider itany disgrace to be scarred and covered with disgusting sores, theresult of their own sins and those of their fathers, they are greatlyashamed of any ordinary skin disease on the head. But though theshaven skulls are the distinguishing feature of the boys in the house, where their dress closely resembles that of their sisters, the girlsmay be recognized by their ample locks, often dyed to a fashionablered with henna; yet they, too, are often partially shaved, sometimesin a fantastic style. It may be the hair in front is cut to a fringean inch long over the forehead, and a strip a quarter of an inch wideis shaved just where the visible part of a child's comb would come, while behind this the natural frizzy or straight hair is left, cutshort, while the head is shaved again round the ears and at the backof the neck. To perform these operations a barber is called in, whoattends the family regularly. Little boys of certain tribes have longtufts left hanging behind their ears, and occasionally they also havetheir heads shaved in strange devices. 

Since no attempt is made to bring the children up as useful membersof the community at the age when they are most susceptible, they areallowed to run wild. Thus, bright and tractable as they are naturally, no sooner do the lads approach the end of their 'teens, than a markedchange comes over them, a change which even the most casual observercannot fail to notice. The hitherto agreeable youths appear washed-outand worthless. All their energy has disappeared, and from this timetill a second change takes place for the worse, large numbers drag outa weary existence, victims of vices which hold them in their grip, till as if burned up by a fierce but short-lived fire, they ultimatelybecome seared and shattered wrecks. From this time every effort ismade to fan the flickering or extinguished flame, till death relievesthe weary mortal of the burden of his life. 

XI

"DINING OUT"[6] [6: Contributed by my wife. --B. M. ]

 "A good supper is known by its odour. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

There are no more important qualifications for the diner-out inMorocco than an open mind and a teachable spirit. Then start with adetermination to forget European table manners, except in so far asthey are based upon consideration for the feelings of others, settingyourself to do in Morocco as the Moors do, and you cannot fail to gainprofit and pleasure from your experience. 

One slight difficulty arises from the fact that it is somewhat hard tobe sure at any time that you have been definitely invited to partakeof a Moorish meal. A request that you would call at three o'clock inthe afternoon, mid-way between luncheon and dinner, would seem anunusual hour for a heavy repast, yet that is no guarantee that you maynot be expected to partake freely of an elaborate feast. 

If you are a member of the frail, fair sex, the absence of all otherwomen will speedily arouse you to the fact that you are in an orientalcountry, for in Morocco the sons and chief servants, though theyeat after the master of the house, take precedence of the wives andwomen-folk, who eat what remains of the various dishes, or havespecially prepared meals in their own apartments. For the same reasonyou need not be surprised if you are waited upon after the men ofthe party, though this order is sometimes reversed where the hostis familiar with European etiquette with regard to women. If a man, perhaps a son will wait upon you. 

The well-bred Moor is quite as great a stickler for the proprieties asthe most conservative Anglo-Saxon, and you will do well if you showconsideration at the outset by removing your shoes at the door of theroom, turning a deaf ear to his assurance that such a proceeding isquite unnecessary on your part. A glance round the room will make itclear that your courtesy will be appreciated, for the carpet on thefloor is bright and unmarked by muddy or dusty shoes (in spite of thecondition of the streets outside), and the mattresses upon which youare invited to sit are immaculate in their whiteness. 

Having made yourself comfortable, you will admire the arrangementsfor the first item upon the programme. The slave-girl appears with ahandsome tray, brass or silver, upon which there are a goodly numberof cups or tiny glass tumblers, frequently both, of delicate patternand artistic colouring, a silver tea-pot, a caddy of green tea, asilver or glass bowl filled with large, uneven lumps of sugar, whichhave been previously broken off from the loaf, and a glass containingsprigs of mint and verbena. The brass samovar comes next, and havingmeasured the tea in the palm of his right hand, and put it into thepot, the host proceeds to pour a small amount of boiling water uponit, which he straightway pours off, a precaution lest the Nazarenesshould have mingled some colouring matter therewith. He then addsenough sugar to ensure a semi-syrupy result, with some sprigs ofpeppermint, and fills the pot from the samovar. A few minutes later hepours out a little, which he tastes himself, frequently returning theremainder to the pot, although the more Europeanized consume the wholedraught. If the test has been satisfactory, he proceeds to fill thecups or glasses, passing them in turn to the guests in order ofdistinction. To make a perceptible noise in drawing it from the glassto the mouth is esteemed a delicate token of appreciation. 

The tray is then removed; the slave in attendance brings a chasedbrass basin and ewer of water, and before the serious portion of themeal begins you are expected to hold out your right hand just tocleanse it from any impurities which may have been contracted incoming. Orange-flower water in a silver sprinkler is then brought in, followed by a brass incense burner filled with live charcoal, on whicha small quantity of sandal-wood or other incense is placed, and theresult is a delicious fragrance which you are invited to waft by acircular motion of your hands into your hair, your ribbons and yourlaces, while your Moorish host finds the folds of his loose garmentsinvaluable for the retention of the spicy perfume. 

A circular table about eight inches high is then placed in the centreof the guests; on this is placed a tray with the first course of thedinner, frequently puffs of delicate pastry fried in butter over acharcoal fire, and containing sometimes meat, sometimes a deliciouscompound of almond paste and cinnamon. This, being removed, isfollowed by a succession of savoury stews with rich, well-flavouredgravies, each with its own distinctive spiciness, but all excellentlycooked. The host first dips a fragment of bread into the gravy, sayingas he does so, "B'ísm Illah!" ("In the name of God!"), which theguests repeat, as each follows suit with a sop from the dish. 

There is abundant scope for elegance of gesture in the eating of thestews, but still greater opportunity when the _pièce de résistance_ ofa Moorish dinner, the dish of kesk'soo, is brought on. This kesk'soois a small round granule prepared from semolina, which, having beensteamed, is served like rice beneath and round an excellent stew, which is heaped up in the centre of the dish. With the thumb andtwo first fingers of the right hand you are expected to secure somesucculent morsel from the stew, --meat, raisins, onions, or vegetablemarrow, --and with it a small quantity of the kesk'soo. By a skilfulmotion of the palm the whole is formed into a round ball, which isthrown with a graceful curve of hand and wrist into the mouth. Woebetide you if your host is possessed by the hospitable desire to makeone of these boluses for you, for he is apt to measure the cubiccontent of your mouth by that of his own, and for a moment yourfeelings will be too deep for words; but this is only a briefdiscomfort, and you will find the dish an excellent one, for Moorishcooks never serve tough meat. 

If your fingers have suffered from contact with the kesk'soo, it ispermitted to you to apply your tongue to each digit in turn in thefollowing order; fourth (or little finger), second, thumb, third, first; but a few moments later the slave appears, and after bearingaway the table with the remains of the feast gives the opportunity fora most satisfactory ablution. In this case you are expected to usesoap, and to wash both hands, over which water is poured three times. If you are at all acquainted with Moorish ways, you will not fail atthe same time to apply soap and water to your mouth both outwardly andinwardly, being careful to rinse it three times with plenty of noise, ejecting the water behind your hand into the basin which is heldbefore you. 

Orange-flower water and incense now again appear, and you may berequired to drink three more glasses of refreshing tea, though this issometimes omitted at the close of a repast. Of course "the feast ofreason and the flow of soul" have not been lacking, and you have beenrepeatedly assured of your welcome, and invited to partake beyondthe limit of human possibility, for the Moor believes you can payno higher compliment to the dainties he has provided than by theirconsumption. 

For a while you linger, reclining upon the mattress as gracefully asmay be possible for a tyro, with your arm upon a pile of many-colouredcushions of embroidered leather or cloth. Then, after a thousandmutual thanks and blessings, accompanied by graceful bowings andbendings, you say farewell and step to the door, where your slippersawait you, and usher yourself out, not ill-satisfied with yourinitiation into the art of dining-out in Barbary. 

[Illustration: _Photograph by Dr. Rudduck. _

FRUIT-SELLERS. ]

XII

DOMESTIC ECONOMY

 "Manage with bread and butter till God sends the jam. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

If the ordinary regulations of social life among the Moors differmaterially from those in force among ourselves, how much more so mustthe minor details of the housekeeping when, to begin with, the husbanddoes the marketing and keeps the keys! And the consequential Moordoes, indeed, keep the keys, not only of the stores, but also often ofthe house. What would an English lady think of being coolly lockedin a windowless house while her husband went for a journey, theprovisions for the family being meanwhile handed in each morningthrough a loophole by a trusty slave left as gaoler? That no surprisewhatever would be elicited in Barbary by such an arrangement speaksvolumes. Woman has no voice under Mohammed's creed. 

Early in the morning let us take a stroll into the market, and see howthings are managed there. Round the inside of a high-walled enclosureis a row of the rudest of booths. Over portions of the pathway, stretching across to other booths in the centre--if the market is awide one--are pieces of cloth, vines on trellis, or canes interwovenwith brushwood. As the sun gains strength these afford a most gratefulshade, and during the heat of the day there is no more pleasant placefor a stroll, and none more full of characteristic life. In the widerparts, on the ground, lie heaps two or three feet high of mint, verbena and lemon thyme, the much-esteemed flavourings for thenational drink--green-tea syrup--exhaling a most delicious fragrance. It is early summer: the luscious oranges are not yet over, and intempting piles they lie upon the stalls made of old packing-cases, many with still legible familiar English and French inscriptions. Apricots are selling at a halfpenny or less the pound, and plums anddamsons, not to speak of greengages, keep good pace with them in priceand sales. The bright tints of the lettuces and other fresh greenvegetables serve to set off the rich colours of the God-madedelicacies, but the prevailing hue of the scene is a restfulearth-brown, an autumnal leaf-tint; the trodden ground, the sun-driedbrush-wood of the booths and awnings, and the wet-stained wood-work. No glamour of paint or gleam of glass destroys the harmony of thesurroundings. 

But with all the feeling of cool and repose, rest there is not, oridleness, for there is not a brisker scene in an oriental town thanits market-place. Thronging those narrow pathways come the rich andpoor--the portly merchant in his morning cloak, a spotless white wooljelláb, with a turban and girth which bespeak easy circumstances; thelabourer in just such a cloak with the hood up, but one which wasalways brown, and is now much mended; the slave in shirt and drawers, with a string round his shaven pate; the keen little Jew boy pushingand bargaining as no other could; the bearded son of Israel, withpiercing eyes, and his daughter with streaming hair; lastly, the widowor time-worn wife of the poor Mohammedan, who must needs market forherself. Her wrinkled face and care-worn look tell a different talefrom the pompous self-content of the merchant by her side, who drivesas hard a bargain as she does. In his hand he carries a palmetto-leafbasket, already half full, as with slippered feet he carefully pickshis way among puddles and garbage. 

"Good morning, O my master; God bless thee!" exclaims the stall-keeperas his customer comes in sight. 

Sáïd el Faráji has to buy cloth of the merchant time and time again, so makes a point of pleasing one who can return a kindness. 

"No ill, praise God; and thyself, O Sáïd?" comes the cheery reply;then, after five minutes' mutual inquiry after one another'shousehold, horses and other interests, health and general welfare, friend Sáïd points out the daintiest articles on his stall, and in themost persuasive of tones names his "lowest price. "

All the while he is sitting cross-legged on an old box, with hisscales before him. 

"What? Now, come, I'll give you _so_ much, " says the merchant, naminga price slightly less than that asked. 

"Make it _so_ much, " exclaims Sáïd, even more persuasively thanbefore, as he "splits the difference. "

"Well, I'll give you _so_ much, " offering just a little less than thissum. "I can't go above that, you know. "

"All right, but you always get the better of me, you know. That isjust what I paid. Anyhow, don't forget that when I want a new cloak, "and he proceeds to measure out the purchases, using as weights two orthree bits of old iron, a small cannon-ball, some bullets, screws, coins, etc. "Go with prosperity, my friend; and may God bless thee!"

"And may God increase thy prosperity, and grant to thee a blessing!"rejoins the successful man, as he proceeds to another stall. 

By the time he reaches home his basket will contain meat, fish, vegetables, fruit and herbs, besides, perhaps, a loaf of sugar, and aquarter of a pound of tea, with supplies of spices and some candles. Bread they make at home. 

The absurdly minute quantities of what we should call "stores, " whicha man will purchase who could well afford to lay in a supply, seemvery strange to the foreigner; but it is part of his domesticeconomy--or lack of that quality. He will not trust his wife with morethan one day's supply at a time, and to weigh things out himself eachmorning would be trouble not to be dreamed of; besides which it woulddeprive him of the pleasure of all that bargaining, not to speak ofthe appetite-promoting stroll, and the opportunities for gossip withacquaintances which it affords. In consequence, wives and slaves aregenerally kept on short allowances, if these are granted at all. 

An amusing incident which came under my notice in Tangier shows howlittle the English idea of the community of interest of husband andwife is appreciated here. A Moorish woman who used to furnish milk toan English family being met by the lady of the house one morning, whenshe had brought short measure, said, pointing to the husband in thedistance, "_You_ be my friend; take this" (slipping a few coppersworth half a farthing into her hand), "don't tell _him_ anything aboutit. I'll share the profit with you!" She probably knew from experiencethat the veriest trifle would suffice to buy over the wife of a Moor. 

Instructions having been given to his wife or wives as to what is tobe prepared, and how--he probably pretends to know more of the artculinary than he does--the husband will start off to attend to hisshop till lunch, which will be about noon. Then a few more hours inthe shop, and before the sun sets a ride out to his garden by theriver, returning in time for dinner at seven, after which come talk, prayers, and bed, completing what is more or less his daily round. Hiswives will probably be assisted in the house-work--or perhaps entirelyrelieved of it--by a slave-girl or two, and the water required will bebrought in on the shoulders of a stalwart negro in skins orbarrels filled from some fountain of good repute, but of certaincontamination. 

In cooking the Moorish women excel, as their first-rate productionsafford testimony. It is the custom of some Europeans to systematicallydisparage native preparations, but such judges have been the victimseither of their own indiscretion in eating too many rich thingswithout the large proportion of bread or other digestible nutrimentwhich should have accompanied them, or of the essays of their ownservants, usually men without any more knowledge of how their mothersprepare the dishes they attempt to imitate than an ordinary Englishworking man would have of similar matters. Of course there are certainflavourings which to many are really objectionable, but none can beworse to us than any preparation of pig would be to a Moor. Prominentamong such is the ancient butter which forms the basis of muchof their spicings, butter made from milk, which has beenpreserved--usually buried a year or two--till it has acquired thetaste, and somewhat the appearance, of ripe Gorgonzola. Those whocommence by trying a very slight flavour of this will find the fancygrow upon them, and there is no smell so absolutely appetizing as thefaintest whiff of anything being cooked in this butter, called "smin. "

Another point, much misunderstood, which enables them to cook thetoughest old rooster or plough-ox joint till it can be eaten readilywith the fingers, is the stewing in oil or butter. When the oil itselfis pure and fresh, it imparts no more taste to anything cooked in itthan does the fresh butter used by the rich. Articles plunged intoeither at their high boiling point are immediately browned andenclosed in a kind of case, with a result which can be achieved inno other manner than by rolling in paste or clay, and cooking amidembers. Moorish pastry thus cooked in oil is excellent, flaky andlight. 

XIII

THE NATIVE "MERCHANT"

 "A turban without a beard shows lack of modesty. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Háj Mohammed Et-Tájir, a grey-bearded worthy, who looks like a princewhen he walks abroad, and dwells in a magnificent house, sits duringbusiness hours on a diminutive tick and wool mattress, on the floorof a cob-webbed room on one side of an ill-paved, uncovered, dirtycourt-yard. Light and air are admitted by the door in front of whichhe sits, while the long side behind him, the two ends, and much of thefloor, are packed with valuable cloths, Manchester goods, silk, etc. Two other sides of the court-yard consist of similar stores, oneoccupied by a couple of Jews, and the other by another fine-lookingHáj, his partner. 

Enters a Moor, in common clothing, market basket in hand. Headvances to the entrance of the store, and salutes the ownerrespectfully--"Peace be with thee, Uncle Pilgrim!"

"With thee be peace, O my master, " is the reply, and the new-comer ishanded a cushion, and motioned to sit on it at the door. "How doestthou?" "How fares thy house?" "How dost thou find thyself thismorning?" "Is nothing wrong with thee?" These and similar inquiriesare showered by each on the other, and an equal abundance is returnedof such replies as, "Nothing wrong;" "Praise be to God;" "All iswell. "

When both cease for lack of breath, after a brief pause the newarrival asks, "Have you any of that 'Merican?" (unbleached calico). The dealer puts on an indignant air, as if astonished at being askedsuch a question. "_Have_ I? There is no counting what I have of it, "and he commences to tell his beads, trying to appear indifferent as towhether his visitor buys or not. Presently the latter, also anxiousnot to appear too eager, exclaims, "Let's look at it. " A piece isleisurely handed down, and the customer inquires in a disparagingtone, "How much?"

"Six and a half, " and the speaker again appears absorbed inmeditation. 

"Give thee six, " says the customer, rising as if to go. 

"Wait, thou art very dear to us; to thee alone will I give a specialprice, six and a quarter. "

"No, no, " replies the customer, shaking his finger before his face, asthough to emphasize his refusal of even such special terms. 

"Al-l-láh!" piously breathes the dealer, as he gazes abstractedly outof the door, presently adding in the same devout tone, "There is nogod but God! God curse the infidels!"

"Come, I'll give thee six and an okea"--of which latter six and a halfgo to the 'quarter' peseta or franc of which six were offered. 

"No, six and five is the lowest I can take. "

The might-be purchaser made his last offer in a half-rising posture, and is now nearly erect as he says, "Then I can't buy; give it me forsix and three, " sitting down as though the bargain were struck. 

"No, I never sell that quality for less than six and four, and it's athing I make no profit on; you know that. "

The customer doesn't look as though he did, and rising, turns to go. 

"Send a man to carry it away, " says the dealer. 

"At six and three!"

"No, at six and four!" and the customer goes away. 

"Send the man, it is thine, " is hastily called after him, and in a fewmoments he returns with a Jewish porter, and pays his "six and three. "

So our worthy trader does business all day, and seems to thrive on it. Occasionally a friend drops in to chat and not to buy, and now andthen there is a beggar; here is one. 

An aged crone she is, of most forbidding countenance, swathed in rags, it is a wonder she can keep together. She leans on a formidable staff, and in a piteous voice, "For the face of the Lord, " and "In the nameof my Lord Slave-of-the-Able" (Mulai Abd el Káder, a favourite saint), she begs something "For God. " One copper suffices to induce her tocall down untold blessings on the head of the donor, and she trudgesaway in the mud, barefooted, repeating her entreaties till they soundalmost a wail, as she turns the next corner. But beggars who can beso easily disposed of at the rate of a hundred and ninety-five for ashilling can hardly be considered troublesome. 

A respectable-looking man next walks in with measured tread, andleaning towards us, says almost in a whisper--

"O Friend of the Prophet, is there anything to-day?"

"Nothing, O my master, " is the courteously toned reply, for thebeggar appears to be a shareef or noble, and with a "God bless thee, "disappears. 

A miserable wretch now turns up, and halfway across the yard begins toutter a whine which is speedily cut short by a curt "God help thee!"whereat the visitor turns on his heel and is gone. 

With a confident bearing an untidy looking figure enters a momentlater, and after due salaams inquires for a special kind of cloth. 

"Call to-morrow morning, " he is told, for he has not the air of apurchaser, and he takes his departure meekly. 

A creaky voice here breaks in from round the corner--

"Hast thou not a copper for the sake of the Lord?"

"No, O my brother. "

After a few minutes another female comes on the scene, exhibitingenough of her face to show that it is a mass of sores. 

"Only a trifle, in the name of my lord Idrees, " she cries, and turnsaway on being told, "God bring it!"

Then comes a policeman, a makházni, who seats himself amid a shower ofsalutations--

"Hast thou any more of those selháms" (hooded cloaks)?

"Come on the morrow, and thou shalt see. "

The explanation of this answer given by the "merchant" is that he seessuch folk only mean to bother him for nothing. 

And this appears to be the daily routine of "business, " though a goodbargain must surely be made some time to have enabled our friend toacquire all the property he has, but so far as an outsider can judge, it must be a slow process. Anyhow, it has heartily tired the writer, who has whiled away the morning penning this account on a cushion onone side of the shop described. Yet it is a fair specimen of what hasbeen observed by him on many a morning in this sleepy land. 

XIV

SHOPPING[7] [7: Contributed by my wife. --B. M. ]

 "Debt destroys religion. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

If any should imagine that time is money in Morocco, let themundertake a shopping expedition in Tangier, the town on which, ifanywhere in Morocco, occidental energy has set its seal. Not that onesuch excursion will suffice, unless, indeed, the purchaser be of theclass who have more money than wit, or who are absolutely at the mercyof the guide and interpreter who pockets a commission upon everybargain he brings about. For the ordinary mortal, who wants to spreadhis dollars as far as it is possible for dollars to go, a tour ofinspection, if not two or three, will be necessary before such a featcan be accomplished. To be sure, there is always the risk that betweenone visit and another some coveted article may find its way into thehands of a more reckless, or at least less thrifty, purchaser, butthat risk may be safely taken. 

[Illustration: _Albert, Photo. , Tunis. _

A TUNISIAN SHOPKEEPER. ]

There is something very attractive in the small cupboard-like shopsof the main street. Their owners sit cross-legged ready for a chat, looking wonderfully picturesque in cream-coloured jelláb, or insemi-transparent white farrajîyah, or tunic, allowing at the throata glimpse of saffron, cerise, or green from the garment beneath. Thewhite turban, beneath which shows a line of red Fez cap, serves as afoil to the clear olive complexion and the dark eyes and brows, whilethe faces are in general goodly to look upon, except where the lineshave grown coarse and sensuous. 

So strong is the impression of elegant leisure, that it is difficultto imagine that these men expect to make a living from their trade, but they are more than willing to display their goods, and willdoubtless invite you to a seat upon the shop ledge--where your feetdangle gracefully above a rough cobble-stone pavement--and sometimeseven to a cup of tea. One after another, in quick succession, carpetsof different dimensions (but all oblong, for Moorish rooms are narrowin comparison with their length) are spread out in the street, and theshop-owners' satellite, by reiterated cries of "Bálak! Bálak!" (Mindout! Mind out!) accompanied by persuasive pushes, keeps off thepassing donkeys. A miniature crowd of interested spectators willdoubtless gather round you, making remarks upon you and yourpurchases. Charmed by the artistic colourings, rich but never garish, you ask the price, and if you are wise you will immediately offer justhalf of that named. It is quite probable that the carpets will befolded up and returned to their places upon the shelf at the back ofthe shop, but it is equally probable that by slow and tactful yieldingupon either side, interspersed with curses upon your ancestors andupon yourself, the bargain will be struck about halfway between thetwo extremes. 

The same method must be adopted with every article bought, and if youpurpose making many purchases in the same shop, you will be wise toobtain and write down the price quoted in each case as "the _very_lowest, " and make your bid for the whole at once, lest, made cunningby one experience of your tactics, the shopman should put on a widermarginal profit in every other instance to circumvent you. It is alsowell for the purchaser to express ardent admiration in tones of calmindifference, for the Moor has quick perceptions, and though he maynot understand English, when enthusiasm is apparent, he has the key tothe situation, and refuses to lower his prices. 

Nevertheless, it is sometimes difficult to avoid a warm expression ofadmiration at the handsome brass trays, the Morocco leather bags intowhich such charming designs of contrasting colours are skilfullyintroduced, or the graceful utensils of copper and brass with whicha closer acquaintance was made when you were the guest at a Moorishdinner. Many and interesting are the curious trifles which may bepurchased, but they will be found in the greatest profusion in thebazaars established for the convenience of Nazarene tourists, whereprices will frequently be named in English money, for an English"yellow-boy" is nowhere better appreciated than in Tangier. 

In the shops in the sôk, or market-place, prices are sometimes moremoderate, and there you may discover some of the more distinctivelyMoorish articles, which are brought in from the country; nor can therebe purchased a more interesting memento than a flint-lock, a pistol, or a carved dagger, all more or less elaborately decorated, such asare carried by town or country Moor, the former satisfied with adagger in its chased sheath, except at the time of "powder-play, " whenflint-locks are in evidence everywhere. 

But in the market-place there are exposed for sale the more perishablethings of Moorish living. Some of the small cupboards are grocers'shops, where semolina for the preparation of kesk'soo, the nationaldish, may be purchased, as well as candles for burning at the saints'shrines, and a multitude of small necessaries for the Moorishhousewives. In the centre of the market sit the bread-sellers, for themost part women whose faces are supposed to be religiously kept veiledfrom the gaze of man, but who are apt to let their háïks fall backquite carelessly when only Europeans are near. An occasional glimpsemay sometimes be thus obtained of a really pretty face of some lass onthe verge of womanhood. 

Look at that girl in front of us, stooping over the stall of a vendorof what some one has dubbed "sticky nastinesses, " her háïk lightlythrown back; her bent form and the tiny hand protruding at her sideshow that she is not alone, her little baby brother proving almostas much as she can carry. Her teeth are pearly white; her hair andeyebrows are jet black; her nut-brown cheeks bear a pleasant smile, and as she stretches out one hand to give the "confectioner" a fewcoppers, with the other clutching at her escaping garment, and moveson amongst the crowd, we come to the conclusion that if not fair, sheis at least comely. 

The country women seated on the ground with their wares form a nucleusfor a dense crowd. They have carried in upon their backs heavy loadsof grass for provender, or firewood and charcoal which they sell inwholesale quantities to the smaller shopkeepers, who purchase fromother countryfolk donkey loads of ripe melons and luscious black figs. 

There is a glorious inconsequence in the arrangement of the wares. Here you may see a pile of women's garments exposed for sale, and notfar away are sweet-sellers with honey-cakes and other unattractivebut toothsome delicacies. If you can catch a glimpse of the nativebrass-workers busily beating out artistic designs upon trays ofdifferent sizes and shapes, do not fail to seize the opportunityof watching them. You may form one in the ring gathered round thesnake-charmer, or join the circle which listens open-mouthed and withbreathless attention to that story-teller, who breaks off at a mostcritical juncture in his narrative to shake his tambourine, declaringthat so close-fisted an audience does not deserve to hear anotherword, much less the conclusion of his fascinating tale. 

But before you join either party, indeed before you mingle at allfreely in the crowd upon a Moorish market-place, it is well toremember that the flea is a common domestic insect, impartial in thedistribution of his favours to Moor, Jew and Nazarene, and is in factnot averse to "fresh fields and pastures new. "

If you are clad in perishable garments, beware of the water-carrierwith his goat-skin, his tinkling bell, his brass cup, and his strangecry. Beware, too, of the strings of donkeys with heavily laden packs, and do not scruple to give them a forcible push out of your way. If you are mounted upon a donkey yourself, so much the better; bywatching the methods of your donkey-boy to ensure a clear passage forhis beast, you will realize that dwellers in Barbary are not strangersto the spirit of the saying, "Each man for himself, and the de'il takethe hindmost. "

Yet they are a pleasant crowd to be amongst, in spite of insect-life, water-carriers, and bulky pack-saddles, and there is an exhaustlessstore of interest, not alone in the wares they have for sale, and inthe trades they ply, but more than all in the faces, so often keen andalert, and still more often bright and smiling. 

One typical example of Moorish methods of shopping, and I have done. Among those who make their money by trade, you may find a man whospends his time in bringing the would-be purchaser into intimaterelations with the article he desires to obtain. He has no shop of hisown, but may often be recognized as an interested spectator of someuncompleted bargain. Having discovered your dwelling-place, heproceeds to "bring the mountain to Mohammed, " and you will doubtlessbe confronted in the court-yard of your hotel by the very article forwhich you have been seeking in vain. Of course he expects a good pricewhich shall ensure him a profit of at least fifty per cent. Upon hisexpenditure, but he too is open to a bargain, and a little skilfulpointing out of flaws in the article which he has brought forpurchase, in a tone of calm and supreme indifference, is apt to ensurea very satisfactory reduction of price in favour of the shopper inBarbary. 

XV

A SUNDAY MARKET

 "A climb with a friend is a descent. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

One of the sights of Tangier is its market. Sundays and Thursdays, when the weather is fine, see the disused portion of the Mohammedangraveyard outside _Báb el Fahs_ (called by the English Port St. Catherine, and now known commonly as the Sôk Gate) crowded with buyersand sellers of most quaint appearance to the foreign eye, not tomention camels, horses, mules, and donkeys, or the goods they havebrought. Hither come the sellers from long distances, trudging all theway on foot, laden or not, according to means, all eager to exchangetheir goods for European manufacturers, or to carry home a few moredollars to be buried with their store. 

Sunday is no Sabbath for the sons of Israel, so the money-changers aredoing a brisk trade from baskets of filthy native bronze coin, thesmallest of which go five hundred to the shilling, and the largestthree hundred and thirty-three! Hard by a venerable rabbi is leisurelycutting the throats of fowls brought to him for the purpose by theservants or children of Jews, after the careful inspection enjoinedby the Mosaic law. The old gentleman has the coolest way of doing itimaginable; he might be only peeling an orange for the little girl whostands waiting. After apparently all but turning the victim insideout, he twists back its head under its wings, folding these across itsbreast as a handle, and with his free hand removing his razor-likeknife from his mouth, nearly severs its neck and hands it to thechild, who can scarcely restrain its struggles except by putting herfoot on it, while he mechanically wipes his blade and prepares todespatch another. 

Eggs and milk are being sold a few yards off by country women squattedon the ground, the former in baskets or heaps on the stones, thelatter in uninviting red jars, with a round of prickly-pear leaf for astopper, and a bit of palmetto rope for a handle. 

By this time we are in the midst of a perfect Babel--a humanmaëlstrom. In a European crowd one is but crushed by human beings;here all sorts of heavily laden quadrupeds, with packs often four feetacross, come jostling past, sometimes with the most unsavoury loads. We have just time to observe that more country women are sellingwalnuts, vegetables, and fruits, on our left, at the door of what usedto be the tobacco and hemp fandak, and that native sweets, Germanknick-knacks and Spanish fruit are being sold on our right, as amidthe din of forges on either side we find ourselves in the midst of thecrush to get through the narrow gate. 

Here an exciting scene ensues. Continuous streams of people and beastsof burden are pushing both ways; a drove of donkeys laden with roughbundles of cork-wood for the ovens approaches, the projecting endsprodding the passers-by; another drove laden with stones tries to passthem, while half a dozen mules and horses vainly endeavour to passout. A European horseman trots up and makes the people fly, but not sothe beasts, till he gets wedged in the midst, and must bide his timeafter all. Meanwhile one is almost deafened by the noise ofshouting, most of it good-humoured. "Zeed! Arrah!" vociferatesthe donkey-driver. "Bálak!" shouts the horseman. "Bálak! Guarda!"(pronounced warda) in a louder key comes from a man who is trying topilot a Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary through thegate, with Her Excellency on his arm. 

At last we seize a favourable opportunity and are through. Now we canbreathe. In front of us, underneath an arch said to have been builtto shelter the English guard two hundred years ago (which is veryunlikely, since the English destroyed the fortifications of thisgate), we see the native shoeing-smiths hacking at the hoofs ofhorses, mules, and donkeys, in a manner most extraordinary to us, andnailing on triangular plates with holes in the centre--though mostkeep a stock of English imported shoes and nails for the fastidiousNazarenes. Spanish and Jewish butchers are driving a roaring trade atmovable stalls made of old boxes, and the din is here worse than ever. 

Now we turn aside into the vegetable market, as it is called, thoughas we enter we are almost sickened by the sight of more butchers'stalls, and further on by putrid fish. This market is typical. Lowthatched booths of branches and canes are the only shops but those ofthe butchers, the arcade which surrounds the interior of the buildingbeing chiefly used for stores. Here and there a filthy rag isstretched across the crowded way to keep the sun off, and anon we haveto stop to avoid some drooping branch. Fruit and vegetables of alldescriptions in season are sold amid the most good-humoured haggling. 

Emerging from this interesting scene by a gate leading to the outersôk, we come to one quite different in character. A large open spaceis packed with country people, their beasts and their goods, andtowns-people come out to purchase. Women seem to far outnumberthe men, doubtless on account of their size and their conspicuoushead-dress. They are almost entirely enveloped in white háïks, over the majority of which are thrown huge native sun-hats made ofpalmetto, with four coloured cords by way of rigging to keep the brimextended. When the sun goes down these are to be seen slung across theshoulders instead. Very many of the women have children slung on theirbacks, or squatting on their hips if big enough. This causes them tostoop, especially if some other burden is carried on their shouldersas well. 

[Illustration: THE SUNDAY MARKET, TANGIER. 

_Cavilla, Photo. , Tangier. _]

On our right are typical Moorish shops, --grocers', if you please, --inwhich are exposed to view an assortment of dried fruits, such as nuts, raisins, figs, etc. , with olive and argan oil, candles, tea, sugar, and native soap and butter. Certainly of all the goods that butter isthe least inviting; the soap, though the purest of "soft, " looks ahorribly repulsive mass, but the butter which, like it, is streakedall over with finger marks, is in addition full of hairs. Similarshops are perched on our left, where old English biscuit-boxes areconspicuous. 

Beyond these come slipper- and clothes-menders. The former are at workon native slippers of such age that they would long ago have beenthrown away in any less poverty-stricken land, transforming them intowearable if unsightly articles, after well soaking them in earthenpans. Just here a native "medicine man" dispenses nostrums of doubtfulefficacy, and in front a quantity of red Moorish pottery is exposedfor sale. This consists chiefly of braziers for charcoal and kesk'soosteamers for stewing meat and vegetables as well. 

A native _café_ here attracts our attention. Under the shade of acovered way the káhwajî has a brazier on which he keeps a large kettleof water boiling. A few steps further on we light upon the sellers ofnative salt. This is in very large crystals, heaped in mule panniers, from which the dealers mete it out in wooden measures. It comes fromalong the beach near Old Tangier, where the heaps can be seen from thetown, glistening in the sunlight. Ponds are dug along the shore, inwhich sea water is enclosed by miniature dykes, and on evaporatingleaves the salt. 

Pressing on with difficulty through a crowd of horses, mules anddonkeys, mostly tethered by their forefeet, we reach some huts infront of which are the most gorgeous native waistcoats exposed forsale, together with Manchester goods, by fat, ugly old women ofa forbidding aspect. Further on we come upon "confectioners. " Aremarkable peculiarity of the tables on which the sweets are beingsold in front of us is the total absence of flies, though beesabound, in spite of the lazy whisking of the sweet-seller. The sweetsthemselves consist of red, yellow and white sticks of what CousinJonathan calls "candy;" almond and gingelly rock, all frizzling in thesun. A small basin, whose contents resemble a dark plum-pudding fullof seeds, contains a paste of the much-lauded hasheesh, the opiate ofMorocco, which, though contraband, and strictly prohibited by Imperialdecrees, is being freely purchased in small doses. 

On the opposite side of the way some old Spaniards are selling a kindof coiled-up fritter by the yard, swimming in oil. Then we come to anative restaurant. Trade does not appear very brisk, so we shall notinterrupt it by pausing for a few moments to watch the cooking. In atiny lean-to of sticks and thatch two men are at work. One is cuttingup liver and what would be flead if the Moors ate pigs, into piecesabout the size of a filbert. These the other threads on skewers inalternate layers, three or four of each. Having rolled them in a basinof pepper and salt, they are laid across an earthen pot resembling alog scooped out, like some primæval boat. In the bottom of the hollowis a charcoal fire, which causes the khotbán, as they are called, togive forth a most appetizing odour--the only thing tempting about themafter seeing them made. Half loaves of native bread lie ready to hand, and the hungry passer-by is invited to take an _al fresco_ meal forthe veriest trifle. Another sort of kabáb--for such is the name ofthe preparation--is being made from a large wash-basin full of readyseasoned minced meat, small handfuls of which the jovial _chef_adroitly plasters on more skewers, cooking them like the others. 

Squatted on the ground by the side of this "bar" is a retailer ofripened native butter, "warranted five years old. " This one canreadily smell without stooping; it is in an earthenware pan, and looksvery dirty, but is weighed out by the ounce as very precious afterbeing kept so long underground. 

Opposite is the spot where the camels from and for the interior loadand unload. Some forty of these ungainly but useful animals are herecongregated in groups. At feeding-time a cloth is spread on theground, on which a quantity of barley is poured in a heap. Each animallies with its legs doubled up beneath it in a manner only possible tocamels, with its head over the food, munching contentedly. In one ofthe groups we notice the driver beating his beast to make it kneeldown preparatory to the removal of its pack, some two hundred-weightand a half. After sundry unpleasant sounds, and tramping backwards andforwards to find a comfortable spot, the gawky creature settles downin a stately fashion, packing up his stilt-like legs in regularorder, limb after limb, till he attains the desired position. A shortdistance off one of them is making hideous noises by way of protestagainst the weight of the load being piled upon him, threatening tolose his temper, and throw a little red bladder out of his mouth, which, hanging there as he breathes excitedly, makes a most unpleasingsound. 

Here one of the many water-carriers who have crossed our path does soagain, tinkling his little bell of European manufacture, and we turnto watch him as he gives a poor lad to drink. Slung across his back isthe "bottle" of the East--a goat-skin with the legs sewn up. A longmetal spout is tied into the neck, and on this he holds his leftthumb, which he uses as a tap by removing it to aim a long stream ofwater into the tin mug in his right hand. Two bright brass cups castand engraved in Fez hang from a chain round his neck, but these arereserved for purchasers, the urchin who is now enjoying a drinkreceiving it as charity. Tinkle, tinkle, goes the bell again, asthe weary man moves on with his ever-lightening burden, till he isconfronted by another wayfarer who turns to him to quench his thirst. As these skins are filled indiscriminately from wells and tanks, andcleaned inside with pitch, the taste must not be expected to satisfyall palates; but if hunger is the best sauce for food, thirst is anequal recommendation for drink. 

A few minutes' walk across a cattle-market brings us at last to theEnglish church, a tasteful modern construction in pure Moorish style, and banishing the thoughts of our stroll, we join the approachinggroup of fellow-worshippers, for after all it is Sunday. 

XVI

PLAY-TIME

 "According to thy shawl stretch thy leg. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Few of us realize to what an extent our amusements, pastimes, and recreations enter into the formation of our individual, andconsequently of our national, character. It is therefore well worthour while to take a glance at the Moor at play, or as near play as heever gets. The stately father of a family must content himself, as hisyears and flesh increase, with such amusements as shall not entailexertion. By way of house game, since cards and all amusementsinvolving chance are strictly forbidden, chess reigns supreme, andeven draughts--with which the denizens of the coffee-house, where hewould not be seen, disport themselves--are despised by him. In Shiráz, however, the Sheïkh ul Islám, or chief religious authority, declaredhimself shocked when I told him how often I had played this game withMoorish theologians, whereupon ensued a warm discussion as to whetherit was a game of chance. At last I brought this to a satisfactoryclose by remarking that as his reverence was ignorant even of therules of the game, --and therefore no judge, since he had imagined itto be based on hazard, --he at least was manifestly innocent of it. 

The connection between chess and Arabdom should not be forgotten, especially as the very word with which it culminates, "checkmate, " isbut a corruption of the Arabic "sheïkh mát"--"chief dead. " The king ofgames is, however, rare on the whole, requiring too much concentrationfor a weary or lazy official, or a merchant after a busy day. Theirmethod of playing does not materially differ from ours, but theyplay draughts with very much more excitement and fun. The jocularvituperation which follows a successful sally, and the almostunintelligible rapidity with which the moves are made, are as novel tothe European as appreciated by the natives. 

Gossip, the effervescence of an idle brain, is the prevailing pastime, and at no afternoon tea-table in Great Britain is more aimless talkindulged in than while the cup goes round among the Moors. The ladies, with a more limited scope, are not far behind their lords in thisrespect. Otherwise their spare time is devoted to minutely fineembroidery. This is done in silk on a piece of calico or linen tightlystretched on a frame, and is the same on both sides; in this wayare ornamented curtains, pillow-cases, mattress-covers, etc. It is, nevertheless, considered so far a superfluity that few who have notabundant time to spare trouble about it, and the material decorated isseldom worth the labour bestowed thereon. 

The fact is that in these southern latitudes as little time aspossible is passed within doors, and for this reason we must seek thereal amusements of the people outside. When at home they seem tothink it sufficient to loll about all the day long if not at work, especially if they have an enclosed flower-garden, beautifully wildand full of green and flowers, with trickling, splashing water. Iexclude, of course, all feasts and times when the musicians come, but I must not omit mention of dancing. Easterns think their westernfriends mad to dance themselves, when they can so easily get othersto do it for them, so they hire a number of women to go through allmanner of quaint--too often indecent--posings and wrigglings beforethem, to the tune of a nasal chant, which, aided by fiddles, banjos, and tambourines, is being drawled out by the musicians. Some of theseseemingly inharmonious productions are really enjoyable when one getsinto the spirit of the thing. 

At times the Moors are themselves full of life and vigour, especiallyin the enjoyment of what may be called the national sport of"powder-play, " not to speak of boar-hunting, hawking, rabbit-chasing, and kindred pastimes. Just as in the days of yore their forefathersexcelled in the use of the spear, brandishing and twirling it aseasily as an Indian club or singlestick, so they excel to-day in theexercise of their five-foot flint-locks, performing the most dexterousfeats on horseback at full gallop. 

Here is such a display about to commence. It is the feast ofMohammed's birthday, and the market-place outside the gate, so changedsince yesterday, is crowded with spectators; men and boys in gay, butstill harmonious, colours, decked out for the day, and women shroudedin their blankets, plain wool-white. An open space is left rightthrough the centre, up a gentle slope, and a dozen horsemen arespurring and holding in their prancing steeds at yonder lower end. At some unnoticed signal they have started towards us. They gallopwildly, the beat of their horses' hoofs sounding as iron hail on thestony way. A cloud of dust flies upward, and before we are aware of itthey are abreast of us--a waving, indistinguishable mass of flowingrobes, of brandished muskets, and of straining, foaming steeds. We canjust see them tossing their guns in the air, and then a rider, bolderthan the rest, stands on his saddle, whirling round his firearm aloftwithout stopping, while another swings his long weapon underneath hishorse, and seizes it upon the other side. But now they are in lineagain, and every gun is pointed over the right, behind the back, thebutt grasped by the twisted left arm, and the lock by the rightunder the left armpit. In this constrained position they fire at animaginary foe who is supposed to have appeared from ambush as theypass. Immediately the reins--which have hitherto been held in themouth, the steed guided by the feet against his gory flanks--arepulled up tight, throwing the animal upon his haunches, and wheelinghim round for a sober walk back. 

This is, in truth, a practice or drill for war, for such is the methodof fighting in these parts. A sortie is made to seek the hidden foe, who may start up anywhere from the ravines or boulders, and who mustbe aimed at instanter, before he regains his cover, while those whohave observed him must as quickly as possible get beyond his range toreload and procure reinforcements. 

The only other active sports of moment, apart from occasional horseraces, are football and fencing, indulged in by boys. The former isplayed with a stuffed leather ball some six or eight inches across, which is kicked into the air with the back of the heel, and caughtin the hands, the object being to drive it as high as possible. Thefencing is only remarkable for its free and easy style, and theabsence of hilts and guards. 

Yet there are milder pastimes in equal favour, and far more inaccordance with the fancy of southerners in warm weather, such aswatching a group of jugglers or snake-charmers, or listening to astory-teller. These are to be met with in the market-place towardsthe close of hot and busy days, when the wearied bargainers gather ingroups to rest before commencing the homeward trudge. The jugglers areusually poor, the production of fire from the mouth, of water from anempty jar, and so on, forming stock items. But often fearful realitiesare to be seen--men who in a frenzied state catch cannon balls upontheir heads, blood spurting out on every side; or, who stick skewersthrough their legs. These are religious devotees who live by suchperformances. From the public _raconteur_ the Moor derives theexcitement the European finds in his novel, or the tale "to becontinued in our next, " and it probably does him less harm. 

XVII

THE STORY-TELLER

 "Gentleman without reading, dog without scent. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

The story-teller is, _par excellence_, the prince of Moorishperformers. Even to the stranger unacquainted with the language thesight of the Arab bard and his attentive audience on some erstwhilebustling market at the ebbing day is full of interest--to the studentof human nature a continual attraction. After a long trudge from home, commenced before dawn, and a weary haggling over the most worthless of"coppers" during the heat of the day, the poor folk are quite readyfor a quiet resting-time, with something to distract their minds andfill them with thoughts for the homeward way. Here have been fannedand fed the great religious and political movements which from timeto time have convulsed the Empire, and here the pulse of the nationthrobs. In the cities men lead a different life, and thoughthe townsfolk appreciate tales as well as any, it is on thesemarket-places that the wandering troubadour gathers the largestcrowds. 

Like public performers everywhere, a story-teller of note alwaysgoes about with regular assistants, who act as summoners to hisentertainment, and as chorus to his songs. They consist usually of aplayer on the native fiddle, another who keeps time on a tambourine, and a third who beats a kind of earthenware drum with his fingers. Less pretentious "professors" are content with themselves manipulatinga round or square tambourine or a two-stringed fiddle, and to manythis style has a peculiar charm of its own. Each pause, howeverslight, is marked by two or three sharp beats on the tightly stretchedskin, or twangs with a palmetto leaf plectrum, loud or soft, accordingto the subject of the discourse at that point. The dress of thisclass--the one most frequently met with--is usually of the plainest, if not of the scantiest; a tattered brown jelláb (a hooded woollencloak) and a camel's-hair cord round the tanned and shaven skull arethe garments which strike the eye. Waving bare arms and sinewy legs, with a wild, keen-featured face, lit up by flashing eyes, complete thepicture. 

This is the man from whom to learn of love and fighting, of beautifulwomen and hairbreadth escapes, the whole on the model of the "ThousandNights and a Night, " of which versions more or less recognizablemay now and again be heard from his lips. Commencing with plentyof tambourine, and a few suggestive hints of what is to follow, hegathers around him a motley audience, the first comers squatting in acircle, and later arrivals standing behind. Gradually their excitementis aroused, and as their interest grows, the realistic semi-acting andthe earnest mien of the performer rivet every eye upon him. Suddenlyhis wild gesticulations cease at the entrancing point. One stepmore for liberty, one blow, and the charming prize would be in thepossession of her adorer. Now is the time to "cash up. " With a piousreference to "our lord Mohammed--the prayer of God be on him, andpeace, "--and an invocation of a local patron saint or other equallyrevered defunct, an appeal is made to the pockets of the Faithful "forthe sake of Mulai Abd el Káder"--"Lord Slave-of-the-Able. " Arousing asfrom a trance, the eager listeners instinctively commence to feel intheir pockets for the balance from the day's bargaining; and as everyblessing from the legion of saints who would fill the Mohammedancalendar if there were one is invoked on the cheerful giver, oneby one throws down his hard-earned coppers--one or two--and as ifrealizing what he has parted with, turns away with a long-drawn breathto untether his beasts, and set off home. 

But exciting as are these acknowledged fictions, specimens are sofamiliar to most readers from the pages of the collection referred tothat much more interest will be felt in an attempt to reproduce oneof a higher type, pseudo-historical, and alleged to be true. Suchnarratives exhibit much of native character, and shades of thoughtunencountered save in daily intercourse with the people. Let us, therefore, seize the opportunity of a visit from a noted _raconteur_and reputed poet to hear his story. Tame, indeed, would be the resultof an endeavour to transfer to black and white the animated tones andgestures of the narrator, which the imagination of the reader mustsupply. 

[Illustration: _Photograph by A. Lennox, Esq. _

GROUP AROUND PERFORMERS, MARRÁKESH. ]

The initial "voluntary" by the "orchestra" has ended; every eye isdirected towards the central figure, this time arrayed in ampleturban, white jelláb and yellow slippers, with a face betokeninga lucrative profession. After a moment's silence he commences thehistory of--

 "MULAI ABD EL KÁDER AND THE MONK OF MONKS. "

"The thrones of the Nazarenes were once in number sixty, but the starof the Prophet of God--the prayer of God be on him, and peace--was inthe ascendant, and the religion of Resignation [Islám] was everywherevictorious. Many of the occupiers of those thrones had eithersubmitted to the Lieutenant ['Caliph'] of our Lord, and becomeMuslimeen, or had been vanquished by force of arms. The others wereterrified, and a general assembly was convoked to see what was to bedone. As the rulers saw they were helpless against the decree ofGod, they called for their monks to advise them. The result of theconference was that it was decided to invite the Resigned Ones(Muslimeen) to a discussion on their religious differences, on theunderstanding that whichever was victorious should be thenceforthsupreme. 

"The Leader of the Faithful having summoned his wise men, theiropinion was asked. 'O victorious of God, ' they with one voice replied, 'since God, the High and Blessed, is our King, what have we to fear?Having on our side the truth revealed in the "Book to be Read" [theKorán] by the hand of the Messenger of God--the prayer of God be onhim, and peace--we _must_ prevail. Let us willingly accept theirproposal. ' An early day was accordingly fixed for the decisivecontest, and each party marshalled its forces. At the appointed timethey met, a great crowd on either side, and it was asked which shouldbegin. Knowing that victory was on his side, the Lieutenant of theProphet--the prayer of God be on him, and peace--replied, 'Since yehave desired this meeting, open ye the discussion. '

"Then the chief of the Nazarene kings made answer, 'But we are here somany gathered together, that if we commence to dispute all round weshall not finish by the Judgement Day. Let each party therefore chooseits wisest man, and let the two debate before us, the remainderjudging the result. '

"'Well hast thou spoken, ' said the Leader of the Faithful; 'be it evenso. ' Then the learned among the Resigned selected our lord Abd elKáder of Baghdad, [8] a man renowned the world over for piety and forthe depth of his learning. Now a prayer [Fátihah] for Mulai Abd elKáder!"

 [8: So called because buried near that city. For an account of his life, and view of his mausoleum, see "The Moors, " pp. 337-339. ]

Here the speaker, extending his open palms side by side before him, asif to receive a blessing thereon, is copied by the by-standers. [9] "Inthe name of God, the Pitying, the Pitiful!" All draw their hands downtheir faces, and, if they boast beards, end by stroking them out. 

 [9: "The hands are raised in order to catch a blessing in them, and are afterwards drawn over the face to transfer it to every part of the body. "--HUGHES, "Dictionary of Islám. "]

 [10: A term applied by Mohammedans to Christians on account of a mistaken conception of the doctrine of the Trinity. ]

"Then the polytheists[10] likewise chose their man, one held among themin the highest esteem, well read and wise, a monk of monks. Betweenthese two, then, the controversy commenced. As already agreed, theNazarene was the first to question:

"'How far is it from the Earth to the first heaven?'

"'Five hundred years. '

"'And thence to the second heaven?'

"'Five hundred years. '

"'Thence to the third?'

"'Five hundred years. '

"'Thence to the fourth?'

"'Five hundred years. '

"'Thence to the fifth?'

"'Five hundred years. '

"'Thence to the sixth?'

"'Five hundred years. '

"'Thence to the seventh?'

"'Five hundred years. '

"'And from Mekka to Jerusalem?'

"'Forty days. '

"'Add up the whole. '

"'Three thousand, five hundred years, and forty days. '

"'In his famous ride on El Borak [Lightning] where did Mohammed go?'

"'From the Sacred Temple [of Mekka] to the Further Temple [ofJerusalem], and from the Holy House [Jerusalem] to the seventh heaven, and the presence of God. '[11]

 [11: This was the occasion on which Mohammed visited the seven heavens under the care of Gabriel, riding on an ass so restive that he had to be bribed with a promise of Paradise. ]

"'How long did this take?'

"'The tenth of one night. '

"'Did he find his bed still warm on his return?'

"'Yes. '

"'Dost thou think such a thing possible; to travel three thousand fivehundred years and back, and find one's bed still warm on returning?'

"'Canst thou play chess?' then asked Mulai Abd el Káder. 

"'Of course I can, ' said the monk, surprised. 

"'Then, wilt thou play with me?'

"'Certainly not, ' replied the monk, indignantly. 'Dost thou think me afool, to come here to discuss the science of religion, and to be putoff with a game of chess?'

"'Then thou acknowledgest thyself beaten; thou hast said thou couldstplay chess, yet thou darest not measure thy skill at it with me. Thyrefusal proves thy lie. '

"'Nay, then, since thou takest it that way, I will consent to a match, but under protest. '

"So the board was brought, and the players seated themselves. Move, move, move, went the pieces; kings and queens, elephants, rooks, andknights, with the soldiers everywhere. One by one they disappeared, asthe fight grew fast and furious. But Mulai Abd el Káder had anotherobject in view than the routing of his antagonist at a game of chess. By the exercise of his superhuman power he transported the monk to'the empty third' [of the world], while his image remained before himat the board, to all appearances still absorbed in the contest. 

"Meanwhile the monk could not tell where he was, but being oppressedwith a sense of severe thirst, rose from where he sat, and made for arising ground near by, whence he hoped to be able to descry some signsof vegetation, which should denote the presence of water. Giddy andtired out, he approached the top, when what was his joy to see a citysurrounded by palms but a short way off! With a cry of delight hequickened his steps and approached the gate. As he did so, a party ofseven men in gorgeous apparel of wool and silk came out of the gate, each with a staff in his hand. 

"On meeting him they offered him the salutation of the Faithful, buthe did not return it. 'Who mayest _thou_ be, ' they asked, 'who dostnot wish peace to the Resigned?' [Muslimeen]. 'My Lords, ' he madeanswer, 'I am a monk of the Nazarenes, I merely seek water to quenchmy thirst. '

"'But he who comes here must resign himself [to Mohammedanism] orsuffer the consequences. Testify that 'There is no god but God, andMohammed is His Messenger!' 'Never, ' he replied; and immediately theythrew him on the ground and flogged him with their staves till hecried for mercy. 'Stop!' he implored. 'I will testify. ' No sooner hadhe done so than they ceased their blows, and raising him up gavehim water to drink. Then, tearing his monkish robe to shreds, eachdeprived himself of a garment to dress him becomingly. Havingre-entered the city they repaired to the judge. 

"'My Lord, ' they said, 'we bring before thee a brother Resigned, oncea monk of the monks, now a follower of the Prophet, our lord--theprayer of God be on him, and peace. We pray thee to accept histestimony and record it in due form. '

"'Welcome to thee; testify!' exclaimed the kádi, turning to theconvert. Then, holding up his forefinger, the quondam monk witnessedto the truth of the Unity [of God]. 'Call for a barber!' cried thekádi; and a barber was brought. Seven Believers of repute stoodround while the deed was done, and the convert rose a circumcisedMuslim--blessed be God. 

"Then came forward a notable man of that town, pious, worthy, andrich, respected of all, who said, addressing the kádi: 'My Lord--mayGod bless thy days, --thou knowest, all these worthy ones know, who andwhat I am. In the interests of religion and to the honour of God, Iask leave to adopt this brother newly resigned. What is mine shall behis to share with my own sons, and the care I bestow on them and theireducation shall be bestowed equally on him. God is witness. ' 'Wellsaid; so be it, ' replied the learned judge; 'henceforth he is a memberof thy family. '

"So to the hospitable roof of this pious one went the convert. A tutorwas obtained for him, and he commenced to taste the riches of thewisdom of the Arab. Day after day he sat and studied, toilingfaithfully, till teacher after teacher had to be procured, as heexhausted the stores of each in succession. So he read: first the Book'To be Read' [the Korán], till he could repeat it faultlessly, thenthe works of the poets, Kálûn, el Mikki, el Bisri, and Sîdi Hamzah;then the 'Lesser' and 'Greater Ten. '[12] Then he commenced at Sîdi íbnuAshîr, following on through the Ajrûmiyah, [13] and the Alfîyah, [14] tothe commentaries of Sîdi Khalîl, of the Sheïkh el Bokhári, and of IbnuAsîm, till there was nothing left to learn. 

 [12: Grammarians and commentators of the Korán. ]

 [13: A preliminary work on rhetoric. ]

 [14: The "Thousand Verses" of grammar. ]

"Thus he continued growing in wisdom and honour, the first year, thesecond year, the third year, even to the twentieth year, till no onecould compete with him. Then the Judge of Judges of that country died, and a successor was sought for, but all allowed that no one's claimsequalled those of the erstwhile monk. So he was summoned to fill thepost, but was disqualified as unmarried. When they inquired if he waswilling to do his duty in this respect, and he replied that he was, the father of the most beautiful girl in the city bestowed her on him, and that she might not be portionless, the chief men of the place viedone with another in heaping riches upon him. So he became Judge ofJudges, rich, happy, revered. 

"And there was born unto him one son, then a second son, and evena third son. And there was born unto him a daughter, then a seconddaughter, and even a third daughter. So he prospered and increased. And to his sons were born sons, one, two, three, and four, anddaughters withal. And his daughters were given in marriage to theelders of that country, and with them it was likewise. 

"Now there came a day, a great feast day, when all his descendantscame before him with their compliments and offerings, some small, somegreat, each receiving tenfold in return, garments of fine spun wooland silk, and other articles of value. 

"When the ceremony was over he went outside the town to walk alone, and approached the spot whence he had first descried what had so longsince been his home. As he sat again upon that well-remembered spot, and glanced back at the many years which had elapsed since last he wasthere, a party of the Faithful drew near. He offered the customarysalute of 'Peace be on you, ' but they simply stared in return. Presently one of them brusquely asked what he was doing there, andhe explained who he was. But they laughed incredulously, and then henoticed that once again he was clad in robe and cowl, with a cordround his waist. They taunted him as a liar, but he re-affirmed hisstatements, and related his history. He counted up the years since hehad resigned himself, telling of his children and children's children. 

"'Wouldst thou know them if you sawst them?' asked the strangers. 'Indeed I would, ' was the reply, 'but they would know me first. '

"'And you are really circumcised? We'll see!' was their nextexclamation. Just then a caravan appeared, wending its way across theplain, and the travellers hailed it. As he looked up at the shout, hesaw Mulai Abd el Káder still sitting opposite him at the chess-board, reminding him that it was his move. He had been recounting hisexperiences for the last half century to Mulai Abd el Káder himself, and to the wise ones of both creeds who surrounded them!

"Indeed it was too true, and he had to acknowledge that the events ofa life-time had been crowded into a period undefinably minute, by theGod-sent power of my lord Slave-of-the-Able [Mulai Abd el Káder]. 

"Now, where is the good man and true who reveres the name of this holyone? Who will say a prayer to Mulai Abd el Káder?" Here the narratorextends his palms as before, and all follow him in the motion ofdrawing them down his face. "In the name of the Pitying and Pitiful!Now another!" The performance is repeated. 

"Who is willing to yield himself wholly and entirely to Mulai Abd elKáder? Who will dedicate himself from the soles of his feet tothe crown of his head? Another prayer!" Another repetition of theperformance. 

"Now let those devoted men earn the effectual prayers of that holy oneby offering their silver in his name. Nothing less than a peseta[15]will do. That's right, " as one of the bystanders throws down the coinspecified. 

 [15: About eightpence, a labourer's daily wage in Tangier. ]

"Now let us implore the blessing of God and Mulai Abd el Káder on thehead of this liberal Believer. " The palm performance is once more gonethrough. The earnestness with which he does it this time induces moreto follow suit, and blessings on them also are besought in the samefashion. 

"Now, my friends, which among you will do business with the palms ofall these faithful ones? Pay a peseta and buy the prayers of them all. Now then, deal them out, and purchase happiness. "

So the appeal goes wearisomely on. As no more pesetas are seen tobe forthcoming, a shift is made with reals--nominally 2-1/2_d. _pieces--the story-teller asking those who cannot afford more to makeup first one dollar and then another, turning naïvely to his assistantto ask if they haven't obtained enough yet, as though it were all forthem. As they reply that more is needed, he redoubles his appeals andprayers, threading his way in and out among the crowd, making directfor each well-dressed individual with a confidence which rendersflight or refusal a shame. Meanwhile the "orchestra" has struck up, and only pauses when the "professor" returns to the centre of thecircle to call on all present to unite in prayers for the givers. A few coppers which have been tossed to his feet are distributedscornfully amongst half a dozen beggars, in various stages of filthywretchedness and deformity, who have collected on the ground at oneside. 

Here a water-carrier makes his appearance, with his goat-skin "bottle"and tinkling bell--a swarthy Soudanese in most tattered garb. Theplayers and many listeners having been duly refreshed for the veriesttrifle, the performance continues. A prayer is even said for thesolitary European among the crowd, on his being successfully solicitedfor his quota, and another for his father at the request of some ofthe crowd, who style him the "Friend of the Moors. "

At last a resort is made to coppers, and when the story-tellercondescendingly consents to receive even such trifles in return forprayers, from those who cannot afford more, quite a pattering showerfalls at his feet, which is supplemented by a further hand-to-handcollection. In all, between four and five dollars must have beenreceived--not a bad remuneration for an hour's work! Already the ringhas been thinning; now there is a general uprising, and in a fewmoments the scene is completely changed, the entertainer lost amongthe entertained, for the sun has disappeared below yon hill, and in afew moments night will fall. 

XVIII

SNAKE-CHARMING

 "Whom a snake has bitten starts from a rope. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Descriptions of this art remembered in a book for boys read yearsbefore had prepared me for the most wonderful scenes, and when I firstwatched the performance with snakes which delights the Moors I wasdisappointed. Yet often as I might look on, there was nothing else tosee, save in the faces and gestures of the crowd, who with child-likesimplicity followed every step as though for the first time. Thesehave for me a never-ending fascination. Thus it is that the familiarsounds of rapid and spasmodic beating on a tambourine, which tell thatthe charmer is collecting an audience, still prove an irresistibleattraction for me as well. The ring in which I find myself is just areproduction of that surrounding the story-teller of yester-e'en, butwhere his musicians sat there is a wilder group, more striking stillin their appearance. 

This time, also, the instruments are of another class, two or three ofthe plainest sheep-skin tambourines with two gut strings across thecentre under the parchment, which gives them a peculiar twangingsound; and a couple of reeds, mere canes pierced with holes, eachprovided with a mouthpiece made of half an inch of flattened reed. Nothing is needed to add to the discord as all three are vigorouslyplied with cheek and palm. 

The principal actor has an appearance of studied weirdness as hegesticulates wildly and calls on God to protect him against the venomof his pets. Contrary to the general custom of the country, he haslet his black hair grow till it streams over his shoulders in mattedlocks. His garb is of the simplest, a dirty white shirt over drawersof similar hue completing his outfit. 

Selecting a convenient stone as a seat, notebook in hand, I make up mymind to see the thing through. The "music" having continued fiveor ten minutes with the desired result of attracting a circle ofpassers-by, the actual performance is now to commence. On the groundin the centre lies a spare tambourine, and on one side are the twocloth-covered bottle-shaped baskets containing the snakes. 

The chief charmer now advances, commencing to step round the ringwith occasional beats on his tambourine, rolling his eyes and lookingdemented. Presently, having reached a climax of rapid beating andpacing, he suddenly stops in the centre with an extra "bang!"

"Now, every man who believes in our lord Mohammed ben Aïsa, [16] saywith me a Fátihah. "

 [16: For the history of this man and his snake-charming followers see "The Moors, " p. 331. ]

Each of the onlookers extending his palms side by side before hisface, they repeat the prayer in a sing-song voice, and as it concludeswith a loud "Ameen, " the charmer gives an agonized cry, as thoughdeeply wrought upon. "Ah Rijál el Blád" ("Oh Saints of the Town!"), he shouts, as he recommences his tambourining, this time even withincreased vigour, beating the ground with his feet, and working hisbody up and down in a most extraordinary manner. The two others arealso playing, and the noise is deafening. The chief figure appears tobe raving mad; his starting eyes, his lithe and supple figure, andhis streaming hair, give him the air of one possessed. His face is astudy, a combination of fierceness and madness, yet of good-nature. 

At last he sinks down exhausted, but after a moment rises and advancesto the centre of the circle, picking up a tambourine. 

"Now, Sîdi Aïsa"--turning to one of the musicians, whom he motions tocease their din--"what do you think happens to the man who puts a coinin there? Why, the holy saint, our lord Mohammed ben Aïsa, puts a ringround him like that, " drawing a ring round a stone on the ground. "Isit not so?"

"It is, Ameen, " from Sidi Aïsa. 

"And what happens to him in the day time?"

"He is in the hands of God, and his people too. "

"And in the night time?"

"He is in the hands of God, and his people too. "

"And when at home?"

"He is in the hands of God, and his people too. "

"And when abroad?"

"He is in the hands of God, and his people too. "

At this a copper coin is thrown into the ring, and the charmerreplies, "Now he who is master of sea and land, my lord Abd el Káderel Jîláni, [17] bless the giver of that coin! Now, for the love of Godand of His blessed prophet, I offer a prayer for that generousone. " Here the operation of passing their hands down their faces isperformed by all. 

 [17: The surname of the Baghdád saint. ]

"Now, there's another, "--as a coin falls--"and from a child, too! Godbless thee now, my son. May my lord Ben Aïsa, my lord Abd es-Slám, andmy lord Abd el Káder, protect and keep thee!"

Then, as more coppers fall, similar blessings are invoked upon thedonors, interspersed with catechising of the musicians with a view tomaking known the advantages to be reaped by giving something. At last, as nothing more seems to be forthcoming, the performance proper isproceeded with, and the charmer commences to dance on one leg, toa terrible din from the tambourines. Then he pauses, and summons alittle boy from the audience, seating him in the midst, adjuring himto behave himself, to do as he is bid, and to have faith in "our lordBen Aïsa. " Then, seating himself behind the boy, he places his lipsagainst his skull, and blows repeatedly, coming round to the front tolook at the lad, to see if he is sufficiently affected, and returningto puff again. Finally he bites off a piece of the boy's cloak, andchews it. Now he wets his finger in his mouth, and after putting itinto the dust makes lines across his legs and arms, all the timecalling on his patron saint; next holding the piece of cloth in hishands and walking round the ring for all to see it. 

"Come hither, " he says to a bystander; "search my mouth and see ifthere be anything there. "

The search is conducted as a farmer would examine a horse's mouth, with the result that it is declared empty. 

"Now I call on the prophet to witness that there is no deception, " ashe once more restores the piece of cloth to his mouth, and pokes hisfingers into his neck, drawing them now up his face. 

"Enough!"

The voices of the musicians, who have for the latter part of thetime been giving forth a drawling chorus, cease, but the din of thetambourines continues, while the performer dances wildly, till hestops before the lad on the ground, and takes from his mouth first onedate and then another, which the lad is told to eat, and does so, theon-lookers fully convinced that they were transformed from the rag. 

Now it is the turn of one of the musicians to come forward, his placebeing taken by the retiring performer, after he has made anothercollection in the manner already described. 

"He who believes in God and in the power of our lord Mohammed benAïsa, say with me a Fátihah, " cries the new man, extending his palmsturned upwards before him to receive the blessings he asks, and thenbrings one of the snake-baskets forward, plunging his hand into itssack-like mouth, and sharply drawing it out a time or two, as ifafraid of being bitten. 

Finally he pulls the head of one of the reptiles through, and leavesit there, darting out its fangs, while he snatches up and wildly beatsthe tambourine by his side. He now seizes the snake by the neck, andpulls it right out, the people starting back as it coils round in thering, or uncoils and makes a plunge towards someone. Now he pulls outanother, and hangs it round his neck, saying, "I take refuge with thesaint who was dead and is alive, with our lord Mohammed son of Aïsa, and with the most holy Abd el Káder el Jîláni, king of land andsea. Now, let every one who believes bear witness with me and say aFátihah!"

"Say a Fátihah!" echoes one of the still noisy musicians, by way ofchorus. 

"Now may our lord Abd el Káder see the man who makes a contributionwith his eyes. "

_Chorus:_ "With his eyes!"

"And may his heart find rest, and our lord Abd er-Rahmán protect him!"

_Chorus:_ "Protect him!"

"Now, I call you to witness, I bargain with our lord Abd el Káder fora forfeit!"

_Chorus:_ "For a forfeit!"

A copper is thrown into the ring, and as he picks it up and hands itto the musician, the performer exclaims--

"Take this, see, and at the last day may the giver of it see our lordAbd el Káder before him!"

_Chorus:_ "Before him!"

"May he ever be blessed, whether present or absent!"

_Chorus:_ "Present or absent!"

"Who wishes to have a good conscience and a clean heart? Oh, yebeloved of the Lord! See, take from that dear one" (who has throwndown a copper). 

The contributions now apparently sufficing for the present, theperformance proceeds, but the crowd having edged a little too close, it is first necessary to increase the space in the centre by swingingone of the reptiles round by the tail, whereat all start back. 

"Ah! you may well be afraid!" exclaims the charmer. "Their fangs meandeath, if you only knew it, but for the mercies of my lord, the son ofAïsa. "

"Ameen!" responds the chorus. 

Hereupon he proceeds to direct the head of the snake to his mouth, andcaressingly invites it to enter. Darting from side to side, it finallymakes a plunge down his throat, whereon the strangers shudder, and the_habitués_ look with triumphant awe. Wildly he spins on one foot thatall may see, still holding the creature by the neck with one hand, andby the tail with the other. At length, having allowed the greater partof its length to disappear in this uncanny manner, he proceeds towithdraw it, the head emerging with the sound of a cork from a bottle. The sight has not been pleasant, but the audience, transfixed, gives asigh of relief as the tambourines strike up again, and the reed chimesin deafeningly. 

"Who says they are harmless? Who says their fangs are extracted?"challenges the performer. "Look here!"

The seemingly angry snake has now fastened on his arm, and ispermitted to draw blood, as though in reward for its recent treatment. 

"Is any incredulous here? Shall I try it on thee?"

The individual addressed, a poverty-stricken youth whose place wasdoubtless required for some more promising customer behind, flees interror, as the gaping jaws approach him. One and another having beensimilarly dismissed from points of vantage, and a redistributionof front seats effected, the incredulous are once more tauntinglyaddressed and challenged. This time the challenge is accepted by aforeigner, who hands in a chicken held by its wings. 

"So? Blessed be God! Its doom is sealed if it comes within reach ofthe snake. See here!"

All eagerly press forward, many rising to their feet, and it isdifficult to see over their shoulders the next gruesome act. Thereptile, held by the neck in the performer's right hand, is shown thechicken in the other, and annoyed by having it poked in its face, toofrightened to perceive what is happening. In a moment the fangs areshot out, and a wound inflicted in the exposed part under the wing. Blood appears, and the bird is thrown down, being held in place bythe performer's foot till in a few minutes its struggles cease. Then, picking the victim up, he holds it aloft by one wing to show itscondition, and exultingly calls for a Fátihah. 

It is enough: my patience is exhausted, and I rise to make off withstiff knees, content at last with what I have seen and heard of the"charming" of snakes in Morocco. 

[Illustration: _Cavilla, Photo. , Tangier. _

A MOROCCO FANDAK (CARAVANSARAI). ]

XIX

IN A MOORISH CAFÉ

 "A little from a friend is much. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

To the passer-by, least of all to the European, there is nothing inits external appearance to recommend old Hashmi's _café_. From thestreet, indeed, it is hardly visible, for it lies within the thresholdof a caravansarai or fandak, in which beasts are tethered, goodsaccumulated and travellers housed, and of which the general appearanceis that of a neglected farm-yard. Round an open court a colonnadesupports the balcony by which rooms on the upper story are approached, a narrow staircase in the corner leading right up to the terracedroof. In the daytime the sole occupants of the rooms are women whosepartners for the time being have securely locked them in before goingto work. 

Beside the lofty archway forming the gate of this strange hostelry, isHashmi's stall, at which green tea or a sweet, pea-soupy preparationof coffee may be had at all hours of the day, but the _café_ proper, gloomy by daylight, lies through the door behind. Here, of an evening, the candles lit, his regular customers gather with tiny pipes, indulging in flowing talk. Each has before him his harmless glass, ashe squats or reclines on the rush-matted floor. Nothing of importanceoccurs in the city but is within a little made known here with as muchcertainty as if the proprietor subscribed to an evening paper. Anyman who has something fresh to tell, who can interest or amuse thecompany, and by his frequent visits give the house a name, is alwayswelcome, and will find a glass awaiting him whenever he chooses tocome. 

Old Hashmi knows his business, and if the evening that I was there maybe taken as a sample, he deserves success. That night he was in thebest of humours. His house was full and trade brisk. Fattah, a negro, was keeping the house merry, so in view of coming demands, he brewed afresh pot of real "Mekkan. " The surroundings were grimy, and outsidethe rain came down in torrents: but that was a decided advantage, since it not only drove men indoors, but helped to keep them there. Mesaôd, the one-eyed, had finished an elaborate tuning of histwo-stringed banjo, his ginbri--a home-made instrument--and wasproceeding to arrive at a convenient pitch of voice for his song. Witha strong nasal accent he commenced reciting the loves of Si Marzak andhis fair Azîzah: how he addressed her in the fondest of language, and how she replied by caresses. When he came to the chorus they allchimed in, for the most part to their own tune and time, as theyrocked to and fro, some clapping, some beating their thighs, and allapplauding at the end. 

The whole ballad would not bear translation--for English ears, --andthe scanty portion which may be given has lost its rhythm and cadenceby the change, for Arabic is very soft and beautiful to those whounderstand it. The time has come when Azîzah, having quarrelled withSi Marzak in a fit of perhaps too well-founded jealousy, desires to"make it up again, " and thus addresses her beloved--

 "Oh, how I have followed thy attractiveness, And halted between give and take! Oh, how I'd from evil have protected thee By my advice, hadst thou but heeded it! Yet to-day taste, O my master, Of the love that thou hast taught to me!

 "Oh, how I have longed for the pleasure of thy visits, And poured out bitter tears for thee; Until at last the sad truth dawned on me That of thy choice thou didst put me aside! Yet to-day taste, O my master, Of the love that thou hast taught to me!

 "Thou wast sweeter than honey to me, But thou hast become more bitter than gall. Is it thus thou beginnest the world? Beware lest thou make me thy foe! Yet to-day taste, O my master, Of the love that thou hast taught to me!

 "I have hitherto been but a name to thee, And thou took'st to thy bosom a snake, But to-day I perceive thou'st a fancy for me: O God, I will not be deceived! Yes, to-day taste, O my master, Of the love that thou hast taught to me!

 "Thou know'st my complaint and my only cure: Why, then, wilt thou heal me not? Thou canst do so to-day, O my master, And save me from all further woe. Yes, to-day taste, O my master, Of the love that thou hast taught to me!"

To which the hard-pressed swain replies--

 "Of a truth thine eyes have bewitched me, For Death itself is in fear of them: And thine eyebrows, like two logs of wood, Have battered me each in its turn. So if thou sayest die, I'll die; And for God shall my sacrifice be!

 "I have neither yet died nor abandoned hope, Though slumber at night I ne'er know. With the staff of deliverance still afar off, So that all the world knows of my woe. And if thou sayest die, I'll die, But for God shall my sacrifice be!"

While the singing was proceeding Sáïd and Drees had been indulging ina game of draughts, and as it ceased their voices could be heard ineager play. "Call thyself a Mallem (master). There, thy father wasbewitched by a hyena; there, and there again!" shouted Sáïd, as heswept a first, a second and a third of his opponent's pieces from theboard. 

But Drees was equal with him in another move. 

"So, verily, thou art my master! Let us, then, praise God for thywisdom: thou art like indeed unto him who verily shot the fox, but whokilled his own cow with the second shot! See, thus I teach thee toboast before thy betters: ha, I laugh at thee, I ride the donkey onthy head. I shave that beard of thine!" he ejaculated, taking onepiece after another from his adversary, as the result of an incautiousmove. The board had the appearance of a well-kicked footstool, and the"men"--called "dogs" in Barbary--were more like baseless chess pawns. The play was as unlike that of Europeans as possible; the moves from"room" to "room" were of lightning swiftness, and accompanied by arunning fire of slang ejaculations, chiefly sarcastic, but, on thewhole, enlivened with a vein of playful humour not to be Englishedpolitely. Just as the onlookers would become interested in theprogress of one or the other, a too rapid advance by either wouldresult in an incomprehensible wholesale clearing of the board by hisopponent's sleeve. Yet without a stop the pieces would be replacedin order, and a new game commenced, the vanquished too proud toacknowledge that he did not quite see how the victor had won. 

Then Fattah, whose _forte_ was mimicry, attracted the attention of thecompany by a representation of a fat wazeer at prayers. Amid roars oflaughter he succeeded in rising to his feet with the help of thosebeside him, who had still to lend occasional support, as his kneesthreatened to give way under his apparently ponderous carcase. Beforeand behind, his shirt was well stuffed with cushions, and the sideswere not forgotten. His cheeks were puffed out to the utmost, and hiseyes rolled superbly. At last the moment came for him to go on hisknees, when he had to be let gently down by those near him, but hisefforts to bow his head, now top-heavy with a couple of shirts for aturban, were most ludicrous, as he fell on one side in apparently vainendeavours. The spectators roared with laughter till the tears courseddown their cheeks; but that black and solemn face remained unmoved, and at the end of the prescribed motions the pseudo-great manapparently fell into slumber as heavy as himself, and snored in astyle that a prize pig might have envied. 

"Áfuk! Áfuk!" the deafening bravos resounded, for Fattah had excelledhimself, and was amply rewarded by the collection which followed. 

A tale was next demanded from a jovial man of Fez, who, nothing loth, began at once--

"Evening was falling as across the plain of Háhá trudged a wearytraveller. The cold wind whistled through his tattered garments. Thepath grew dim before his eyes. The stars came out one by one, but nostar of hope shone for him. He was faint and hungry. His feet weresore. His head ached. He shivered. 

"'May God have pity on me!' he muttered. 

"God heard him. A few minutes later he descried an earthly star--asolitary light was twinkling on the distant hillside. Thitherward heturned his steps. 

"Hope rose within him. His step grew brisk. The way seemed clear. Onward he pushed. 

"Presently he could make out the huts of a village. 

"'Thank God!' he cried; but still he had no supper. 

"His empty stomach clamoured. His purse was empty also. The fiendishdogs of the village yelped at him. He paused discomfited. He called. 

"Widow Záïdah stood before her light. 

"'Who's there?'

"'A God-guest'

"'In God's name, then, welcome! Silence there, curs!'

"Abd el Hakk approached. 

"'God bless thee, my mother, and repay thee a thousand-fold!'

"But Záïdah herself was poor. Her property consisted only of a hut andsome fowls. She set before him eggs--two, hard-boiled, --bread also. Hethanked God. He ate. 

"'Yes, God will repay, ' she said. 

"Next day Abd el Hakk passed on to Marrákesh. There God blessed him. Years passed on; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Abd el Hakkwas rich. Melûdi the lawyer disliked him. Said he to Widow Záïdah--

"'Abd el Hakk, whom once thou succouredst, is rich. The two eggs werenever yet paid for. Hadst thou not given them to him they would havebecome two chickens. These would each have laid hundreds. Thosehundreds, when hatched, would have laid their thousands. In sevenyears, think to what amount Abd el Hakk is indebted to thee. Sue him. '

"Widow Záïdah listened. What is more, she acted. Abd el Hakk failed toappear to rebut the claim. He was worth no more. 

"'Why is the defendant not here?' asked the judge. 

"'My lord, ' said his attorney, 'he is gone to sow boiled beans. '

"'Boiled beans!'

"'Boiled beans, my lord. '

"'Is he mad?'

"'He is very wise, my lord. '

"'Thou mockest. '

"'My lord, if boiled eggs can be hatched, sure boiled beans willgrow!'

"'Dismissed with costs!'

"The tree that bends with every wind that blows will seldom standupright. "

 * * * * *

A round of applause greeted the clever tale, of which the speaker'sgestures had told even more than his words. But the merriment ofthe company only began there, for forthwith a babel of tongues wasoccupied in the discussion of all the points of the case, in imaginingevery impossible or humorous alternative, and laughter resounded onevery side, as the glasses were quickly refilled with an innocentdrink. 

XX

THE MEDICINE-MAN

 "Wine is a key to all evil. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Under the glare of an African sun, its rays, however, tempered by afresh Atlantic breeze; no roof to his consulting-room save the sky, nowalls surrounding him to keep off idle starers like ourselves; by theroadside sits a native doctor of repute. His costume is that of halfthe crowd around, outwardly consisting of a well-worn brown woollencloak with a hood pulled over his head, from beneath the skirts ofwhich protrude his muddy feet. By his side lies the basket containinghis supplies and less delicate instruments; the finer ones we see himdraw from a capacious wallet of leather beneath his cloak. 

Though personally somewhat gaunt, he is nevertheless a jolly-lookingcharacter, totally free from that would-be professional air assumedby some of our medical students to hide lack of experience; for he, empiric though he be, has no idea of any of his own shortcomings, andgreets us with an easy smile. He is seated on the ground, hugging hisknees till his attention is drawn to us, when, observing our gaze athis lancets on the ground, he picks one up to show it. Both are ofrude construction, merely pieces of flat steel filed to double-edgedpoints, and protected by two flaps slightly bigger, in the one case ofbone, in the other of brass. A loose rivet holding all together at oneend completes the instrument. The brass one he says was made by a Jewin Fez out of an old clock; the other by a Jew in Marrákesh. For thepurpose of making scratches for cupping he has a piece of flat steelabout half an inch wide, sharpened across the end chisel-fashion. Thenhe has a piece of an old razor-blade tied to a stick with a string. That this is sharp he soon demonstrates by skilfully shaving an oldman's head, after only damping the eighth of an inch stub with whichit is covered. A stone and a bit of leather, supplemented by thecalves of his legs, or his biceps, serve to keep the edges incondition. 

From a finger-shaped leather bag in his satchel he produces anantiquated pair of tooth extractors, a small pair of forceps forpulling out thorns, and a stiletto. The first-named article, heinforms us, came from France to Tafilált, his home, _viâ_ Tlemçen; itis of the design known as "Fox's claw, " and he explains to us that thedifference between the French and the English article is that the onehas no spring to keep the jaws open, while the other has. A far moreformidable instrument is the genuine native contrivance, a sort ofexaggerated corkscrew without a point. 

But here comes a patient to be treated. He troubles the doctor withno diagnosis, asking only to be bled. He is a youth of medium height, bronzed by the sun. Telling him to sit down and bare his right arm, the operator feels it well up and down, and then places the tips ofthe patient's fingers on the ground, bidding him not to move. Pouringout a little water into a metal dish, he washes the arm on the insideof the elbow, drying it with his cloak. Next he ties a piece of listround the upper arm as tightly as he can, and selecting one of thelancets, makes an incision into the vein which the washing hasrendered visible. A bright stream issues, squirting into the air somefifteen inches; it is soon, however, directed into a tin soup-plateholding fourteen ounces, as we ascertained by measurement. Theoperator washes and dries his lancet, wraps the two in a white rag, and puts them into a piece of cane which forms an excellent case. Meanwhile the plate has filled, and he turns his attention once moreto the patient. One or two passers-by have stopped, like ourselves, tolook on. 

"I knew a man, " says one, "who was being bled like that, and kept onsaying, 'take a little more, ' till he fell back dead in our arms. "

"Yes, " chimes in another, "I have heard of such cases; it is verydangerous. "

Although the patient is evidently growing very nervous, our surgicalfriend affects supreme indifference to all this tittle-tattle, andafter a while removes the bandage, bending the forearm inward, withthe effect of somewhat checking the flow of blood. When he has boundup with list the cane that holds the lancets, he closes the forearmback entirely, so that the flow is stopped. Opening it again a little, he wipes a sponge over the aperture a few times, and closes it withhis thumb. Then he binds a bit of filthy rag round the arm, twistingit above and below the elbow alternately, and crossing over theincision each time. When this is done, he sends the patient to throwaway the blood and wash the plate, receiving for the whole operationthe sum of three half-pence. 

Another patient is waiting his turn, an old man desiring to be bledbehind the ears for headache. After shaving two patches for thepurpose, the "bleeder, " as he is justly called, makes eighteenscratches close together, about half an inch long. Over these heplaces a brass cup of the shape of a high Italian hat without thebrim. From near the edge of this protrudes a long brass tube with apiece of leather round and over the end. This the operator sucks tocreate a vacuum, the moistened leather closing like a valve, whichleaves the cup hanging _in situ_. Repeating this on the other side, heempties the first cup of the blood which has by this time accumulatedin it, and so on alternately, till he has drawn off what appears tohim to be sufficient. All that remains to be done is to wipe thewounds and receive the fee. 

Some years ago such a worthy as this earned quite a reputation forexorcising devils in Southern Morocco. His mode of procedure wasbrief, but as a rule effective. The patient was laid on the groundbefore the wise man's tent, face downward, and after reading certainmystic and unintelligible passages, selected from one of the ponderoustomes which form a prominent part of the "doctor's" stock-in-trade, hesolemnly ordered two or three men to hold the sufferer down while twomore thrashed him till they were tired. If, when released, the patientshowed the least sign of returning violence, or complained that thewhole affair was a fraud, it was taken as a sure sign that he had nothad enough, and he was forthwith seized again and the dose repeatedtill he had learned that discretion was the better part of valour, andslunk off, perhaps a wiser, certainly a sadder man. It is said, and Ido not doubt it--though it is more than most medical men can say oftheir patients--that no one was ever known to return in quest offurther treatment. 

All this, however, is nothing compared with the Moor's love of fire asa universal panacea. Not only for his mules and his horses, butalso for himself and his family, cauterization is in high repute, especially as he estimates the value of a remedy as much by itsimmediate and visible action as by its ultimate effects. The"fire-doctor" is therefore even a greater character in his way thanthe "bleeder, " whom we have just visited. His outfit includes acollection of queer-shaped irons designed to cauterize different partsof the body, a portable brazier, and bellows made from a goat-skinwith a piece of board at one side wherewith to press and expel the airthrough a tube on the other side. He, too, sits by the roadside, anddisposes of his groaning though wonderfully enduring "patients" muchas did his rival of the lancet. Rohlfs, a German doctor who exploredparts of Morocco in the garb of a native, exercising what he could ofhis profession for a livelihood, tells how he earned a considerablereputation by the introduction of "cold fire" (lunar caustic) as arival to the original style; and Pellow, an English slave who madehis escape in 1735, found cayenne pepper of great assistance iningratiating himself with the Moors in this way, and even in delayinga pursuer suffering from ophthalmia by blowing a little into his eyesbefore his identity was discovered. In extenuation of this trick, however, it must be borne in mind that cayenne pepper is an accreditedMoorish remedy for ophthalmia, being placed on the eyelids, though itis only a mixture of canary seed and sugar that is blown in. 

Every European traveller in Morocco is supposed to know somethingabout medicine, and many have been my own amusing experiences in thisdirection. Nothing that I used gave me greater fame than a bottle ofoil of cantharides, the contents of which I applied freely behind theears or upon the temples of such victims of ophthalmia as submittedthemselves to my tender mercies. Only I found that when my firstpatient began to dance with the joy and pain of the noble blisterwhich shortly arose, so many people fancied they needed like treatmentthat I was obliged to restrict the use of so popular a cure to specialcases. 

One branch of Moroccan medicine consists in exorcising devils, ofwhich a most amusing instance once came under my notice. An Englishgentleman gave one of his servants who complained of being troubledwith these unwelcome guests two good-sized doses of tartaric acid andcarbonate of soda a second apart. The immediate exit of the devil wasso apparent that the fame of the prescriber as a medical man was madeat once. But many of the cases which the amateur is called upon totreat are much more difficult to satisfy than this. Superstition isso strongly mingled with the native ideas of disease, --of beingpossessed, --that the two can hardly be separated. During an epidemicof cholera, for instance, the people keep as close as possible towalls, and avoid sand-hills, for fear of "catching devils. " Alldisease is indeed more or less ascribed to satanic agency, and inMorocco that practitioner is most in repute who claims to attack thiscause of the malady rather than its effect. 

Although the Moors have a certain rudimentary acquaintance with simplemedicinal agents--and how rudimentary that acquaintance is, willbetter appear from what is to follow, --in all their pharmacop[oe]iano remedy is so often recommended or so implicitly relied on as the"writing" of a man of reputed sanctity. Such a writing may consistmerely of a piece of paper scribbled over with the name of God, orwith some sentence from the Korán, such as, "And only God is theHealer, " repeated many times, or in special cases it may contain awhole series of pious expressions and meaningless incantations. For anordinary external complaint, such as general debility arising fromthe evil eye of a neighbour or a jealous wife, or as a preventativeagainst bewitchment, or as a love philtre, it is usually consideredsufficient to wear this in a leather bag around the neck or forehead;but in case of unfathomable internal disease, such as indigestion, the"writing" is prescribed to be divided into so many equal portions, andtaken in a little water night and morning. 

The author of these potent documents is sometimes a hereditary saintdescended from Mohammed, sometimes a saint whose sanctity arises fromreal or assumed insanity--for to be mad in Barbary is to have one'sthoughts so occupied with things of heaven as to have no time leftfor things of earth, --and often they are written by ordinary publicscribes, or schoolmasters, for among the Moors reading and religionare almost synonymous terms. There are, however, a few professionalgentlemen who dispense these writings among their drugs. Such alone ofall their quacks aspire to the title of "doctor. " Most of these spendtheir time wandering about the country from fair to fair, setting uptheir tents wherever there are patients to be found in sufficientnumbers. 

Attired as natives, let us visit one. Arrived at the tent door, wesalute the learned occupant with the prescribed "Salám oo alaïkum"("To you be peace"), to which, on noting our superior costumes, hereplies with a volley of complimentary inquiries and welcomes. Thesewe acknowledge with dignity, and with as sedate an air as possible. We leisurely seat ourselves on the ground in orthodox style, liketailors. As it would not be good form to mention our business at once, we defer professional consultation till we have inquired successfullyafter his health, his travels, and the latest news at home and fromabroad. In the course of conversation he gives us to understand thathe is one of the Sultan's uncles, which is by no means impossible in acountry where it has not been an unknown thing for an imperial fatherto lose count of his numerous progeny. 

Feeling at last that we have broken the ice, we turn the conversationto the subject of our supposed ailments. My own complaint is a generalinternal disorder resulting in occasional feverishness, griping pains, and loss of sleep. After asking a number of really sensible questions, such as would seem to place him above the ordinary rank of nativepractitioners, he gravely announces that he has "the very thing" inthe form of a powder, which, from its high virtues, and the exceedingnumber of its ingredients, some of them costly, is rather expensive. We remember the deference with which our costumes were noted, andunderstand. But, after all, the price of a supply is announced to beonly seven-pence halfpenny. The contents of some of the canisters heshows us include respectively, according to his account, from twentyto fifty drugs. For our own part, we strongly suspect that all arespices to be procured from any Moorish grocer. 

Together with the prescription I receive instructions to drink thesoup from a fat chicken in the morning, and to eat its flesh in theevening; to eat hot bread and drink sweet tea, and to do as littlework as possible, the powder to be taken daily for a fortnight in alittle honey. Whatever else he may not know, it is evident that ourdoctor knows full well how to humour his patients. 

The next case is even more easy of treatment than mine, a "writing"only being required. On a piece of very common paper two or threeinches square, the doctor writes something of which the only legiblepart is the first line: "In the name of God, the Pitying, thePitiful, " followed, we subsequently learn, by repetitions of "Only Godis the Healer. " For this the patient is to get his wife to make a feltbag sewed with coloured silk, into which the charm is to be put, alongwith a little salt and a few parings of garlic, after which it is tobe worn round his neck for ever. 

Sometimes, in wandering through Morocco, one comes across much morecurious remedies than these, for the worthy we have just visited isbut a commonplace type in this country. A medical friend once met aprofessional brother in the interior who had a truly original methodof proving his skill. By pressing his finger on the side of hisnose close to his eye, he could send a jet of liquid right into hisinterlocutor's face, a proceeding sufficient to satisfy all doubts asto his alleged marvellous powers. On examination it was found thathe had a small orifice near the corner of the eye, through which thepressure forced the lachrymal fluid, pure tears, in fact. This is justan instance of the way in which any natural defect or peculiarityis made the most of by these wandering empirics, to impose on theirignorant and credulous victims. 

Even such of them as do give any variety of remedies are hardly moreto be trusted. Whatever they give, their patients like big doses, andare not content without corresponding visible effects. Epsom salts, which are in great repute, are never given to a man in less quantitiesthan two tablespoonfuls. On one occasion a poor woman came to mesuffering from ague, and looking very dejected. I mixed this quantityof salts in a tumblerful of water, with a good dose of quinine, bidding her drink two-thirds of it, and give the remainder to herdaughter, who evidently needed it as much as she did. Her share wassoon disposed of with hardly more than a grimace, to the infiniteenjoyment of a fat, black slave-girl who was standing by, and who knewfrom personal experience what a tumblerful meant. But to induce thechild to take hers was quite another matter. "What! not drink it?"the mother cried, as she held the potion to her lips. "The devil takethee, thou cursed offspring of an abandoned woman! May God burn thyancestors!" But though the child, accustomed to such mild and motherlyinvectives, budged not, it had proved altogether too much for thejovial slave, who was by this time convulsed with laughter, and so, Imay as well confess, was I. At last the woman's powers of persuasionwere exhausted, and she drained the glass herself. 

When in Fez some years ago, a dog I had with me needed dosing, so Igot three drops of croton oil on sugar made ready for him. Mine host, a man of fifty or more, came in meanwhile, and having ascertained theaction of the drug from my servant, thought it might possibly do himgood, and forthwith swallowed it. Of this the first intimation I hadwas from the agonizing screams of the old man, who loudly proclaimedthat his last hour was come, and from the terrified wails of thefemales of his household, who thought so too. When I saw him he wasrolling on the tiles of the courtyard, his heels in the air, bellowingfrantically. I need hardly dilate upon the relief I felt when at lastwe succeeded in alleviating his pain, and knew that he was out ofdanger. 

Among the favourite remedies of Morocco, hyena's head powder rankshigh as a purge, and the dried bones and flesh may often be seen inthe native spice-shops, coated with dust as they hang. Some of theprescriptions given are too filthy to repeat, almost to be believed. As a specimen, by no means the worst, I may mention a recipe at onetime in favour among the Jewesses of Mogador, according to one writer. This was to drink seven draughts from the town drain where it enteredthe sea, beaten up with seven eggs. For diseases of the "heart, " bywhich they mean the stomach and liver, and of eyes, joints, etc. , astone, which is found in an animal called the horreh, the size of asmall walnut, and valued as high as twelve dollars, is ground up andswallowed, the patient thereafter remaining indoors a week. Ants, prepared in various ways, are recommended for lethargy, and lion'sflesh for cowardice. Privet or mallow leaves, fresh honey, andchameleons split open alive, are considered good for wounds and sores, while the fumes from the burning of the dried body of this animal areoften inhaled. Among more ordinary remedies are saraparilla, senna, and a number of other well-known herbs and roots, whose action is moreor less understood. Roasted pomegranate rind in powder is found reallyeffectual in dysentery and diarrh[oe]a. 

Men and women continually apply for philtres, and women for means toprevent their husbands from liking rival wives, or for poison toput them out of the way. As arsenic, corrosive sublimate, and otherpoisons are sold freely to children in every spice-shop, the number ofunaccounted-for deaths is extremely large, but inquiry is seldom ornever made. When it is openly averred that So-and-so died from "a cupof tea, " the only mental comment seems to be that she was very foolishnot to be more careful what she drank, and to see that whoeverprepared it took the first sip according to custom. The highestrecommendation of any particular dish or spice is that it is"heating. " Great faith is also placed in certain sacred rocks, tree-stumps, etc. , which are visited in the hope of obtaining relieffrom all sorts of ailments. Visitors often leave rags torn from theirgarments by which to be remembered by the guardian of the place. Others repair to the famous sulphur springs of Zarhôn, supposed toderive their benefit from the interment close by of a certain St. Jacob--and dance in the waters, yelling without intermission, "Coldand hot, O my lord Yakoob! Cold and hot!" fearful lest any cessationof the cry might permit the temperature to be increased or diminishedbeyond the bearable point. 

XXI

THE HUMAN MART

 "Who digs a pit for his brother will fall into it. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

The slave-market differs in no respect from any other in Morocco, savein the nature of the "goods" exposed. In most cases the same place isused for other things at other times, and the same auctioneers areemployed to sell cattle. The buyers seat themselves round an opencourtyard, in the closed pens of which are the slaves for sale. Theseare brought out singly or in lots, inspected precisely as cattle wouldbe, and expatiated upon in much the same manner. 

For instance, here comes a middle-aged man, led slowly round by thesalesman, who is describing his "points" and noting bids. He hasfirst-class muscles, although he is somewhat thin. He is made to lifta weight to prove his strength. His thighs are patted, and his lipsare turned to show the gums, which at merrier moments would have beenvisible without such a performance. With a shame-faced, hang-dog airhe trudges round, wondering what will be his lot, though a sad one itis already. At last he is knocked down for so many score of dollars, and after a good deal of further bargaining he changes hands. 

The next brought forward are three little girls--a "job lot, " maybeten, thirteen, and sixteen years of age--two of them evidentlysisters. They are declared to be already proficient in Arabic, andready for anything. Their muscles are felt, their mouths examined, andtheir bodies scrutinized in general, while the little one beginsto cry, and the others look as though they would like to keep hercompany. Round and round again they are marched, but the bids do notrise high enough to effect a sale, and they are locked up again for afuture occasion. It is indeed a sad, sad sight. 

The sources of supply for the slave-market are various, but the chiefis direct from Guinea and the Sáhara, where the raids of the tradersare too well understood to need description. Usually some inter-tribaljealousy is fostered and fanned into a flame, and the one which losesis plundered of men and goods. Able-bodied lads and young girls arein most demand, and fetch high prices when brought to the north. Theunfortunate prisoners are marched with great hardship and privationto depôts over the Atlas, where they pick up Arabic and are initiatedinto Mohammedanism. To a missionary who once asked one of the dealershow they found their way across the desert, the terribly significantreply was, "There are many bones along the way!" After a while thesurvivors are either exposed for sale in the markets of Marrákeshor Fez, or hawked round from door to door in the coast towns, wherepublic auctions are prohibited. Some have even found their way toEgypt and Constantinople, having been transported in British vessels, and landed at Gibraltar as members of the dealer's family!

Another source of supply is the constant series of quarrels betweenthe tribes of Morocco itself, during which many children are carriedoff who are white or nearly so. In this case the victims are almostall girls, for whom good prices are to be obtained. This opens a doorfor illegal supplies, children born of slaves and others kidnappedbeing thus disposed of for hareems. For this purpose the demandfor white girls is much in excess of that for black, so that greattemptation is offered. I knew a man who had seventeen such in hishouse, and of nearly a dozen whom I saw there, none were too dark tohave passed for English brunettes. 

Though nothing whatever can be said in defence of this practice oftearing our fellow-men from their homes, and selling them as slaves, our natural feelings of horror abate considerably when we becomeacquainted with its results under the rule of Islám. Instead of thefearful state of things which occurred under English or American rule, it is a pleasure to find that, whatever may be the shortcomings of theMoors, in this case, at any rate, they have set us a good example. Even their barbarous treatment of Christian slaves till within acentury was certainly no worse than our treatment of black slaves. 

To begin with, Mohammedans make no distinction in civil or religiousrights between a black skin and a white. So long as a man avows beliefin no god but God, and in Mohammed as the prophet of God, complyingwith certain outward forms of his religion, he is held to be as good aMuslim as anyone else; and as the whole social and civil fabricsare built upon religion and the teachings of the Korán, the socialposition of every well-behaved Mohammedan is practically equal. Thepossession of authority of any kind will naturally command a certainamount of respectful attention, and he who has any reason for seekinga favour from another is sure to adopt a more subservient mien; butbeyond this, few such class distinctions are known as those common inEurope. The slave who, away from home, can behave as a gentleman, willbe received as such, irrespective of his colour, and when freed hemay aspire to any position under the Sultan. There are, indeed, manyinstances of black men having been ministers, governors, and evenambassadors to Europe, and such appointments are too common to exciteastonishment. They have even, in the past, assisted in giving rise tothe misconception that the people of Morocco were "Black-a-Moors. "

In many households the slave becomes the trusted steward of his owner, and receives a sufficient allowance to live in comfort. He willpossess a paper giving him his freedom on his master's death, andaltogether he will have a very good time of it. The liberationof slaves is enjoined upon those who follow Mohammed as a mostpraiseworthy act, and as one which cannot fail to bring its ownreward. But, like too many in our own land, they more often prefer tomake use of what they possess till they start on that journey onwhich they can take nothing with them, and then affect generosity bybestowing upon others that over which they lose control. 

One poor fellow whom I knew very well, who had been liberated on thedeath of his master, having lost his papers, was re-kidnapped and soldagain to a man who was subsequently imprisoned for fraud, when hegot free and worked for some years as porter; but he was eventuallydenounced and put in irons in a dungeon as part of the property of his_soi-disant_ master. 

The ordinary place of the slave is much that of the average servant, but receiving only board, lodging, and scanty clothing, without pay, and being unable to change masters. Sometimes, however, they arepermitted to beg or work for money to buy their own freedom, whenthey become, as it were, their own masters. On the whole, a jollier, harder-working, or better-tempered lot than these Negroes it wouldbe hard to desire, and they are as light-hearted, fortunately, astrue-hearted, even in the midst of cruel adversities. 

The condition of a woman slave--to which, also, most of what has beensaid refers--is as much behind that of a man-slave as is that of afree-woman behind that of her lord. If she becomes her master's wife, the mother of a child, she is thereby freed, though she must remain inhis service until his death, and she is only treated as an animal, notas a human being. 

After all, there is a dark side--one sufficiently dark to need nointensifying. The fact of one man being the possessor of another, just as much as he could be of a horse or cow, places him in the sameposition with regard to his "chattel" as to such a four-footed animal. "The merciful man is merciful to his beast, " but "the tender merciesof the wicked are cruel, " and just as one man will ill-treat hisbeast, while another treats his well, so will one man persecute hisslave. Instances of this are quite common enough, and here and therecases could be brought forward of revolting brutality, as in the storywhich follows, but the great thing is that agricultural slavery ispractically unknown, and that what exists is chiefly domestic. "Knowthe slave, " says an Arab proverb, "and you know the master. "

[Illustration: _Freyonne, Photo. , Gibraltar. _

RABBAH, NARRATOR OF THE SLAVE-GIRL'S STORY. ]

XXII

A SLAVE-GIRL'S STORY

 "After many adversities, joy. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Outside the walls of Mazagan an English traveller had pitched hiscamp. Night had fallen when one of his men, returning from the town, besought admission to the tent. 

"Well, how now?"

"Sir, I have a woman here, by thy leave, yes, a woman, a slave, whomI found at the door of thy consulate, where she had taken refuge, butthe police guard drove her away, so I brought her to thee for justice. Have pity on her, and God will reward thee! See, here! Rabhah!"

At this bidding there approached a truly pitiable object, adark-skinned woman, not quite black, though of decidedly negroidappearance--whose tattered garments scarcely served to hide ahalf-starved form. Throwing herself on the ground before theforeigner, she begged his pity, his assistance, for the sake of thePitiful God. 

"Oh, Bashador, " she pleaded, addressing him as though a foreign envoy, "I take refuge with God and with thee! I have no one else. I have fledfrom my master, who has cruelly used me. See my back!"

Suiting action to word, she slipped aside the coverings from hershoulder and revealed the weals of many a stripe, tears streaming downher face the while. Her tones were such as none but a heart of stonecould ignore. 

"I bore it ten days, sir, till I could do so no longer, and then Iescaped. It was all to make me give false witness--from which Goddeliver me--for that I will never do. My present master is the Sheïkhbin Záharah, Lieutenant Kaïd of the Boo Azeezi, but I was once theslave-wife of the English agent, who sold me again, though they saidthat he dare not, because of his English protection. That was why Ifled for justice to the English consul, and now come to thee. ForGod's sake, succour me!"

With a sob her head fell forward on her breast, as again she crouchedat the foreigner's feet, till made to rise and told to relate herwhole story quietly. When she was calmer, aided by questions, sheunfolded a tale which could, alas! be often paralleled in Morocco. 

"My home? How can I tell thee where that was, when I was brought awayso early? All I know is that it was in the Sûdán" (_i. E. _ Land ofthe Blacks), "and that I came to Mogador on my mother's back. In mycountry the slave-dealers lie in wait outside the villages to catchthe children when they play. They put them in bags like those used forgrain, with their heads left outside the necks for air. So they arecarried off, and travel all the way to this country slung on mules, being set down from time to time to be fed. But I, though born free, was brought by my mother, who had been carried off as a slave. Thelines cut on my cheek show that, for every free-born child in ourcountry is marked so by its mother. That is our sultan's order. InMogador my mother's master sold me to a man who took me from her, and brought me to Dár el Baïda. They took away my mother first; theydragged her off crying, and I never saw or heard of her again. Whenshe was gone I cried for her, and could not eat till they gave mesugar and sweet dates. At Dár el Baïda I was sold in the marketauction to a shareefa named Lálla Moïna, wife of the mountain scribewho taught the kádi's children. With her I was very happy, for shetreated me well, and when she went to Mekka on the pilgrimage she letme go out to work on my own account, promising to make me free if Godbrought her back safely. She was good to me, Bashador, but though shereturned safely she always put off making me free; but I had laid byfifteen dollars, and had bought a boxful of clothes as well. And thatwas where my trouble began. For God's sake succour me!

"One day the agent saw me in the street, and eyed me so that I wasfrightened of him. He followed me home, and then sent a letteroffering to buy me, but my mistress refused. Then the agent often cameto the house, and I had to wait upon him. He told me that he wanted tobuy me, and that if he did I should be better off than if I were free, but I refused to listen. When the agent was away his man Sarghîni usedto come and try to buy me, but in vain; and when the agent returned hethreatened to bring my mistress into trouble if she refused. At lastshe had to yield, and I cried when I had to go. 'Thou art sold to thatman, ' she said; 'but as thou art a daughter to me, he has promised totake care of thee and bring thee back whenever I wish. '

"Sarghîni took me out by one gate with the servants of the agent, whotook care to go out with a big fat Jew by another, that the Englishconsul should not see him go out with a woman. We rode on mules, and Iwore a white cloak; I had not then begun to fast" (_i. E. _ was not yettwelve years of age). "After two days on the road the agent asked forthe key of my box, in which he found my fifteen dollars, tied up ina rag, and took them, but gave me back my clothes. We were five daystravelling to Marrákesh, staying each night with a kaïd who treated usvery well. So I came to the agent's house. 

"There I found many other slave girls, besides men slaves in thegarden. These were Ruby, bought in Saffi, by whom the agent had adaughter; and Star, a white girl stolen from her home in Sûs, whohad no children; Jessamine the Less, another white girl bought inMarrákesh, mother of one daughter; Jessamine the Greater, whosedaughter was her father's favourite, loaded with jewels; and otherswho cooked or served, not having children, though one had a son whodied. There were thirteen of us under an older slave who clothed andfed us. 

"When the bashador came to the house the agent shut all but five orsix of us in a room, the others waiting on him. I used to have to cookfor the bashador, for whom they had great receptions with music anddancing-women. Next door there was a larger house, a fandak, where theagent kept public women and boys, and men at the door took money fromthe Muslims and Nazarenes who went there. The missionaries who livedclose by know the truth of what I say. 

"A few days after I arrived I was bathed and dressed in fresh clothes, and taken to my master's room, as he used to call for one or anotheraccording to fancy. But I had no child, because he struck me, and Iwas sick. When one girl, named Amber, refused to go to him because shewas ill, he dragged her off to another part of the house. Presently weheard the report of a pistol, and he came back to say she was dead. Hehad a pistol in his hand as long as my forearm. We found the girl in apool of blood in agonies, and tried to flee, but had nowhere to go. Sowhen she was quite dead he made us wash her. Then he brought in fourmen to dig a pit, in which he said he would bury butter. When they hadgone we buried her there, and I can show you the spot. 

"One day he took two men slaves and me on a journey. One of them ranaway, the other was sold by the way. I was sold at the Tuesday marketof Sîdi bin Nûr to a dealer in slaves, whom I heard promise my masterto keep me close for three months, and not to sell me in that placelest the Nazarenes should get word of it. Some time after I was boughtby a tax-collector, with whom I remained till he died, and then livedin the house of his son. This man sold me to my present master, whohas ill-treated me as I told thee. Oh, Bashador, when I fled from him, I came to the English consul because I was told that the agent had hadno right to hold or sell me, since he had English protection. Thouknowest what has happened since. Here I am, at thy feet, imploringassistance. I beseech thee, turn me not away. I speak truth beforeGod. "

No one could hear such a tale unmoved, and after due inquiry theEnglishman thus appealed to secured her liberty on depositing at theBritish Consulate the $140 paid for her by her owner, who claimed heror the money. Rabhah's story, taken down by independent persons atdifferent times, was afterwards told by her without variation in aBritish Court of Law. Subsequently a pronouncement as to her freedomhaving been made by the British Legation at Tangier, the $140 wasrefunded, and she lives free to-day. The last time the writer saw her, in the service of a European in Morocco, he was somewhat taken abackto find her arms about his neck, and to have kisses showered on hisshoulders for the unimportant part that he had played in securing herfreedom. 

XXIII

THE PILGRIM CAMP

 "Work for the children is better than pilgrimage or holy war. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Year by year the month succeeding the fast of Ramadán sees a motleyassemblage of pilgrims bound for Mekka, gathered at most of the NorthAfrican ports from all parts of Barbary and even beyond, awaitingvessels bound for Alexandria or Jedda. This comparatively easy meansof covering the distance, which includes the whole length of theMediterranean when the pilgrims from Morocco are concerned--notto mention some two-thirds of the Red Sea, --has almost entirelysuperseded the original method of travelling all the way by land, inthe once imposing caravans. 

These historic institutions owed their importance no less to thefacilities they offered for trade, than to the opportunity theyafforded for accomplishing the pilgrimage which is enjoined on everyfollower of Mohammed. Although caravans still cross the deserts ofNorth Africa in considerable force from west to east, as well as fromsouth to north, to carry on the trade of the countries to the southof the Barbary States, the former are steadily dwindling down to merelocal affairs, and the number of travellers who select the modernroute by steamer is yearly increasing, as its advantages become betterknown. For the accommodation of the large number of passengers specialvessels are chartered by speculators, and are fitted up for theoccasion. Only some £3 are charged for the whole journey from Tangier, a thousand pilgrims being crowded on a medium-sized merchant vessel, making the horrors of the voyage indescribable. 

But the troubles of the pilgrims do not begin here. Before they couldeven reach the sea some of them will have travelled on foot for amonth from remote parts of the interior, and at the coast they mayhave to endure a wearisome time of waiting for a steamer. It is whilethey are thus learning a lesson of patience at one of the Moorishports that I will invite you for a stroll round their encampment onthe market-place. 

This consists of scores of low, makeshift tents, with here and therea better-class round one dotted amongst them. The prevailing shape ofthe majority is a modified edition of the dwelling of the nomad Arab, to which class doubtless belongs a fair proportion of their occupants. Across the top of two poles about five feet high, before and behind, a ridge-piece is placed, and over this is stretched to the ground oneither side a long piece of palmetto or goat-hair cloth, or perhapsone of the long woollen blankets worn by men and women alike, calledhaïks, which will again be used for its original purpose on board thevessel. The back is formed of another piece of some sort of clothstretched out at the bottom to form a semi-circle, and so give moreroom inside. Those who have a bit of rug or a light mattress, spreadit on the floor, and pile their various other belongings around itsedge. 

The straits to which many of these poor people are put to get acovering of any kind to shelter them from sun, rain, and wind, areoften very severe, to judge from some of the specimens of tents--ifthey deserve the name--constructed of all sorts of odds and ends, almost anything, it would seem, that will cover a few square inches. There is one such to be seen on this busy market which deservesspecial attention as a remarkable example of this style ofarchitecture. Let us examine it. The materials of which it is composedinclude hair-cloth, woollen-cloth, a cotton shirt, a woollen cloak, and some sacking; goat skin, sheep's fleece, straw, and palmetto cord;rush mats, a palmetto mat, split-cane baskets and wicker baskets; bitsof wood, a piece of cork, bark and sticks; petroleum tins flattenedout, sheet iron, zinc, and jam and other tins; an earthenware dish anda stone bottle, with bits of crockery, stones, and a cow's horn toweight some of the other items down. Now, if any one can make anythingof this, which is an exact inventory of such of the materials as arevisible on the outside, he must be a born architect. Yet here thisextraordinary construction stands, as it has stood for several months, and its occupant looks the jolliest fellow out. Let us pay him avisit. 

Stooping down to look under the flap which serves as a door, andraising it with my stick, I greet him with the customary salutationof "Peace be with you. " "With you be peace, " is the cheery reply, towhich is added, "Welcome to thee; make thyself at home. " Althoughinvited to enter, I feel quite enough at home on the outside of hisdwelling, so reply that I have no time to stay, as I only "looked in"to have the pleasure of making his acquaintance and examining his"palace. " At the last word one or two bystanders who have gatheredround indulge in a little chuckle to themselves, overhearing which Iturn round and make the most flattering remarks I can think of as toits beauty, elegance, comfort, and admirable system of ventilation, which sets the whole company, tenant included, into a roar oflaughter. Mine host is busy cleaning fish, and now presses us to stayand share his evening meal with him, but our appetites are not quiteequal to _that_ yet, though it is beyond doubt that the morsel hewould offer us would be as savoury and well cooked as could besupplied by any restaurant in Piccadilly. 

Inquiries elicit the fact that our friend is hoping to leave for Mekkaby the first steamer, and that meanwhile he supports himself as awater-carrier, proudly showing us his goat-skin "bottle" lying onthe floor, with the leather flap he wears between it and his side toprotect him from the damp. Here, too, are his chain and bell, with thebright brass and tin cups. In fact, he is quite a "swell" in his way, and, in spite of his uncouth-looking surroundings, manages to enjoylife by looking on the bright side of things. 

"What will you do with your palace when you leave it?" we ask, seeingthat it could not be moved unless the whole were jumbled up in a sack, when it would be impossible to reconstruct it. 

"Oh, I'd let it to some one else. "

"For how much?"

"Well, that I'd leave to God. "

A glance round the interior of this strange abode shows that there arestill many materials employed in its construction which might havebeen enumerated. One or two bundles, a box and a basket round thesides, serve to support the roof, and from the ridge-pole hangs abundle which we are informed contains semolina. I once saw such abundle suspended from a beam in a village mosque in which I had passedthe night in the guise of a pious Muslim, and, observing its dustycondition, inquired how it came there. 

"A traveller left it there about a year and a half ago, and has notyet come for it, " was the reply; to judge from which it might remaintill Doomsday--a fact which spoke well for the honesty of the countryfolk in that respect at least, although I learned that they werenotorious highwaymen. 

Though the roof admits daylight every few inches, the occupier remarksthat it keeps the sun and rain off fairly well, and seems to thinknone the worse of it for its transparent faults. A sick woman lying ina native hut with a thatched roof hardly in better condition than thisone, remarked when a visitor observed a big hole just above her palletbed--

"Oh, it's so nice in the summer time; it lets the breeze in sodelightfully!"

It was then the depth of winter, and she had had to shift her positiononce or twice to avoid the rain which came through that hole. Whata lesson in making the best of things did not that ignorant invalidteach!

Having bid the amiable water-carrier "à Dieu, "--literally as well asfiguratively--we turn towards a group of tents further up, whence awhite-robed form has been beckoning us. After the usual salutationshave been exchanged, the eager inquiry is made, "Is there a steameryet?"

"No; I've nothing to do with steamers--but there's sure to be onesoon. "

A man who evidently disbelieves me calls out, "I've got my money forthe passage, and I'll hire a place with you, only bring the shipquickly. "

Since their arrival in Tangier they have learnt to call a steamer, which they have never seen before, --or even the sea, --a "bábor, " acorruption of the Spanish "vapor, " for Arabic knows neither "v" nor"p. "

Another now comes forward to know if there is an eye-doctor in theplace, for there is a mist before his eyes, as he is well-advanced inthe decline of life. The sound of the word "doctor" brings up a fewmore of the bystanders, who ask if I am one, and as I reply in thenegative, they ask who can cure their ears, legs, stomachs, and whatnot. I explain where they may find an excellent doctor, who will beglad to do all he can for them gratis--whereat they open their eyesincredulously, --and that for God's sake, in the name of Seyïdná Aïsa("Our Lord Jesus"), which they appreciate at once with murmurs ofsatisfaction, though they are not quite satisfied until they haveascertained by further questioning that he receives no support fromhis own or any other government. Hearing the name of Seyïdná Aïsa, one of the group breaks out into "El hamdu l'Illah, el hamdu l'Illah"("Praise be to God"), a snatch of a missionary hymn to a "Moody andSankey" tune, barely recognizable as he renders it. He has only beenhere a fortnight, and disclaims all further knowledge of the hymn orwhere he heard it. 

Before another tent hard by sits a native barber, bleeding a youthfrom a vein in the arm, for which the fee is about five farthings. As one or two come round to look on, he remarks, in an off-handway--probably with a view to increasing his practice--that "all thepilgrims are having this done; it's good for the internals. "

As we turn round to pass between two of the tents to the row beyond, our progress is stayed by a cord from the ridge of one to that ofanother, on which are strung strips of what appear at first sight tobe leather, but on a closer inspection are found to be pieces ofmeat, tripe, and apparently chitterlings, hung out to dry in a suntemperature of from 90° to 100° Fahrenheit. Thus is prepared a staplearticle of diet for winter consumption when fresh meat is dear, or foruse on journeys, and this is all the meat these pilgrims will tastetill they reach Mekka, or perhaps till they return. Big jars of it, with the interstices filled up with butter, are stowed away in thetents "among the stuff. " It is called "khalia, " and is much esteemedfor its tasty and reputed aphrodisiac qualities--two ideals in Moroccocookery, --so that it commands a relatively good price in the market. 

The inmates of the next tent we look into are a woman and two men, lying down curled up asleep in their blankets, while a couple more ofthe latter squat at the door. Having noticed our curious glances attheir khalia, they, with the expressive motion of the closed fistwhich in native gesture-parlance signifies first-rate, endeavourto impress us with a sense of its excellence, which we do not feelinclined to dispute after all we have eaten on former occasions. Thisbrings us to inquire what else these wanderers provide for the journeyof thirteen or fourteen days one way. As bread is not to be obtainedon board, at the door of the tent a tray-full of pieces are beingconverted into sun-dried rusks. Others are provided with a kind ofvery hard doughnut called "fikáks. " These are flavoured with anise andcarraway seeds, and are very acceptable to a hungry traveller whenbread is scarce, though fearfully searching to hollow teeth. 

Then there is a goodly supply of the national food, kesk'soo orsiksoo, better known by its Spanish name of couscoussoo. This formsan appetizing and lordly dish, provocative of abundant eructations--asign of good breeding in these parts, wound up with a long-drawn"Praise be to God"--at the close of a regular "tuck in" with Nature'sspoon, the fist. A similar preparation is hand-rolled vermicelli, cooked in broth or milk, if obtainable. A bag of semolina and anotherof zummeetah--parched flour--which only needs enough moisture toform it into a paste to prepare it for consumption, are two otherwell-patronized items. 

A quaint story comes to mind _à propos_ of the latter, which formedpart of our stock of provisions during a journey through the provinceof Dukkála when the incident in question occurred. A tin of insectpowder was also among our goods, and by an odd coincidence both wererelegated to the pail hanging from one of our packs. Under a spreadingfig-tree near the village of Smeerah, at lunch, some travellingcompanions offered us a cup of tea, and among other dainties placedat their disposal in return was the bag of zummeetah, of which one ofthem made a good meal. Later on in the day, as we rested again, hecomplained of fearful internal gripings, which were easily explainedby the discovery of the fact that the lid of the "flea's zummeetah, "as one of our men styled it, had been left open, and a hole in thesack of "man's zummeetah" had allowed the two to mix in the bottom ofthe pail in nearly equal proportions. When this had been explained, noone entered more heartily into the joke than its victim, which spokevery well for his good temper, considering how seriously he had beenaffected. 

But this is rather a digression from our catalogue of the pilgrim'sstock of provisions. Rancid butter melted down in pots, honey, dates, figs, raisins, and one or two similar items form the remainder. Wateris carried in goat-skins or in pots made of the dried rind of a gourd, by far the most convenient for a journey, owing to their light weightand the absence of the prevailing taste of pitch imparted by theleather contrivances. Several of these latter are to be seen beforethe tents hanging on tripods. One of the Moors informs us that for thefirst day on board they have to provide their own water, after whichit is found for them, but everything else they take with them. Anebony-hued son of Ham, seated by a neighbouring tent, replies toour query as to what he is providing, "I take nothing, " pointingheavenward to indicate his reliance on Divine providence. 

And so they travel. The group before us has come from the Sáhara, amonth's long journey overland, on foot! Yet their travels have onlycommenced. Can they have realized what it all means?

[Illustration: _Cavilla, Photo. , Tangier. _

WAITING FOR THE STEAMER. ]

XXIV

RETURNING HOME

 "He lengthened absence, and returned unwelcomed. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Evening is about to fall--for fall it does in these south latitudes, with hardly any twilight--and the setting sun has lit the sky witha refulgent glow that must be gazed at to be understood--the arc ofheaven overspread with glorious colour, in its turn reflected by theheaving sea. One sound alone is heard as I wend my way along the sandyshore; it is the heavy thud and aftersplash of each gigantic wave, as it breaks on the beach, and hurls itself on its retreatingpredecessor, each climbing one step higher than the last. 

There, in the distance, stands a motley group--men, women, children--straining wearied eyes to recognize the forms which crowda cargo lighter slowly nearing land. Away in the direction of theirlooks I dimly see the outline of the pilgrim ship, a Cardiff coaler, which has brought close on a thousand Hájes from Port Saïd orAlexandria--men chiefly, but among them wives and children--who havepaid that toilsome pilgrimage to Mekka. 

The last rays of the sun alone remain as the boat strikes the shore, and as the darkness falls apace a score of dusky forms make a wildrush into the surging waters, while an equal number rise up eager inthe boat to greet their friends. So soon as they are near enough to bedistinguished one from another, each watcher on the beach shouts thename of the friend he is awaiting, proud to affix, for the first time, the title Háj--Pilgrim--to his name. As only some twenty orthirty have yet landed from among so many hundreds, the number ofdisappointed ones who have to turn back and bide their time isproportionately large. 

"Háj Mohammed! Háj Abd es-Slám! Háj el Arbi! Háj boo Sháïb! Ah, HájDrees!" and many such ejaculations burst from their lips, togetherwith inquiries as to whether So-and-so may be on board. One by one theweary travellers once more step upon the land which is their home, andwith assistance from their friends unload their luggage. 

Now a touching scene ensues. Strong men fall on one another's neckslike girls, kissing and embracing with true joy, each utteringa perfect volley of inquiries, compliments, congratulations, orcondolence. Then, with child-like simplicity, the stayer-at-home leadshis welcome relative or friend by the hand to the spot where hisluggage has been deposited, and seating themselves thereon they soonget deep into a conversation which renders them oblivious to allaround, as the one relates the wonders of his journeyings, the otherthe news of home. 

Poor creatures! Some months ago they started, full of hope, on anespecially trying voyage of several weeks, cramped more closely thanemigrants, exposed both to sun and rain, with hardly a change ofclothing, and only the food they had brought with them. Arrivedat their destination, a weary march across country began, and wasrepeated after they had visited the various points, and performed thevarious rites prescribed by the Korán or custom, finally returning asthey went, but not all, as the sorrow-stricken faces of some among thewaiters on the beach had told, and the muttered exclamation, "It iswritten--_Mektoob_. "

Meanwhile the night has come. The Creator's loving Hand has causeda myriad stars to shine forth from the darkness, in some measure toreplace the light of day, while as each new boat-load is set down thesame scenes are enacted, and the crowd grows greater and greater, thedin of voices keeping pace therewith. 

Donkey-men having appeared on the scene with their patient beasts, they clamour for employment, and those who can afford it availthemselves of their services to get their goods transported to thecity. What goods they are, too! All sorts of products of the East doneup in boxes of the most varied forms and colours, bundles, rolls, andbales. The owners are apparently mere bundles of rags themselves, butthey seem no less happy for that. 

Seated on an eminence at one side are several customs officers whohave been delegated to inspect these goods; their flowing garments andgenerally superior attire afford a striking contrast to the state ofthe returning pilgrims, or even to that of the friends come to meetthem. These officials have their guards marching up and down betweenand round about the groups, to see that nothing is carried off withoutinspection. 

Little by little the crowd disperses; those whose friends have landedescort them to their homes, leaving those who will have to continuetheir journey overland alone, making hasty preparations for theirevening meal. The better class speedily have tents erected, but themajority will have to spend the night in the open air, probably in therain, for it is beginning to spatter already. Fires are lit in alldirections, throwing a lurid light upon the interesting picture, andI turn my horse's head towards home with a feeling of sadness, butat the same time one of thankfulness that my lot was not cast wheretheirs is. 

PART II

XXV

DIPLOMACY IN MOROCCO

 "The Beheaded was abusing the Flayed: One with her throat cut passed by, and exclaimed, 'God deliver us from such folk!'"

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Instead of residing at the Court of the Sultan, as might be expected, the ministers accredited to the ruler of Morocco take up their abodein Tangier, where they are more in touch with Europe, and where thereis greater freedom for pig-sticking. The reason for this is that theCourt is not permanently settled anywhere, wintering successively atone of the three capitals, Fez, Marrákesh, or Mequinez. Every fewyears, when anything of note arises; when there is an accumulation ofmatters to be discussed with the Emperor, or when a new representativehas been appointed, an embassy to Court is undertaken, usually inspring or autumn, the best times to travel in this roadless land. 

What happens on these embassies has often enough been related from thepoint of view of the performers, but seldom from that of residents inthe country who know what happens, and the following peep behind thescenes, though fortunately not typical of all, is not exaggerated. Even more might have been told under some heads. As strictlyapplicable to no Power at present represented in Morocco, the recordis that of an imaginary embassy from Greece some sixty or more yearsago. To prevent misconception, it may be as well to add that it waswritten previous to the failure of the mission of Sir Charles EuanSmith. 

 I. THE RECEPTION

In a sloop-of-war sent all the way from the Ægean, the Ambassadorand his suite sailed from Tangier to Saffi, where His Excellency wasreceived on landing by a Royal salute from the crumbling batteries. The local governor and the Greek vice-consul awaited him on leavingthe surf boat, with an escort which sadly upset the operations ofwomen washing wool by the water-port. Outside the land-gate, besidethe ancient palace, was pitched a Moorish camp awaiting his arrival, and European additions were soon erected beside it. At daybreak nextmorning a luncheon-party rode forward, whose duty it was to preparethe midday meal for the embassy, and to pitch the awning under whichthey should partake of it. 

Arrived at the spot selected, Drees, the "native agent, " found thevillage sheïkh awaiting him with ample supplies, enough for every onefor a couple of days. This he carefully packed on his mules, and bythe time the embassy came up, having started some time later than he, after a good breakfast, he was ready to go on again with the remainderof the muleteers and the camel-drivers to prepare the evening meal andpitch for the night a camp over which waved the flag of Greece. 

Here the offerings of provisions or money were made with equalprofusion. There were bushels of kesk'soo; there were several livesheep, which were speedily despatched and put into pots to cook; therewere jars of honey, of oil, and of butter; there were camel-loads ofbarley for the beasts of burden, and trusses of hay for their dessert;there were packets of candles by the dozen, and loaves of sugar andpounds of tea; not to speak of fowls, of charcoal, of sweet herbs, offruits, and of minor odds and ends. 

By the time the Europeans arrived, their French _chef_ had prepared anexcellent dinner, the native escort and servants squatting in groupsround steaming dishes provided ready cooked by half-starved villagers. When the feasting was over, and all seemed quiet, a busy scene was inreality being enacted in the background. At a little distance fromthe camp, Háj Marti, the right-hand man of the agent, was holding averitable market with the surplus mona of the day, re-selling tothe miserable country folk what had been wrung from them by theauthorities. The Moorish Government declared that what they paid thusin kind would be deducted from their taxes, and this was what theMinister assured his questioning wife, for though he knew better, hefound it best to wink at the proceedings of his unpaid henchman. 

As they proceeded inland, on the border of each local jurisdiction theescort was changed with an exhibition of "powder-play, " the old oneretiring as the new one advanced with the governor at its head. Thusthey journeyed for about a week, till they reached the crumbling wallsof palm-begirt Marrákesh. 

The official _personnel_ of the embassy consisted of the Ministerand his secretary Nikolaki Glymenopoulos, with Ayush ben Lezrá, theinterpreter. The secretary was a self-confident dandy with a head likea pumpkin and a scrawl like the footprints of a wandering hen; reputeda judge of ladies and horse-flesh; supercilious, condescending toinferiors, and the plague of his tailor. The consul, Paolo Komnenos, aman of middle age with a kindly heart, yet without force of characterto withstand the evils around him, had been left in Tangier as _Chargéd'Affaires_, to the great satisfaction of his wife and family, whoconsidered themselves of the _crême de la crême_ of Tangier society, such as it was, because, however much the wife of the Ministerdespised the bumptiousness of Madame Komnenos, she could not omit herfrom her invitations, unless of the most private nature, on accountof her husband's official position. Now, as Madame Mavrogordatoaccompanied her husband with her little son and a lady friend, theconsul's wife reigned supreme. 

Then there were the official _attachés_ for the occasion, therepresentative of the army, a colonel of Roman nose, and eyes whichrequired but one glass between them, a man to whom death would havebeen preferable to going one morning unshaved, or to failing one jotin military etiquette; and the representative of the navy, in cockedhat and gold-striped pantaloons, who found it more difficult to avoidtripping over his sword than most landsmen do to keep from stumblingover coils of rope on ship-board; beyond his costume there was littleof note about him; his genial character made it easy to say "Ay, ay, "to any one, but the yarns he could spin round the camp-fire made hima general favourite. The least consequential of the party was thedoctor, an army man of honest parts, who wished well to all the world. Undoubtedly he was the hardest worked of the lot, for no one else didanything but enjoy himself. 

Finally there were the "officious" _attachés_. Every dabbler inpolitics abroad knows the fine distinctions between "official" and"officious" action, and how subtle are the changes which can be rungupon the two, but there was nothing of that description here. Theofficious _attachés_ were simply a party of the Minister's personalfriends, and two or three strangers whose influence might in aftertimes be useful to him. One was of course a journalist, to supply thespecial correspondence of the _Acropolis_ and the _Hellenike Salpinx_. These would afterwards be worked up into a handy illustrated volume ofexperiences and impressions calculated to further deceive the publicwith regard to Morocco and the Moors, and to secure for the Ministerhis patron, the longed-for promotion to a European Court. Another wasnecessarily the artist of the party, while the remainder engaged insport of one kind or another. 

Si Drees, the "native agent, " was employed as master of horse, andsuperintended the native arrangements generally. With him rested everydetail of camping out, and the supply of food and labour. Right andleft he was the indispensable factotum, shouting himself hoarse frombefore dawn till after sunset, when he joined the gay blades of theEmbassy in private pulls at forbidden liquors. No one worked as hardas he, and he seemed omnipresent. The foreigners were justly thankfulto have such a man, for without him all felt at sea. He appeared toknow everything and to be available for every one's assistance. Theonly draw-back was his ignorance of Greek, or of any language but hisown, yet being sharp-witted he made himself wonderfully understood bysigns and a few words of the strange coast jargon, a mixture of half adozen tongues. 

The early morning was fixed for the solemn entry of the Embassy intothe city, yet the road had to be lined on both sides with soldiersto keep back the thronging crowds. Amid the din of multitudes, theclashing of barbarous music, and shrill ululations of delight fromnative women; surrounded by an eastern blaze of sun and blendedcolours, rode incongruous the Envoy from Greece. His stiff, grimfigure, the embodiment of officialism, in full Court dress, wassupported on either hand by his secretary and interpreter, almost asresplendent as himself. Behind His Excellency rode the _attachés_ andother officials, then the ladies; newspaper correspondents, artists, and other non-official guests, bringing up the rear. In this orderthe party crossed the red-flowing Tansift by its low bridge of manyarches, and drew near to the gate of Marrákesh called that of theThursday [market], Báb el Khamees. 

[Illustration: _Molinari, Photo. , Tangier. _

A CITY GATEWAY IN MOROCCO. ]

At last they commenced to thread the narrow winding streets, theirbordering roofs close packed with shrouded figures only showing aneye, who greeted them after their fashion with a piercing, long-drawn, "Yoo-yoo, yoo-yoo; yoo-yoo, yoo-yoo; yoo-yoo, yoo-yoo--oo, " so novelto the strangers, and so typical. Then they crossed the wide-openspace before the Kûtûbîyah on their way to the garden which had beenprepared for them, the Mamûnîyah, with its handsome residence andshady walks. 

Three days had to elapse from the time of their arrival before theycould see the Sultan, for they were now under native etiquette, butthey had much to occupy them, much to see and think about, thoughsupposed to remain at home and rest till the audience. On the morningof the fourth day all was bustle. Each had to array himself in suchofficial garb as he could muster, with every decoration he couldborrow, for the imposing ceremony of the presentation to the Emperor. What a business it was! what a coming and going; what noise and whatexcitement! It was like living in the thick of a whirling pantomime. 

At length they were under way, and making towards the kasbah gate in astyle surpassing that of their entry, the populace still more excitedat the sight of the gold lace and cocked hats which showed what greatmen had come to pay their homage to their lord the Sultan. On arrivalat the inmost courtyard with whitewashed, battlemented walls, andgreen-tiled roofs beyond, they found it thickly lined with soldiers, a clear space being left for them in the centre. Here they were allranged on foot, the presents from King Otho placed on one side, andcovered with rich silk cloths. Presently a blast of trumpets silencedthe hum of voices, and the soldiers made a show of "attention" intheir undrilled way, for the Sultan approached. 

In a moment the great doors on the other side flew open, and anumber of gaily dressed natives in peaked red caps--the Royalbody-guard--emerged, followed by five prancing steeds, magnificentbarbs of different colours, richly caparisoned, led by gold-workedbridles. Then came the Master of the Ceremonies in his flowing robesand monster turban, a giant in becoming dress, and--as they soondiscovered--of stentorian voice. Behind him rode the Emperor himselfin stately majesty, clothed in pure white, wool-white, distinct amidthe mass of colours worn by those surrounding him, his ministers. Thegorgeous trappings of his white steed glittered as the proud beastarched his neck and champed his gilded bit, or tried in vain toprance. Over his head was held by a slave at his side the only sign ofRoyalty, a huge red-silk umbrella with a fringe to match, and a goldenknob on the point, while others of the household servants flicked theflies away, or held the spurs, the cushion, the carpet, and otherthings which might be called for by their lord. 

On his appearance deafening shouts broke forth, "God bless our Lord, and give him victory!" The rows of soldiers bowed their heads andrepeated the cry with still an increase of vigour, "God bless ourLord, and give him victory!" At a motion from the Master of theCeremonies the members of the Embassy took off their hats or helmets, and the representative of modern Greece stood there bareheaded in abroiling sun before the figure-head of ancient Barbary. As the Sultanapproached the place where he stood, he drew near and offered a fewstereotyped words in explanation of his errand, learned by heart, towhich the Emperor replied by bidding him welcome. The Minister thenhanded to him an engrossed address in a silk embroided case, whichan attendant was motioned to take, the Sultan acknowledging itgraciously. One by one the Minister next introduced the members of hissuite, their names and qualities being shouted in awful tones by theMaster of the Ceremonies, and after once more bidding them welcome, but with a scowl at the sight of Drees, His Majesty turned his horse'shead, leaving them to re-mount as their steeds were brought tothem. Again the music struck up with a deafening din, and the statereception was over. 

But this was not to be the only interview between the Ambassador andthe Sultan, for several so-called private conferences followed, atwhich an attendant or two and the interpreter Ayush were present. Kyrios Mavrogordato's stock of polite workable Arabic had beenexhausted at the public function, and for business matters he had torely implicitly on the services of his handy Jew. Such other notionsof the language as he boasted could only be addressed to inferiors, and that but to convey the most simple of crude instructions orcurses. 

At the first private audience there were many matters of importance tobe brought before the Sultan's notice, afterwards to be relegated tothe consideration of his wazeers. This time no fuss was made, and theaffair again came off in the early morning, for His Majesty rose atthree, and after devotions and study transacted official business fromfive to nine, then breakfasting and reserving the rest of the day forrecreation and further religious study. 

 II. THE INTERVIEW

At the appointed time an escort waited on the Ambassador[18] to conveyhim to the palace, arrived at which he was led into one of the manygardens in the interior, full of luxuriant semi-wild vegetation. Ina room opening on to one side of the garden sat the Emperor, tailor-fashion, on a European sofa, elevated by a sort of daïsopposite the door. With the exception of an armchair on the lowerlevel, to which the Ambassador was motioned after the usual formalobeisances and expressions of respect, the chamber was absolutely bareof furniture, though not lacking in beauty of decoration. The floorwas of plain cut but elegant tiles, and the dado was a more intricatepattern of the same in shades of blue, green, and yellow, interspersedwith black, but relieved by an abundance of greeny white. Above this, to the stalactite cornice, the walls were decorated with intricateMauresque designs in carved white plaster, while the rich stalactiteroofing of deep-red tone, just tipped with purple and gilt, made aperfect whole, and gave a feeling of repose to the design. Through thehuge open horse-shoe arch of the door the light streamed between thebranches of graceful creepers waving in the breeze, adding to theimpression of coolness caused by the bubbling fountain outside. 

 [18: Strictly speaking, only "Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary. "]

"May God bless our Lord, and prolong his days!" said Ayush, bowingprofoundly towards the Sultan, as the Minister concluded therepetition of his stock phrases, and seated himself. 

"May it please Your Majesty, " began the Minister, in Greek, "I cannotexpress the honour I feel in again being commissioned to approach YourMajesty in the capacity of Ambassador from my Sovereign, King Otho ofGreece. "

This little speech was rendered into Arabic by Ayush to this effect--

"May God pour blessings on our Lord. The Ambassador rejoices greatly, and is honoured above measure in being sent once more by his king toapproach the presence of our Lord, the high and mighty Sovereign: yes, my Lord. "

"He is welcome, " answered the Sultan, graciously; "we love no nationbetter than the Greeks. They have always been our friends. "

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty is delighted to see Your Excellency, whomhe loves from his heart, as also your mighty nation, than which noneis more dear to him, and whose friendship he is ready to maintain atany cost. "

_Minister. _ "It pleases me greatly to hear Your Majesty's noblesentiments, which I, and I am sure my Government, reciprocate. "

_Interpreter. _ "The Minister is highly complimented by the graciouswords of our Lord, and declares that the Greeks love no other nationon earth beside the Moors: yes, my Lord. "

_Sultan. _ "Is there anything I can do for such good friends?"

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty says he is ready to do anything for sogood a friend as Your Excellency. "

_Minister. _ "I am deeply grateful to His Majesty. Yes, there are oneor two matters which my Government would like to have settled. "

_Interpreter. _ "The Minister is simply overwhelmed at the thought ofthe consideration of our Lord, and he has some trifling matters forwhich perhaps he may beg our Lord's attention: yes, my Lord. "

_Sultan. _ "He has only to make them known. "

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty will do all Your Excellency desires. "

_Minister. _ "First then, Your Majesty, there is the little affair ofthe Greek who was murdered last year at Azîla. I am sure that I canrely on an indemnity for his widow. "

_Interpreter. _ "The Minister speaks of the Greek who was murdered--byyour leave, yes, my Lord--at Azîla last year: yes, my Lord. TheAmbassador wishes him to be paid for. "

_Sultan. _ "How much does he ask?"

This being duly interpreted, the Minister replied--

"Thirty thousand dollars. "

_Sultan. _ "Half that sum would do, but we will see. What next?"

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty thinks that too much, but as YourExcellency says, so be it. "

_Minister. _ "I thank His Majesty, and beg to bring to his notice theimprisonment of a Greek _protégé_, Mesaûd bin Aûdah, at Mazagan somemonths ago, and to ask for his liberation and for damages. This is amost important case. "

_Interpreter. _ "The Minister wants that thief Mesaûd bin Aûdah, whomthe Báshá of Mazagan has in gaol, to be let out, and he asks also fordamages: yes, my Lord. "

_Sultan. _ "The man was no lawful _protégé_. I can do nothing in thecase. Bin Aûdah is a criminal, and cannot be protected. "

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty fears that this is a matter in which hecannot oblige Your Excellency, much as he would like to, since the manin question is a thief. It is no use saying anything further aboutthis. "

_Minister. _ "Then ask about that Jew Botbol, who was thrashed. Thoughnot a _protégé_, His Majesty might be able to do something. "

_Interpreter. _ "His Excellency brings before our Lord a most seriousmatter indeed; yes, my Lord. It is absolutely necessary that redressshould be granted to Maimon Botbol, the eminent merchant of Mogadorwhom the kaïd of that place most brutally treated last year: yes, myLord. And this is most important, for Botbol is a great friend of HisExcellency, who has taken the treatment that the poor man receivedvery much to heart. He is sure that our Lord will not hesitate toorder the payment of the damages demanded, only fifty thousanddollars. "

_Sultan. _ "In consideration of the stress the Minister lays upon thiscase, he shall have ten thousand dollars. "

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty will pay Your Excellency ten thousanddollars damages. "

_Minister. _ "As that is more than I had even hoped to ask, you willduly thank His Majesty most heartily for this spontaneous generosity. "

_Interpreter. _ "The Minister says that is not sufficient from ourLord, but he will not oppose his will: yes, my Lord. "

_Sultan. _ "I cannot do more. "

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty says it gives him great pleasure to payit. "

_Minister. _ "Now there is the question of slavery. I have here apetition from a great society at Athens requesting His Majesty toconsider whether he cannot abolish the system throughout his realm, "handing the Sultan an elaborate Arabic scroll in Syrian charactershard to be deciphered even by the secretary to whom it is consignedfor perusal; the Sultan, though an Arabic scholar, not takingsufficient interest in the matter to think of it again. 

_Interpreter. _ "There are some fanatics in the land of Greece, yes, myLord, who want to see slavery abolished here, by thy leave, yes, myLord, but I will explain to the Bashador that this is impossible. "

_Sultan. _ "Certainly. It is an unalterable institution. Those whothink otherwise are fools. Besides, your agent Drees deals in slaves!"

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty will give the petition his best attention, and if possible grant it with pleasure. "

_Minister. _ "You will thank His Majesty very much. It will rejoicemy fellow-countrymen to hear it. Next, a Greek firm has offered toconstruct the much-needed port at Tangier, if His Majesty will grantus the concession till the work be paid for by the tolls. Such ameasure would tend to greatly increase the Moorish revenues. "

_Interpreter. _ "The Minister wishes to build a port at Tangier, yes, my Lord, and to hold it till the tolls have paid for it. "

_Sultan. _ "Which may not be till Doomsday. Nevertheless, Iwill consent to any one making the port whom all the Europeanrepresentatives shall agree to appoint"--a very safe promise to make, since the Emperor knew that this agreement was not likely to bebrought about till the said Domesday. 

_Interpreter. _ "Your Excellency's request is granted. You have only toobtain the approval of your colleagues. "

_Minister. _ "His Majesty is exceedingly gracious, and I amcorrespondingly obliged to him. Inform His Majesty that the same firmis willing to build him bridges over his rivers, and to make roadsbetween the provinces, which would increase friendly communications, and consequently tend to reduce inter-tribal feuds. "

_Interpreter. _ "The Minister thanks our Lord, and wants also to buildbridges and roads in the interior to make the tribes friendly byintercourse. "

_Sultan. _ "That would never do. The more I keep the tribes apart thebetter for me. If I did not shake up my rats in the sack pretty often, they would gnaw their way out. Besides, where my people could travelmore easily, so could foreign invaders. No, I cannot think of such athing. God created the world without bridges. "

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty is full of regret that in this matter heis unable to please Your Excellency, but he thinks his country betteras it is. "

_Minister. _ "Although I beg to differ from His Majesty, so be it. Nextthere is the question of our commerce with Morocco. This is greatlyhampered by the present lack of a fixed customs tariff. There areseveral articles of which the exportation is now prohibited, which itwould be really very much in the interest of his people to allow us topurchase. "

_Interpreter. _ "The Minister requests of our Lord a new customstariff, and the right to export wheat and barley. "

_Sultan. _ "The tariff he may discuss with the Wazeer of the Interior;I will give instructions. As for the cereals, the bread of theFaithful cannot be given to infidels. "

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty accedes to your Excellency's request. You have only to make known the details to the Minister for InternalAffairs. "

_Minister. _ "Again I humbly render thanks to his Majesty. Since he isso particularly good to me, perhaps he would add one kindness more, inabandoning to me the old house and garden on the Marshan at Tangier, in which the Foreign Minister used to live. It is good for nothing, and would be useful to me. "

_Interpreter. _ "The Minister asks our Lord for a couple of housesin Tangier. Yes, my Lord, the one formerly occupied by the ForeignMinister on the Marshan at Tangier for himself; and the otheradjoining the New Mosque in town, just an old tumble-down place forstores, to be bestowed upon me; yes, my Lord. "

_Sultan. _ "What sort of place is that on the Marshan?"

_Interpreter. _ "I will not lie unto my lord. It is a fine big housein a large garden, with wells and fruit trees: yes, my Lord. But theother is a mere nothing: yes, my Lord. "

_Sultan. _ "I will do as he wishes--if it please God. " (The latterexpression showing the reverse of an intention to carry out theformer. )

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty gives you the house. "

_Minister. _ "His Majesty is indeed too kind to me. I therefore regretexceedingly having to bring forward a number of claims which have beenpending for a long time, but with the details of which I will notof course trouble His Majesty personally. I merely desire hisinstructions to the Treasury to discharge them on their being admittedby the competent authorities. "

_Interpreter. _ "The Minister brings before our Lord a number ofclaims, on the settlement of which he insists: yes, my Lord. He feelsit a disgrace that they should have remained unpaid so long: yes, myLord. And he asks for orders to be given to discharge them at once. "

_Sultan. _ "There is neither force nor power save in God, the High, theMighty. Glory to Him! There is no telling what these Nazarenes won'tdemand next. I will pay all just claims, of course, but many of theseare usurers' frauds, with which I will have nothing to do. "

_Interpreter. _ "His Majesty will give the necessary instructions; butthe claims will have to be examined, as Your Excellency has alreadysuggested. His Majesty makes the sign of the conclusion of ourinterview. "

_Minister. _ "Assure His Majesty how deeply indebted I am to himfor these favours he has shown me, but allow me to in some measureacknowledge them by giving information of importance. I am entirely_au courant_, through private channels, with the unworthy tactics ofthe British Minister, as also those of his two-faced colleagues, therepresentatives of France and Spain, and can disclose them to HisMajesty whenever he desires. "

_Interpreter. _ "His Excellency does not know how to expresshis gratitude to our Lord for his undeserved and unprecedentedcondescension, and feels himself bound the slave of our Lord, willingto do all our Lord requires of his hands; yes, my lord. But he truststhat our Lord will not forget the houses--and the one in town is onlya little one, --or the payment of the indemnity to Maimon Botbol, yes, my Lord, or the discharging of the claims. God bless our Lord, andgive him victory! And also, pardon me, my Lord, the Minister says thatall the other ministers are rogues, and he knows all about them thatour Lord may wish to learn: yes, my Lord. "

"God is omniscient. He can talk of those matters to the ForeignMinister to-morrow. In peace!"

Once more a few of his stock phrases were man[oe]uvred by KyriosMavrogordato, as with the most profound of rear-steering bows therepresentatives of civilization retreated, and the potentate ofBarbary turned with an air of relief to give instructions to hissecretary. 

 III. THE RESULT

A few weeks after this interview the _Hellenike Salpinx_, a leadingjournal of Athens, contained an article of which the following is atranslation:--

 "OUR INTERESTS IN MOROCCO

 "(_From our Special Correspondent_)

 "Marrákesh, October 20. 

 "The success of our Embassy to Morocco is already assured, and that in a remarkable degree. The Sultan has once more shown most unequivocally his strong partiality for the Greek nation, and especially for their distinguished representative, Kyrios Dimitri Mavrogordato, whose personal tact and influence have so largely contributed to this most thankworthy result. It is very many years since such a number of requests have been granted by the Emperor of Morocco to one ambassador, and it is probable that under the most favourable circumstances no other Power could have hoped for such an exhibition of favour. 

 "The importance of the concessions is sufficient to mark this embassy in the history of European relations with Morocco, independently of the amount of ordinary business transacted, and the way in which the Sultan has promised to satisfy our outstanding claims. Among other favours, permission has been granted to a Greek firm to construct a port at Tangier, the chief seat of foreign trade in the Empire, which is a matter of national importance, and there is every likelihood of equally valuable concessions for the building of roads and bridges being made to the same company. 

 "Our merchants will be rejoiced to learn that at last the vexatious customs regulations, or rather the absence of them, will be replaced by a regular tariff, which our minister has practically only to draw up for it to be sanctioned by the Moorish Government. The question of slavery, too, is under the consideration of the Sultan with a view to its restriction, if not to its abolition, a distinct and unexpected triumph for the friends of universal freedom. There can be no question that, under its present enlightened ruler, Morocco is at last on the high-road to civilization. 

 "Only those who have had experience in dealing with procrastinating politicians of the eastern school can appreciate in any degree the consummate skill and patience which is requisite to overcome the sinuosities of oriental minds, and it is only such a signal victory as has just been won for Greece and for progress in Morocco, as can enable us to realize the value to the State of such diplomatists as His Excellency, Kyrios Mavrogordato. "

This article had not appeared in print before affairs on the spot worea very different complexion. At the interview with the Minister forthe Interior a most elaborate customs tariff had been presented anddiscussed, some trifling alterations being made, and the whole beingleft to be submitted to the Sultan for his final approval, with theassurance that this was only a matter of form. The Minister of Financehad promised most blandly the payment of the damages demanded for themurder of the Greek and for the thrashing of the Jew. It was true thatas yet no written document had been handed to the Greek Ambassador, but then he had the word of the Ministers themselves, and promisesfrom the Sultan's lips as well. The only _fait accompli_ was thedespatch of a courier to Tangier with orders to deliver up the keysof two specified properties to the Ambassador and his interpreterrespectively, a matter which, strange to say, found no place in themessages to the Press, and in which the spontaneous present to theinterpreter struck His Excellency as a most generous act on the partof the Sultan. 

Quite a number of state banquets had been given, in which the membersof the Embassy had obtained an insight into stylish native cooking, writing home that half the dishes were prepared with pomatum and theother half with rancid oil and butter. The _littérateur_ of the partyhad nearly completed his work on Morocco, and was seriously thinkingof a second volume. The young _attachés_ could swear right roundly inArabic, and were becoming perfect connoisseurs of native beauty. Inthe palatial residence of Drees, as well as in a private residencewhich that worthy had placed at their disposal, they had enjoyed aselection of native female society, and had such good times under thewing of that "rare old cock, " as they dubbed him, that one or twobegan to feel as though they had lighted among the lotus eaters, andhad little desire to return. 

But to Kyrios Mavrogordato and Glymenopoulos his secretary, the delayat Court began to grow irksome, and they heartily wished themselvesback in Tangier. Notwithstanding the useful "tips" which he had givento the Foreign Minister regarding the base designs of his variouscolleagues accredited to that Court, his own affairs seemed to hangfire. He had shown how France was determined to make war upon Moroccosooner or later, with a view to adding its fair plains to those itwas acquiring in Algeria, and had warned him that if the Sultan lentassistance to the Ameer Abd el Káder he would certainly bring thistrouble upon himself. He had also shown how England pretendedfriendship because at any cost she must maintain at least theneutrality of that part of his country bordering on the Straits ofGibraltar, and that with all her professions of esteem, she reallycared not a straw for the Moors. He had shown too that puny Spain heldit as an article of faith that Morocco should one day become hers inreturn for the rule of the Moors upon her own soil. He had, in fact, shown that Greece alone cared for the real interests of the Sultan. 

 IV. DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND

Yet things did not move. The treaty of commerce remained unsigned, andslaves were still bought and sold. The numerous claims which he hadto enforce had only been passed in part, and the Moorish authoritiesseemed inclined to dispute the others stoutly. At last, at a privateconference with the Wazeer el Kiddáb, the Ambassador broached aproposal to cut the Gordian knot. He would abandon all disputed claimsfor a lump sum paid privately to himself, and asked what the MoorishGovernment might feel inclined to offer. 

The Wazeer el Kiddáb received this proposal with great complacency. Hewas accustomed to such overtures. Every day of his life that style ofbargain was part of his business. But this was the first time that aEuropean ambassador had made such a suggestion in its nakedness, andhe was somewhat taken aback, though his studied indifference of mannerdid not allow the foreigner to suspect such a thing for a moment. Theusual style had been for him to offer present after present to theambassadors till he had reached their price, and then, when his masterhad overloaded them with personal favours--many of which existed butin promise--they had been unable to press too hard the claims they hadcome to enforce, for fear of possible disclosures. So this was a novelproceeding, though quite comprehensible on the part of a man who hadbeen bribed on a less extensive scale on each previous visit to Court. Once, however, such a proposition had been made, it was evident thathis Government could not be much in earnest regarding demands which hecould so easily afford to set aside. 

As soon, therefore, as Kyrios Mavrogordato had left, the Wazeerordered his mule, that he might wait upon His Majesty before the hoursof business were over. His errand being stated as urgent and private, he was admitted without delay to his sovereign's presence. 

"May God prolong the days of our Lord! I come to say that the way torid ourselves of the importunity of this ambassador from Greece isplain. He has made it so himself by offering to abandon all disputedclaims for a round sum down for his own use. What is the pleasure ofmy Lord?"

"God is great!" exclaimed the Sultan, "that is well. You may informthe Minister from me that a positive refusal is given to every demandnot already allowed in writing. What _he_ can afford to abandon, _I_can't afford to pay. "

"The will of our Lord shall be done. "

"But stay! I have had my eye upon that Greek ambassador this longwhile, and am getting tired of him. The abuses he commits areatrocious, and his man Drees is a devil. Háj Taïb el Ghassál writesthat the number of his _protégés_ is legion, and that by far thegreater number of them are illegal. Inform him when you see him thathenceforth the provisions of our treaties shall be strictly adheredto, and moreover that no protection certificates shall be valid unlesscountersigned by our Foreign Commissioner El Ghassál. If I rule here, I will put an end to this man's doings. "

"On my head and eyes be the words of my Lord. "

"And remind him further that the permits for the free passage ofgoods at the customs are granted only for his personal use, for thenecessities of his household, and that the way Háj Taïb writes he hasbeen selling them is a disgrace. The man is a regular swindler, andthe less we have to do with him the better. As for his pretendedinformation about his colleagues, there may be a good deal of truthin it, but I have the word of the English minister, who is about ashonest as any of them, that this Mavrogordato is a born villain, and that if his Government is not greedy for my country on its ownaccount, it wants to sell me to some more powerful neighbour inexchange for its protection. Greece is only a miserable fag-end ofEurope. "

"Our Lord knows: may God give him victory, " and the Wazeer bowedhimself out to consider how best he might obey his instructions, notexactly liking the task. On returning home he despatched a messengerto the quarters of the Embassy, appointing an hour on the morrow for aconference, and when this came the Ambassador found himself in for astormy interview. The Wazeer, with his snuff-box in constant use, sat cool and collected on his mattress on the floor, the Ambassadorsitting uneasily on a chair before him. Though the language usedwas considerably modified in filtering through the brain of theinterpreter, the increasing violence of tone and gesture could not beconcealed, and were all but sufficiently comprehensible in themselves. The Ambassador protested that if the remainder of the demands wereto be refused, he was entitled to at least as much as the Frenchrepresentative had had to shut his mouth last time he came to Court, and affected overwhelming indignation at the treatment he hadreceived. 

"Besides, " he added, "I have the promise of His Majesty the Sultanhimself that certain of them should be paid in full, and I cannotabandon those. I have informed my Government of the Sultan's words. "

"Dost suppose that my master is a dog of a Nazarene, that he shouldkeep his word to thee? Nothing thou may'st say can alter his decision. The claims that have been allowed in writing shall be paid by theCustoms Administrators on thy return to Tangier. Here are orders forthe money. "

"I absolutely refuse to accept a portion of what my Governmentdemands. I will either receive the whole, or I will returnempty-handed, and report on the treacherous way in which I have beentreated. I am thoroughly sick of the procrastinating and prevaricatingways of this country--a disgrace to the age. "

"And we are infinitely more sick of thy behaviour and thine abuse ofthe favours we have granted thee. Our lord has expressly instructedme to tell thee that in future no excess of the rights guaranteed toforeigners by treaty will be permitted on any account. Thy protectioncertificates to be valid must be endorsed by our Foreign Commissioner, and the nature of the goods thou importest free of duty as for thyselfshall be strictly examined, as we have the right to do, that no moredefrauding of our revenue be permitted. "

"Your words are an insult to my nation, " exclaimed the Ambassador, rising, "and shall be duly reported to my Government. I cannot sithere and listen to vile impeachments like these; you know them to befalse!"

"That is no affair of mine; I have delivered the decision of our lord, and have no more to say. The claims we refuse are all of them unjust, the demands of usurers, on whom be the curse of God; and demands formoney which has never been stolen, or has already been paid; every oneof them is a shameful fraud, God knows. Leeches are only fit to betrodden on when they have done their work; we want none of them. "

"Your language is disgraceful, such as was never addressed to me in mylife before; if I do not receive an apology by noon to-morrow, I willat once set out for Tangier, if not for Greece, and warn you of thepossible consequences. "

 * * * * *

The excitement in certain circles in Athens on the receipt of theintelligence that the Embassy to Morocco had failed, after all theflourish of trumpets with which its presumed successes had beenhailed, was great indeed. One might have thought that once more thebrave Hellenes were thirsting for the conquest of another Sicily, toread the columns of the _Palingenesia_, some of the milder paragraphsof which, translated, ran thus:--

 "A solemn duty has been imposed upon our nation by the studied indignities heaped upon our representative at the Court of Morocco. Greece has been challenged, Europe defied, and the whole civilized world insulted. The duty now before us is none other than to wipe from the earth that nest of erstwhile pirates flattered by the name of the Moorish Government.... 

 "As though it were insufficient to have refused the just demands presented by Kyrios Mavrogordato for the payment of business debts due to Greek merchants, and for damages acknowledged to be due to others for property stolen by lawless bandits, His Excellency has been practically dismissed from the Court in a manner which has disgraced our flag in the eyes of all Morocco. 

 "Here are two counts which need no exaggeration. Unless the payment of just business debts is duly enforced by the Moorish Government, as it would be in any other country, and unless the native agents of our merchants are protected fully by the local authorities, it is hopeless to think of maintaining commercial relations with such a nation, so that insistence on these demands is of vital necessity to our trade, and a duty to our growing manufactories. 

 "The second count is of the simplest: such treatment as has been meted out to our Minister Plenipotentiary in Morocco, especially after the bland way in which he was met at first with empty promises and smiles, is worthy only of savages or of a people intent on war. "

The _Hellenike Salpinx_ was hardly less vehement in the language inwhich it chronicled the course of events in Morocco:--

 "Notwithstanding the unprecedented manner in which the requests of His Excellency, Kyrios Dimitri Mavrogordato, our Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary at the Court of Morocco, were acceded to on the recent Embassy to Mulai Abd er-Rahmán, the Moors have shown their true colours at last by equally marked, but less astonishing, insults. 

 "The unrivalled diplomatic talents of our ambassador proved, in fact, too much for the Moorish Government, and though the discovery of the way in which a Nazarene was obtaining his desires from the Sultan may have aroused the inherent obstinacy of the wazeers, and thus produced the recoil which we have described, it is far more likely that this was brought about by the officious interference of one or two other foreign representatives at Tangier. It has been for some time notorious that the Sardinian consul-general--who at the same time represents Portugal--loses no opportunity of undermining Grecian influence in Morocco, and in this certain of his colleagues have undoubtedly not been far behind him. 

 "Nevertheless, whatever causes may have been at work in bringing about this crisis, it is one which cannot be tided over, but which must be fairly faced. Greece has but one course before her. "

XXVI

PRISONERS AND CAPTIVES

 "Misfortune is misfortune's heir. " _Moorish Proverb. _

Externally the gaol of Tangier does not differ greatly in appearancefrom an ordinary Moorish house, and even internally it is of theplan which prevails throughout the native buildings from fandaks topalaces. A door-way in a blank wall, once whitewashed, gives access toa kind of lobby, such as might precede the entrance to some grandee'shouse, but instead of being neat and clean, it is filthy and dank, andan unwholesome odour pervades the air. On a low bench at the far endlie a guard or two in dirty garments, fitting ornaments for such aplace. By them is the low-barred entrance to the prison, with a holein the centre the size of such a face as often fills it, wan andhopeless. A clanking of chains, a confused din of voices, and anoccasional moan are borne through the opening on the stench-ladenatmosphere. "All hope abandon, ye who enter here!" could never havebeen written on portal more appropriate than this, unless he whoentered had friends and money. Here are forgotten good and bad, thetried and the untried, just and unjust together, sunk in a night ofblank despair, a living grave. 

Around an open courtyard, protected by an iron grating at the top, isa row of dirty columns, and behind them a kind of arcade, on to whichopen a number of doorless chambers. Filth is apparent everywhere, andto the stifling odour of that unwashed horde is added that caused byinsanitary drainage. To some of the pillars are chained poor wretcheslittle more than skeletons, while a cable of considerable lengthsecures others. It is locked at one end to a staple outside the doorunder which it passes, and is threaded through rings on the ironcollars of half a dozen prisoners who have been brought in as rebelsfrom a distant province. For thirteen days they have tramped thus, carrying that chain, holding it up by their hands to save theirshoulders, and two empty rings still threaded on show that when theystarted they numbered eight. Since the end rings are riveted to thechain, it has been impossible to remove them, so when two fell sick bythe way the drivers cut off their heads to effect the release of theirbodies, and to prove, by presenting those ghastly trophies at theirjourney's end, that none had escaped. 

Many of the prisoners are busy about the floor, where they squat ingroups, plaiting baskets and satchels of palmetto leaves, while manyappear too weak and disheartened even to earn a subsistence in thisway. One poor fellow, who has been a courier, was employed one daytwenty-five years since to carry a despatch to Court, complaining ofthe misdeeds of a governor. That official himself intercepted theletter, and promptly despatched the bearer to Tangier as a Sultan'sprisoner. He then arrested the writer of the letter, who, on payinga heavy fine, regained his liberty, but the courier remained unaskedfor. In course of time the kaïd was called to his account, and hisson, who succeeded him in office, having died too, a stranger ruled intheir stead. The forgotten courier had by this time lost his reason, fancying himself once more in his goat-hair tent on the southernplains, and with unconscious irony he still gives every new arrivalthe Arab greeting, "Welcome to thee, a thousand welcomes! Make thyselfat home and comfortable. All before thee is thine, and what thou seestnot, be sure we don't possess. "

Some few, in better garments, hold themselves aloof from the others, and converse together with all the nonchalance of gossip in thestreets, for they are well-to-do, arrested on some trivial chargewhich a few dollars apiece will soon dispose of, but they areexceptions. A quieter group occupies one corner, members of a partyof no less than sixty-two brought in together from Fez, on claimsmade against them by a European Power. A sympathetic inquiry soonelicits their histories. [19] The first man to speak is hoary andbent with years; he was arrested several years ago, on the death ofa brother who had owed some $50 to a European. The second hadborrowed $900 in exchange for a bond for twice that amount; he hadpaid off half of this, and having been unable to do more, had beenarrested eighteen months before. The third had similarly received$80 for a promise to pay $160; he had been in prison five years andthree months. Another had borrowed $100, and knew not the sum whichstood yet against him. Another had been in prison five years for adebt alleged to have been contracted by an uncle long dead. Anotherhad borrowed $50 on a bond for $100. Another had languished eighteenmonths in gaol on a claim for $120; the amount originally advancedto him was about $30, but the acknowledgment was for $60, which hadbeen renewed for $120 on its falling due and being dishonoured. Another had borrowed $15 on agreeing to refund $30, which wasafterwards increased to $60 and then to $105. He has been imprisonedthree years. The debt of another, originally $16 for a loan of halfthat amount, has since been doubled twice, and now stands at $64, less $17 paid on account, while for forty-two measures of wheatdelivered on account he can get no allowance, though that was threeyears ago, and four months afterwards he was sent to prison. Anotherhad paid off the $50 he owed for an advance of $25, but on someclaim for expenses the creditor had withheld the bond, and is nowsuing for the whole amount again. He has been in prison two yearsand six months. Another has paid twenty measures of barley onaccount of a bond for $100, for which he has received $50, and hewas imprisoned at the same time as the last speaker, his debt beingdue to the same man. Another had borrowed $90 on the usual terms, and has paid the whole in cash or wheat, but cannot get back thebond. He has previously been imprisoned for a year, but two yearsafter his release he was re-arrested, fourteen months ago. Anotherhas been two months in gaol on a claim for $25 for a loan of $12. The last one has a bitter tale to tell, if any could be worse thanthe wearisome similarity of those who have preceded him. 

 [19: All these statements were taken down from the lips of the victims at the prison door, and most, if not all of them, were supported by documentary evidence. ]

"Some years ago, " he says, "I and my two brothers, Drees and Ali, borrowed $200 from a Jew of Mequinez, for which we gave him a notarialbond for $400. We paid him a small sum on account every month, as wecould get it--a few dollars at a time--besides presents of butter, fowls, and eggs. At the end of the first year he threatened toimprison us, and made us change the bond for one for $800, and yearby year he raised the debt this way till it reached $3000, even afterallowing for what we had paid off. I saw no hope of ever meeting hisclaim, so I ran away, and my brother Drees was imprisoned for sixyears. He died last winter, leaving a wife and three children, theyoungest, a daughter, being born a few months after her father wastaken away. He never saw her. By strenuous efforts our family paid offthe $3000, selling all their land, and borrowing small sums. But theJew would not give up the bond. He died about two years ago, and we donot know who is claiming now, but we are told that the sum demandedis $560. We have nothing now left to sell, and, being in prison, wecannot work. When my brother Drees died, I and my brother Ali wereseized to take his place. My kaïd was very sorry for me, and becamesurety that I would not escape, so that my irons were removed; but mybrother remains still in fetters, as poor Drees did all through thesix years. We have no hope of our friends raising any money, so wemust wait for death to release us. "

Here he covers his face with his hands, and several of his companions, in spite of their own dire troubles, have to draw their shrivelledarms across their eyes, as silence falls upon the group. 

As we turn away heartsick a more horrible sight than any confronts usbefore the lieutenant-governor's court. A man is suspended by the armsand legs, face downwards, by a party of police, who grasp his writhinglimbs. With leather thongs a stalwart policeman on either side isstriking his bare back in turn. Already blood is flowing freely, butthe victim does not shriek. He only winces and groans, or gives analmost involuntary cry as the cruel blows fall on some previouslyharrowed spot. He is already unable to move his limbs, but the blowsfall thick and fast. Will they never cease?

By the side stands a young European counting them one by one, and whenthe strikers slow down from exhaustion he orders them to stop, thatothers may relieve them. The victim is by this time swooning, so theEuropean directs that he shall be put on the ground and deluged withwater till he revives. When sufficiently restored the count beginsagain. Presently the European stays them a second time; the man isonce again insensible, yet he has only received six hundred lashes ofthe thousand which have been ordered. 

"Well, " he exclaims, "it's no use going on with him to-day. Put him inthe gaol now, and I'll come and see him have the rest to-morrow. "

"God bless thee, but surely he has had enough!" exclaims thelieutenant-governor, in sympathetic tones. 

"Enough? He deserves double! The consul has only ordered a thousand, and I am here to see that he has every one. We'll teach these villainsto rob our houses!"

"There is neither force nor power save in God, the High, the Mighty!As thou sayest; it is written, " and the powerless official turns awaydisgusted. "God burn these Nazarenes, their wives and families, andall their ancestors! They were never fit for aught but hell!" he maybe heard muttering as he enters his house, and well may he feel as hedoes. 

The policemen carry the victim off to the gaol hard by, depositing himon the ground, after once more restoring him with cold water. 

"God burn their fathers and their grandfathers, and the whole cursedrace of them!" they murmur, for their thoughts still run upon theconsul and the clerk. 

Leaving him sorrowfully, they return to the yard, where we still waitto obtain some information as to the cause of such treatment. 

"Why, that dog of a Nazarene, the Greek consul, says that his housewas robbed a month ago, though we don't believe him, for it wasn'tworth it. The sinner says that a thousand dollars were stolen, and hehas sent in a claim for it to the Sultan. The minister's now at courtfor the money, the Satan! God rid our country of them all!"

"But how does this poor fellow come in for it?"

"He! He never touched the money! Only he had some quarrel with theclerk, so they accused him of the theft, as he was the native livingnearest to the house, just over the fence. He's nothing but a poordonkey-man, and an honest one at that. The consul sent his clerk uphere to say he was the thief, and that he must receive a thousandlashes. The governor refused till the man should be tried andconvicted, but the Greek wouldn't hear of it, and said that if hewasn't punished at once he would send a courier to his minister atMarrákesh, and have a complaint made to the Sultan. The governor knewthat if he escaped it would most likely cost him his post to fight theconsul, so he gave instructions for the order to be carried out, andwent indoors so as not to be present. "

"God is supreme!" ejaculates a bystander. 

"But these infidels of Nazarenes know nothing of Him. His curse be onthem!" answers the policeman. "They made us ride the poor man roundthe town on a bare-backed donkey, with his face to the tail, and allthe way two of us had to thrash him, crying, 'Thus shall be done tothe man who robs a consul!' He was ready to faint before we got him uphere. God knows _we_ don't want to lash him again!"

 * * * * *

Next day as we pass the gaol we stop to inquire after the prisoner, but the poor fellow is still too weak to receive the balance due, andso it is for several days. Then they tell us that he has been freedfrom them by God, who has summoned his spirit, though meanwhile thekindly attentions of a doctor have been secured, and everythingpossible under the circumstances has been done to relieve hissufferings. After all, he was "only a Moor!"

 * * * * *

The Greek consul reported that the condition of the Moorish prisonswas a disgrace to the age, and that he had himself known prisoners whohad succumbed to their evil state after receiving a few strokes fromthe lash. 

A statement of claim for a thousand dollars, alleged to have beenrobbed from his house, was forwarded by courier to his chief, then atCourt, and was promptly added to the demands that it was part of HisExcellency's errand to enforce. 

XXVII

THE PROTECTION SYSTEM

 "My heart burns, but my lips will not give utterance. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

 I. THE NEED

Crouched at the foreigner's feet lay what appeared but a bundle ofrags, in reality a suppliant Moor, once a man of wealth and position. Hugging a pot of butter brought as an offering, clutching convulsivelyat the leg of the chair, his furrowed face bespoke past suffering andpresent earnestness. 

"God bless thee, Bashador, and all the Christians, and give me gracein thy sight!"

"Oh, indeed, so you like the Christians?"

"Yes, Bashador, I must love the Christians; they have justice, we havenone. I wish they had rule over the country. "

"Then you are not a good Muslim!"

"Oh yes, I am, I am a háj (pilgrim to Mekka), and I love my ownreligion, certainly I do, but none of our officials follow ourreligion nowadays: they have no religion. They forget God and worshipmoney; their delight is in plunder and oppression. "

"You appear to have known better days. What is your trouble?"

"Trouble enough, " replies the Moor, with a sigh. "I am Hamed Zirári. I was rich once, and powerful in my tribe, but now I have only thissheep and two goats. I and my wife live alone with our children in anuállah (hut), but after all we are happier now when they leave usalone, than when we were rich. I have plenty of land left, it is true, but we dare not for our lives cultivate more than a small patch aroundour nuállah, lest we should be pounced upon again. "

[Illustration: _Photograph by Dr. Rudduck. _

A CENTRAL MOROCCO HOMESTEAD (NUÁLLAS). ]

"How did you lose your property?"

"I will tell you, Bashador, and then you will see whether I amjustified in speaking of our Government as I do. It is a sad story, but I will tell you all. [20] A few years ago I possessed more than sixhundred cows and bullocks, more than twelve hundred sheep, a hundredgood camels, fifty mules, twenty horses, and twenty-four mares. I hadalso four wives and many slaves. I had plenty of guns and abundance ofgrain in my stores; in fact, I was rich and powerful among my people, by whom I was held in great honour; but alas! alas! our new kaïd isworse than the old one; he is insatiable, a pit without a bottom!There is no possibility of satisfying his greed!

 [20: This story is reproduced from notes taken of the man's narrative by my father. --B. M. ]

"I felt that although by continually making him valuable presentsI succeeded in keeping on friendly terms with him, he was alwayscoveting my wealth. We have in our district two markets a week, and atlast I had to present him with from $50 to $80 every market-day. Iwas nevertheless in constant dread of his eyes--they are such greedyeyes--and I saw that it would be necessary to look out for protection. I was too loyal a subject of the Sultan then, and too good a Muslim, to think of Nazarene protection, so I applied for help to Si Mohammedboo Aálam, commander-in-chief of our lord (whom may God sendvictorious), and to enter the Sultan's service. 

"We prepared a grand present with which to approach him, and when itwas ready I started with it, accompanied by two of my cousins. We tookfour splendid horses, four mares with their foals, four she-camelswith their young, four picked cows, two pairs of our best bullocks, four fine young male slaves, each with a silver-mounted gun, and fourwell-dressed female slaves, each carrying a new bucket in her hand, many jars containing fresh and salted butter and honey, beside otherthings, and a thousand dollars in cash. It was a fine present, was itnot, Bashador?

"Well, on arrival at Si Mohammed's place, we slaughtered two bullocksat his door, and humbly begged his gracious acceptance of ouroffering, which we told him we regretted was not greater, but that aswe were his brethren, we trusted to find favour in his sight. We saidwe wished to honour him, and to become his fortunate slaves, whosechief delight it would be to do his bidding. We reminded him thatalthough he was so rich and powerful he was still our brother, andthat we desired nothing better than to live in continual friendshipwith him. 

"He received and feasted us very kindly, and gave us appointmentsas mounted guards to the marshal of the Sultan, as which we servedhappily for seven months. We were already thinking about sending forsome of our family to come and relieve us, that we might return homeourselves, when one day Si Mohammed sent for us to say that he wasgoing away for a time, having received commands from the Sultan tovisit a distant tribe with the effects of Royal displeasure. Aftermutual compliments and blessings he set off with his soldiers. 

"Five days later a party of soldiers came to our house. To our utterastonishment and dismay, without a word of explanation, they putchains on our necks and wrists, and placing us on mules, bore us away. Remonstrance and resistance were equally vain. We were in Mequinez. It was already night, and though the gates were shut, and are neveropened again except in obedience to high authority, they were silentlyopened for us to pass through. Once outside, our eyes were bandaged, and we were lashed to our uncomfortable seats. Thus we travelled on asrapidly as possible, in silence all night long. It was a long night, that, indeed, Bashador, a weary night, but we felt sure some worsefate awaited us; what, we could not imagine, for we had committed nocrime. Finally, after three days we halted, and the bandages wereremoved from our eyes. We found ourselves in a market-place inRahámna, within the jurisdiction of our cursëd kaïd. All aroundus were our flocks and herds, camels, and horses, all our movableproperty, which we soon learnt had been brought there for public sale. A great gathering was there to purchase. 

"The kaïd was there, and when he saw us he exclaimed, 'There you are, are you? You can't escape from me now, you children of dogs!' Then heturned to a brutal policeman, crying, 'Put the bastards on the ground, and give them a thousand lashes. ' Those words ring in my ears still. I felt as in a dream. I was too utterly in his power to think ofanswering, and after a very few strokes the power of doing so wastaken from me, for I lost consciousness. How many blows we received Iknow not, but we must have been very nearly killed. When I revivedwe were in a filthy matmorah, where we existed for seven months inmisery, being kept alive on a scanty supply of barley loaves andwater. At last I pretended to have lost my reason, as I should havedone in truth had I stayed there much longer. When they told the kaïdthis, he gave permission for me to be let out. I found my wife andchildren still living, thank God, though they had had very hard times. What has become of my cousins I do not know, and do not dare to ask, but thou couldst, O Bashador, if once I were under thy protection. 

"All I know is that, after receiving our present, Si Mohammed sold usto the kaïd for twelve hundred dollars. He was a fool, Bashador, agreat fool; had he demanded of us we would have given him twelvehundred dollars to save ourselves what we have had to suffer. 

"Wonderest thou still, O Bashador, that I prefer the Nazarenes, andwish there were more of them in the country? I respect the dust offtheir shoes more than a whole nation of miscalled Muslims who couldtreat me as I have been treated; but God is just, and 'there isneither force nor power save in God, ' yes, 'all is written. ' He givesto men according to their hearts. We had bad hearts, and he gave us aGovernment like them. "

 II. THE SEARCH

The day was already far spent when at last Abd Allah led his animalinto one of the caravansarais outside the gate of Mazagan, so, aftersaying his evening prayers and eating his evening meal, he lay downto rest on a heap of straw in one of the little rooms of the fandak, undisturbed either by anxious dreams, or by the multitude of livelycreatures about him. 

Ere the sun had risen the voice of the muédhdhin awoke him with thecall to early prayer. Shrill and clear the notes rang out on the calmmorning air in that perfect silence--

"G-o-d is gr-ea--t! G-o-d is gr-ea--t! G-o-d is grea--t! I witnessthat there is no God but God, and Mohammed is the messenger of God. Come to prayer! Come to prayer! Come to prayer! Prayer is better thansleep! Come to prayer!"

Quickly rising, Abd Allah repaired to the water-tap, and seatinghimself on the stone seat before it, rapidly performed the prescribedreligious ablutions, this member three times, then the other asoften, and so on, all in order, right first, left to follow as lesshonourable, finishing up with the pious ejaculation, "God greatest!"Thence to the mosque was but a step, and in a few minutes he stoodbarefooted in those dimly-lighted, vaulted aisles, in which theglimmering oil lamps and the early streaks of daylight struggled forthe mastery. His shoes were on the ground before him at the foot ofthe pillar behind which he had placed himself, and his hands wereraised before his face in the attitude of prayer. Then, at thelong-drawn cry of the leader, in company with his fellow-worshippers, he bowed himself, and again with them rose once more, in a moment tokneel down and bow his forehead to the earth in humble adoration. 

Having performed the usual series of prayers, he was ready for coffeeand bread. This he took at the door of the fandak, seated on theground by the coffee-stall, inquiring meanwhile the prospects ofprotection in Mazagan. 

There was Tájir[21] Pépé, always ready to appoint a new agent for aconsideration, but then he bore almost as bad a name for tyrannizingover his _protégés_ as did the kaïds themselves. There was Tájir Yûsefthe Jew, but then he asked such tremendous prices, because he was avice-consul. There was Tájir Juan, but then he was not on good enoughterms with his consul to protect efficiently those whom he appointed, so he could not be thought of either. But there was Tájir Vecchio, anew man from Gibraltar, fast friends with his minister, and who musttherefore be strong, yet a man who did not name too high a figure. Tohim, therefore, Abd Allah determined to apply, and when his store wasopened presented himself. 

 [21: "Merchant, " used much as "Mr. " is with us. ]

Under his cloak he carried three pots of butter in one hand, and asmany of honey in the other, while a ragged urchin tramped behind withhalf a dozen fowls tied in a bunch by the legs, and a basket of eggs. The first thing was to get a word with the head-man at the store; so, slipping a few of the eggs into his hands, Abd Allah requested aninterview with the Tájir, with whom he had come to make friends. Thisbeing promised, he squatted on his heels by the door, where he wasleft to wait an hour or two, remarking to himself at intervals thatGod was great, till summoned by one of the servants to enter. 

The merchant was seated behind his desk, and Abd Allah, havingdeposited his burden on the floor, was making round the table to throwhimself at his feet, when he was stopped and allowed but to kiss hishand. 

"Well, what dost thou want?"

"I have come to make friends, O Merchant. "

"Who art thou?"

"I am Abd Allah bin Boo Shaïb es-Sálih, O Merchant, of Aïn Haloo inRahámna. I have a family there, and cattle, and very much land. Iwish to place all in thy hands, and to become thy friend, " againendeavouring to throw himself at the feet of the European. 

"All right, all right, that will do. I will see about it; come to meagain to-morrow. "

"May God bless thee, O Merchant, and fill thee with prosperity, andmay He prolong thy days in peace!"

As Tájir Vecchio went on with his writing, Abd Allah made off witha hopeful heart to spend the next twenty-four anxious hours in thefandak, while his offerings were carried away to the private house bya servant. 

Next morning saw him there again, when much the same scene wasrepeated. This time, however, they got to business. 

"How can I befriend you?" asked the European, after yesterday'sconversation had been practically repeated. 

"Thou canst very greatly befriend me by making me thy agent in AïnHaloo. I will work for thee, and bring thee of the produce of my landas others do, if I may only enjoy thy protection. May God have mercyon thee, O Merchant. I take refuge with thee. "

"I can't be always appointing agents and protecting people fornothing. What can you give me?"

"Whatever is just, O Merchant, but the Lord knows that I am not rich, though He has bestowed sufficient on me to live, praise be to Him. "

"Well, I should want two hundred dollars down, and something when thecertificate is renewed next year, besides which you would of coursereport yourself each quarter, and not come empty-handed. Animals andcorn I can do best with, but I don't want any of your poultry. "

"God bless thee, Merchant, and make thee prosperous, but two hundreddollars is a heavy sum for me, and this last harvest has not been soplentiful as the one before, as thou knowest. Grant me this protectionfor one hundred and fifty dollars, and I can manage it, but do notmake it an impossibility. "

"I can't go any lower: there are scores of Moors who would give methat price. Do as you like. Good morning. "

"Thou knowest, O Merchant, I could not give more than I have offered, "replied Abd Allah as he rose and left the place. 

But as no one else could be found in the town to protect him on betterterms, he had at last to return, and in exchange for the sum demandedreceived a paper inscribed on one side in Arabic, and on the other inEnglish, as follows:--

 "VICE-CONSULATE FOR GREAT BRITAIN, "MAZAGAN, _Oct. 5, 1838_. 

 "_This is to certify that Abd Allah bin Boo Shaïb es-Sálih, resident at Aïn Haloo in the province of Rahámna, has been duly appointed agent of Edward Vecchio, a British subject, residing in Mazagan: all authorities will respect him according to existing treaties, not molesting him without proper notice to this Vice-Consulate. _[22]

 "_Gratis_ Seal. [Signed] "JOHN SMITH. "_H. B. M. 's Vice-Consul, Mazagan. _"

 [22: A genuine "patent of protection, " as prescribed by treaty, supposed to be granted only to wholesale traders, whereas every beggar can obtain "certificates of partnership. " The native in question has then only to appear before the notaries and state that he has in his possession so much grain, or so many oxen or cattle, belonging to a certain European, who takes them as his remuneration for presenting the notarial document at his Legation, and obtaining the desired certificate. Moreover, he receives half the produce of the property thus made over to him. This is popularly known as "farming in Morocco. "]

XXVIII

JUSTICE FOR THE JEW

 "Sleep on anger, and thou wilt not rise repentant. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

The kaïd sat in his seat of office, or one might rather say reclined, for Moorish officials have a habit of lying in two ways at once whenthey are supposed to be doing justice. Strictly speaking, his positionwas a sort of halfway one, his back being raised by a pile ofcushions, with his right leg drawn up before him, as he leant on hisleft elbow. His judgement seat was a veritable wool-sack, or rathermattress, placed across the left end of a long narrow room, some eightfeet by twenty, with a big door in the centre of one side. The onlyother apertures in the whitewashed but dirty walls were a number ofventilating loop-holes, splayed on the inside, ten feet out of thetwelve above the floor. This was of worn octagonal tiles, in partscovered with a yellow rush mat in an advanced state of consumption. Notwithstanding the fact that the ceiling was of some dark colour, hard to be defined at its present age, the audience-chamber wasamply lighted from the lofty horse-shoe archway of the entrance, forsunshine is reflection in Morocco to a degree unknown in northernclimes. 

On the wall above the head of the kaïd hung a couple of huge andantiquated horse-pistols, while on a small round table at his feet, some six inches high, lay a collection of cartridges and gunsmith'stools. Behind him, on a rack, were half a dozen long flint-lockmuskets, and on the wall by his feet a number of Moorish daggers andswords. In his hand the governor fondled a European revolver, pokingout and replacing the charges occasionally, just to show that it wasloaded. 

His personal attire, though rich in quality, ill became his gawkyfigure, and there was that about his badly folded turban which bespokethe parvenu. Like the muzzle of some wolf, his pock-marked visageglowered on a couple of prostrated litigants before him, as theyfiercely strove to prove each other wrong. Near his feet was squattedhis private secretary, and at the door stood policemen awaitinginstructions to imprison one or both of the contending parties. Thedispute was over the straying of some cattle, a paltry claim fordamages. The plaintiff having presented the kaïd with a loaf of sugarand a pound of candles, was in a fair way to win his case, when asuggestive sign on the part of the defendant, comprehended bythe judge as a promise of a greater bribe, somewhat upset hiscalculations, for he was summarily fined a couple of dollars, andordered to pay another half dollar costs for having allowed the gateof his garden to stand open, thereby inviting his neighbour's cattleto enter. Without a word he was carried off to gaol pending payment, while the defendant settled with the judge and left the court. 

Into the midst of this scene came another policeman, gripping by thearm a poor Jewish seamstress named Mesaôdah, who had had the temerityto use insulting language to her captor when that functionary wasupbraiding her for not having completed some garment when ordered, though he insisted on paying only half-price, declaring that it wasfor the governor. The Jewess had hardly spoken when she lay sprawlingon the ground from a blow which she dare not, under any provocation, return, but her temper had so far gained the mastery over her, that asshe rose she cursed her tormentor roundly. That was enough; withoutmore ado the man had laid his powerful arm upon her, and was draggingher to his master's presence, knowing how welcome any such case wouldbe, even though it was not one out of which he might hope to makemoney. 

Reckless of the governor's well-known character, Mesaôdah at onceopened her mouth to complain against Mahmood, pitching her voice inthe terrible key of her kind. 

"My Lord, may God bless thee and lengthen.... "

A fierce shake from her captor interrupted the sentence, but did notkeep her quiet, for immediately she continued, in pleading tones, asbest she could, struggling the while to keep her mouth free from thewretch's hand. 

"Protect me, I pray thee, from this cruel man; he has struck me: yes, my Lord. "

"Strike her again if she doesn't stop that noise, " cried the kaïd, andas the man raised his hand to threaten her she saw there was no hope, and her legs giving way beneath her, she sank to the ground in tears. 

"For God's sake, yes, my Lord, have mercy on thine handmaid. " It waspitiful to hear the altered tones, and it needed the heart of a bruteto reply as did the governor, unmoved, by harshly asking what she hadbeen up to. 

"She's a thief, my Lord, a liar, like all her people; God burn theirreligion; I gave her a waistcoat to make a week ago, and I purposed itfor a present to thee, my Lord, but she has made away with the stuff, and when I went for it she abused me, and, by thy leave, thee also, myLord; here she is to be punished. "

"It's a lie, my Lord; the stuff is in my hut, and the waistcoat's halfdone, but I knew I should never get paid for it, so had to get someother work done to keep my children from starving, for I am a widow. Have mercy on me!"

"God curse the liar! I have spoken the truth, " broke in the policeman. 

"Fetch a basket for her!" ordered the kaïd, and in another moment asecond attendant was assisting Mahmood to force the struggling womanto sit in a large and pliable basket of palmetto, the handles of whichwere quickly lashed across her stomach. She was then thrown shriekingon her back, her bare legs lifted high, and tied to a short piece ofpole just in front of the ankles; one man seized each end of this, athird awaiting the governor's orders to strike the soles. In his handhe had a short-handled lash made of twisted thongs from Tafilált, wellsoaked in water. The efforts of the victim to attack the men on eitherside becoming violent, a delay was caused by having to tie her handstogether, her loud shrieks rending the air the while. 

"Give her a hundred, " said the kaïd, beginning to count as the blowsdescended, giving fresh edge to the piercing yells, interspersed withpiteous cries for mercy, and ribbing the skin in long red lines, whichwere soon lost in one raw mass of bleeding flesh. As the arm of onewearied, another took his place, and a bucket of cold water was thrownover the victim's legs. At first her face had been ashy pale, it wasnow livid from the blood descending to it, as her legs grew white allbut the soles, which were already turning purple under the cruel lash. Then merciful unconsciousness stepped in, and silence supervened. 

"That will do, " said the governor, having counted eighty-nine. "Takeher away; she'll know better next time!" and he proceeded with thecases before him, fining this one, imprisoning that, and bastinadoinga third, with as little concern as an English registrar would sign anorder to pay a guinea fine. Indeed, why should he do otherwise. Thiswas his regular morning's work. It was a month before Mesaôdah couldtouch the ground with her feet, and more than three before she couldtotter along with two sticks. Her children were kept alive by herneighbours till she could sit up and "stitch, stitch, stitch, " butthere was no one to hear her bitter complaint, and no one to dry hertears. 

One day his faithful henchman dragged before the kaïd a Jewish broker, whose crime of having bid against that functionary on the market, whenpurchasing supplies for his master, had to be expiated by a fine oftwenty dollars, or a hundred lashes. The misguided wretch chose thelatter, loving his coins too well; but after the first half-dozen haddescended on his naked soles, he cried for mercy and agreed to pay. 

[Illustration: _Photograph by Dr. Rudduck. _

JEWESSES OF THE ATLAS. ]

Another day it was a more wealthy member of the community who wassummoned on a serious charge. The kaïd produced a letter addressedto the prisoner, which he said had been intercepted, couched in thewoefully corrupted Arabic of the Moorish Jews, but in the cursiveHebrew character. 

"Canst read, O Moses?" asked the kaïd, in a surly tone. 

"Certainly, yes, my Lord, may God protect thee, when the writing is inthe sacred script. "

"Read that aloud, then, " handing him the missive. 

Moses commenced by rapidly glancing his eye down the page, and as hedid so his face grew pale, his hand shook, and he muttered somethingin the Hebrew tongue as the kaïd sharply ordered him to proceed. 

"My Lord, yes, my Lord; it is false, it is a fraud, " he stammered. 

"The Devil take thee, thou son of a dog; read what is set before thee, and let us have none of thy impudence. The gaol is handy. "

With a trembling voice Moses the usurer read the letter, purporting tohave been written by an intimate friend in Mogador, and implyingby its contents that Moses had, when in that town some years ago, embraced the faith of Islám, from which he was therefore now apervert, and consequently under pain of death. He was already crouchedupon the ground, as is the custom before a great man, but as hespelled out slowly the damnatory words, he had to stretch forth hishands to keep from falling over. He knew that there was nothing to begained by denial, by assurances that the letter was a forgery; thekaïd's manner indicated plainly enough that _he_ meant to be satisfiedwith it, and there was no appeal. 

"Moses, " said the kaïd, in a mock confidential tone, as he took backthe letter, "thou'rt in my power. All that thou hast is mine. Withsuch evidence against thee as this thy very head is in my hands. Ifthou art wise, and wilt share thy fortune with me, all shall go well;if not, thou knowest what to expect. I am to-day in need of a hundreddollars. Now go!"

An hour had not elapsed before, with a heart still heavier than thebag he carried, Moses crossed the courtyard again, and deposited thesum required in the hands of the kaïd, with fresh assurances of hisinnocence, imploring the destruction of that fatal document, whichwas readily promised, though with no intention of complying with therequest, notwithstanding that to procure another as that had beenprocured would cost but a trifle. 

These are only instances which could be multiplied of how the Jewsof Morocco suffer at the hands of brutal officials. As metal whichattracts the electricity from a thunder-cloud, so they invariablysuffer first when a newly appointed, conscienceless governor comes torule. 

With all his faults the previous kaïd had recognized how closely boundup with that of the Moors under his jurisdiction was the welfare ofJews similarly situated, so that, favoured by his wise administration, their numbers and their wealth had increased till, though in outwardappearance beggarly, they formed an important section of thecommunity. The new kaïd, however, saw in them but a possible mine, agoose that laid golden eggs, so, like the fool of the story, he setabout destroying it when the supply of eggs fell off, for there was ofnecessity a limit to the repeated offerings which, on one pretext oranother, he extorted from these luckless "tributaries, " as they aredescribed in Moorish legal documents. 

When he found that ordinary means of persuasion failed, he had resortto more drastic measures. He could not imagine fresh feasts and publicoccasions, auspicious or otherwise, on which to collect "presents"from them, so he satisfied himself by bringing specious chargesagainst the more wealthy Jews and fining them, as well as byencouraging Moors to accuse them in various ways. Many of the paymentsto the governor being in small and mutilated coin, every Friday hesent to the Jews what he had received during the week, demanding around sum in Spanish dollars, far more than their fair value. Then when he had forced upon them a considerable quantity of thisdepreciated stuff, he would send a crier round notifying the publicthat it was out of circulation and no longer legal tender, moreovergiving warning that the "Jew's money" was not to be trusted, as it wasknown that they had counterfeit coins in their possession. It was thentime to offer them half price for it, which they had no option butto accept, though some while later he would re-issue it at its fullvalue, and having permitted its circulation, would force it upon themagain. 

The repairs which it was found necessary to effect in the kasbah, theequipment of troops, the contributions to the expenses of the Sultan'sexpeditions, or the payment of indemnities to foreign nations, wereconstantly recurring pretexts for levying fresh sums from the Jews aswell as from the Moors, and these were the legal ones. The illegalwere too harrowing for description. Young children and old men werebrutally thrashed and then imprisoned till they or their friends paidheavy ransoms, and even the women occasionally suffered in thisway. On Sabbaths and fast days orders would be issued to the Jews, irrespective of age or rank, to perform heavy work for the governor, perhaps to drag some heavy load or block of stone. Those who couldbuy themselves off were fortunate: those who could not do so wereharnessed and driven like cattle under the lashes of yard-long whips, being compelled when their work was done to pay their taskmasters. Indeed, it was Egypt over again, but there was no Moses. Men or womenfound with shoes on were bastinadoed and heavily fined, and on morethan one occasion the sons of the best-off Israelites were arrested inschool on the charge of having used disrespectful language regardingthe Sultan, and thrown into prison chained head and feet, in such amanner that it was impossible to stretch their bodies. Thus they wereleft for days without food, all but dead, in spite of the desire oftheir relatives to support them, till ransoms of two hundred dollarsapiece could be raised to obtain their release, in some cases threemonths after their incarceration. 

XXIX

CIVIL WAR IN MOROCCO

 "Wound of speech is worse than wound of sword. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Spies were already afield when the sun rose this morning, and whiletheir return with the required information was eagerly expected, thoseof Asni who would be warriors took a hasty breakfast and looked totheir horses and guns. 

Directly intelligence as to the whereabouts of the Aït Mîzán arrived, the cavalcade set forth, perforce in Indian file, on account of thenarrow single track, but wherever it was possible those behind pressedforward and passed their comrades in their eagerness to reach thescene of action. No idea of order or military display crossed theirminds, and but for the skirmishers who scoured the country round asthey advanced, it would have been easy for a concealed foe to havepicked them off one by one. Nevertheless they made a gallant show inthe morning sun, which glinted on their ornamented stirrups and theirflint-locks, held like lances, with the butts upon the pummels beforethem. The varied colours of their trappings, though old and worn, looked gay by the side of the red cloth-covered saddles and thegun-cases of similar material used by many as turbans. But for theserious expression on the faces of the majority, and the eagerscanning of each knoll and shrub, the party might have been intent onpowder-play instead of powder-business. 

For a mile or two no sign of human being was seen, and the ride wasalready growing wearisome when a sudden report on their right wasfollowed by the heavy fall of one of their number, his well-trainedhorse standing still for him to re-mount, though he would never moredo so. Nothing but a puff of smoke showed whence the shot had come, some way up the face of a hill. The first impulse was to make a chargein that direction, and to fire a volley; but the experience of theleader reminded him that if there were only one man there it would notbe worth while, and if there were more they might fall into an ambush. So their file passed on while the scouts rode towards the hill slope. A few moments later one of these had his horse shot under him, andthen a volley was fired which took little effect on the advancinghorsemen, still too far away for successful aim. 

They had been carefully skirting a wooded patch which might giveshelter to their foes, whom they soon discovered to be lying intrenches behind the first hill-crests. Unless they were dislodged, it would be almost impossible to proceed, so, making a rapid flankmovement, the Asni party spurred their horses and galloped round togain the hills above the hidden enemy. As they did so random shotswere discharged, and when they approached the level of the trenches, they commenced a series of rushes forward, till they came withinrange. In doing so they followed zig-zag routes to baffle aim, firingdirectly they made out the whereabouts of their assailants, andbeating a hasty retreat. What success they were achieving they couldnot tell, but their own losses were not heavy. 

Soon, as their firing increased, that from the trenches which theywere gradually approaching grew less, and fresh shots from behindawoke them to the fact that the enemy was making a rear attack. Bythis time they were in great disorder, scattered over a wide area; themajority had gained the slight cover of the brushwood to their rear, and a wide space separated them from the new arrivals, who wereperforming towards them the same wild rushes that they themselves hadmade towards the trenches. They were therefore divided roughly intotwo divisions, the footmen in the shelter of the shrubs, the horsemenengaging the mounted enemy. 

Among the brushwood hardly was the figure of friend or foediscernible, for all lay down behind any available shelter, crawlingfrom point to point like so many caterpillars, but firing quicklyenough when an enemy was sighted. This style of warfare has itsadvantages, for it greatly diminishes losses on either side. For thehorsemen, deprived of such shelter, safety lay in rapid movements andunexpected evolutions, each man acting for himself, and keeping as faraway from his comrades as possible. So easily were captures made thatit almost seemed as if many preferred surrender and safety to thechances of war, for they knew that they were sure of honourabletreatment on both sides. The prisoners were not even bound, butmerely disarmed and marched to the rear, to be conveyed at night in apeaceful manner to their captors' tents and huts, there to be treatedas guests till peace should result in exchange. 

By this time the combatants were scattered over a square mile or so, and though the horsemen of Asni had driven the Aït Mîzán from theforemost trenches by the bold rushes described, and their footmen hadengaged them, no further advantage seemed likely to accrue, while theywere terribly harassed by those who still remained under cover. Thesignal was therefore given for a preconcerted retreat, which at oncebegan. Loud shouts of an expected victory now arose from the AïtMîzán, who were gradually drawn from their hiding-places by theirdesire to secure nearer shots at the men of Asni as they slowlydescended the hill. 

At length the Aït Mîzán began to draw somewhat to one side, as theydiscovered that they were being led too far into the open, but thismovement was outwitted by the Asni horsemen, who were now pouring downon the scene. The wildest confusion supervened; many fell on everyhand. Victory was now assured to Asni, which the enemy were quick torecognize, and as the sun was by this time at blazing noon, and energygrew slack on both sides, none was loth to call a conference. Thisresulted in an agreement by the vanquished to return the stolen cattlewhich had formed the _casus belli_, for indeed they were no longerable to protect them from their real owners. As many more wereforfeited by way of damages, and messages were despatched to the womenleft in charge to hand them over to a party of the victors. Prisonerswere meantime exchanged, while through the medium of the local "holyman" a peace was formally ratified, after which each party returned toits dead, who were quickly consigned to their shallow graves. 

Such of the Asni men as were not mourners, now assembled in the openspace of their village to be feasted by their women as victors. Basins, some two feet across, were placed on the ground filled withsteaming kesk'soo. Round each of these portions sat cross-legged someeight or ten of the men, and a metal bowl of water was handed from oneto the other to rinse the fingers of the right hand. They sat uponrude blankets spread on mats, the scene lit by Roman-like olive-oillamps, and a few French candles round the board of the sheïkh andallied leaders. 

A striking picture, indeed, they presented, there in the still nightair, thousands of heaven-lights gleaming from the dark blue vaultabove, outrivalling the flicker of those simple earth-flames on theirlined and sun-burnt faces. The women who waited on them, all of middleage, alone remained erect, as they glided about on their bare feet, carrying bowl and towel from man to man. From the huts and the tentsaround came many strange sounds of bird, beast, and baby, for thecocks were already crowing, as it was growing late, [23] while thedogs bayed at the shadow of the cactus and the weird shriek of thenight-bird. 

 [23: A way they have in Barbary. ]

"B'ism Illah!" exclaimed the host at each basin ("In the Name ofGod!")--as he would ask a blessing--when he finished breaking breadfor his circle, and plunged his first sop in the gravy. "B'ism Illah!"they all replied, and followed suit in a startlingly sudden silencewherein naught but the stowing away of food could be heard, till oneof them burnt his fingers by an injudiciously deep dive into thecentre after a toothsome morsel. 

In the midst of a sea of broth rose mountains of steamed and butteredkesk'soo, in the craters of which had been placed the contents of thestew-pot, the disjointed bones of chickens with onions and abundantbroad beans. The gravy was eaten daintily with sops of bread, conveyedto the mouth in a masterly manner without spilling a drop, while thekesk'soo was moulded in the palm of the right hand into convenientsized balls and shot into the mouth by the thumb. The meat was dividedwith the thumb and fingers of the right hand alone, since the left maytouch no food. 

At last one by one sat back, his greasy hand outstretched, and aftertaking a sip of cold water from the common jug with his left, andlicking his right to prevent the waste of one precious grain, eachwashed his hands, rinsed his mouth thrice, polished his teeth with hisright forefinger, and felt ready to begin again, all agreeing that "hewho is not first at the powder, should not be last at the dish. "

XXX

THE POLITICAL SITUATION

 "A guess of the informed is better than the assurance of the ignorant. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Ever since the accession of the present Sultan, Mulai Abd el Azîz IV. , on his attaining the age of twenty in 1900, Morocco has been more thanever the focus of foreign designs, both public and private, which havebrought about a much more disturbed condition than under hisfather, or even under the subsequent Wazeer Regent. The manifestfriendlessness of the youth, his lack of training for so important apart, and the venality of his entourage, at once attracted birds ofprey, and they have worked their will. 

Since the death of El Hasan III. , in 1894, the administration had beencontrolled by the former Lord High Chamberlain, or "Curtain" of theshareefian throne, whose rule was severe, though good, and it seemeddoubtful whether he would relinquish the reins of authority. The otherwazeers whom his former master had left in office had been imprisonedon various charges, and he stood supreme. He was, however, old andenfeebled by illness, so when in 1900 his end came instead of hisresignation, few were surprised. What they were not quite preparedfor, however, was the clearing of the board within a week or two bythe death of his two brothers and a cousin, whom he had promoted tobe respectively Commander-in-chief, Chamberlain, and Master of theCeremonies--all of them, it was declared, by influenza. Anotherbrother had died but a short while before, and the commissioner sentto Tangier to arrange matters with the French was found dead in hisroom--from asphyxia caused by burning charcoal. Thus was the Cabinetdissolved, and the only remaining member resigned. There then rosesuddenly to power a hitherto unheard of Arab of the South, El Menébhi, who essayed too much in acting as Ambassador to London while stillMinister of War, and returned to find his position undermined; he hassince emigrated to Egypt. It was freely asserted that the depletionof the Moorish exchequer was due to his peculation, resulting in hisshipping a large fortune to England in specie, with the assistanceof British officials who were supposed to have received a handsome"consideration" in addition to an enormous price paid for Britishprotection. Thus, amid a typically Moorish cloud, he left the scene. From that time the Court has been the centre of kaleidoscopicintrigues, which have seriously hampered administration, but whichwere not in themselves sufficient to disturb the country. 

What was of infinitely greater moment was the eagerness with which theyoung ruler, urged by his Circassian mother, sought advice and counselfrom Europe, and endeavoured to act up to it. One disinterested andtrusted friend at that juncture would have meant the regeneration ofthe Empire, provided that interference from outside were stayed. Butthis was not to be. The few impartial individuals who had access tothe Sultan were outnumbered by the horde of politicians, diplomats, adventurers, and schemers who surrounded him, the latter at leastfreely bribing wazeers to obtain their ends. In spite of anunquestionable desire to do what was best for his country, and to actupon the good among the proffered advice, wild extravagance resultedboth in action and expenditure. 

Thus Mulai Abd el Azîz became the laughing-stock of Europe, and thebutt of his people's scorn. His heart was with the foreigners--withdancing women and photographers, --he had been seen in trousers, evenon a bicycle! What might he not do next? A man so implicated withunbelievers could hardly be a faithful Muslim, said the discontented. No more efficacious text could have been found to rouse fanaticismand create dissatisfaction throughout his dominions. Black looksaccompanied the mention of his name, and it was whispered that theLeader of the Faithful was selling himself and his Empire, if not tothe Devil, at least to the Nazarenes, which was just as bad. Any othercountry would have been ripe for rebellion, as Europe supposed thatMorocco was, but scattered and conflicting interests defeated allattempts to induce a general rising. 

One of the wisest measures of the new reign was the attempt toreorganize finances in accordance with English advice, by thesystematic levy of taxes hitherto imposed in the arbitrary fashiondescribed in Chapter II. This was hailed with delight, and had itbeen maintained by a strong Government, would have worked wondersin restoring prosperity. But foreign _protégés_ refused to pay, andobjections of all sorts were raised, till at last the "terteeb, " as itwas called, became impossible of collection without recourse to arms. Fearing this, the money in hand to pay the tax was expended on gunsand cartridges, which the increasing demand led foreigners to smugglein by the thousand. 

It is estimated that some millions of fire-arms--a large proportion ofthem repeating rifles with a large supply of ammunition--are now inthe hands of the people, while the Government has never been worsesupplied than at present. Ship-load after ship-load has been landed onthe coast in defiance of all authority, and large consignments havebeen introduced over the Algerian frontier, the state of which hasin consequence become more than ever unsettled. In short, the benignintentions of Mulai Abd el Azîz have been interpreted as weakness, andonce again the Nazarenes are accused--to quote a recent remark of anAtlas scribe--of having "spoiled the Sultan, " and of being about to"spoil the country. "

Active among the promoters of dissatisfaction have been throughout theIdreesi Shareefs, representatives of the original Muslim dynasty inMorocco; venerated for their ancestry and adherence to all that isretrogressive or bigoted, and on principle opposed to the reigningdynasty. These leaders of discontent find able allies in the Algeriansin Morocco, some of whom settled there years ago because sharing theirfeelings and determined not to submit to the French; but of whomothers, while expressing equal devotion to the old order, can frompersonal experience recommend the advantages of French administration, to which even their exiled brethren or their descendants no longerfeel equal objection. 

The summary punishment inflicted a few years ago on the murderer ofan Englishman in the streets of Fez was, like everything else, persistently misinterpreted through the country. In the distantprovinces the story--as reported by natives therefrom--ran that theNazarene had been shot by a saint while attempting to enter anddesecrate the sacred shrine of Mulai Idrees, and that by executing himthe Sultan showed himself an Unbeliever. When British engineers wereemployed to survey the route for a railway between Fez and Mequinezthis was reported as indicating an absolute sale of the country, andthe people were again stirred up, though not to actual strife. 

Only in the semi-independent district of the Ghaïáta Berbers betweenFez and Táza, which had never been entirely subjugated, did a flamebreak out. A successful writer of amulets, hitherto unknown, oneJelálli Zarhôni, who had acquired a great local reputation, began todenounce the Sultan's behaviour with religious fervour. Calling on theneighbouring tribesmen to refuse allegiance to so unworthy a monarch, he ultimately raised the standard of revolt in the name of theSultan's imprisoned elder brother, M'hammed. Finally, the rumourran that this prince had escaped and joined Jelálli, who, from hishabitual prophet's mount, is better known throughout the countryas Boo Hamára--"Father of the She-ass. " According to the officialstatement, Jelálli Zarhôni was originally a policeman (makházni), whose bitterness and subsequent sedition arose from ill-treatment thenreceived. Although exalted in newspaper reports to the dignity of a"pretender, " in Morocco he is best known as the "Rogi" or "CommonOne. "

Fez clamoured to see M'hammed, that the story might be disproved, andafter much delay, during which he was supposed to be conveyed fromMequinez, a veiled and guarded rider arrived, preceded by criers whoproclaimed him to be the Sultan's brother. But as no one could be sureif this were the case or not, each party believed what it wished, andJelálli's hands were strengthened. Boldly announcing the presencewith him of Mulai M'hammed, in his name he sought and obtained theallegiance of tribe after tribe. Although the Sultan effected areconciliation with his presumed brother--whose movements, however, still remain restricted--serious men believe him to be in the rebelcamp, and few know the truth. 

At first success attended the rebellion, but it never spreadbeyond the unsettled eastern provinces, and after three years itineffectually smoulders on, the leader cooped up by the Sultan'sforces near the coast, though the Sultan is not strong enough to stampit out. 

By those whose knowledge of the country is limited to newspaper news amuch more serious state of affairs is supposed to exist, a "pretender"collecting his forces for a final coup, etc. Something of truth theremay be in this, but the situation is grossly exaggerated. The localrising of a few tribes in eastern Morocco never affected the rest ofthe Empire, save by that feeling of unrest which, in the absence ofcomplete information, jumps at all tales. Even the so-called "rout"of an "imperial army" three years ago was only a stampede withoutfighting, brought about by a clever ruse, and there has never beena serious conflict throughout the affair, though the "Rogi" is wellsupplied with arms from Algeria, and his "forces" are led by aFrenchman, M. Delbrel. Meanwhile comparative order reigns in thedisaffected district, though in the north, usually the most peacefulportion of the Empire, all is disturbed. 

There a leader has arisen, Raïsûli by name, who obtained redress forthe wrongs of tribes south of Tangier, and his own appointment astheir kaïd, by the astute device of carrying off as hostages anAmerican and an Englishman, so that the pressure certain to be broughtto bear by their Governments would compel the Sultan to grant hisdemands. All turned out as he had hoped, and the condign punishmentwhich he deserves is yet far off, though a local struggle continuesbetween him and a small imperial force, complicated by feuds betweenhis sometime supporters, who, however, fight half-heartedly, for fearof killing relatives pressed into service on the other side. Thosewho once looked to Raïsûli as a champion have found his little fingerthicker than the Sultan's loins, and the country round Tangier isruined by taxation, so that every one is discontented, and thedistrict is unsafe, a species of civil war raging. 

The full name of this redoubtable leader is Mulai Ahmad bin Mohammedbin Abd Allah er-Raïsûli, and he is a shareef of Beni Arôs, connectedtherefore with the Wazzán shareefs; but his prestige as such is low, both on account of his past career, and because of his acceptance of acivil post. His mother belonged to Anjera, near Tangier, where he wasborn about thirty-six years ago at the village of Zeenát, being welleducated, as education goes in Morocco, with the Beni M'sawah. Butfalling into bad company, he first took to cattle-lifting, afterwardsturning highwayman, as which he was eventually caught by the Abdes-Sadok family--various members of which were kaïds from Ceuta toAzîla--and consigned to prison in Mogador. After three or four yearshis release was obtained by Háj Torres, the Foreign Commissioner inTangier, but when he found that the Abd es-Sadoks had sequestratedhis property, he vowed not to cut his hair till he had secured theirdisgrace. Hence, with locks that many a woman might envy, he hasplotted and harassed till his present position has been achieved. Butas this is only a means to an end, who can tell what that may be?

Raïsûli is allowed on all hands to be a peculiarly able and well-bredman, full of resource and determination. Though his foes havesucceeded in kidnapping even his mother, it will certainly be amiracle if he is taken alive. Should all fail him, he is prepared toblow his brains out, or make use of a small phial of poison always tohand. It is interesting to remember that just such a character, AbdAllah Ghaïlán, held a similar position in this district when Tangierwas occupied by the English, who knew him as "Guyland, " and paid himtribute. The more recent imitation of Raïsûli's tactics by a nativefree-booter of the Ceuta frontier, in arresting two English officersas hostages wherewith to secure the release of his brother and othersfrom prison, has proved equally successful, but as matters stand atpresent, it is more than doubtful whether the Moorish Government is ina position to bring either of these offenders to book, and the outlookin the north is decidedly stormy. It is, indeed, quite in accordancewith the traditions of Moorish history, throughout which these periodsof local disorganization have been of constant recurrence withoutdanger to the State. 

[Illustration: _Photograph by Dr. Rudduck. _ THE KAÏD. 

A MOORISH KAÏD AND ATTENDANTS. ]

In the south things are quiet, though a spirit of unrest pervades thepeople, especially since it has been seen that the Sultan no longereither collects the regular taxes or maintains the regular army. Therethe immediate result of the failure to collect the taxes for a year ortwo was that the people had more to spend on cattle and other stock, which rapidly rose in price, no one needing to sell unless he wished. Within the last two years, however, the kaïds have recommenced theiroppressive treatment, under the pretext of a levy to put down therising in the eastern provinces. Men and money were several timesfurnished, but though now more difficult to raise, the demandscontinue. The wonder is that the people remain so quiet, but they areof a more peaceable nature than the Berbers of the north. 

Three of the Sultan's brothers have been for some time camped in asmany centres, engaged in collecting funds, but tribe after tribe hasrefused to pay, declaring that they have been exempted by their lord, and until he returns they will submit to no kaïd and pay no dues. Itis only in certain districts that some of the funds demanded havebeen forthcoming, and the kaïds have full authority, but these areofficials of long standing and great repute, whose jurisdiction hasbeen much extended in consequence. Changes among the less importantkaïds have been continual of late. One man would buy the office andstruggle to establish himself, only to find a new man installed overhis head before he was settled, which has frequently led to localdisorders, fighting and plundering. In this way the Government hasquite lost prestige, and a strong hand is awaited. 

The Moors would have preferred another Ismáïl the Bloodthirsty, whocould compel his will, and awe all other rascals in his dominions, tothe mild and well-intentioned youth now at the helm. Some would evenwelcome any change that would put an end to present insecurity, butonly the French _protégés_ desire to see that change effected byFrance, and only those under the German flag already would hail thatwith joy. The Jews alone would welcome any, as they have good cause todo. 

Such was already the condition of things when the long-threateningclouds burst, and the Anglo-French Agreement was published in April, 1904. Rumours of negotiations for the sale of British interests inMorocco to France had for some time filled the air, but in face ofofficial denials, and the great esteem in which England was held bythe Moors, few gave credence to them. Mulai Abd el Azîz had reliedespecially on Great Britain, and had confidently looked to it forprotection against the French; the announcement of the bargain betweenthem broke him down. 

It may have been inevitable; and since an agreement among all thePowers concerned was so remote a possibility, an understanding betweenthe three most interested may have been the wisest course, in view ofpending internal troubles which would certainly afford excuses forinterference. It was undoubtedly good policy on their part to decidewho should inherit the vineyard, and on what terms, that conflictbetween them might be avoided. But on the unconsulted victim it came acruel blow, unexpected and indefensible. It is important not to forgetthis. 

But the one absorbing thought of all for nearly a year past hasbeen the drought and consequent famine. Between November, 1904, andOctober, 1905, there was practically no rainfall over a large portionof the country, and agriculture being interfered with, grain rose tofive times its normal price. Although relief has now come, it will bemonths before the cattle are in proper condition again, and not tillafter next year's harvest in May and June, should it prove a good one, will contentment be restored. Under such conditions, though more readythan ever to grumble, the people have had no heart to fight, whichhas, to some degree, assisted in keeping them quiet. The famine has, however, tried them sore, and only increased their exasperation. 

Added to this, the general feeling of dissatisfaction regarding theSultan's foreign predilections, and the slumbering fanaticism of the"learned" class, there is now a chronic lack of funds. The money whichshould have been raised by taxation has been borrowed abroad andruthlessly scattered. Fortunes have been made by foreigners andnatives alike, but the Sultan is all but bankrupt. Yet never was hisentourage so rich, though many who to-day hold houses and lands were afew years ago penniless. 

As for the future, for many years the only answer possible totediously frequent inquiries as to what was going to happen in Moroccohas been that the future of the Shareefian Empire depended entirelyon what might happen in Europe, not to any degree on its own internalcondition. The only way in which this could affect the issue was byaffording an excuse for outside interference, as in the present case. 

Corrupt as the native administration may be, it is but the expressionof a corrupt population, and no native government, even in Europe, isever far in advance of those over whom it rules. In spite, too, of thepressure of injustice on the individual here and there, the victim ofto-day becomes the oppressor of to-morrow, and such opportunitiesare not to be surrendered without a protest. The vast majority is, therefore, always in favour of present conditions, and would ratherthe chances of internecine strife than an exotic peace. No foreignruler, however benign, would be welcome, and no "penetration, " however"pacific, " but will be endured and resented as a hostile wound. Eventhe announcement of the Anglo-French Agreement was sufficient togravely accentuate the disorders of the country, and threatenimmediate complications with Europe, by provoking attacks on Europeanswho had hitherto been safe from interference save under exceptionalcircumstances. A good deal of the present unrest is attributable tothis cause alone. 

It is, therefore, a matter of deep regret that the one possibleremedy--joint action of the Powers in policing the Moors, as it were, by demanding essential reforms in return for a united guarantee ofterritorial integrity--was rendered impossible by the rivalriesbetween those Powers, especially on the part of France. GreatBritain's step aside has made possible the only alternative, thesurrender of the coveted task to one of their number, in return forsuch _quid pro quo_ as each could obtain. Had the second-classPowers been bargained with first, not only would they have securedsubstantial terms, which now it is no use their asking, but theleading Powers could have held out for terms yet undreamed of. 

France did well to begin with Great Britain, but it was an egregiousdiplomatic error to overlook Germany, which was thereby promoted tothe hitherto unhoped-for position of "next friend" and trusted adviserof Morocco. Up to that point Germany had played a waiting game sopatiently that France fell into the trap, and gave her all she wanted. It is inconceivable how the astute politicians of the Quai d'Orsaycommitted such a blunder, save on the assumption that they were socarried away by the ease with which they had settled with GreatBritain, that they forgot all other precautions--unless it was thatthey feared to jeopardize the conclusion of the main bargain by delayin discussing any subsidiary point. 

When the Agreement was made known, the writer pointed out in the_Westminster Review_, that, "Portugal, Italy and Austria have but toacquiesce and rest assured of the 'most favoured nation' treatment, aswill all the other Powers save one. That one, of course, is Germany, _whose sole interest in Morocco is the possibility of placing adrag on France_. She will have to be dealt with. Having disposed ofEngland, which had real interests at stake, in the command of thestraits and the maintenance of Gibraltar, France should be able toaccomplish this as well. Five and twenty years ago Germany had noteven a commercial interest in Morocco. Great Britain did three-fourthsof the trade, or more, France about a tenth, Spain and others dividingthe crumbs between them. But an active commercial policy--by theencouragement and support of young firms in a way that made Britishersenvious, and abusive of their own Foreign Office--has secured forGermany a growing share of the trade, till now she stands next toGreat Britain, whose share is reduced to one-half. "[24]

 [24: It is curious, indeed, how little the German Empire or its component States figure in the history of diplomatic relations with Morocco. One has to go back to the time of Rudolf II. , in 1604, to find an active policy in force with regard to Moroccan affairs, when that remarkable adventurer or international diplomatist, Sir Anthony Sherley, was accredited to Abd el Azîz III. , the last of the Moorish rulers to bear the same name as the present one. This intrepid soldier, a man after the Kaiser's own heart, had been accredited to Germany by the great Shah of Persia, Abbás, whose confidence he had won to a marvellous degree, and he appears to have made as great an impression on Rudolf, who sent him as his envoy to Morocco. Arrived there, he astonished the natives by coolly riding into the court of audience--a privilege still reserved to the Sultan alone. But the Ameer, as he was called in those days, was too politic or too polite to raise the question, only taking care that the next time the "dog of a Christian" should find a chain stretched across the gateway. This Sir Anthony could not brook, so rode back threatening to break off negotiations, and it affords a striking lesson as to the right way of dealing with orientals, that even in those days the Moors should have yielded and imprisoned the porter, permitting Sir Anthony's entrance on horseback thereafter. The treaty he came to negotiate was concluded, and relations with the Germans were established on a right footing, but they have been little in evidence till recent years. ]

After all, the interests of Germany in Morocco were but a triflingconsideration, meaning much less to her than ours do to us, and it wasevident that whatever position she might assume, however she mightbluster, she, too, had her price. This not being perceived by theill-informed Press of this country, the prey of political journalistsin Paris, Cologne and Madrid--more recently even of Washington, whence the delusive reports are now re-echoed with alarmingreverberations--there was heated talk of war, and everything thatnewspapers could do to bring it about was done. Even a private visitof the Kaiser to Tangier, the only important feature of which was thestir made about it, was utilized to fan the flame. However theatricalsome of the political actions of Wilhelm II. May have been, here wasa case in which, directly he perceived the capital being made ofhis visit, he curtailed it to express his disapprobation. It was inTangier Bay that he received the newspaper cuttings on the subject, and although the visit was to have extended in any case but to a fewhours, he at once decided not to land. It was only when it was urgedupon him what disappointment this would cause to its thirty thousandinhabitants and visitors for the occasion, that he consented to payone short visit to his Legation, abandoning the more important partof the programme, which included a climb to the citadel and aninterchange of visits with a kinsman of the Sultan. Nothing morecould have been done to emphasize the private nature of the visit, in reality of no greater moment than that of King Edward to Algeriaalmost at the same time. 

Neither such a personal visit, nor any other action should have beenrequired to remind Great Britain and France that they and Spainalone were affected by their agreements, and that not even officialnotification to Morocco or the other Powers could restrict theirperfect liberty of action. When, therefore, the distracted Sultanturned to Germany as the most influential Power still faithful to itsundertakings, the response of Germany was perfectly correct, as washis own action. But Germany, although prepared to meet him with asmile, and not averse to receiving crumbs in the form of concessions, had no more intention of embroiling herself on his behalf than GreatBritain. Extraordinary rumours, however, pervaded the country, andthe idea of German intervention was hailed with delight; now generaldisappointment is felt, and Germany is classed with England among thetraitors. 

Mulai Abd el Azîz had but one resource, to propose another conferenceof the Powers, assured that France and Germany would never come to anunderstanding, and that this would at least ward off the fatal dayindefinitely. Yet now that France and Germany have agreed, it isprobable that this step is regretted, and that, since the two haveacted in concert, the Moorish Court has been at its wits' ends; itwould now regard as a God-send anything which might prevent theconference from being held, lest it should strengthen the accord amongits enemies, and weaken its own position. 

The diplomatic negotiations between Fez, Berlin, and Paris have beenof a character normal under the circumstances; and as the bickeringsand insinuations which accompanied them were foreign to Morocco, theSultan's invitation only serving as an opportunity for arriving at anunderstanding, they need not be dwelt on here. It is the French Presswhich has stirred up the commotion, and has misled the British Publicinto the belief that there has been some "Morocco Tangle. " The factsare simply these: since 1880, the date of the Madrid Conventionregarding the vexed question of foreign rights of protecting nativesand holding property in Morocco, all nations concerned have beenplaced on an equal footing in their dealings with that country. The"most favoured nation" clause has secured for all the advantagesgained by any in its special treaties. Nothing has since occurredto destroy this situation. In asking his "friends" to meet again inconference now, the Sultan acted wisely and within his rights. Thefact that any two or three of them may have agreed to give one oftheir number a "free hand, " should it suit her purposes to upset the_status quo_, does not theoretically affect the position, though ithas suggested the advisability of further discussion. It is only invirtue of their combined might that the Powers in question are enabledto assume the position they do. 

Spain, the only power with interests in Morocco other than commercial, had been settled with by a subsequent agreement in October, 1904, for she had been consulted in time. Special clauses dealing with herclaims to consideration had even been inserted in the Anglo-FrenchAgreement--

 Art. VII. "This arrangement does not apply to the points now occupied by Spain on the Moorish shore of the Mediterranean. 

 Art. VIII. "The two Governments, animated by their sincerely friendly sentiments for Spain, take into particular consideration the interests she possesses, owing to her geographical position and to her territorial possessions on the Moorish shore of the Mediterranean, in regard to which the French Government will make some arrangement with the Spanish Government ... (which) will be communicated to the Government of His Britannic Majesty. "

These Articles apply to Ceuta, which Spain withheld from thePortuguese after the brief union of the crowns in the sixteenthcentury; to Veléz, an absolutely worthless rock, captured in 1564 byGarcia de Toledo with fifteen thousand men, the abandonment of whichhas more than once been seriously urged in Spain; to Alhucemas, asmall island occupied in 1673; to Melilla, a huge rock peninsulacaptured, on his own account, by Medina Sidonia in 1497; and to theZaffarine (or Saffron) Islands, only one of which is used, in theseizure of which the French were cleverly forestalled in 1848. All areconvict stations; unless heavily fortified in a manner that at presentthey are not, they would not be of sufficient value to tempt even afoe of Spain. Ceuta and Melilla alone are worthy of consideration, andthe former is the only one it might ever pay to fortify. 

So far have matters gone. The conference asked for by Morocco--theflesh thrown to the wolves--is to form the next Act. To thisconference the unfortunate Sultan would like to appeal for protectionagainst the now "free hand" of France, but in consenting to discussmatters at all, she and her ally have, of course, stipulated that whathas been done without reference to treaty shall not be treated of, ifthey are to take part, and as an act of courtesy to us, the UnitedStates has followed suit. Other matters of importance which Mulai Abdel Azîz desired to discuss have also been ruled out beforehand, sothat only minor questions are to be dealt with, hardly worth thetrouble of meeting. 

Foremost among these is the replenishing of the Moorish exchequer byfurther loans, which might more easily have been arranged without aconference. Indeed, there are so many money-lenders anxious to financeMorocco on satisfactory terms, that the competition among them hasalmost degenerated into a scramble. But all want some direct guaranteethrough their Governments, which introduces the political element, as in return for such guarantee each Power desires to increase itsinterests or privileges. Thus, while each financier holds out hisgold-bags temptingly before the Sultan, elbowing aside his rival, eachdemands as surety the endorsement of his Government, the price ofwhich the Sultan is hardly prepared to pay. He probably hopes that byappealing to them all in conference, he will obtain a joint guaranteeon less onerous terms, without affording any one of them a foothold inhis country, should he be unable to discharge his obligations. He iswise, and but for the difficulties caused by the defection of Englandand France from the political circle, this request for money mightalone have sufficed to introduce a reformed _régime_ under the jointauspices of all. As it is, attempts to raise funds elsewhere, even todischarge the current interest, having failed, his French creditors, who do possess the support of their Government, have obligingly addedinterest to capital, and with official sanction continue to roll thesnowball destined one day to overwhelm the State. In the eyes of theMoors this is nothing less than a bill-of-sale on the Empire. 

A second point named by the Sultan for submission to the conferenceis the urgency of submitting all inhabitants of the country withoutdistinction to the reformed taxation; a reasonable demand if the taxeswere reasonable and justly assessed, but who can say at present thatthey are either? The exchequer is undoubtedly defrauded of large sumsby the exemptions enjoyed by foreigners and their _protégés_, onaccount of the way in which these privileges are abused, while, tobegin with, the system itself is unfair to the native. Here againis an excellent lever for securing reforms by co-operation. Let theSultan understand that the sole condition on which such a privilegecan be abandoned is the reform of his whole fiscal and judicialsystems, and that this effected to the satisfaction of the Powers, these privileges will be abandoned. Nothing could do more to promotethe internal peace and welfare of Morocco than this point rightlyhandled. 

A third demand, the abolition of foreign postal services in hiscountry, may appear to many curious and insignificant, but thecircumstances are peculiar. Twenty years ago, when I first knewMorocco, there were no means of transmitting correspondence up countrysave by intermittent couriers despatched by merchants, whom one had tohunt up at the _cafés_ in which they reposed. On arrival the bundleof letters was carried round to likely recipients for them to selecttheir own in the most hap-hazard way. Things were hardly more formalat the ports at which eagerly awaited letters and papers arrivedby sea. These were carried free from Gibraltar, and delivered onapplication at the various consular offices. 

At one time the Moorish Government maintained unsatisfactory courierservices between two or three of the towns, but issued no stamps, thereceipt for the courier's payment being of the nature of a postmark, stamped at the office, which, though little known to collectors, isthe only genuine and really valuable Moorish postage stamp obtainable. All other so-called Morocco stamps were issued by private individuals, who later on ran couriers between some two Moorish towns, their incomebeing chiefly derived from the sale of stamps to collectors. Some wereeither entirely bogus services, or only a few couriers were runto save appearances. Stamps of all kinds were sold at face value, postmarked or not to order, and as the issues were from time to timechanged, the profits were steady and good. The case was in some waysanalogous to that of the Yangtse and other treaty ports of China, where I found every consul's wife engaged in designing local issues, sometimes of not inconsiderable merit. In Morocco quite a circle ofstamp-dealers sprang up, mostly sharp Jewish lads--though not a fewforeign officials contracted the fever, and some time ago a stampjournal began to be issued in Tangier to promote the sale of issueswhich otherwise would not have been heard of. 

Now all is changed; Great Britain, France, Spain and Germany maintainhead postal offices in Tangier, the British being subject to that ofGibraltar, whose stamps are used. All have courier services down thecoast, as well as despatching by steamer, and some maintain inlandmails conveyed by runners. The distance from Tangier to Fez, somehundred and fifty miles, is covered by one man on foot in about threedays and a half, and the forty miles' run from Tangier to Tetuan isdone in a night for a dollar, now less than three shillings. 

But a more enlightened Sultan sees the advantage it would be to him, if not to all parties, to control the distribution of the growingcorrespondence of both Europeans and natives, the latter of whomprefer to register their letters, having very little faith in theirdespatch without a receipt. And as Mulai Abd el Azîz is willingto join the Postal Union, provided that the service is placed inefficient European hands there is no reason why it should not beunited in one office, and facilities thereby increased. 

France, however, in joining the conference, has quite another end inview than helping others to bolster up the present administration, andthat is to obtain a formal recognition by all concerned, includingMorocco, of the new position created by her agreement with GreatBritain. That is to say, without permitting her action to bequestioned in any way, she hopes to secure some show of right to whatat present she possesses only by the might of herself and her friends. She has already agreed with Germany to recognize her special claim forpermission to "police" the Morocco-Algerian frontier, and those whorecall the appropriation of Tunisia will remember that it originatedin "policing" the Khomaïr--known to the French as "Kroumirs"--on theTunisian frontier of Algeria. 

It is, indeed, a curious spectacle, a group of butchers around theunfortunate victim, talking philanthropy, practising guile: two of thestrongest have at last agreed between themselves which is to have thecarcase, but preparations for the "pacific" death-thrust are delayedby frantic appeals for further consultation, and by the refusal ofone of their number who had been ignored to recognize the bargain. Consultation is only agreed to on conditions which must defeat itsobject, and terms are arranged with the intervener. Everything, therefore, is clear for the operation; the tender-hearted are soothedby promises that though the "penetration" cannot but be painful, itshall at least not be hostile; while in order that the contumaciousmay hereafter hold their peace, the consultation is to result in aformal but carefully worded death-warrant. 

Meanwhile it is worth while recalling the essential features of theMadrid Convention of 1880, mainly due to French claims for specialprivileges in protecting natives, or in giving them the rights ofFrench citizens. This was summoned by Spain at the suggestion of GreatBritain, with the concurrence of Morocco. Holland, Sweden and Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, France, Germany, the United States, Italy, Brazil, and Austria-Hungary accepted the invitation in the ordernamed, but Brazil was ultimately unrepresented. Russia was alsoinvited as an after-thought, but did not consider it worth whileaccepting. The scope of the conference was limited to the subject offoreign protection, though the question of property was by mutualconsent included. 

The representatives of the conferring Powers accredited to the SpanishCourt were nominated as members--the English Plenipotentiary actingfor Denmark--as it was felt that those accredited to Morocco alreadyheld too decided views of the matter. The Moorish Foreign Ministerattended on behalf of Morocco, and Señor Canovas, President of theCouncil, represented Spain. Seventeen meetings were held, under thepresidency of Señor Canovas, between May 19 and July 3, the last beingpurely formal. The Convention then signed contained little that wasnew, but it re-stated clearly and harmonized with satisfactory resultsrights previously granted to one and another. In several particulars, however, its provisions are faulty, and experience of their workinghas long led to demands for revision, but conflicting interests, andfears of opening up larger issues, have caused this to be postponed. 

Now that the time has arrived for a re-definition of the wholeposition and rights of foreigners and their Governments in Morocco, it is earnestly to be hoped that the opportunity may not be lost. Thegreat fault of the Madrid Convention is that while it recognizes theright of foreigners to acquire land in Morocco, it stipulates forthe previous consent of the native authorities, which is only to beobtained, if at all, by liberal "presents. " But the most pressing needis the establishment of an international tribunal for the trial ofcases involving more than one nationality, to replace the presentanarchy, resulting from the conflict in one case of any of thethirteen independent jurisdictions at present in force in Morocco. Such a measure would be an outcome of more value than all possibleagreements to respect the independence and integrity of Morocco tillit suited the purpose of one party or another to encroach thereon. 

In lands knowing but one jurisdiction it is hard to conceive theabuses and defeats of justice which result from the confusionreigning in Morocco, or those which existed in Egypt previous tothe establishment of international tribunals there. For instance, plaintiff, of nationality A. , sues defendants, of nationalities B. , C. , and D. , for the return of goods which they have forcibly carriedoff, on the ground that they were pledged to them by a party ofnationality E. , who disputes their claim, and declares the goods soldto original plaintiff. Here are five jurisdictions involved, each witha different set of laws, so that during the three separate actionsnecessitated, although the three defendants have all acted alike andtogether, the judgment in the case of each may be different, _e. G. _case under law B. Dismissed, that under law C. Won by plaintiff, whilelaw D. Might recognize the defendants' claim, but condemn his action. Needless to follow such intricacies further, though this is by nomeans an extreme case, for disputes are constantly occurring--to saynothing of criminal actions--involving the several consular courts, for the most part presided over by men unequipped by legal training, in which it is a practical impossibility for justice to be done toall, and time and money are needlessly wasted. 

XXXI

FRANCE IN MOROCCO

 "Who stands long enough at the door is sure to enter at last. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

In a previous work on this country, "The Land of the Moors, " publishedin 1901, the present writer concluded with this passage: "France aloneis to be feared in the Land of the Moors, which, as things trendto-day, must in time form part of her colony. There is no usedisguising the fact, and, as England certainly would not be preparedto go to war with her neighbour to prevent her repeating in Moroccowhat she has done in Tunis, it were better not to grumble at heraction. All England cares about is the mouth of the Mediterranean, andif this were secured to her, or even guaranteed neutral--were thatpossible--she could have no cause to object to the French extension. Our Moorish friends will not listen to our advice; they keep theircountry closed, as far as they can, refusing administrative reformswhich would prevent excuses for annexation. Why should we troublethem? It were better far to come to an agreement with France, andacknowledge what will prove itself one day--that France is the normalheir to Morocco whenever the present Empire breaks up. "

Unpopular as this opinion was among the British and other foreignsubjects in the country, and especially among the Moors, so that ithad at first no other advocate, it has since been adopted in DowningStreet, and what is of more moment, acted upon. Nay more, GreatBritain has, in return for the mere recognition of a _fait accompli_in Egypt, agreed to stand aside in Morocco, and to grant France a freehand in any attempt to create there a similar state of things. Thoughthe principle was good, the bargain was bad, for the positions of thetwo contracting Powers, in Egypt and Morocco respectively, were by nomeans analogous. France could never have driven us out of Egypt savewith her sword at our throat; England had but to unite with otherPowers in blocking the way of France in Morocco to stultify all herplans. Had England stood out for terms, whether as regarding hercommercial interests in Morocco, which have been disgracefullysacrificed, or in the form of concessions elsewhere, a very much moreequal-handed bargain might have been secured. 

The main provisions of the agreement between the two countries, concluded April 8, 1904, are--

 Art. II. "The British Government recognizes that it appertains to France, more especially as being the Power in contiguity with Morocco, to control the peace of the country, and to lend its assistance in all administrative, economical, financial, and military reforms. The British Government declares that it will not interfere with the action of France in this regard, provided that this action will leave intact the rights which, in virtue of treaties, conventions, and usages, Great Britain enjoys in Morocco, including the right of coasting between the Morocco ports, of which English vessels have had the benefit since 1901. "

 Art. VII. "In order to secure the free passage of the Straits of Gibraltar, both Governments agree not to allow fortifications or any strategic works to be erected on that part of the Moorish coast between Melilla and the heights which dominate the right bank of the Sebu exclusively. "

France has secured all that she wanted, or rather that her aggressivecolonial party wanted, for opinions on that point are by no meansidentical, even in France, and the Agreement at once called forth thecondemnation of the more moderate party. What appears to be permissivemeans much more. Now that Great Britain has drawn back--the Power towhich the late Sir John Drummond Hay taught the Moors to look with animplicit confidence to champion them against all foes, as it did inthe case of the wars with France and Spain, vetoing the retention ofa foot of Moorish soil--Morocco lies at the feet of France. France, indeed, has become responsible for carrying out a task its eagerspirits have been boiling over for a chance of undertaking. Moroccohas been made the ward of the hand that gripped it, which but recentlyfilched two outlying provinces, Figig and Tûát. 

Englishmen who know and care little about Morocco are quite incapableof understanding the hold that France already had upon this land. Separated from it only by an unprotected boundary, much better definedon paper than in fact, over which there is always a "rectification"dispute in pickle, her province of Algeria affords a prospectivebase already furnished with lines of rail from her ports of Oran andAlgiers. From Oojda, an insignificant town across the border fromLalla Maghnîa (Marnia), there runs a valley route which lays Fez inher power, with Táza by the way to fortify and keep the mountaineersin check. At any time the frontier forays in which the tribes on bothsides indulge may be fomented or exaggerated, as in the case of Tunis, to afford a like excuse for a similar occupation, which beyond a doubtwould be a good thing for Morocco. Fez captured, and the seaports keptin awe or bombarded by the navy, Mequinez would fall, and an armylanded in Mazagan would seize Marrákesh. 

All this could be accomplished with a minimum of loss, for only thelowlands would have to be crossed, and the mountaineers have no army. But their "pacification" would be the lingering task in which lives, time, and money would be lost beyond all recompense. Against aEuropean army that of the Sultan need not be feared; only a fewbattalions drilled by European officers might give trouble, but theywould see former instructors among the foe, and without them theywould soon become demoralized. It would be the tribal skirmishers, ofwhom half would fall before the others yielded to the Nazarenes, whowould give the trouble. 

The military mission which France has for many years imposed on theSultan at his expense, though under her control, which follows him inhis expeditions and spies out the land, has afforded a training-groundfor a series of future invading leaders. Her Algerian Mohammedanagents are able to pass and repass where foreigners never go, andbesides collecting topographical and other information, they have lostno opportunity of making known the privileges and advantages of Frenchrule. In case it may be found advisable to set up a dummy sultan undera protectorate, the French have an able and powerful man to hand inthe young Idreesi Shareef of Wazzán, whom the English refused toprotect, and who, with his brother, received a French education. 

But while we, as a nation, have been unable to comprehend the Frenchdetermination to possess Morocco, they have been unable to comprehendour calm indifference, and by the way in which they betray theirsuspicions of us, they betray their own methods. Protestantmissionaries in Algeria and Tunisia, of whatever nationality, aresupposed to be the emissaries of the British Government, and inconsequence are harassed and maligned, while tourists outside theregular beat are watched. When visiting Oojda some years ago, I myselfwas twice arrested in Algeria, at Tlemçen and Lalla Maghnîa, becausemingling with natives, and it was with difficulty that I couldpersuade the _juges d'instruction_ of my peaceful motives. 

Determined and successful efforts to become acquainted with theremotest provinces of Morocco, the distribution of its population, andwhatever could be of use to an invading or "pacifying" force have longbeen made by France, but the most valuable portion of this knowledgeremains pigeon-holed, or circulates only in strictly official_mémoires_. Many of the officials engaged here, however, have amusedthemselves and the public by publishing pretty books of the averageclass, telling little new, while one even took the trouble to writehis in English, in order to put us off the scent!

If ever means could justify an end, France deserves to enjoy the fruitof her labours. No longer need she foment strife on the Algerianfrontier, or wink at arms being smuggled across it; no longer need themis-named "pretender" be supplied with French gold, or intrigues becarried on at Court. Abd el Azîz must take the advice and "assistance"of France, whether he will or no, and curse the British to whom heformerly looked. This need not necessarily involve such drasticchanges as would rouse the people to rebellion, and precipitate acostly conquest. There are many reforms urgently required in theinterests of the people themselves, and these can now be graduallyenforced. Such reforms had been set on foot already by the youngSultan, mainly under British advice; but to his chagrin, his advisersdid not render the financial and moral support he needed to carry themout. France is now free to do this, and to strengthen his position, sothat all wise reforms may be possible. These will naturally commencewith civil and judicial functions, but must soon embrace the morepressing public works, such as roads, bridges, and port improvements. Railways are likely to be the first roads in most parts, and Mulai Abdel Azîz will welcome their introduction. The western ideas which hehas imbibed during the last few years are scoffed at only by those whoknow little of him. What France will have to be prepared for is Courtintrigue, and she will have to give the Moors plainly to understandthat "Whatsoever king shall reign, she'll still be 'boss of the show, 'sir. "

As one of the first steps needed, but one requiring the co-operationof all other Powers on treaty terms with the Moors, the establishmentof tribunals to which all should be amenable, has already been touchedupon. These must necessarily be presided over by specially qualifiedEuropeans in receipt of sufficient salary to remove them fromtemptation. A clear distinction should then be made between a civilcode administered by such tribunals and the jurisdiction of the Muslimlaw in matters of religion and all dependent upon it. But of even morepressing importance is the reform of the currency, and the admissionof Morocco to the Latin Union. This could well be insisted on when thefinancial question is discussed at the Algeciras Conference, as wellas the equally important establishment in competent hands of a StateBank. This and the reform of the whole fiscal system must precedeevery other measure, as they form the ground-work of the whole. 

Whatever public works may be eventually undertaken, the first shouldbe, as far as possible, such as the Moors themselves can execute underEuropean direction, and as they can appreciate. Irrigation wouldcommand enthusiasm where railways would only provoke opposition, andthe French could find no surer way of winning the hearts of the peoplethan by coping at once with the agricultural water supply, in order toprovide against such years of famine as the present, and worse thatare well remembered. That would be a form of "pacific penetration, " towhich none could object. 

Education, too, when attempted, should be gradually introduced as ameans of personal advancement, the requirements of the publicservice being raised year by year, as the younger generation has hadopportunities of better qualifying themselves. Above all, every postshould be in theory at least thrown open to the native, and inpractice as soon as the right man turned up. Better retain or instalmore of the able Moors of to-day as figureheads with Europeanadvisers, than attempt a new set to start with. But a clean sweepshould be made of the foreigners at present in the Moorish service, all of whom should be adequately pensioned off, that with the neworder might come new men, adequately paid and independent of"commissions. " It is essential that the people learn to feel thatthey are not being exploited, but that their true welfare is sought. Every reform should be carried out along native lines, and inconformity with native thought. 

[Illustration: _Albert, Photo. , Tunis. _

TUNISIA UNDER THE FRENCH--AN EXECUTION. ]

The costly lesson of Algeria, where native rights and interests wereoverthrown, and a complete detested foreign rule set up, has taughtthe French the folly of such a system, however glorious it may appearon paper. They have been wiser in Tunisia, where a nominally nativegovernment is directed by Frenchmen, whom it pays, and sooner or laterMorocco is almost certain to become a second Tunisia. This will notonly prove the best working system, but it will enable opposition tobe dealt with by Moorish forces, instead of by an invading army, whichwould unite the Berber tribes under the Moorish flag. This was whatprolonged the conquest of Algeria for so many years, and the Berbersof Morocco are more independent and better armed than were those ofAlgeria seventy years ago. What France will gain by the change beyondopenings for Frenchmen and the glory of an extended colonial empire, it is hard to imagine, but empty glory seems to satisfy most countriesgreedy of conquest. So far the only outward evidences of the newposition are the over-running of the ports, especially of Tangier, byFrenchmen of an undesirable class, and by an attempt to establish aFrench colony at the closed port of Mehedîya by doubtful means, to saynothing of the increased smuggling of arms. 

How the welfare of the Moors will be affected by the change is a muchmore important question, though one often held quite unworthy ofconsideration, the accepted axiom being that, whether they like it ornot, what is good for us is good for them. Needless to say thatmost of the reforms required will be objected to, and that seriousobstacles will be opposed to some; the mere fact that the foreigner, contemptuously called a "Nazarene, " is their author, is sufficient toprejudice them in native eyes, and the more prominent the part playedby him, the more difficult to follow his advice. But if the Sultan andhis new advisers will consent to a wise course of quiet co-operation, much may be effected without causing trouble. It is astonishinghow readily the Moors submit to the most radical changes whenunostentatiously but forcibly carried out. Never was there a greatercall for the _suaviter in modo, fortiter in re_. Power which makesitself felt by unwavering action has always had their respect, andif the Sultan is prepared not to act till with gold in his coffers, disciplined troops at his command, and loyal officials to do hisbehest, he can do so with unquestioned finality, all will go well. 

Then will the prosperity of the people revive--indeed, achieve acondition hitherto unknown save in two or three reigns of the distantpast, perhaps not then. The poor will not fear to sow their barrenfields, or the rich to display their wealth; hidden treasure will cometo light, and the groan of the oppressed will cease. Individual casesof gross injustice will doubtless arise; but they will be as nothingcompared with what occurs in Morocco to-day, even with that wrought byEuropeans who avail themselves of existing evils. So that if France iswise, and restrains her hot-heads, she may perform a magnificent workfor the Moors, as the British have done in Egypt; at least, it is tobe hoped she may do as well in Morocco as in Tunisia. 

But it would be idle to ignore the deep dissatisfaction with which theAnglo-French Agreement has been received by others than the Moors. [25]Most British residents in Morocco, probably every tourist who has beenconducted along the coast, or sniffed at the capital cities; thosefirms of ours who share the bulk of the Moorish trade, and others whoyearned to open up possible mines, and undertake the public worksso urgently needed; ay, and the concession-prospectors andcompany-mongers who see the prey eluding their grasp; even thewould-be heroes across the straits who have dreamed in vain of greatdeeds to be done on those hills before them; all unite in deploringwhat appears to them a gross blunder. After all, this is but natural. So few of us can see beyond our own domains, so many hunger afteranything--in their particular line--that belongs to a weakerneighbour, that it is well we have disinterested statesmen who take awider view. Else had we long since attempted to possess ourselvesof the whole earth, like the conquering hordes of Asia, and inconsequence we should have been dispossessed ourselves. 

 [25: See Appendix. ]

Even to have been driven to undertake in Morocco a task such as wewere in Egypt, would have been a calamity, for our hands are too fullalready of similar tasks. It is all very well in these times of peace, but in the case of war, when we might be attacked by more than oneantagonist, we should have all our work cut out to hold what wehave. The policy of "grab, " and dabbing the world with red, may besatisfactory up to a certain point, but it will be well for us as anation when we realize that we have had enough. In Morocco, what iseasy for France with her contiguous province, with her plansfor trans-Sáharan traffic, and her thirst to copy our colonialexpansion--though without men to spare--would have been for us costlyand unremunerative. We are well quit of the temptation. 

Moreover, we have freed ourselves of a possible, almost certain, causeof friction with France, of itself a most important gain. Just asFrance would never have acquiesced in our establishing a protectoratein Morocco without something more than words, so the rag-fed Britishpublic, always capable of being goaded to madness by the newspapers, would have bitterly objected to French action, if overt, whilepowerless to prevent the insidious grasp from closing on Morocco bydegrees. The first war engaging at once British attention and forceswas like to see France installed in Morocco without our leave. Theearly reverses of the Transvaal War induced her to appropriate Tûátand Figig, and had the fortune of war been against us, Morocco wouldhave been French already. These facts must not be overlooked indiscussing what was our wisest course. We were unprepared to dowhat France was straining to do: we occupied the manger to no one'sgood--practically the position later assumed by Germany. Surely wewere wiser to come to terms while we could, not as in the case ofTunisia, when too late. 

But among the objecting critics one class has a right to be heard, those who have invested life and fortune in the Morocco trade; the menwho have toiled for years against the discouraging odds involved, whohave wondered whether Moorish corruption or British apathy were theirworst foe, in whom such feeling is not only natural but excusable. Only those who have experienced it know what it means to be defraudedby complacent Orientals, and to be refused the redress they seeofficials of other nations obtaining for rivals. Yet now they find allcapped by the instructions given to our consuls not to act withoutconferring with the local representatives of France, which leadsto the taunt that Great Britain has not only sold her interests inMorocco to the French, but also her subjects!

The British policy has all along been to maintain the _status quo_ inspite of individual interests, deprecating interference which mightseem high-handed, or create a precedent from which retraction would bedifficult. In the collection of debts, in enforcing the performance ofcontracts, or in securing justice of any kind where the policy is topromise all and evade all till pressure is brought to bear, Britishsubjects in Morocco have therefore always found themselves at adisadvantage in competition with others whose Governments openlysupported them. The hope that buoyed them up was that one day the tidemight turn, and that Great Britain might feel it incumbent on her to"protect" Morocco against all comers. Now hope has fled. What availsit that grace of a generation's span is allowed them, that they maynot individually suffer from the change? It is the dream of years thatlies shattered. 

Here are the provisions for their protection:

 Art. IV. "The two Governments, equally attached to the principle of commercial liberty, both in Egypt and Morocco, declare that they will not lend themselves to any inequality either in the establishment of customs rights or other taxes, or in the establishment of tariffs for transport on the railways.... This mutual agreement is valid for a period of thirty years" (subject to extensions of five years). 

 Art. V. Secures the maintenance in their posts of British officials in the Moorish service, but while it is specially stipulated that French missionaries and schools in Egypt shall not be molested, British missionaries in Morocco are committed to the tender mercies of the French. 

Thus there can be no immediate exhibition of favouritism beyond theinevitable placing of all concessions in French hands, and there isreally not much ground of complaint, while there is a hope of causefor thankfulness. Released from its former bugbears, no longer open tosuspicion of secret designs, our Foreign Office can afford to impart alittle more backbone into its dealings with Moorish officials; a muchmore acceptable policy should, therefore, be forthwith inaugurated, that the Morocco traders may see that what they have lost inpossibilities they have gained in actualities. Still more! the French, now that their hands are free, are in a position to "advise" reformswhich will benefit all. Thus out of the ashes of one hope anotherrises. 

PART III

XXXII

ALGERIA VIEWED FROM MOROCCO

 "One does not become a horseman till one has fallen. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

A journey through Algeria shows what a stable and enlightenedGovernment has been able to do in a land by no means so highlyfavoured by Nature as Morocco, and peopled by races on the wholeinferior. The far greater proportion of land there under cultivationemphasizes the backward state of Morocco, although much of it stillremains untouched; while the superior quality of the produce, especially of the fruits, shows what might be accomplished in theadjoining country were its condition improved. The hillsides ofAlgeria are in many districts clothed with vines which prosperexceedingly, often almost superseding cereals as objects ofcultivation by Europeans. 

The European colonists are of all nationalities, and the proportionwhich is not French is astonishingly large, but every inducement isheld out for naturalization as Algerians, and all legitimate obstaclesare thrown in the way of those who maintain fidelity to theirfatherlands. Every effort is made to render Algeria virtually part ofFrance, as politically it is already considered to be. It is the caseof the old days of slavery revived under a new form, when the renegadewas received with open arms, and the man who remained steadfast wasseldom released from slavery. Of course, in these days there isnothing approaching such treatment, and it is only the natives whosuffer to any extent. 

These are despised, if not hated, and despise and hate in return. Theconquerors have repeated in Algeria the old mistake which has broughtabout such dire results in other lands, of always retaining theposition of conquerors, and never unbending to the conquered, orencouraging friendship with them. This attitude nullifies whatevergood may result from the mixed schools in which Muslim, Jew, andEuropean are brought in contact, in the hope of turning out a sort ofsocial amalgam. Most of the French settlers are too conceited and tooignorant to learn Arabic, though this is by no means the fault of theGovernment, which provides free public classes for instruction in thatlanguage in the chief towns of Algeria and Tunisia. The result isthat the natives who meet most with foreigners have, without the mostordinary facilities enjoyed by the Europeans, to pick up a jargonwhich often does much more credit to them than the usual lightacquaintance of the foreigner with Arabic does to him. Those who makeany pretence at it, usually speak it with an accent, a pronunciationand a nonchalance which show that they have taken no pains whatever toacquire it. Evidently it pays better to spend money educating nativesin French than Frenchmen in Arabic. It is an amusing fact that most ofthe teachers have produced their own text-books, few of which possessspecial merit. 

As a colony Algeria has proved a failure. Foreign settlers hold mostof the desirable land, and till it with native labour. The native mayhave safety and justice now, but he has suffered terribly in the past, as the reports of the Bureau Arabe, established for his protection, abundantly prove, and bitterly he resents his fate. No love is lostbetween French and natives in Tunisia, but there is actual hatred inAlgeria, fostered by the foreigner far more than by the smoulderingbigotry of Islám. They do not seem to intermingle even as oil andwater, but to follow each a separate, independent course. 

Among the foreign colonists it is a noteworthy fact that the mostsuccessful are not the French, who want too much comfort, but almostany of the nationalities settled there, chiefly Spaniards andItalians. The former are to be found principally in the neighbourhoodof Óran, and the latter further east; they abound in Tunisia. Englishmen and others of more independent nature have not been madewelcome in either country, and year by year their interests havedwindled. Even in Tunisia, under a different system, the same resulthas been achieved, and every restriction reconcilable with paperrights has been placed on other than French imports. There may be an"open door, " but it is too closely guarded for us. The English housesthat once existed have disappeared, and what business is done withthis country has had to take refuge with agents, for the most partJews. 

In studying the life of Algerian towns, the almost entire absence ofwell-to-do Arabs or Berbers is striking. I never came across one whomight be judged from his appearance to be a man of means or position, unless in military or official garb, though there are doubtless manyindependent natives among the Berber and Arab tribes. The few whom Iencountered making any pretence of dressing well were evidently of nosocial rank, and the complaint on every hand is that the natives arebeing gradually ousted from what little is left to them. 

As for European law, they consider this to have no connectionwith justice, and think themselves very heavily taxed to supportinnovations with which they have no concern, and which they wouldrather dispense with. One can, indeed, feel for them, though thereis no doubt much to be said on both sides, especially when it is theother side which boasts the power, if not the superior intelligence. The Jews, however, thrive, and in many ways have the upper hand, especially so since the wise move which accorded them the rightsof French citizenship. It is remarkable, however, how much lessconspicuous they are in the groups about the streets than in Morocco, notwithstanding that their dress is quite as distinctive as there, though different. 

The new-comer who arrives at the fine port of Algiers finds itas greatly transformed as its name has been from the town whichoriginally bore it, El Jazîrah. The fine appearance of the risingtiers of houses gives an impression of a still larger city than itreally is, for very little is hidden from view except the suburbs. From a short way out to sea the panorama is grand, but it cannot beas chaste as when the native city clustered in the hollow with itswhitewashed houses and its many minarets, completely surrounded bygreen which has long since disappeared under the advancing tide ofbricks and mortar. One can hardly realize that this fine French cityhas replaced the den of pirates of such fearful histories. Yet thereis the original light-house, the depôt for European slaves, and awayon the top of yonder hill are remains of the ancient citadel. It wasthere, indeed, that those dreadful cruelties were perpetrated, whereso many Christians suffered martyrdom. Yes, this is where once stoodthe "famous and war-like city, El Jazîrah, " which was in its time "thescourge of Christendom. "

Whether the visitor be pleased or disappointed with the modern citydepends entirely on what he seeks. If he seeks Europe in Africa, withperhaps just a dash of something oriental, he will be amply satisfiedwith Algiers, which is no longer a native city at all. It is as Frenchas if it had risen from the soil entirely under French hands, and onlythe slums of the Arab town remain. The seeker after native life willtherefore meet with complete disappointment, unless he comes straightfrom Europe, with no idea what he ought to expect. All the best partsof the town, the commercial and the residential quarters, have longsince been replaced by European substitutes, leaving hardly a trace ofthe picturesque originals, while every day sees a further encroachmenton the erstwhile African portion, the interest of which is almostentirely removed by the presence of crowds of poor Europeans andEuropean-dressed Jews. The visitor to Algiers would therefore do wellto avoid everything native, unless he has some opportunity of alsoseeing something genuine elsewhere. The only specimens he meets inthe towns are miserable half-caste fellows--by habit, if not bybirth, --for their dress, their speech, their manners, their homes, their customs, their religion--or rather their lack of religion, --haveall suffered from contact with Europeans. But even before theFrenchmen came, it is notorious how the Algerines had sunk under thebane of Turkish rule, as is well illustrated by their own saying, thatwhere the foot of the Turk had trod, grass refused to grow. Of all theBarbary States, perhaps none has suffered more from successive outsideinfluences than the people of Algeria. 

The porter who seizes one's luggage does not know when he is usingFrench words or Arabic, or when he introduces Italian, Turkish, orSpanish, and cannot be induced to make an attempt at Arabic to aEuropean unless the latter absolutely refuses to reply to his jargon. Then comes a hideous corruption of his mother tongue, in which theforeign expressions are adorned with native inflexions in the mostcomical way. His dress is barbarous, an ancient and badly fitting pairof trousers, and stockingless feet in untidy boots, on the heels ofwhich he stamps along the streets with a most unpleasant noise. Thecollection of garments which complete his attire are mostly European, though the "Fez" cap remains the distinctive feature of the Muslim'sdress, and a selhám--that cloak of cloaks, there called a "bûrnûs"--isslung across his shoulder. Some few countrymen are to be seen whostill retain the more graceful native costume, with the typicalcamel-hair or cotton cord bound round the head-dress, but the oldinhabitants are being steadily driven out of town. 

[Illustration: TENT OF AN ALGERIAN SHEÏKH. ]

The characteristic feature of Algerian costumes is the head-cordreferred to, which pervades a great part of Arabdom, in Syria andArabia being composed of two twists of black camel hair perhaps aninch thick. In Algeria it is about an eighth of an inch thick, andbrown. The slippers are also characteristic, but ugly, being of blackleather, excellently made, and cut very far open, till it becomes anart to keep them on, and the heels have to be worn up. The use of thewhite selhám is almost universal, unhemmed at the edges, as in Tunisalso; and over it is loosely tied a short haïk fastened on the head bythe cord. 

There is, however, even in Algiers itself, one class of men who remainunaffected by their European surroundings, passive amid much change, a model for their neighbours. These are the Beni M'záb, a tribe ofMohammedan Protestants from southern Algeria, where they settled longago, as the Puritans did in New England, that they might there worshipGod in freedom. They were the Abadîya, gathered from many districts, who have taken their modern name from the tribe whose country they nowinhabit. They speak a dialect of Berber, and dress in a manner whichis as distinctive as their short stature, small, dark, oily features, jet-black twinkling eyes, and scanty beard. They come to the towns tomake money, and return home to spend it, after a few years of busyshop-keeping. A butcher whom I met said that he and a friend had thebusiness year and year about, so as not to be too long away from homeat a time. They are very hard-working, and have a great reputation forhonesty; they keep their shops open from about five in the morningtill nine at night. As the Beni M'záb do not bring their wives withthem, they usually live together in a large house, and have theirown mosque, where they worship alone, resenting the visits of alloutsiders, even of other Muslims. Admission to their mosque istherefore practically refused to Europeans, but in Moorish dress I wasmade welcome as some distinguished visitor from saintly Fez, and foundit very plain, more like the kûbbah of a saint-house than an ordinarymosque. 

There are also many Moors in Algeria, especially towards the west. These, being better workmen than the Algerines, find ready employmentas labourers on the railways. Great numbers also annually visit Óranand the neighbourhood to assist at harvest time. Those Moors who livethere usually disport themselves in trousers, strange to stay, and, when they can afford it, carry umbrellas. They still adhere to theturban, however, instead of adopting the head cord. At Blidah I foundthat all the sellers of sfinges--yeast fritters--were Moors, and thosewhom I came across were enthusiastic to find one who knew and likedtheir country. The Algerines affect to despise them and their home, which they declare is too poor to support them, thus accounting fortheir coming over to work. 

The specimens of native architecture to be met with in Algeria areseldom, if ever, pure in style, and are generally extremely corrupt. The country never knew prosperity as an independent kingdom, such asMorocco did, and it is only in Tlemçen, on the borders of that Empire, that real architectural wealth is found, but then this was once thecapital of an independent kingdom. The palace at Constantine is notMoorish at all, except in plan, being adorned with a hap-hazardcollection of odds and ends from all parts. It is worse than even theBardo at Tunis, where there is some good plaster carving--naksh elhadeed--done by Moorish or Andalucian workmen. In the palaces of theGovernor and the Archbishop of Algiers, which are also very composite, though not without taste, there is more of this work, some of it veryfine, though much of it is merely modern moulded imitation. 

Of more than a hundred mosques and shrines found in Algiers when itwas taken by the French, only four of the former and a small numberof the latter remain, the rest having been ruthlessly turned intochurches. The Mosque of Hasan, built just over a century ago, is nowthe cathedral, though for this transformation it has been considerablydistorted, and a mock-Moorish façade erected in the very worst taste. Inside things are better, having been less interfered with, but whatis now a church was never a good specimen of a mosque, having beenoriginally partly European in design, the work of renegades. The samemay be said of the Mosque of the Fisheries, a couple of centuries old, built in the form of a Greek cross! One can well understand howthe Dey, according to the story, had the architect put to death ondiscovering this anomaly. These incongruities mar all that is supposedin Algeria to be Arabesque. The Great Mosque, nevertheless, is moreancient and in better style, more simple, more chaste, and moreawe-inspiring. The Zawîah of Sîdi Abd er-Rahmán, outside the walls, is as well worth a visit as anything in Algiers, being purely andtypically native. It is for the opportunities given for such peepsas this that one is glad to wander in Algeria after tasting the realthing in Morocco, where places of worship and baths are closed toEuropeans. These latter I found all along North Africa to be much whatthey are in Morocco, excepting only the presence of the foreigners. 

The tile work of Algeria is ugly, but many of the older Italian andother foreign specimens are exceptionally good, both in design andcolour. Some of the Tunisian tiles are also noteworthy, but it isprobable that none of any real artistic value were ever produced inwhat is now conveniently called Algeria. There is nothing whatever ineither country to compare with the exquisite Fez work found in theAlhambra, hardly to rival the inferior productions of Tetuan. Acurious custom in Algeria is to use all descriptions of patternstogether "higgledy-piggledy, " upside down or side-ways, as thoughthe idea were to cover so much surface with tiling, irrespective ofdesign. Of course this is comparatively modern, and marks a periodsince what art Algeria ever knew had died out. It is noticeable, too, how poor the native manufacturers are compared with those of Morocco, themselves of small account beside those of the East. The wave ofcivilization which swept over North Africa in the Middle Ages failedto produce much effect till it recoiled upon itself in the far, farwest, and then turned northward into Spain. 

Notwithstanding all this, Algeria affords an ample field for study forthe scientist, especially the mountain regions to the south, whereBerber clans and desert tribes may be reached in a manner impossibleyet in Morocco, but the student of oriental life should not visit themtill he has learnt to distinguish true from false among the stillbehind-hand Moors. 

XXXIII

TUNISIA VIEWED FROM MOROCCO

 "The slave toils, but the Lord completes. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

Fortunately for the French, the lesson learned in Algeria was notneglected when the time came for their "pacific penetration" ofTunisia. Their first experience had been as conquerors of anything butpacific intent, and for a generation they waged war with the Berbertribes. Everywhere, even on the plains, where conquest was easy, thenative was dispossessed. The land was allotted to Frenchmen or tonatives who took the oath of allegiance to France, and became Frenchsubjects. Those who fought for their fatherland were driven off, thevillages depopulated, and the country laid waste. In the cities themosques were desecrated or appropriated to what the native consideredidolatrous worship. They have never been restored to their owners. Those Algerines only have flourished who entered the French army orGovernment service, and affected manners which all but cut them offfrom their fellow-countrymen. 

In Tunisia the French succeeded, under cover of specious assurances tothe contrary, in overthrowing the Turkish beys, rehabilitating them inname as their puppets, with hardly more opposition than the Britishmet with in Burma. The result is a nominally native administrationwhich takes the blame for failures, and French direction which takesthe credit for successes. All that was best in Algeria has beenrepeated, but native rights have been respected, and the cities, withtheir mosques and shrines, left undisturbed as far as possible. Thedesecration of the sacred mosque of Kaïrwán as a stable was a notableexception. 

The difference between the administration of Algeria and that ofTunisia makes itself felt at every step. In the one country it is theruling of a conquered people for the good of the conquerors alone, andin the other it is the ruling of an unconquered people by bolsteringup and improving their own institutions under the pretence of seekingtheir welfare. The immense advantage of the Tunisian system isapparent on all sides. The expense is less, the excuses forirregularities are greater, and the natives still remain a nominalpower in the land, instead of being considered as near serfs as ispermissible in this twentieth century. 

The results of the French occupation were summed up to me by aTunisian as the making of roads, the introduction of more money andmuch drunkenness, and the institution of laws which no native couldever hope to understand. But France has done more than that in Tunis, even for the native. He has the benefit of protection for life andproperty, with means of education and facilities for travel, and anoutlet for his produce. He might do well--and there are many instancesof commercial success--but while he is jibbing against the foreignyoke, the expatriated Jews, whom he treated so badly when he had theupper hand, are outstripping him every day. The net result of theforeigners' presence is good for him, but it would be much better hadhe the sense to take advantage of his chances as the Jew does. Many ofthe younger generation, indeed, learn French, and enter the great armyof functionaries, but they are rigidly restricted to the lowest posts, and here again the Jew stands first. 

In business or agriculture there is sure to come a time when cash isneeded, so that French and Jewish money-lenders flourish, and when theTunisian cannot pay, the merciless hand of foreign law irresistiblysells him up. In the courts the complicated procedure, the intricatecode, and the swarm of lawyers, bewilder him, and he sighs for thetime when a bribe would have settled the question, and one did atleast know beforehand which would win--the one with the longer purse. Now, who knows? But the Tunisian's principal occasions for discontentare the compulsory military service, and the multiplication and weightof the taxes. From the former only those are exempt who can passcertain examinations in French, and stiff ones at that, so that Arabicstudies are elbowed out; the unremitted military duties during theRamadán fast are regarded as a peculiar hardship. To the taxes thereseems no end, and from them no way of escape. Even the milkmancomplains, for example, that though his goats themselves are taxed, he cannot bring their food into town from his garden without anadditional charge being paid!

With the superficial differences to be accounted for by this new stateof things, there still remains much more in Tunisia to remind one ofMorocco than in Algeria. What deeper distinctions there are result inboth countries from Turkish influence, and Turkish blood introduced inthe past, but even these do not go very deep. Beneath it all there arethe foundations of race and creed common to all, and the untouchedcountryman of Tunisia is closely akin to his fellow of Morocco. Evenin the towns the underlying likeness is strong. 

The old city of Tunis is wonderfully like that of Fez; the streets, the shops, the paving, being identical; but in the former apicturesque feature is sometimes introduced, stone columns formingarcades in front of the shops, painted in spiral bands of green andred, separated by a band of white. The various trades are groupedthere as further west, and the streets are named after them. TheMellah, or Jewish Quarter, has lost its boundary, as at Tangier, andthe gates dividing the various wards have disappeared too. Hardlyanything remains of the city walls, new ones having arisen to enclosethe one European and two native suburbs. But under a modern arcade inthe main street, the Avenue de France, there is between the shops thebarred gate leading to a mosque behind, which does not look as if itwere often opened. 

Tramways run round the line of the old walls, and it is strange to seethe natives jumping on and off without stopping the car, in the mostapproved western style. There, as in the trains, European and Africansit side by side, though it is to be observed that as a rule, shouldanother seat be free, neither gets in where the other is. As for hopesof encouraging any degree of amalgamation, these are vain indeed. A mechanical mixture is all that can be hoped for: nothing more ispossible. A few French people have embraced Islám for worldly aims, and it is popularly believed by the natives that in England thousandsare accepting Mohammed. 

The mosques of Tunis are less numerous than those of Fez, but donot differ greatly from them except in the inferior quality of thetile-work, and in the greater use of stone for the arches and towers. The latter are of the Moorish square shape, but some, if not all, areascended by steps, instead of by inclined planes. The mosques, withthe exception of that at Kaïrwán--the most holy, strange to say--areas strictly forbidden to Europeans and Jews as in Morocco, and screensare put up before the doors as in Tangier. 

The Moors are very well known in Tunis, so many of them, passingthrough from Mekka on the Hajj, have been prevented from gettinghome by quarantine or lack of funds. Clad as a Moor myself, I waseverywhere recognized as from that country, and was treated with everyrespect, being addressed as "Amm el Háj" ("Uncle Pilgrim"), havingmy shoulders and hands kissed in orthodox fashion. There are several_cafés_ where Morocco men are to be met with by the score. One featureof this cosmopolitan city is that there are distinct _cafés_ foralmost every nation represented here except the English. 

The Arabs of Morocco are looked upon as great thieves, but theSûsis have the highest reputation for honesty. Not only are all thegate-keepers of the city from that distant province, but also thoseof the most important stores and houses, as well as of therailway-stations, and many are residents in the town. The chiefsnake-charmers and story-tellers also hail from Sûs. 

The veneration for Mulai Táïb of Wazzán, from whom the shareefs ofthat place are descended, is great, and the Aïsáwa, hailing fromMequinez, are to be met with all along this coast; they are especiallystrong at Kaïrwán. In Tunis, as also in Algeria and Tripoli, thecomparative absence of any objection to having pictures taken of humanbeings, which is an almost insurmountable hindrance in Morocco, againallowed me to use my kodak frequently, but I found that the Jews had astrong prejudice against portraits. 

The points in which the domestic usages of Tunisia differ from thoseof Morocco are the more striking on account of the remarkably minuteresemblance, if not absolute identity, of so very many others, and asthe novelty of the innovations wears off, it is hard to realize thatone is not still in the "Far West. "

In a native household of which I found myself temporarily a member, it was the wholesale assimilation of comparatively trivial foreignmatters which struck me. Thus, for instance, as one of the sons ofmy host remarked--though he was dressed in a manner which to mosttravellers would have appeared exclusively oriental--there was not athing upon him which was not French. Doubtless a closer examination ofhis costume would have shown that some of the articles only reachedhim through French hands, but the broad fact remained that they wereall foreign. It is in this way that the more civilized countriesshow a strong and increasing tendency to develop into nations ofmanufacturers, with their gigantic workshops forcing the morebackward, _nolens volens_, to relapse to the more primitive conditionof producers of raw material only. 

There was, of course, a time when every garment such a man would haveworn would have been of native manufacture, without having been inany feature less complete, less convenient, or less artistic than hispresent dress. In many points, indeed, there is a distinct loss in themore modern style, especially in the blending of colours, while it iscertain that in no point has improvement been made. My friend, forinstance, had the addition, common there, of a pair of striped merinosocks, thrust into a pair of rubber-soled tennis shoes. Underneath hewore a second pair of socks, and said that in winter he added a third. Above them was not much bare leg, for the pantaloons are cut there soas often to reach right down to the ankles. This is necessitated bythe custom of raising the mattresses used for seats on divans, andby sitting at table on European chairs with the legs dangling inthe cold. The turban has nothing of the gracefulness of its Moorishcounterpart, being often of a dirty-green silk twisted into a rope, and then bound round the head in the most inelegant fashion, sometimesshowing the head between the coils; they are not folds. Heads are byno means kept so carefully shaved as in Morocco, and I have seen hairwhich looked as though only treated with scissors, and that rarely. 

The fashion for all connected with the Government to wear Europeandress, supplemented by the "Fez" (fortunately not the Turkish style), brings about most absurd anomalies. This is especially observable inthe case of the many very stout individuals who waddle about likeducks in their ungainly breeches. I was glad to find on visiting thebrother of the late Bey that he retained the correct costume, thoughthe younger members of his family and all his attendants were inforeign guise. The Bey himself received me in the frock-coat withpleated skirt, favoured by his countrymen the Turks. 

[Illustration: _Albert, Photo. , Tunis. _

A TUNISIAN JEWESS IN STREET DRESS. ]

The Mohammedan women seen in the streets generally wear an elegantfine silk and wool haïk over a costume culminating in a peaked cap, the face being covered--all but the eyes--by two black handkerchiefs, awful to behold, like the mask of a stage villain. More stylish womenwear a larger veil, which they stretch out on either side in frontof them with their hands. They seem to think nothing of sitting in arailway carriage opposite a man and chatting gaily with him. I learnfrom an English lady resident in Tunis that the indoor costume of thewomen is much that of the Jewesses out of doors--extraordinary indeed. It is not every day that one meets ladies in the street in long whitedrawers, often tight, and short jackets, black or white, but this isthe actual walking dress of the Jewish ladies of Tunis. 

XXXIV

TRIPOLI VIEWED FROM MOROCCO

 "Every sheep hangs by her own legs. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

When, after an absence of twenty months, I found myself in Tripoli, although far enough from Morocco, I was still amid familiar sights andsounds which made it hard to realize that I was not in some hithertounvisited town of that Empire. The petty differences sank to naughtamid the wonderful resemblances. It was the Turkish element alonewhich was novel, and that seemed altogether out of place, foreign asit is to Africa. There was something quite incongruous in the sight ofthose ungainly figures in their badly fitting, quasi-European blackcoats and breeches, crowned with tall and still more ungainly redcaps. The Turks are such an inferior race to the Berbers and Arabsthat it is no wonder that they are despised by the natives. Theyappear much more out of place than do the Europeans, who remain, asin Morocco, a class by themselves. To see a Turk side by side with awhite-robed native at prayer in a mosque is too ridiculous, and to seehim eating like a wild man of the woods! Even the governor, a benignold gentleman, looked very undignified in his shabby Europeansurroundings, after the important appearance of the Moorishfunctionaries in their flowing robes. The sentinels at the door seemedto have been taught to imitate the wooden salute of the Germans, whichremoves any particle of grace which might have remained in spite oftheir clumsy dress. It is a strange sight to see them selling theirrations of uninviting bread in the market to buy something morestimulating. They squat behind a sack on the ground as the old womendo in Tangier. These are the little things reminding one that Tripoliis but a Turkish dependency. 

We may complain of the Moorish customs arrangements, but from my ownexperience, and from what others tell me, I should say that here isworse still. Not only were our things carefully overhauled, but thebooks had to be examined, as a result of which process Arabic worksare often confiscated, either going in or out. The confusing lack ofa monetary system equals anything even in southern Morocco, betweenwhich and this place the poor despised "gursh" turns up as a familiarlink, not to be met with between Casablanca and Tripoli. 

Perhaps the best idea of the town for those readers acquainted withMorocco will be to call it a large edition of Casablanca. The countryround is flat, the streets are on the whole fairly regular, and widerthan the average in this part of the world. Indeed, carriages arepossible, though not throughout the town. A great many more flyingarches are thrown across the streets than we are accustomed to furtherwest, but upper storeys are rare. The paving is of the orthodoxBarbary style. 

The Tripolitan mosques are of a very different style from those ofMorocco, the people belonging to a different sect--the Hánafis--Moors, Algerines and Tunisians being of the more rigorous Málikis. Insteadof the open courtyard surrounded by a colonnade, here they have aperfectly closed interior roofed with little domes, and lighted bybarred windows. The walls are adorned with inferior tiles, mostlyEuropean, and the floors are carpeted. Round the walls hang cheapglazed texts from the Korán, and there is a general appearance oftawdry display which is disappointing after the chaste adornment ofthe finer Moorish mosques, or even the rude simplicity of the poorerones. Orders may be obtained to view these buildings, of which it ishardly necessary to say I availed myself, in one case ascending alsothe minaret. These minarets are much less substantial than thoseof Morocco, being octangular, with protruding stone balconies insomething of the Florentine style, reached by winding stairs. Theexteriors are whitewashed, the balconies being tiled, and the cupolaspainted green. Lamps are hung out at certain feasts. As for the voiceof the muédhdhin, it must be fairly faint, since during the week Iwas there I never heard it. In Morocco this would have been animpossibility. 

The language, though differing in many minor details from thatemployed in Morocco, presents no difficulty to conversation, but itwas sometimes necessary to try a second word to explain myself. Thedifferences are chiefly in the names of common things in daily use, and in common adjectives. The music was identical with what we know inthe "Far West. " Religious strictness is much less than in Morocco, the use of intoxicants being fairly general in the town, the hoursof prayer less strictly kept, and the objection to portraits havingvanished. There seemed fewer women in the streets than in Morocco, butthose who did appear were for the most part less covered up; therewas nothing new in the way the native women were veiled, only one eyebeing shown--I do not now take the foreign Turks into account. 

In the streets the absence of the better-class natives is mostnoticeable; one sees at once that Tripoli is not an aristocratic townlike Fez, Tetuan, or Rabat. The differences which exist between thecostumes observed and those of Morocco are almost entirely confinedto the upper classes. The poor and the country people would beundistinguishable in a Moorish crowd. Among the townsfolk stockingsand European shoes are common, but there are no native slippers toequal those of Morocco, and yellow ones are rare. I saw no nativesriding in the town; though in the country it must be more common. The scarcity of four-footed beasts of burden is noticeable after thecrowded Moorish thoroughfares. 

On the whole there is a great lack of the picturesque in the Tripolistreets, and also of noise. The street cries are poor, being chieflythose of vegetable hawkers, and one misses the striking figure of thewater-seller, with his tinkling bell and his cry. 

The houses and shops are much like those of Morocco, so far asexteriors go, and so are the interiors of houses occupied byEuropeans. The only native house to which I was able to gain accesswas furnished in the worst possible mixture of European and nativestyles to be found in many Jewish houses in Morocco, but from what Igleaned from others this was no exception to the rule. 

Unfortunately the number of grog-shops is unduly large, with alltheir attendant evils. The wheeled vehicles being foreign, claimno description, though the quaintness of the public ones is great. Palmetto being unknown, the all-pervading halfah fibre takes its placefor baskets, ropes, etc. The public ovens are very numerous, and donot differ greatly from the Moorish, except in being more open to thestreet. The bread is much less tempting; baked in small round cakes, varnished, made yellow with saffron, and sprinkled with gingelly seed. Most of the beef going alive to Malta, mutton is the staple animalfood; vegetables are much the same as in Morocco. 

The great drawback to Tripoli is its proximity to the desert, which, after walking through a belt of palms on the land side of thetown--itself built on a peninsula--one may see rolling away to thehorizon. The gardens and palm groves are watered by a peculiar system, the precious liquid being drawn up from the wells by ropes overpulleys, in huge leather funnels of which the lower orifice is slungon a level with the upper, thus forming a bag. The discharge isingeniously accomplished automatically by a second rope over a lowerpulley, the two being pulled by a bullock walking down an incline. Thelower lip being drawn over the lower pulley, releases the water whenthe funnel reaches the top. 

The weekly market, Sôk et-Thláthah, held on the sands, is much as itwould be in the Gharb el Jawáni, as Morocco is called in Tripoli. Thegreater number of Blacks is only natural, especially when it is notedthat hard by they have a large settlement. 

[Illustration: _Photograph by G. Michell, Esq. _

OUTSIDE TRIPOLI. ]

It would, of course, be possible to enter into a much more minutecomparison, but sufficient has been said to give a general idea ofTripoli to those who know something of Morocco, without having enteredupon a general description of the place. From what I saw of thecountry people, I have no doubt that further afield the similaritybetween them and the people of central and southern Morocco, to whomthey are most akin, would even be increased. 

XXXV

FOOT-PRINTS OF THE MOORS IN SPAIN

 "Every one buries his mother as he likes. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

 I. FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 

Much as I had been prepared by the accounts of others to observe theprevalence of Moorish remains in the Peninsula, I was still forciblystruck at every turn by traces of their influence upon the country, especially in what was their chief home there, Andalucia. Thoughunconnected with these traces, an important item in strengthening thisimpression is the remarkable similarity between the natural featuresof the two countries. The general contour of the surface is the sameon either side of the straits for a couple of hundred miles; thesame broad plains, separated by low ranges of hills, and crossed bysluggish, winding streams, fed from distant snow-capped mountains, andsubject to sudden floods. The very colours of the earth are the samein several regions, the soil being of that peculiar red which givesits name to the Blád Hamrá ("Red Country") near Marrákesh. This isespecially observable in the vicinity of Jeréz, and again at Granáda, where one feels almost in Morocco again. Even the colour of the ruggedhills and rocks is the same, but more of the soil is cultivated thanin any save the grain districts of Morocco. 

The vegetation is strikingly similar, the aloe and the prickly pear, the olive and the myrtle abounding, while from the slight glimpsesI was able to obtain of the flora, the identity seems also to becontinued there. Yet all this, though interesting to the observer, isnot to be wondered at. It is our habit of considering the two lands asif far apart, because belonging to separate continents, which leads usto expect a difference between countries divided only by a narrow gapof fourteen miles or less, but one from whose formation have resultedmost important factors in the world's history. 

The first striking reminders of the Moorish dominion are the names ofArabic origin. Some of the most noteworthy are Granáda (Gharnátah), Alcazar (El Kasar), Arjona (R'honah), Gibraltar (Gibel Tárik), Trafalgár (Tarf el Gharb, "West Point"), Medinah (Madînah, "Town"), Algeciras (El Jazîrah, "The Island"), Guadalquivir (Wád el Kebeer--sopronounced in Spain--"The Great River"), Mulahacen (Mulai el Hasan), Alhama (El Hama, "The Hot Springs"), and numberless others which mightbe mentioned, including almost every name beginning with "Al. "

The rendering of these old Arabic words into Spanish presents acurious proof of the changes which the pronunciation of the Spanishalphabet has undergone during the last four centuries. To obtainanything like the Arabic sound it is necessary to give the lettersprecisely the same value as in English, with the exception ofpronouncing "x" as "sh. " Thus the word "alhaja, " in everydayuse--though unrecognizable as heard from the lips of the modernCastilian, "aláha, "--is nothing but the Arabic "el hájah, " withpractically the same meaning in the plural, "things" or "goods. " Tocite more is unnecessary. The genuine pronunciation is still oftenmet with among Jews of Morocco who have come little in contact withSpaniards, and retain the language of their ancestors when expelledfrom the Peninsula, as also in Spanish America. 

The Spanish language is saturated with corrupted Arabic, at allevents so far as nouns are concerned. The names of families alsoare frequently of Arabic origin, as, for instance, Alarcos(Er-Rakkás--"the courier"), Alhama, etc. , most of which are to be metwith more in the country than in the towns, while very many others, little suspected as such, are Jewish. Although when the mostremarkable of nations was persecuted and finally expelled from Spain, a far larger proportion nobly sacrificed their all rather than acceptthe bauble religion offered them by "The Catholic Kings" (King andQueen), they also have left their mark, and many a noble family could, if it would, trace its descent from the Jews. Some of their synagoguesare yet standing, notably at Toledo--whence the many Toledános, --builtby Samuel Levy, who was secretary to Don Pedro the Cruel. This was in1336, a century and a half before the Moors were even conquered, muchless expelled, and if the sons of Ishmael have left their markupon that sunny land, so have the sons of Israel, though in afar different manner. Morocco has ever since been the home of thedescendants of a large proportion of the exiles. 

The Spanish physiognomy, not so much of the lower as of the upperclasses, is strikingly similar to that of the mountaineers of Morocco, and these include some of the finest specimens. The Moors of to-dayare of too mingled a descent to present any one distinct type ofcountenance, and it is the same with the Spaniards. So much of theblood of each flows in the veins of the other, that comparison isrendered more difficult. It is a well-known fact that several of themost ancient families in the kingdom can trace their descent fromMohammedans. A leading instance of this is the house of Mondéjar, lords of Granáda from the time of its conquest, as the then head ofthe house, Sidi Yahia, otherwise Don Pedro de Granáda, had become aChristian. In the Generalife at that town, still in the custody of thesame family, is a genealogical tree tracing its origin right back tothe Goths![26]

 [26: Andalucia is but a corruption of Vandalucia. ]

Next to physiognomy come habits and customs, and of these there aremany which have been borrowed, or rather retained, from the Moors, especially in the country. The ploughs, the water-mills, thewater-wheels, the irrigation, the treading out of the corn, theweaving of coarse cloth, and many other daily sights, from theiralmost complete similarity, remind one of Morocco. The bread-shopsthey call "tahônas, " unaware that this is the Arabic for a flour-mill;their water-wheels they still call by their Arabic name, "naôrahs, "and it is the same with their pack-saddles, "albardas" (bardah). Thelist might be extended indefinitely, even from such common names asthese. 

The salutations of the people seem literal translations of thoseimported from the Orient, such as I am not aware of among otherEuropeans. What, for instance, is "Dios guarda Vd. " ("God keep you"), said at parting, but the "Allah îhannak" of Morocco, or "se lo passebien, " but "B'is-salámah" ("in peace!"). More might be cited, but tothose unacquainted with Arabic they would be of little interest. 

Then, again, the singing of the country-folk in southern Spain haslittle to distinguish it from that indulged in by most Orientals. The same sing-song drawl with numerous variations is noticeablethroughout. Once a more civilized tune gets among these people fora few months, its very composer would be unlikely to recognize itsprolongations and lazy twists. 

The narrow, tortuous streets of the old towns once occupied by theinvaders take one back across the straits, and the whole countryis covered with spots which, apart from any remains of note, areassociated by record or legend with anecdotes from that page ofSpanish history. Here it is the "Sigh of the Moor, " the spot fromwhich the last Ameer of Andalucia gazed in sorrow on the capital thathe had lost; there it is a cave (at Criptana) where the Moors foundrefuge when their power in Castile was broken; elsewhere are thechains (in Toledo) with which the devotees of Islám chained theirChristian captives. 

In addition to this, the hills of a great part of Spain are dottedwith fortresses of "tabia" (rammed earth concrete) precisely such asare occupied still by the country kaïds of Morocco; and by the waysideare traces of the skill exercised in bringing water underground fromthe hills beyond Marrákesh. How many church towers in Spain werebuilt for the call of the muédhdhin, and how many houses had theirfoundations laid for hareems! In the south especially such areconspicuous from their design. To crown all stand the palaces andmosques of Córdova, Sevílle, and Granáda, not to mention minorspecimens. 

When we talk of the Moors in Spain, we often forget how nearly we wereenabled to speak also of the Moors in France. Their brave attempts topass that natural barrier, the Pyrenees, find a suitable monumentin the perpetual independence of the wee republic of Andorra, whoseinhabitants so successfully stemmed the tide of invasion. The story ofCharles Martel, too, the "Hammer" who broke the Muslim power in thatdirection, is one of the most important in the history of Europe. What if the people who were already levying taxes in the districts ofNarbonne and Nîmes had found as easy a victory over the vineyards ofsouthern France, as they had over those of Spain? Where would theyhave stopped? Would they ever have been driven out, or would St. Paul's have been a second Kûtûbîya, and Westminster a Karûeeïn? Godknows!

 II. CÓRDOVA

The earliest notable monument of Moorish dominion in Andaluciastill existing is the famous mosque of Córdova, now deformed into acathedral. Its erection occupied the period from 786 to 796 of theChristian era, and it is said that it stands on the site of a Gothicchurch erected on the ruins of a still earlier temple dedicatedto Janus. Portions, however, have been added since that date, asinscriptions on the walls record, and the European additions date from1521, when, notwithstanding the protests of the people of Córdova, the bishops obtained permission from Charles V. To rear the presentquasi-Gothic structure in its central court. The disgust and angerwhich the lover of Moorish architecture--or art of any sort--feelsfor the name of "_Carlos quinto_, " as at point after point hideousadditions to the Moorish remains are ascribed to that conceitedmonarch, are somewhat tempered for once by the record that even herepented when he saw the result of his permission in this instance. "You have built here, " he said, "what you might have built anywhere, and in doing so you have spoiled what was unique in the world!" Ineach of the three great centres of Moorish rule, Sevílle, Granáda andCórdova, the same hand is responsible for outrageous modern erectionsin the midst of hoary monuments of eastern art, carefully inscribedwith their author's name, as "Cæsar the Emperor, Charles the Fifth. "

The Córdova Mosque, antedated only by those of Old Cairo and Kaïrwán, is a forest of marble pillars, with a fine court to the west, surrounded by an arcade, and planted with orange trees and palms, interspersed with fountains. Nothing in Morocco can compare with itsave the Karûeeïn mosque at Fez, built a century later, but thatbuilding is too low, and the pillars are for the most part mere brickerections, too short to afford the elegance which here delights. Thisis grand in its simplicity; nineteen aisles of slightly taperingcolumns of beautiful marbles, jasper or porphyry, about nine feet inheight, supporting long vistas of flying horse-shoe arches, of whichthe stones are now coloured alternately yellow and red, thoughprobably intended to be all pure white. Other still more elegantscolloped arches, exquisitely decorated by carving the plaster, springbetween alternate pillars, and from arch to arch, presumably moremodern work. 

The aisles are rather over twenty feet in width, and the thirty-threecross vaultings about half as much, while the height of the roof isfrom thirty to forty feet. In all, the pillars number about 500, though frequently stated to total 850 out of an original 1419, but itis difficult to say where all these can be, since the sum of 33 by 19is only 627, and a deduction has to be made for the central court, in which stands the church or choir. Since these notes werefirst published, in 1890, I have seen it disputed between modernimpressionist writers which of them first described the wonderfulscene as a palm grove, a comparison of which I had never heard whenI wrote, but the wonder to me would be if any one could attempt topicture the scene without making use of it. 

Who but a nation of nomads, accustomed to obey the call to prayerbeneath the waving branches of African and Arabian palm-groves, wouldhave dreamed of raising such a House of God? Unless for the purpose ofsupporting a wide and solid roof, or of dividing the centre into theform of a cross, what other ecclesiastical architects would haveconceived the idea of filling a place of worship with pillars orcolumns? No one who has walked in a palm-grove can fail to be struckby the resemblance to it of this remarkable mosque. The very tuftedheads with their out-curving leaves are here reproduced in theinterlacing arches, and with the light originally admitted by thecentral court and the great doors, the present somewhat gloomy areawould have been bright and pleasant as a real grove, with its bubblingfountains, and the soothing sound of trickling streams. I take thepresent skylights to be of modern construction, as I never saw such adevice in a Moorish building. 

Most of the marble columns are the remains of earlier erections, chiefly Roman, like the bridge over the Guadalquivir close by, restored by the builder of the mosque. Some, indeed, came fromConstantinople, and others were brought from the south of France. Theyare neither uniform in height nor girth--some having been pieced atthe bottom, and others partly buried;--so also with the capitals, certain of which are evidently from the same source as the pillars, while the remainder are but rude imitations, mostly Corinthian instyle. The original expenses of the building were furnished by a fifthof the booty taken from the Spaniards, with the subsidies raised inCatalonia and Narbonne. The Moors supplied voluntary, and Europeancaptives forced labour. 

[Illustration: A SHRINE IN CORDOVA MOSQUE. ]

On Fridays, when the Faithful met in thousands for the noon-dayprayer, what a sight and what a melody! The deep, rich tones of theorgan may add impressiveness to a service of worship, but there isnothing in the world so grand, so awe-inspiring as the human voice. When a vast body of males repeats the formulæ of praise, together, butjust slightly out of time, the effect once heard is never forgotten. Ihave heard it often, and as I walk these aisles I hear it ringing inmy ears, and can picture to myself a close-packed row of white-robedfigures between each pillar, and rows from end to end between, allstanding, stooping, or forehead on earth, as they follow the motionsof the leader before them. A grand sight it is, whatever may be one'sopinion of their religion. In the manner they sit on the matted floorsof their mosques there would be room here for thirteen thousandwithout using the Orange Court, and there is little doubt that on dayswhen the Court attended it used to be filled to its utmost. 

To the south end of the cathedral the floor of two wide aisles israised on arches, exactly opposite the niche which marks the directionof Mekka, and the space above is more richly decorated than any otherportion of the edifice except the niche itself. This doubtless formedthe spot reserved for the Ameer and his Court, screened off on threesides to prevent the curiosity of the worshippers overcoming theirdevotion, as is still arranged in the mosques which the Sultan ofMorocco attends in his capitals. Until a few years ago this rich workin arabesque and tiles was hidden by plaster. 

The kiblah niche is a gem of its kind. It consists of a horse-shoearch, the face of which is ornamented with gilded glass mosaic, forming the entrance to a semi-circular recess beautifully adornedwith arabesques and inscriptions, the top of the dome being a largewhite marble slab hollowed out in the form of a pecten shell. The wallover the entrance is covered with texts from the Korán, forming anelegant design, and on either side are niches of lesser merit, butserving to set off the central one which formed the kiblah. Elevencenturies have elapsed since the hands of the workmen left it, andstill it stands a witness of the pitch of art attained by the Berbersin Spain. 

It is said that here was deposited a copy of the Korán written byOthmán himself, and stained with his blood, of such a size that twomen could hardly lift it. When, for a brief period, the town fell intothe hands of Alfonso VII. , his soldiers used the mosque as a stable, and tore up this valuable manuscript. When a Moorish Embassy was sentto Madrid some years ago, the members paid a visit to this relic ofthe greatness of their forefathers, and to the astonishment of thecustodians, having returned to the court-yard to perform the requiredablutions, re-entered, slippers in hand, to go through the actsof worship as naturally as if at home. What a strange sight for aChristian cathedral! Right in front of the niche is a plain marbletomb with no sign but a plain bar dexter. Evidently supposing this tobe the resting-place of some saint of their own persuasion, they madethe customary number of revolutions around it. It would be interestingto learn from their lips what their impressions were. 

Of the tower which once added to the imposing appearance of thebuilding, it is recorded that it had no rival in height known to thebuilders. It was of stone, and, like one still standing in Baghdádfrom the days of Harûn el Rasheed, had two ways to the top, windingone above the other, so that those who ascended by the one never metthose descending by the other. According to custom it was crownedby three gilded balls, and it had fourteen windows. This was ofconsiderably later date than the mosque itself, but has long been athing of the past. 

The European additions to the Córdova mosque are the choir, highaltar, etc. , which by themselves would make a fine church, occupyingwhat must have been originally a charming court, paved with whitemarble and enlivened by fountains; the tower, built over the mainentrance, opening into the Court of Oranges; and a score or two ofshrines with iron railings in front round the sides, containingaltars, images, and other fantastic baubles to awe the ignorant. Aninscription in the tower records that it was nearly destroyed bythe earth-quake of 1755, and though it is the least objectionableaddition, it is a pity that it did not fall on that or some subsequentoccasion. It was raised on the ruins of its Moorish predecessor in1593. The chief entrance, like that of Sevílle, is a curious attemptto blend Roman architecture with Mauresque, having been restored in1377, but the result is not bad. Recent "restorations" are observablein some parts of the mosque, hideous with colour, but a few of theoriginal beams are still visible. I am inclined to consider thegreater part of the roof modern, but could not inspect it closelyenough to be certain. Though vaulted inside, it is tiled in ridges inthe usual Moorish style, but very few green tiles are to be seen. 

From the tower the view reminds one strongly of Morocco. The hills tothe north and south, with the river winding close to the town acrossthe fertile plain, give the scene a striking resemblance to that fromthe tower of the Spanish consulate at Tetuan. All around are the stilltortuous streets of a Moorish town, though the roofs of the housesare tiled in ridges of Moorish pattern, as those of Tangier were whenoccupied by the English two hundred years ago, and as those of ElK'sar are now. 

The otherwise Moorish-looking building at one's feet is marred by theunsightly erection in the centre, and its court-yard seems to havedegenerated into a play-ground, where the neighbours saunter or fillpitchers from the fountains. 

After enduring the apparently unceasing din of the bells in thoseerstwhile stations of the muédhdhin, one ceases to wonder that thelazy Moors have such a detestation for them, and make use instead ofthe stirring tones of the human voice. Rest and quiet seem impossiblein their vicinity, for their jarring is simply head-splitting. And asif they were not excruciating enough, during "Holy Week" they conspireagainst the ear-drums of their victims by revolving a sort of infernalmachine made of wood in the form of a hollow cross, with four swinginghammers on each arm which strike against iron plates as the thing goesround. The keeper's remark that the noise was awful was superfluous. 

The history of the town of Córdova has been as chequered as that ofmost Andalucian cities. Its foundation is shrouded in obscurity. TheRomans and Vandals had in turn been its masters before the Moorswrested it from the Spaniards in the year 710 A. D. Though theSpaniards regained possession of it in 1075, it was not for long, asit soon fell into the hands of the invaders once more. The Spanishvictors only left a Moorish viceroy in charge, who proved too true aBerber to serve against his countrymen, so he betrayed his trust. In1236 it was finally recovered by the Spaniards, after five hundred andtwenty-four years of Moorish rule. Since that time the traces of thatepoch of its history have been gradually disappearing, till there onlyremain the mutilated mosque, and portions of the ancient palace, or ofsaint-houses (as the side-chapel of the Church of St. Miguel), and ofa few dwellings. Since the first train steamed to this ancient city, in 1859, the railway has probably brought as many pilgrims to themosque as ever visited it from other motives in its greatest days. 

The industry founded here by the Moors--that of tanning--which hasgiven its name to a trade in several countries, [27] seems to have gonewith them to Morocco, for though many of the old tan-pits still existby the river side, no leather of any repute is now produced here. TheMoorish water-mills are yet at work though, having been repaired andrenewed on the original model. These, as at Granáda and other places, are horizontal wheels worked from a small spout above, directly underthe mill-stone, such as is met with in Fez and Tetuan. 

 [27: Sp. _cordován_, Fr. _cordonnier_, Eng. _cordwainer_, etc. ]

 III. SEVÍLLE

In the Girálda tower of Sevílle I expected to find a veritableMoorish trophy in the best state of preservation, open to that minuteinspection which was impossible in the only complete specimen of sucha tower, the Kutûbîya, part of a mosque still in use. Imagine, then, my regret on arriving at the foot of that venerable monument, to findit "spick and span, " as if just completed, looking new and tawdryby the side of the cathedral which has replaced the mosque it onceadorned. Instead of the hoary antiquity to which the rich deep colourof the stone of the sister towers in Morocco bears witness in theirweather-beaten glory, this one, built, above the first few stonecourses, of inch pan-tiles, separated by a like thickness of mortar, has the appearance of having been newly pointed and rubbed down, whilefaded frescoes on the walls testify to the barbarity of the conquerorsof the "barbarians. "

The delicate tracery in hewn stone which adds so greatly to the beautyof the Morocco and Tlemçen examples, is almost entirely lacking, whilethe once tasteful horse-shoe windows are now pricked out in red andyellow, with a hideous modern balcony of white stone before each. Thequasi-Moorish belfry is the most pardonable addition, but to crownall is an exhibition of incongruity which has no excuse. The originaltile-faced turret of the Moors, with its gilded balls, has actuallybeen replaced by a structure of several storeys, the first of whichis Doric, the second Ionic, and the third Corinthian. Imagine thiscrowning the comely severity of the solid Moorish structure without aprojecting ornament! But this is not all. Swinging in gaunt uneasinessover the whole, stands a huge revolving statue, supposed to representFaith, holding out in one hand a shield which catches the wind, andcauses it to act as a weather-vane. 

Such is the Girálda of the twentieth century, and the guide-books arefull of praises for the restorer, who doubtless deserves great creditfor his skill in repairing the tower after it had suffered severelyfrom lightning, but who might have done more towards restoring theoriginal design, at all events in the original portion. We read in"Raôd el Kártás" that the mosque was finished and the tower commencedin 1197, during the reign of Mulai Yakûb el Mansûr, who commenced itssisters at Marrákesh and Rabat in the same year. One architect isrecorded to have designed all three--indeed, they have little uncommonin their design, and have been once almost alike. Some assert thatthis man was a Christian, but there is nothing in the style ofbuilding to favour such a supposition. 

The plan is that of all the mosque towers of Morocco, and the onlytower of a mosque in actual use which I have ascended in thatcountry--one at Mogador--was just a miniature of this. It is, therefore, in little else than point of size that these three areremarkable. The similarity between these and the recently fallen towerof St. Mark's at Venice is most striking, both in design and in themethod of ascent by an inclined plane; while around the Italian lakesare to be seen others of less size, but strongly resembling these. 

All three are square, and consist of six to eight storeys in thecentre, with thick walls and vaulted roof, surrounded by an inclinedplane from base to summit, at an angle which makes it easy walking, and horses have been ridden up. The unfinished Hassan Tower at Rabathaving at one time become a place of evil resort, the reigning ameerordered the way up to be destroyed, but it was found so hard that onlythe first round was cut away, and the door bricked up. Each ramp ofthe Girálda, if I remember rightly, has its window, but in the Hassanmany are without light, though at least every alternate one has awindow, some of these being placed at the corner to serve for two, while here they are always in the centre. The Girálda proper containsseven of these storeys, with thirty-five ramps. To the top of theeighth storey, which is the first addition, dating from the sixteenthcentury, now used as a belfry, the height is about 220 feet. Thepresent total height is a little over 300 feet. 

The original turret of the Girálda, similar to that at Marrákesh, wasdestroyed in 1396 by a hurricane. The additions were finished in1598. An old view, still in existence, and dating from thethirteenth century, shows it in its pristine glory, and there isanother--Moorish--as old as the tower itself. 

After all that I had read and heard of the palace at Sevílle, I wasmore disappointed than even in the case of the Girálda. Not only doesit present nothing imposing in the way of Moorish architecture, but ithas evidently been so much altered by subsequent occupants as to havelost much of its original charm. To begin with the outside, insteadof wearing the fine crumbling appearance of the palaces of Morocco orGranáda, this also had been all newly plastered till it looks like awork of yesterday, and coloured a not unbecoming red. Even the mainentrance has a Gothic inscription half way up, and though its generalaspect is that of Moorish work, on a closer inspection, the lower partat least is seen to be an imitation, as in many ways the unwrittenlaws of that style have been widely departed from. The Gothicinscription states that Don Pedro I. Built it in 1364. 

Inside, the general ground plan remains much as built, but connectingdoorways have been opened where Moors never put them, and with theexception of the big raised tank in the corner, there is nothingAfrican about the garden. Even the plan has been in places destroyedto obtain rooms of a more suitable width for the conveniences ofEuropean life. The property is a portion of the Royal patrimony, andis from time to time occupied by the reigning sovereign when visitingSevílle. A marble tablet in one of these rooms tells of a queen havingbeen born there during the last century. 

Much of the ornamentation on the walls is of course original, as wellas some of the ceilings and doors, but the "restorations" effected atvarious epochs have greatly altered the face of things. Gaudy coloursshow up both walls and ceilings, but at the same time greatly detractfrom their value, besides which there are coarse imitations of thegenuine tile-work, made in squares, with lines in relief to representthe joints, as well as patterns painted on the plaster to fill upgaps in the designs. Then, too, the most prominent parts of theornamentation have been disfigured by the interposition of Spanishshields and coats-of-arms on tiles. The border round the top of thedado is alternated with these all the way round some of the rooms. To crown all, certain of the fine old doors, resembling a woodenpatchwork, have been "restored" with plaster-of-Paris. Some of thearabesques which now figure on these walls were actually pillaged fromthe Alhambra. 

Many of the Arabic inscriptions have been pieced so as to render themillegible, and some have been replaced upside down, while otherstell their own tale, for they ascribe glory and might to a Spanishsovereign, Don Pedro the Cruel, instead of to a "Leader of theFaithful. " A reference to the history of the country tells us thatthis ruler "reconstructed" the palace of the Moors, while later it wasrepaired by Don Juan II. , before Ferdinand and Isabella built theiroratories within its precincts, or Charles V. , with his mania for"improving" these monuments of a foreign dominion, doubled it insize. For six centuries this work, literally of spoliation, has beenproceeding in the hands of successive owners; what other result thanthat arrived at, could be hoped for?

When this is realized, the greater portion of the historic value ofthis palace vanishes, and its original character as a Moorish palaceis seen to have almost disappeared. There still, however, remains theindisputable fact, apparent from what does remain of the work of itsbuilders, that it was always a work of art and a trophy of the skillof its designers, those who have interfered with it subsequentlyhaving far from improved it. 

According to Arab historians, the foundations of this palace were laidin 1171 A. D. And it was reconstructed between 1353 and 1364. In 1762a fire did considerable damage, which was not repaired till 1805. Theinscriptions are of no great historical interest. "Wa lá ghálib íláAllah"--"there is none victorious but God"--abounds here, as atthe Alhambra, and there are some very neat specimens of the Kuficcharacter. 

Of Moorish Sevílle, apart from the Girálda and the Palace--El Kasar, corrupted into Alcazar--the only remains of importance are the Torredel Oro--Borj ed-Daheb--built in 1220 at the riverside, close to wherethe Moors had their bridge of boats, and the towers of the churchesof SS. Marcos and Marina. Others there are, built in imitation of theolder erections, often by Moorish architects, as those of the churchesof Omnium Sanctorum, San Nicolas, Ermita de la Virgen, and SantaCatalina. Many private houses contain arches, pillars, and otherportions of Moorish buildings which have preceded them, such as arealso to be found in almost every town of southern Spain. As late as1565 the town had thirteen gates more or less of Moorish origin, butthese have all long since disappeared. 

Sevílle was one of the first cities to surrender to the Moors afterthe battle of Guadalete, A. D. 711, and remained in their hands tilltaken by St. Ferdinand after fifteen months' siege in 1248, six yearsafter its inhabitants had thrown off their allegiance to the Emperorof Morocco, and formed themselves into a sort of republic, and tenyears after the Moorish Kingdom of Granáda was founded. It then becamethe capital of Spain till Charles V. Removed the Court to Valladolid. 

 IV. GRANÁDA

"O Palace Red! From distant lands I have come to see thee, believingthee to be a garden in spring, but I have found thee as a tree inautumn. I thought to see thee with my heart full of joy, but insteadmy eyes have filled with tears. "

So wrote in the visitors' album of the Alhambra, in 1876, an Arab poetin his native tongue, and another inscription in the same volume, written by a Moor some years before, remarks, "Peace be on thee, OGranáda! We have seen thee and admired thee, and have said, 'Praisedbe he who constructed thee, and may they who destroyed thee receivemercy. '"

As the sentiments of members of the race of its builders, theseexpressions are especially interesting; but they can hardly fail tobe shared to some extent by visitors from eastern lands, of whatevernationality. Although the loveliest monument of Moorish art in Spain, and a specimen of their highest architectural skill, destructions, mutilations, and restorations have wrought so much damage to it thatit now stands, indeed, "as a tree in autumn. " It was not thosewho conquered the Moors on whom mercy was implored by the writerquoted--for they, Ferdinand and Isabella, did their best to preservetheir trophy--but on such of their successors as Charles V. , whoactually planted a still unfinished palace right among the buildingsof this venerable spot, adjoining the remains of the Alhambra, part ofwhich it has doubtless replaced. 

This unartistic Austrian styled these remains "the ugly abominationsof the Moors, " and forthwith proceeded to erect really uglystructures. But the most unpardonable destroyers of all that the Moorsleft beautiful were, perhaps, the French, who in 1810 entered Granádawith hardly a blow, and under Sebastian practically desolated thepalace. They turned it into barracks and storehouses, as inscriptionson its walls still testify--notably on the sills of the "Miranda dela Reina. " Ere they left in 1812, they even went so far as to blowup eight of the towers, the remainder only escaping through thenegligence of an employee, and the fuses were put out by an oldSpanish soldier. 

The Spaniards having thus regained possession, the commissionersappointed to look after it "sold everything for themselves, and then, like good patriots, reported that the invaders had left nothing. "After a brief respite in the care of an old woman, who exhibited moresense in the matter than all the generals who had perpetrated suchoutrages upon it, the Alhambra was again desecrated by a new Governor, who used it as a store of salt fish for the galley slaves. 

While the old woman--Washington Irving's "Tia Antonia"--was inpossession, that famous writer did more than any one to restore theancient fame of the palace by coming to stay there, and writinghis well-known account of his visit. Mr. Forde, and his friend Mr. Addington, the British Ambassador, helped to remind people of itsexistence, and saved what was left. Subsequent civil wars have, however, afforded fresh opportunities of injury to its hoary walls, and to-day it stands a mere wreck of what it once was. 

The name by which these buildings are now known is but the adjectiveby which the Arabs described it, "El Hamra, " meaning "The Red, "because of its colour outside. When occupied it was known only aseither "The Palace of Granáda, " or "The Red Palace. " The colour of theearth here is precisely that of the plains of Dukála and Marrákesh, and the buildings, being all constructed of tabia, are naturally ofthat colour. In no part of Spain could one so readily imagine one'sself in Morocco; indeed, it is hard to realize that one is not theretill the new European streets are reached. In the palace grounds, apart from the fine carriage-drive, with its seats and lamp-posts, when out of sight of the big hotels and other modern erections, thedelusion is complete. Even in the town the running water and thewayside fountains take one back to Fez; and the channels underneaththe pavements with their plugs at intervals are only Moorish onesrepaired. On walking the crooked streets of the part which formed thetown of four centuries ago, on every hand the names are Moorish. Hereis the Kaisarîya, restored after a fire in 1843; there is the streetof the grain fandaks, and beyond is a hammám, now a dwelling-house. 

The site of the chief mosque is now the cathedral, in the chief chapelof which are buried the conquerors of Granáda. There lie Ferdinandand Isabella in plain iron-bound leaden coffins--far from the leastinteresting sights of the place--in a spot full of memories of thatcontest which they considered the event of their lives, and which wasindeed of such vital importance to the country. The inscription ontheir marble tomb in the church above tells how that the Moors havingbeen conquered and heresy stamped out (?), that worthy couple tooktheir rest. The very atmosphere of the place seems charged withreminiscences of the Moors and their successful foes, and here thespirits of Prescott and Gayangos, the historians, seem to lingerstill. 

On either side of the high altar are extremely interesting paintedcarvings. On one is figured the delivering up of the Alhambra. Ferdinand, Isabella and Mendoza ride in a line, and the latterreceives the key in his gloved hand as the conquered king offers himthe ring end, followed by a long row of captives. Behind the victorsride their knights and dames. On the other the Moors and Mooresses areseen being christened wholesale by the monks, their dresses being insome respects remarkably correct in detail, but with glaring defectsin others, just what might be expected from one whose acquaintancewith them was recent but brief. 

Before these carvings kneel real likenesses of the royal couplein wood, and on the massive square tomb in front they repose inalabaster. A fellow-tomb by their side has been raised to the memoryof their immediate successors. In the sacristry are to be seen thevery robes of Cardinal Mendoza, and his missal, with the sceptre andjewel-case of Isabella, and the sword of Ferdinand, while that ofthe conquered Bû Abd Allah is on view elsewhere. Here, too, are thestandards unfurled on the day of the recapture, January 2, 1492, anda picture full of interest, recording the adieux of "Boabdil" andFerdinand, who, after their bitter contest, have shaken hands and arehere falling on each other's necks. 

As a model of Moorish art, the palace of Granáda, commenced in 1248, is a monument of its latest and most refined period. The heavy andcomparatively simple styles of Córdova and Sevílle are here amplifiedand refined, the result being the acme of elegance and oriental taste. This I say from personal acquaintance with the temples of the farEast, although those present a much more gorgeous appearance, and aremuch more costly erections, evincing a degree of architectural abilityand the possession of hoards of wealth beside which what the buildersof the Alhambra could boast of was insignificant; nor do I attempt tocompare these interesting relics with the equally familiar immensityof ancient masonry, or with the magnificent work of the Middle Agesstill existing in Europe. These monuments hold a place of their own, unique and unassailable. They are the mementoes of an era in thehistory of Europe, not only of the Peninsula, and the interest whichattaches itself to them even on this score alone is very great. Asrelics on a foreign soil, they have stood the storms of five centuriesunder the most trying circumstances, and the simplicity of theircomponents lends an additional charm to the fabric. They are toa great extent composed of what are apparently the weakestmaterials--mud, gypsum, and wood; the marble and tiles are butadornments. 

From without the appearance of the palace has been well described asthat of "reddish cork models rising out of a girdle of trees. " Ona closer inspection the "cork" appears like red sandstone, and onewonders how it has stood even one good storm. There is none of thatfacing of stone which gives most other styles of architecture anappearance of durability, and whatever facing of plaster it mayonce have possessed has long since disappeared. But inside all isdifferent. Instead of crumbling red walls, the courts and apartmentsare highly ornamented with what we now call plaster-of-Paris, butwhich the Moors have long prepared by roasting the gypsum in rudekilns, calling it "gibs. "

A full description of each room or court-yard would better become aguide-book, and to those who have the opportunity of visiting thespot, I would recommend Ford's incomparable "Handbook to Spain, "published by Murray, the older the edition the better. To those whocan read Spanish, the "Estudio descriptivo de los Monumentos arabes, "by the late Sr. Contreras (Government restorer of the Moorish remainsin Spain), to be obtained in Granáda, is well worth reading. Such information as a visitor would need to correct the mistakenimpressions of these and other writers ignorant of Moorish usages asto the original purpose of the various apartments, I have embodied inMacmillan's "Guide to the Western Mediterranean. "

Certain points, however, either for their architectural merit orhistoric interest, cannot be passed over. Such is the Court of theLions, of part of which a model disfigured by garish painting may beseen at the Crystal Palace. In some points it is resembled by thechief court of the mosque of the Karûeeïn at Fez. In the centre isthat strange departure from the injunctions of the Korán which hasgiven its name to the spot, the alabaster fountain resting on theloins of twelve beasts, called, by courtesy, "lions. " They remind onerather of cats. "Their faces barbecued, and their manes cut like thescales of a griffin, and the legs like bed-posts; a water-pipe stuckin their mouths does not add to their dignity. " In the inscriptionround the basin above, among flowery phrases belauding the fountain, and suggesting that the work is so fine that it is difficult todistinguish the water from the alabaster, the spectator is comfortedwith the assurance that they cannot bite!

The court is surrounded by the usual tiled verandah, supported by onehundred and twenty-two light and elegant white marble pillars, thearches between which show some eleven different forms. At each end isa portico jutting out from the verandahs, and four cupolas add to theappearance of the roofs. The length of the court is twice its width, which is sixty feet, and on each side lies a beautiful decoratedapartment with the unusual additions of jets of water from the floorin the centre of each, as also before each of the three doors apieceof the long narrow Moorish rooms, and under the two porticoes. Theoverflows, instead of being hidden pipes, are channels in the marblepavement, for the Moors were too great lovers of rippling water tolose the opportunity as we cold-blooded northerners would. 

To fully realize the delights of such a place one must imagine itcarpeted with the products of Rabat, surrounded by soft mattressespiled with cushions, and with its walls hung with a dado ofdark-coloured felt cloths of various colours, interworked to representpillars and arches such as surround the gallery, and showing up thebeautiful white of the marble by contrast. Thus furnished--in trueMoorish style--the place should be visited on a hot summer's day, after a wearisome toil up the hill from the town. Then, lolling amongthe cushions, and listening to the splashing water, if strong sympathyis not felt with the builders of the palace, who thought it aparadise, the visitor ought never to have left his armchair by thefire-side at home. 

If, instead of wasting money on re-plastering the walls until theylook ready for papering, and then scratching geometrical designs uponthem in a style no Moor ever dreamed of, the Spanish Government wouldentrust a Moor of taste to decorate it in his own native style, without the modern European additions, they would do far better andspend less. One step further, and the introduction of Moorish guidesand caretakers who spoke Spanish--easy to obtain--would add fiftyper cent. To the interest of the place. Then fancy the Christian andMuslim knights meeting in single combat on the plains beneath thosewalls. People once more the knolls and pastures with the turban andthe helm, fill in the colours of robe and plume; oh, what a picture itwould make!

Doubtless similar apartments for the hareem exist in the recesses ofthe palaces of Fez, Mequinez, Marrákesh and Rabat. Some very fine workis to be seen in the comparatively public parts, in many respectsequalling this, and certainly better than that of the palace ofSevílle. Various alterations and "restorations" have been effectedfrom time to time in this as in other parts of the palace, notably inthe fountain, the top part of which is modern. It is probable thatoriginally there was only one basin, resting immediately on the"lions" below. Its date is given as 1477 A. D. 

The room known for disputed reasons as the Hall of the Two Sisters wasoriginally a bedroom. The entrance is one of the most elaborate in thepalace, and its wooden ceiling, pieced to resemble stalactites, is acharming piece of work, as also are those of the other important roomsof the palace. 

Another apartment opening out of the Court of Lions, known as the Hallof Justice--most likely in error--contains one of the most curiousremains in the palace, another departure from the precepts of thereligion professed by its builders. This is no less than a series ofpictures painted on skins sewn together, glued and fastened to thewooden dome with tinned tacks, and covered with a fine coating ofgypsum, the gilt parts being in relief. Though the date of theirexecution must have been in the fourteenth century, the colours arestill clear and fresh. The picture in the centre of the three domes issupposed by some to represent ten Moorish kings of Granáda, though itis more likely meant for ten wise men in council. On the other twoceilings are pictures, one of a lady holding a chained lion, on thepoint of being delivered from a man in skins by a European, who isafterwards slain by a mounted Moor. The other is of a boar-hunt andpeople drinking at a fountain, with a man up a tree in a dress whichlooks remarkably like that of the eighteenth century in England, wigand all. This work must have been that of some Christian renegade, though considerable discussion has taken place over the authorship. It is most likely that the lions are of similar origin, sculptured bysome one who had but a remote idea of the king of the forest. 

After the group of apartments surrounding the Court of the Lions, themost valuable specimen of Moorish architecture is that known as theHall of the Ambassadors, probably once devoted to official interviews, as its name denotes. This is the largest room in the palace, occupyingthe upper floor in one of the massive towers which defended thecitadel, overlooking the Vega and the remains of the camp-townof Santa Fé, built during the siege by the "Catholic Kings. " Thethickness of its walls is therefore immense, and the windows look likelittle tunnels; under it are dungeons. The hall is thirty-seven feetsquare, and no less than seventy-five feet high in the centre of theroof, which is not the original one. Some of the finest stucco walldecoration in the place is to be seen here, with elegant Arabicinscriptions, in the ancient style of ornamental writing known asKufic, most of the instances of the latter meaning, "O God, to Thee beendless praise, and thanks ascending. " Over the windows are lines incursive Arabic, ascribing victory and glory to the "leader of theresigned, our lord the father of the pilgrims" (Yûsef I. ), with aprayer for his welfare, while everywhere is to be seen here, as inother parts, the motto, "and there is none victorious but God. "

Between the two blocks already described lie the baths, theundressing-room of which has been very creditably restored by the lateSr. Contreras, and looks splendid. It is, in fact, a covered patiowith the gallery of the next floor running round, and as no clothhangings or carpets could be used here, the walls and floor are fullydecorated with stucco and tiles. The inner rooms are now in faircondition, and are fitted with marble, though the boiler and pipeswere sold long ago by a former "keeper" of the palace. The generalarrangement is just the same as that of the baths in Morocco. 

One room of the palace was fitted up by Ferdinand and Isabella as achapel, the gilt ornaments of which look very gaudy by the side ofthe original Moorish work. Opening out of this is a little gem of amosque, doubtless intended for the royal devotions alone, as it is toosmall for a company. 

Surrounding the palace proper are several other buildings forming partof the Alhambra, which must not be overlooked. Among them are the twotowers of the Princesses and the Captives, both of which have beenably repaired. In the latter are to be seen tiles of a peculiarrosy tint, not met with elsewhere. In the Dar Aïshah ("Gabinete deLindaraxa"--"x" pronounced as "sh") are excellent specimens ofthose with a metallic hue, resembling the colours on the surface oftar-water. Ford points out that it was only in these tiles that theMoors employed any but the primary colours, with gold for yellow. Thisis evident, and holds good to the present day. Both these towers givea perfect idea of a Moorish house of the better class in miniature. Outside the walls are of the rough red of the mud concrete, whileinside they are nearly all white, and beautifully decorated. Thethickness of the walls keeps them delightfully cool, and the crookedpassages render the courts in the centre quite private. 

Of the other towers and gates, the only notable one is that ofJustice, a genuine Moorish erection with a turning under it to staythe onrush of an enemy, and render it easier of defence. The handcarved on the outer arch and the key on the inner one have given riseto many explanations, but their only significance was probably thatthis gate was the key of the castle, while the hand was to protectthe key from the effects of the evil eye. This superstition is stillpopular, and its practice is to be seen to-day on thousands of doorsin Morocco, in rudely painted hands on the doorposts. 

The Watch Tower (de la Vela) is chiefly noteworthy as one of thepoints from which the Spanish flag was unfurled on the memorable dayof the entry into Granáda. The anniversary of that date, January 2nd, is a high time for the young ladies, who flock here to toll the bellin the hopes of being provided with a husband during the new-begunyear. 

At a short distance from the Alhambra itself is a group known as theTorres Bermejas (Vermilion Towers), probably the most ancient of theMoorish reign, if part did not exist before their settlement here, butthey present no remarkable architectural features. 

Across a little valley is the Generalife, a charming summer residencebuilt about 1320, styled by its builder the "Paradise of theWise, "--Jinah el Arîf--which the Spaniards have corrupted to itspresent designation, pronouncing it Kheneraliffy. Truly this is a spotafter the Moor's own heart: a luxuriant garden with plenty of darkgreens against white walls and pale-blue trellis-work, harmoniousat every turn with the rippling and splashing of nature's choicestliquid. Of architectural beauty the buildings in this garden have butlittle, yet as specimens of Moorish style--though they have sufferedwith the rest--they form a complement to the Alhambra. That is thetypical fortress-palace, the abode of a martial Court; this is thepleasant resting-place, the cool retreat for love and luxury. Natureis here predominant, and Art has but a secondary place, for onceretaining her true position as great Nature's handmaid. Light archedporticoes and rooms behind serve but as shelter from the noondayglare, while roomy turrets treat the occupier to delightful views. Superfluous ornament within is not allowed to interfere with thecontemplation of beauty without. 

Between the lower and upper terrace is a remarkable arrangement ofsteps, a Moorish ideal, for at equal distances from top to bottom, between each flight, are fountains playing in the centre, round whichone must walk, while a stream runs down the top of each side wall ina channel made of tiles. What a pleasant sight and sound to thoseto whom stair climbing in a broiling sun is too much exercise! Thecypresses in the garden are very fine, but they give none too muchshade. The present owner's agent has Bû Abd Allah's sword on view athis house in the town, and this is a gem worth asking to see when aticket is obtained for the Generalife. It is of a totally differentpattern and style of ornament from the modern Moorish weapons, beinginlaid in a very clever and tasteful manner. 

To the antiquary the most interesting part of Granáda is the Albaycin, the quarter lying highest up the valley of the Darro, originallypeopled by refugees from the town of Baeza--away to the north, beyondJaen--the Baïseeïn. As the last stronghold of Moorish rule in thePeninsula, when one by one the other cities, once its rivals, fellinto the hands of the Christians again, Granáda became a centreof refuge from all parts, and to this owed much of its ultimateimportance. 

Unfortunately no attempt has been made to preserve the many relics ofthat time which still exist in this quarter, probably the worst in thetown. Many owners of property in the neighbourhood can still displaythe original Arabic title deeds, their estates having been purchasedby Spanish grandees from the expelled Moors, or later from theexpelled Jews. A morning's tour will reveal much of interest in backalleys and ruined courts. One visitor alone is hardly safe among thewild half-gipsy lot who dwell there now, but a few copper coins areall the keys needed to gain admission to some fine old patios withmarble columns, crumbling fandaks, and ruined baths. By the roadsidemay be seen the identical style of water-mill still used in Morocco, and the presence of the Spaniard seems a dream. 

 V. HITHER AND THITHER

Having now made pilgrimages to the more famous homes of the Moor inEurope, let us in fancy take an aërial flight over sunny Spain, andglance here and there at the scattered traces of Muslim rule in lessnoted quarters. Everything we cannot hope to spy, but we may stillsurprise ourselves and others by the number of our finds. Even thistask accomplished, a volume on the subject might well be written by asecond Borrow or a Ford, whose residence among the modern Moors hadsharpened his scent for relics of that ilk. [28] Let not the readerthink that with these wayside jottings all has been disclosed, for theMoor yet lives in Spain, and there is far more truth in the sayingthat "Barbary begins at the Pyrenees" than is generally imagined. 

 [28: To the latter I am indebted for particulars regarding the many places mentioned in this final survey which it was impossible for me to visit. ]

We will start from Tarifa, perhaps the most ancient town of Andalucia. The Moors named this ancient Punic city after T'arîf ibn Málek ("TheWise, son of King"), a Berber chief. They beleaguered it about 1292, and it is still enclosed by Moorish walls. The citadel, a genuineMoorish castle, lies just within these walls, and was not so longago the abode of galley-slaves. Close to Sevílle, where the riverGuadalquivir branches off, it forms two islands--Islas Mayor y Menor. The former was the Kaptal of the Moors. At Coria the river winds underthe Moorish "Castle of the Cleft" (El Faraj), now called St. Juande Alfarache, and passes near the Torre del Oro, a monument ofthe invader already referred to. Old Xeres, of sherry fame, is astraggling, ill-built, ill-drained Moorish city. It was taken from theMoors in 1264. Part of the original walls and gates remain in theold town. The Moorish citadel is well preserved, and offers a goodspecimen of those turreted and walled palatial fortresses. 

But it is not till we reach Sevílle that we come to a museum ofMoorish antiquities. Here we see Arabesque ceilings, marqueteriewoodwork, stucco panelling, and the elegant horse-shoe arches. Thereare beautiful specimens in the citadel, in Calle Pajaritos No. 15, inthe Casa Prieto and elsewhere. The Moors possessed the city for fivehundred years, during which time they entirely rebuilt it, using theRoman buildings as materials. Many Moorish houses still exist, thewindows of which are barricaded with iron gratings. On each side ofthe patios, or courts, are corridors supported by marble pillars, whilst a fountain plays in the centre. These houses are richin Moorish porcelain tilings, called azulejos--from the Arabicez-zulaïj--but the best of these are in the patio of the citadel. Carmona is not far off, with its oriental walls and castle, famous asever for its grateful springs. The tower of San Pedro transports usagain to Tangier, as do the massy walls and arched gate. 

Some eight leagues on the way to Badajos from Sevílle rises a Moorishtower, giving to the adjoining village the name of Castillo de lasGuardias. Five leagues beyond are the mines of the "Inky River"--RioTinto--a name sufficiently expressive and appropriate, for it issuesfrom the mountain-side impregnated with copper, and is consequentlycorrosive. The Moors seem to have followed the Romans in theirworkings on the north side of the hill. Further on are more mines, still proclaiming the use the Moors made of them by their present nameAlmádin--"the Mine"--a name which has almost become Spanish; it isstill so generally used. Five leagues from Rio Tinto, at Aracena, isanother Moorish castle, commanding a fine panorama, and the belfry ofthe church hard by is Arabesque. 

Many more of these ruined kasbahs are to be seen upon the heightsof Andalucia, and even much further north; but the majority must gounmentioned. One, in an equally fine position, is to be seen elevenleagues along the road from Sevílle to Badajos, above Santa Olalla--aname essentially Moorish, denoting the resting-place of some femaleMohammedan saint, whose name has been lost sight of. (Lallah, or"Lady, " is the term always prefixed to the names of canonized ladiesin Morocco. ) Three leagues from Sevílle on the Granáda road, atGandul, lies another of these castles, picturesquely situated amidpalms and orange groves; four leagues beyond, the name Arahal(er-rahálah--"the day's journey") reminds the Arabicist that it istime to encamp; a dozen leagues further on the name of Roda recallsits origin, raôdah, "the cemetery. " Riding into Jaen on the top of thediligence from Granáda, I was struck with the familiar appearance oftwo brown tabia fortresses above the town, giving the hillside theappearance of one of the lower slopes of the Atlas. This was a placeafter the Moors' own heart, for abundant springs gush everywherefrom the rocks. In their days it was for a time the capital of anindependent kingdom. 

At Ronda, a town originally built by the Moors--for Old Ronda is twoleagues away to the north, --their once extensive remains have been allbut destroyed. Its tortuous streets and small houses, however, testifyas to its origin, and its Moorish castle still appears to guard thenarrow ascent by which alone it can be reached from the land, for itcrowns a river-girt rock. Down below, this river, the Guadalvin, stillturns the same rude class of corn-mills that we have seen at Fez andGranáda. Other remnants are another Moorish tower in the Calle delPuente Viejo, and the "House of the Moorish King" in Calle San Pedro, dating from about 1042. Descending to the river's edge by a flightof stairs cut in the solid rock, there is a grotto dug by Christianslaves three centuries later. Some five leagues on the road thence toGranáda are the remains of the ancient Teba, at the siege of which in1328, when it was taken from the Moors, Lord James Douglas fought inobedience to the dying wish of the Bruce his master, whose heart hewore in a silver case hung from his neck, throwing it among the enemyas he rushed in and fell. 

On the way from Ronda to Gibraltar are a number of villages whose Arabnames are startling even in this land of Ishmaelitish memories. Amongthese are Atajate, Gaucin, Benahali, Benarraba, Benadalid, Benalaurin. At Gaucin an excellent view of Gibraltar and Jibel Mûsa is obtainablefrom its Moorish citadel. This brings us to old "Gib, " whose relics ofTárîk and his successors are much better known to travellers than mostof those minor remains. An inscription over the gate of the castle, now a prison, tells of its erection over eleven centuries ago, forthis was naturally one of the early captures of the invaders. Yet themud-concrete walls stand firm and sound, though scarred by many ashot. Algeciras--El Jazîrah--"the Island" has passed through too manyvicissitudes to have much more than the name left. 

Malaga, though seldom heard of in connection with the history ofMohammedan rule in the Peninsula, played a considerable part in thatdrama. It and Cadiz date far back to the time of the Carthaginians, so that, after all, their origin is African. If its name is not of anearlier origin, it may be from Málekah, "the Queen. " Every year onAugust 18, at 3 p. M. The great bell of the cathedral is struck thrice, for that is the anniversary of its recovery from the Aliens in 1487. The flag of Ferdinand then hoisted is (or was recently) still to beseen, together with a Moorish one, probably that of the vanquishedcity, over the tomb of the Conde de Buena Vista in the convent of LaVictoria. Though odd bits of Moorish architecture may still be metwith in places, the only remains of note are the castle, built in1279, with its fine horse-shoe gate--sadly disfigured by modernbarbarism--and what was the dockyard of the Moors, now left high anddry by the receding sea. 

The name Alhama, met with in several parts of Spain, merely denotes"the hot, " alluding to springs of that character which are in mostinstances still active. This is the case at the Alhama between Malagaand Granáda, where the baths are worth a visit. The Moorish bath iscalled the strong one, being nearer the spring. 

At Antequera the castle is Moorish, though built on Roman foundations, and it is only of recent years that the mosque has disappeared underthe "protection" of an impecunious governor. 

Leaving the much-sung Andalûs, the first name striking us in Murcia isthat of Guadíx (pronounced Wadish), a corruption of Wád Aïsh, "Riverof Life. " Its Moorish castle still stands. Some ten leagues furtheron, at Cullar de Baza is another Moorish ruin, and the next of note, afine specimen, is fifteen leagues away at Lorca, whose streets are inthe genuine intricate style. The city of Murcia, though founded by theMoors, contains little calling them to remembrance. In the post-officeand prison, however, and in the public granary, mementoes are to befound. 

Orihuela, on the road from Carthagena to Alicante, still looksoriental with its palm-trees, square towers and domes, and Elche isjust another such, with flat roofs and the orthodox kasbah, now aprison. The enormous number of palms which surround the town recallMarrákesh, but they are sadly neglected. Monte Alegre is a small placewith a ruined Moorish castle, about fifteen leagues from Elche on theroad to Madrid. Between Alicante and Xativa is the Moorish castle ofTibi, close to a large reservoir, and there is a square Moorish towerat Concentaina. Xativa has a hermitage, San Felin, adorned withhorse-shoe arches, having a Moorish cistern hard by. 

Valencia the Moors considered a Paradise, and their skill inirrigation has been retained, so that of the Guadalaviar (Wad elAbîad--"River of the Whites") the fullest use is made in agriculture, and the familiar water-wheels and conduits go by the corruptions oftheir Arabic names, naôrahs and sakkáïahs. The city itself is veryMoorish in appearance, with its narrow tortuous streets and gloomybuildings, but I know of no remarkable legacy of the Moors there. There are the remains of a Moorish aqueduct at Chestalgár--a veryArabic sounding name, of which the last two syllables are corruptedfrom El Ghárb ("the West") as in the case of Trafalgár (Terf elGhárb--"West Point"). All this district was inhabited by the Moriscosor Christianized Moors as late as the beginning of the seventeenthcentury, and there must their descendants live still, although nolonger distinguished from true sons of the soil. 

Whatever may remain of the ancient Saguntum, what is visible is mostlyMoorish, as, for instance, cisterns on the site of a Roman temple. Notfar from Valencia is Burjasot, where are yet to be seen specimens ofmatmôrahs or underground granaries. Morella is a scrambling town withMoorish walls and towers, coroneted by a castle. 

Entering Catalonia, Tortosa, at the mouth of the Ebro, is reached, once a stronghold of the Moors, and a nest of pirates till recoveredby Templars, Pisans and Genoese together. It was only withheld fromthe Moors next year by the valour of the women besieged. The tower ofthe cathedral still bears the title of Almudena, a reminder of themuédhdhin who once summoned Muslims to prayer from its summit. Here, too, are sundry remnants of Moorish masonry, and some ancientmatmôrahs. 

Tarragona and Barcelona, if containing no Moorish ruins of note, haveall, in common with other neighbouring places, retained the Arabicname Rambla (rimlah, "sand") for the quondam sandy river beds which oflate years have been transformed into fashionable promenades. In thecathedral of Tarragona an elegant Moorish arch is noticeable, with aKufic inscription giving the date as 960 A. D. For four centuries afterthis city was destroyed by Tarîf it remained unoccupied, so thatmuch cannot be expected to call to mind his dynasty. Of a bridge atMartorell over the Llobregat, Ford says it is "attributed to Hannibalby the learned, and to the devil, as usual, by the vulgar. The pointedcentre arch, which is very steep and narrow to pass, is 133 feet widein the span, and is unquestionably a work of the Moors. " Not far awayis a place whose name, Mequineza, is strongly suggestive of Moorishorigin, but I know nothing further about it. 

Now let us retrace our flight, and wing our way once more to the northof Sevílle, to the inland province of Estremadura. Here we start fromMérida, where the Roman-Moorish "alcazar" towers proudly yet. TheMoors repaired the old Roman bridge over the Guadiana, and the gatewaynear the river has a marble tablet with an Arabic inscription. TheMuslims observed towards the people of this place good faith such aswas never shown to them in return, inasmuch as they allowed them toretain their temples, creed, and bishops. They built the citadel in835, and the city dates its decline from the time that Alonzo el Sabiotook it from them in 1229. Zámora is another ancient place. It wastaken from the Moors in 939, when 40, 000 of them are said to have beenkilled. The Moorish designs in the remarkable circular arches of LaMagdalena are worthy of note. 

In Toledo the church of Santo Tomé has a brick tower of Moorishcharacter; near it is the Moorish bridge of San Martin, and in theneighbourhood, by a stream leading to the Tagus, Moorish mills and theruins of a villa with Moorish arches, now a farm hovel, may stillbe seen. The ceiling of the chapel of the church of San Juan de laPenetencia is in the Moorish style, much dilapidated (1511 A. D. ). TheToledan Moors were first-rate hydraulists. One of their kings had alake in his palace, and in the middle a kiosk, whence water descendedon each side, thus enclosing him in the coolest of summer-houses. It was in Toledo that Ez-Zarkal made water-clocks for astronomicalcalculations, but now this city obtains its water only by theprimitive machinery of donkeys, which are driven up and down bywater-carriers as in Barbary itself. The citadel was once the kasbahof the Moors. 

The Cathedral of Toledo is one of the most remarkable in Spain. Thearches of the transept are semi-Moorish, Xamete, who wrought itin Arcos stone in 1546-50, having been a Moor. The very ancientmanufactory of arms for which Toledo has a world-wide fame dates fromthe time of the Goths; into this the Moors introduced their Damascenesystem of ornamenting and tempering, and as early as 852 thisidentical "fabrica" was at work under Abd er-Rahman ibn El Hákim. TheMoors treasured and named their swords like children. These were theweapons which Othello, the Moor, "kept in his chamber. "

[Illustration: _Cavilla, Photo. , Tangier. _

THE MARKET-PLACE, TETUAN. ]

At Alcazar de San Juan, in La Mancha, I found a few remnants of theMoorish town, as in the church tower, but the name is now almost theonly Moorish thing about it. Hence we pass to Alarcon, a truly Moorishcity, built like a miniature Toledo, on a craggy peninsula hemmed inby the river Jucar. The land approach is still guarded by Moorishtowers and citadel. 

In Zocodovar--which takes its name from the word sôk, "market-place"--we find a very Moorish "plaza, " with its irregularwindows and balconies, and in San Eugenio are some remains of anold mosque with Kufic inscriptions, as well as an arch and tomb ofelaborate design. In the Calle de las Tornarías there used to be adilapidated Moorish house with one still handsome room, but it isdoubtful whether this now survives the wreck of time. It was called ElTaller del Moro, because Ambron, the Moorish governor of Huesca, issaid to have invited four hundred of the refractory chiefs of Toledoto dine here, and to have cut off the head of each as he arrived. There is a curious mosque in the Calle del Cristo de la Luz, the roofis supported by four low square pillars, each having a differentcapital, from which spring double arches like those at Córdova. Theceiling is divided into nine compartments with domes. 

Madrid has passed through such various fortunes, and has been so muchre-built, that it now contains few traces of the Moors. The only relicwhich I saw in 1890 was a large piece of tabia, forming a substantialwall near to the new cathedral, which might have belonged to the citywall or only to a fortress. The Museum of the Capital contains a goodcollection of Moorish coins. In the Armoury are Moorish guns, swords, saddles, and leather shields, the last named made of two hidescemented with a mortar composed of herbs and camel-hair. 

In Old Castile the footprints grow rare and faint, although thename of Valladolid--Blád Walîd, "Town of Walîd, " a Moorishameer--sufficiently proclaims its origin, but I am not aware of anyMoorish remains there. In Burgos one old gate near the triumphal arch, erected by Philip II. , still retains its Moorish opening, and on theopposite hill stands the castle in which was celebrated the bridalof our Edward I. With Eleanor of Castile. It was then a true Moorishkasar, but part has since been destroyed by fire. On the road fromBurgos to Vittoria we pass between the mountains of Oca and thePyrenean spurs, in which narrow defile the old Spaniards defied theadvancing Moors. Moorish caverns or cisterns are still to be seen. 

Turning southward again, we come to Medinaceli, or "the city ofSelim, " once the strong frontier hold of a Moor of that name, thescene of many conflicts among the Moors themselves, and againstthe Christians. Here, on August 7, 1002, died the celebrated ElMansûr--"The Victorious"--the "Cid" (Seyyid) of the Moors, and themost terrible enemy of the Christians. He was born in 938 nearAlgeciras, and by a series of intrigues, treacheries and murders, rosein importance till he became in reality master of the puppet ameer. Heproclaimed a holy crusade against the Christians each year, and wasburied in the dust of fifty campaigns, for after every battle he usedto shake off the soil from his garments into a chest which he carriedabout with him for that purpose. 

In Aragon the situation of Daroca, in the fertile basin of the Jiloca, is very picturesque. The little town lies in a hill-girt valley aroundwhich rise eminences defended by Moorish walls and towers, which, following the irregular declivities, command charming views fromabove. The palace of the Mendozas at Guadalajara, in the samedistrict, boasts of an elegant row of Moorish windows, though theseappear to have been constructed after Guadalajara was reconqueredfrom the Moors by the Spaniards. Near this place is a Moorish brickbuilding, turned into a battery by the invaders, and afterwards usedas a prison. Before leaving this town it will be worth while to visitSan Miguel, once a mosque, with its colonnaded entrance, horse-shoearches, machiolations, and herring-bone patterns under the roof. 

Calatayud, the second town of Aragon, is of Moorish origin. ItsMoorish name means the "Castle of Ayûb"--or Job--the nephew of Mûsa, who used the ancient Bilbilis as a quarry whence to obtain stones forits construction. The Dominican convent of Calatayud has a gloriouspatio with three galleries rising one above another, and a portion ofthe exterior is enriched with pseudo-Moorish work like the prisons atGuadalajara. 

Saragossa gave me more the impression of Moorish origin than anytown I saw in Spain, except Sevílle and Córdova. The streets of theoriginal settlement are just those of Mequinez on a small scale. Theonly object of genuinely Moorish origin that I could find, however, was the Aljaferia, once a palace-citadel, now a barrack, so namedafter Jáfer, a Muslim king of this province. Since his times Ferdinandand Isabella used it, and then handed it over to the Inquisition. Someof the rooms still retain Moorish decorations, but most of the latterare of the period of their conquerors. On one ceiling is pointed outthe first gold brought from the New World. The only genuine Moorishremnant is the private mosque, with beautiful inscriptions. Thebuilding has been incorporated in a huge fort-like modern brickstructure, which would lead no one to seek inside for Arab traces. 

Passing from Saragossa northwards, we arrive at Jaca, the railwayterminus, which to this day quarters on her shield the heads of foursheïkhs who were left behind when their fellow-countrymen fled fromthe city in 795, after a desperate battle in which the Spanish womenfought like men. The site of the battle, called Las Tiendas, is stillvisited on the first Friday in May, when the daughters of theseAmazons go gloriously "a-shopping. " The municipal charter of Jacadates from the Moorish expulsion, and is reckoned among the earliestin Spain. 

Gerona, almost within sight of France, played an important part, too, in those days, siding alternately with that country and with Spainwhen in the possession of the Moors. The Ameer Sulaïmán, in 759 A. D. , entered into an alliance with Pepin, and in 785 Charlemagne took thetown, which the Moors re-captured ten years later. It became theirheadquarters for raids upon Narbonne and Nîsmes. Castellon deAmpurias, once on the coast, which has receded, was strong enough toresist the Moors for a time, but after they had dismantled it, theNormans appeared and finally destroyed it. Now it is but a hamlet. 

We are now in the extreme north-west of the Peninsula, where therelics we seek grow scanty, and, in consequence, of more importance. Instead of buildings in stone or concrete, we find here a monument ofindependence, perhaps more interesting in its way than any other. Whenthe Pyrenees and their hardy mountaineers checked the onward rush ofIslám, several independent states arose, recognized by both France andSpain on account of their bravery in opposing a common foe. The onlyone of these retaining a semi-independence is the republic ofAndorra, a name corrupted from the Arabic el (al) darra, "a plenteousrainfall, " showing how the Moors appreciated this feature of so wellwooded and hilly a district after the arid plains of the south. Theold Moorish castle of the chief town bears the name of Carol, derivedfrom that of Charlemagne, who granted it the privileges it stillenjoys, so that it is a memento of the meeting of Arab and Teuton. At Planes is a church said to be of Moorish origin, and earlier thanCharlemagne; it certainly dates from no later than the tenth century. These "foot-prints" show that the Moor got a fairly good footing here, before he was driven back, and his progress stayed. 

APPENDIX

"MOROCCO NEWS"

 "A lie is not worth the lying, nor is truth worth repeating. "

 _Moorish Proverb. _

So unanimous have been the uninformed reiteration of the Press incontravention of much that has been stated in the foregoing pages, that it will not be out of place to quote a few extracts from men onthe spot who do know the facts. The first three are from leaders in_Al-moghreb Al-aksa_, the present English paper in Morocco, whichaccurately voices the opinion of the British Colony in thatcountry, opinions shared by most disinterested residents of othernationalities. 

 "However we look upon the situation as it stands to-day, and wherever our sympathies may lie, it is impossible to over-estimate the danger attending the unfortunate Anglo-French Agreement. We have always--as our readers will acknowledge--advocated the simple doctrine of the _status quo_, and in this have received the support of every disinterested person in and out of Morocco. Our policy has at times thrown us into antagonism with the exponents of the French colonial schemes; but we at least have the satisfaction of knowing that, however we may have fallen short of our duty, it has been one which we have persevered in, prompted by earnest conviction, by love of the country and its people, and by admiration for its Sultan. The simplicity of our aim has helped us in our uphill fight, and will, no doubt, continue to do so in the future. 

 "Needless to say we look forward with no little anxiety to the result of the conference. This needs no explanation. In the discussion of such a question it is absolutely imperative that the individual members of the conference should be selected from those who know their Morocco, and who are acquainted with the causes which led up to the present dead-lock. Only the keenest, shrewdest men should be selected, for it must be borne in mind that France will spare no pains to uphold the recent Anglo-French Convention. Her most astute diplomats will figure largely, for her dignity is at stake. Indeed, her very position, diplomatic and political, is in effect challenged. Taking this into consideration, it is more than necessary to see that the representatives of Great Britain are not chosen for their family influence or for the perfection they may have attained in the French language. 

 "The task is hard and perilous. England is waking to the fact that she has blundered, and, as usual, she is unwilling to admit the fact. Circumstances, however, will sooner or later force her to modify her terms. Germany, Spain, the United States, and other nations, to say nothing of Morocco, must point out the absurdity of the situation. If the agreement is inoperative with regard to Morocco, it may as well be openly admitted to be useless. This is not all. Should English statesmanship direct that this injudicious arrangement be adhered to, France and Great Britain will stand as self-confessed violators of the Convention of Madrid. 

 "Fortunately the Moorish cause has some excellent champions. For many years she has been dumb. Now, however, that she is assailed, we find a small but influential band of writers coming forward with their pens to do battle for her. 

 "This is the great consolation we have. Moorish interests will no longer be the sport of European political expediency. These men will, no doubt, protest against the land-grabbing propensities of the French colonial party, and they may find time to point out that after a thousand years of not ignoble independence, the Moorish race deserves a little more consideration than has hitherto been granted. 

 "Even those people who are responsible for this deplorable state of affairs must now stand more or less amazed at their handiwork. No diplomatic subterfuge can efface the humiliation that underlies the situation; and no one can possibly exaggerate the danger that lies ahead of us. "

 * * * * *

 "Two centuries ago Great Britain abandoned Tangier, and it is only the present generation that has realized the huge mistake. A maudlin sentimentalism, to avoid displeasing the French King, prevented us from handing the city back to Portugal; an act which would have been wise, either strategically, commercially, or with a view to the suppression of the famous Salee rovers, who were for long a scourge to ships entering the Straits. A Commission of experts was appointed to consider the question of the abandonment, one of them being Mr. Pepys.... 

 "Whatever the opinion may have been of the experts consulted by the Government on the present agreement with France, we are strongly disposed to believe that if they have been endowed with greater sense than those of 1683, there is probably more, as we must hope there is, in favour of British interests, than appears to the public eye. Time alone will tell what reservation, mental or otherwise, may be locked up in the British Foreign Office. It is difficult to believe that any British statesman would wantonly give away any national interest, but too lofty a policy has often been wanting in practical sense which, had that policy descended from principles to facts, would have saved the nation thousands of lives, millions of money, and sacrifices of its best interests. "

 * * * * *

 "The events that have been fully before the eyes of British subjects in Morocco in the abnormal condition of the country during the past two years, seem to have been ignored by our Foreign Office. In short, it fully appears that our Foreign Office policy has been designed to lead the Sultan to political destruction, and to sacrifice every British interest. 

 "About two years ago our Foreign Office began well in starting the Sultan on the path of progress: in carrying out its aims it has done nothing but blunders. Had it but acted with a little firmness, the opening up of this country would have already begun, and there would have been no 'Declaration' which will assuredly give future Foreign Secretaries matter for some anxiety. The declaration is only a display of political fireworks that will dazzle the eyes of the British public for a while, delighting our Little Englanders, but only making the future hazy and possibly more dangerous to deal with. It seems only a way of putting off the real settlement, which may not wait for thirty years to be dealt with, on the points still at issue, and for which a splendid opportunity has been thrown away at Downing Street, and could have been availed of to maintain British interests, prestige, and influence in this country. Briefly, we fear that the attainment of the end in view may yet cost millions to the British nation. 

 "That Morocco will progress under French guidance there can be no question, and France may be congratulated on her superior diplomacy and the working of her Foreign Office system. "

With regard to the Moorish position, a contributor observes in a laterissue--

 "The attitude of the Sultan and his Cabinet may be summed up in a few words. 'You nations have made your agreements about our country without consulting us. We owe you nothing that we are unable to pay on the conditions arranged between us. We did not ask your subjects to reside and trade on Moorish soil. In fact, we have invariably discouraged their so doing. Troubles exist in Morocco, it is true, but we are far greater sufferers than you--our unbidden guests. And but for the wholesale smuggling of repeating rifles by _your_ people, our tribes would not be able to cause the disorders of which you complain. As to your intention to intervene in our affairs, we agree to no interference. If you are resolved to try force, we believe that the Faith of the Prophet will conquer. We still believe there is a God stronger than man. And should the fight go against us, we believe that it is better to earn Paradise in a holy war for the defence of our soil, than to submit tamely to Christian rule. '

 "The position, however lamentable, is intelligible; but on the other hand it is incredible that France--her mind made up long ago that she is to inherit the Promised Land of Sunset--will sit down meekly and allow herself to be flouted by the monarch and people of a crumbling power like Morocco. And this is what she has to face. Not indeed a nation, as we understand the term, but a gathering of units differing widely in character and race--Arabs, Berbers, mulattoes, and negroes--unable to agree together on any subject under the sun but one, and that one the defence of Islám from foreign intervention. Under the standard of the invincible Prophet they will join shoulder to shoulder. And hopeless and pathetic as it may seem, they will defy the disciplined ranks and magazine guns of Europe. Thus, wherever our sympathies may lie, the possibilities of a peaceful settlement of the Morocco question appear to be dwindling day by day. The anarchy paramount in three-quarters of the sultanate is not only an ever-increasing peril to European lives and property, but a direct encouragement to intervention. Of one thing we in Morocco have no kind of doubt. The landing of foreign troops, even for protective service, in any one part of the coast would infallibly be the signal for a general rising in every part of the Empire. No sea-port would be safe for foreigners or for friendly natives until protected by a strong European force. And, once begun, the task of 'pacifying' the interior must entail an expenditure of lives and treasure which will amply satisfy French demands for colonial extension for many a year to come. "

One more quotation from an editorial--

 "And so it would appear, that, with the smiling approval of the world's Press, the wolf is to take over the affairs of the lamb. We use the phrase advisedly. We have never hesitated to criticize the action, and to condemn the errors, of the Makhzen where such a course has been needful in the public interest. We can, therefore, with all the more justice, call attention to the real issues of the compact embodied in the Morocco clauses of the Anglo-French Agreement of April, 1904. How long the leading journals of England may continue to ignore the facts of the case it is impossible to say; but that there will come a startling awakening seems inevitable. Every merely casual observer on this side of the Mediterranean knows only too well that the most trifling pretext may be at any hour seized for the next move in the development of French intervention. Evidence is piling up to show that the forward party in France, and still more in Algeria, is burning to strike while yet the frantic enthusiasm of the Entente lasts, and while they can rely upon the support--we had almost written, the moral support--of Great Britain. Can we shut our eyes to the deliberate provocations they are giving the Makhzen in almost every part of the sultanate?

 "These things are not reported to Europe, naturally. In spite of all our comfortable cant about justice to less powerful races, who in England cares about justice to Morocco and her Sultan? We owe it to Germany that the thing was not rushed through a few months ago. Who has heard, who wants to hear, the Moorish side of the question? Morocco is mute. The Sultan pulls no journalistic wires. He has no advocate in the Press, or in Parliament, or in Society. Hardly a public man opens his mouth in England to refer to Morocco, without talking absolute twaddle. The only member of either House of Parliament who has shown a real grasp of the tremendous issues of the question is Lord Rosebery, in the memorable words--

 "'No more one-sided agreement was ever concluded between two Powers at peace with each other. I hope and trust, but I hope and trust rather than believe, that the Power which holds Gibraltar may never have cause to regret having handed Morocco over to a great military Power. '

 "Had that true statesman, and true Englishman, been in power eighteen months ago, England would never have been pledged to sacrifice her commercial interests in Morocco, to abandon her wholesome, traditional policy in the Mediterranean, and to revoke her solemn engagement to uphold the integrity of the Sultan's dominions. "

An excellent idea of the discrepancies between the alarmist reportswith which the Press is from time to time deluged, and the factsas known on the spot, is afforded by the following extracts from_Al-moghreb Al-aksa_ of January 7, 1905, when the London papershad been almost daily victimized by their correspondents regardingMorocco:--

 "The dismissal of the military _attachés_ at the Moorish Court threatened to raise a terrible conflagration in Europe, and great indignation among foreign residents in this country--according to certain Press reports. This fiery disposition of some offered a remarkable contrast with the coolness of the others. For instance, the British took almost no interest in the matter, for the simple reason that there has never been any British official military mission in the Moorish Court. It is true there are a few British subjects in Moorish military service, but they are privately employed by the Sultan's Government, and their service is simply voluntary. Even personally, they actually show no great concern in remaining here or not. 

 "The Italian military mission is composed of very few persons. The chief, Col. Ferrara, is on leave in Italy, and the Mission is now represented by Captain Campini, who lives at Fez with his family. They report having received all kind attentions from the Sultan quite recently, and that they know nothing about the dismissal which has so noisily sounded in Europe. According to the same Press reports, great fears were entertained of a general rising against the foreign residents in Fez and other places in the interior, and while it is reported that the military _attachés_, consular officers and residents of all nations were notified to leave Fez and come to Tangier or the coast ports as a matter of precaution, we find that nobody moves from the Court, because, they say, they have seen nothing to induce them to leave that residence. And what has Mulai Abd El Azîz replied to French complaints and demands respecting the now historical dismissal of the military _attachés_? A very simple thing--that H. S. M. Did not think that the dismissal could resent any of the civilized nations, because it was decided as an economic measure, there being no money to pay even other more pressing liabilities. However, the Sultan, wishing to be on friendly terms with France and all other nations, immediately withdrew the dismissal and promised to pay the _attachés_ as long as it is possible to do so. The missions, consuls, etc. , have now no need to leave Fez, and everything remains stationary as before. The only thing steadily progressing is the insecurity of life and property in the outskirts and district of Tangier, where murders and robberies proceed unabated, and this state of affairs has caused the British and German residents in this town to send petitions to their respective Governments, through their legations, soliciting that some measure may be adopted to do away with the present state of insecurity which has already paralysed all overland traffic between this city and the neighbouring towns. 

 "The contrasts of the situation are as remarkable as they are comic, and while the whole country is perfectly quiet, those places more in contact with the civilized world, like Tangier and the Algerian frontier, are the only spots which are seriously troubled with disturbances. "

So much for northern Morocco. The same issue contains the followingreport from its Mogador correspondent regarding the "disturbed state"of southern Morocco. 

 "It would puzzle even the trained imagination of certain journalists we wot of to evolve anything alarmist out of the condition of the great tribes between Mogador and the Atlas. During the recent tribal differences not one single highway robbery, even of a native, was, I believe, committed. The roads are open everywhere; the rival chieftains have, figuratively, exchanged the kiss of peace, and the tribes have confessed that it was a mistake to leave their farms and farm-work simply to please an ambitious and utterly thankless governor. 

 "As for Europeans, they have been rambling all over the country with their wonted freedom from interference. A Frenchman, travelling almost alone, has just returned from Imintanoot. Another has twice crossed the Atlas. Needless to say the route to Marrákesh is almost as devoid of other than pleasurable novelty as a stroll on the Embankment or down the shady side of Pall Mall. When, indeed, will folks at home grasp the fact that the Berber clans of southern Morocco belong to a race differing utterly in character and largely in customs from the ruffians infesting the northern half of the sultanate?

 "'Nothing but the unpleasant prospect of being held up by brigands, ' writes a friend, 'prevents me from revisiting your beautiful country. ' How convince such people that brigandage is an art unknown south of the Oom Rabya? That the prayer of the Shluh, when a Nazarene visits their land, is that nothing may happen to bring trouble on the clan? They may inwardly hate the _Rûmi_, or they may regard him merely as an uncouth blot on the scenery; but should actual unpleasantness arise, he will, in almost every case, have himself to thank for it. (London papers please copy!)"

This letter was dated two days after the Paris correspondent of the_Times_ had telegraphed--

 "Events would seem likely to be coming to a head in consequence of the anarchy prevailing in the Shereefian Empire. The Pretender is just now concentrating his troops in the plain of Angad, and is preparing to take an energetic offensive against Ujda. The camp of the Pretender is imposing in its warlike display. All the caids and the sons of Bu Amema surround Mulai Mahomed. The men are armed with French _chassepots_, and are well dressed in new uniforms supplied by an Oran firm. All the war material was embarked on board the French yacht _Zut_, which landed it last month on the shores of Rastenga between Cape Eau and Melilla under the direction of the Pretender's troops. "

Towards Christmas, 1902, circumstantial reports began to appear in thenewspapers of an overwhelming defeat of the imperial army by rebelswho were marching on Fez, who had besieged it, and had cut off theaqueduct bringing its water, the Sultan retreating to the palace, Europeans being ordered to the coast, etc. , etc. These statementsI promptly and categorically denied in an interview for the London_Echo_; there was no real "pretender, " only a religious fanaticsupported by two disaffected tribes, the imperial army had not beendefeated, as only a small body had been despatched to quell thedisturbance; the "rebels" were not besieging Fez, as they had no army, and only the guns captured by the clever midnight surprise of sleepingtroops, of which the "battle"--really a panic--consisted; they had notcut the "aqueduct, " as Fez is built on the banks of a river from whichit drinks; the Sultan's palace was his normal abode; the Europeanshad not fled, seeing no danger, but that _on account of the alarmingtelegrams from Europe_, their Ministers in Tangier had advised them towithdraw, much against their will. 

So sweeping a contradiction of statements receiving daily confirmationfrom Tangier, heightened colour from Oran, and intensification fromMadrid, must have been regarded as the ravings of a madman, forthe interview was held over for a week for confirmation. Had notthirty-four correspondents descended on Tangier alone, each withexpenses to meet? Something had to be said, though the correspondentnearest to the scene, in Fez, was two days' journey from it, and sixfrom Tangier, the nearest telegraph station. It is true that someyears ago an American boldly did the journey "From Fez to Fleet Streetin Eight Days, " by forgetting most of the journey to Tangier, but thiswas quite out-done now. Meanwhile every rumour was remodelled in Oranor Madrid, and served up afresh with confirmatory _sauce piquante_, _àla française_ or _à l'espagnol_, as the case might be. It was not tillReuter had obtained an independent, common-sense report, that theinterview was published, my statements having been all confirmed, but by that time interest had flagged, and the British public stillbelieves that a tremendous upheaval took place in Morocco just then. 

Yet, notwithstanding the detailed accounts of battles and reverses--acollation of which shows the "Father of the She-ass" fighting inseveral places at once, captured or slain to-day and fightingto-morrow, and so on--the Government of Morocco was never in realdanger from the "Rogi's" rising, and the ultimate issue was never indoubt. The late Sultan, El Hasan, more than once suffered in personat the hands of the same tribes, defeats more serious than thoseexperienced by the inadequate forces sent by his son. 

The moral of all this is that any news from Morocco, save thatconcerning Europeans or events on the coast, must be received withcaution, and confirmation awaited. The most reliable accounts atpresent available are those of the _Times_ correspondent at Tangier, while the _Manchester Guardian_ is well informed from Mogador. Whatever emanates from Paris or Algeria, not referring directly tofrontier events; or from Madrid, not referring to events near theSpanish "presidios, " should be refused altogether, as at best it issecond-hand, more often fabricated. How the London Press can seriouslypublish telegrams about Morocco from New York and Washington passescomprehension. The low ebb reached by American journals with one ortwo notable exceptions in their competitive sensationalism would ofitself suffice to discredit much that appears, even were the countriesin touch with each other. 

The fact is that very few men in Morocco itself are in a positionto form adequate judgements on current affairs, or even to collectreliable news from all parts. So few have direct relations with theauthorities, native and foreign; so many can only rely on and amplifyrumour or information from interested sources. So many, too, of thelatter _must_ make money somehow! The soundest judgements are to beformed by those who, being well-informed as to the conditions andpersons concerned, and Moorish affairs in general, are best acquaintedwith the origin of the reports collected by others, and can thereforerightly appraise them. 

INDEX

A

Abbas, Shah of Persia, 280 _note_

Abd Allah bin Boo Shaïb es-Sálih, story of: protection system, 247-251

Abd Allah Ghaïlán, former rebel leader, 274

Abd el Hakk and the Widow Záïdah, story of the, 164, 165

Addington, Mr. , British Ambassador at Granáda, 354

Aghmát, capital of Southern Morocco, 5

Ahmad II. , "the Golden, " addressed by Queen Elizabeth, 9

Algeria, 281; the French in, 294-296, 299; viewed from Morocco, 307-317; under French rule, 308-315; failure as a colony, 309; Arabs in, 313; Moors in, 314; mosques, 315; tilework, 316; field for scientist, 317

Algiers (El Jazîrah), the city and people, 310-316

Alhambra, the, at Granáda (_q. V. _)

_Al-moghreb Al-aksa_ on the political situation, 381-394

Andorra, the Pyrenean republic of, 7, 337, 379; its privileges granted by Charlemagne, 379

Anglo-French Agreement, 276, 279, 301, 304, 381; clauses in, 283, 293

Anne, Queen, 9

Arabs, the wandering, 57-62; tent-life, 57-62; food, 59; hospitality, 60; in Algeria, 313; in Tunisia, 322

B

Beggars, native, 115, 116

Berber race, 3, 6, 47-56; pirates, 3; men brave and warlike, 48, 49; Reefian, 48, 50; women often very intelligent, 51; they, not Saracens or Arabs, real conquerors of Spain, 6, 54; origin still a problem, 55; Ghaïátà Berbers in revolt, 271-273

Boabdil, 356, 365

Boo Ziaro Miliáni, arrest and release of, 34

C

Café, Moorish, 159-165

Carthage, 53; Christian and Mohammedan, 53

Charlemagne, 379

Charles Martel, the "Hammer, " 337

Charles V. , "improver" of Spanish monuments of Moorish art, 338, 350, 353

Chess, 133, 144; an Arab game, 134

Child-life, Moorish, 94-101; infancy, 95; school days, 97; youth, 99; early vices, 101

"Cid, " the, El Mansûr, 376

City life in Morocco, 63-70

Civil war in Morocco: Asni and the Aït Mîzán, 261-266

Coinage, Moorish, 23-25, 125

Córdova, 337, 338-346, 375; its famous mosque (cathedral), 338-345; aisles, columns, arches, 339, 340; the kiblah niche, 342; Moorish worshippers in, 342; European additions to, 343-345; history of the town, 345

Corrosive sublimate tea--for disgraced officials, 28

D

Debts in Morocco, how settled, 30-34

Delbrel, M. , leader of the "Rogi's" forces, 273

Dining out in Morocco, 102-106

Diplomacy in Morocco. _See_ Embassy

Draughts, game of, 162

E

Edward I. And Eleanor of Castile, 376

Edward VII. In Algeria, 281

Elizabeth, Queen, 9

El K'sar es-Sagheer, 6

El Menébhi, ambassador to London and Minister of War, 268

El Moghreb el Aksa, native name of Morocco, 14

El Yazeed, Sultan in 1790, declares war on all Christendom, 10

Embassy to court of Sultan, a typical, 206-232; requisitioning provisions, 206, 207; _personnel_ and _attachés_, 208, 209; native agent, 209; arrival at Marrákesh, 210; reception, 212, 213; the diplomatic interview: ambassador, interpreter, and Sultan, 214-222; the result: as it appeared in the Press, 223; as it was in reality, 224, 225; diamond cut diamond, 226-230; failure, and its causes, 227-230

England and Morocco, 276, 293, 294, 381-394; British trade, 280; British policy in, 301-304; Anglo-French Agreement (_q. V. _); "Morocco news, " 381-394

F

Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, 3, 334, 350, 353, 362, 378; their nuptials the death-knell of Moorish rule in Europe, 7; tomb of, 355

Fez, founded by son of Mulai Idrees, 5; Karûeeïn mosque at, 44, 337, 339, 358

Football, Moorish, 97, 137

Ford's "Handbook to Spain, " 357, 366, 373

France in Morocco, 288, 292-305; "policing" the frontier, 288; her rule inevitable and desirable, 294-300; hope for the Moors, 301, 305, 385; Anglo-French Agreement (_q. V. _); in Algeria, 308-315; in Tunisia, 318-320; _see_ Political situation, the, and Appendix, 381-394

G

German interests in Morocco, 279-282

Gerona: Sulaïmán, Pepin, and Charlemagne, 378, 379

Gibraltar, Moorish castle, 370

Granáda, 337, 352-365; the Alhambra Palace, loveliest monument of Moorish art in Spain, 352-354, 356-362; despoiled by Charles V. And the French, 353; "Tia Antonia, " 353, 354; Morocco-like surroundings, 354; mosques, 355; tomb of Ferdinand and Isabella, 355; remains of Cardinal Mendoza, 356, 377; Bu Abd Allah's sword, 356, 365; courts and halls of the Alhambra, 358-362; other Moorish remains, 362-365

H

Hamed Zirári, story of: protection system, 242-246

Hareems, royal, 73-75; and other, 82-87

Hasheesh, opium of Morocco, 130

Hay, Sir John Drummond, 294

Herbs, fragrant, use of, 86, 108, 122

I

Infant mortality in Morocco high, 96

Irving, Washington, at Granáda, 354; his "Tia Antonia, " 354

Ismaïl the Bloodthirsty exchanges compliments with Queen Anne, 9

J

Jaca, site of desperate battle between Spaniards and Moors, 378

Jelálli Zarhôni, the "Rogi, " head of the revolt of the Ghaïátà Berbers, 271-273

Jewish interpreter, astute, 214-222

Jews in Morocco, 16-17; justice for, 252-260; in Spain, traces of, 334

K

Kabyles, 54

Kaïd, the, and his court, 252-259

Kesk'soo, the national dish, 59, 105, 121, 198, 266

Khalia, staple article of winter diet, 197

Korán, the, at schools, 97; the standard work at colleges, 98

Kufic inscriptions, 351, 361, 373, 375

L

_L'Aigle_ at Mogador and Agadir, 35

"Land of the Moors, The, " 292

_Lex talionis_, 48

M

Machiavellian arts, Moors excel in, 38

Madrid Convention of 1880 ... 282, 382; essential features of, 289, 290

Madrid, Moorish remains in, 376

Malaga, Moorish dockyard, 370

Market-place, Moorish, 107-110, 121-123, 125-132; and marketing, 109, 113-115, 118-124

Marrákesh, founded in the middle of the 11th century, 5; kingdom of, 5, 14; the Kûtûbîya at, 44, 337, 346

Marriage in Morocco, 75, 77; country wedding, 88-93; feastings, presents, and rejoicings, 88-91

Mauretania Tingitana, titular North African bishopric still, 3

Mavrogordato, Kyrios Dimitri: typical embassy, 206-232

Medicine-men, 166-178; cupping, 167-169, 197; exorcising, 169, 171; cauterizing, 170; charms, 172; curious remedies, 174-177; philtres and poisons, 177

Mekka, pilgrimage to. _See_ Pilgrimage

Mendoza, Cardinal, 355, 356; remains of the Mendozas, 377

Merchants, Moorish, 109, 113-115

Mérida, Muslim toleration at, 373

Mokhtar and Zóharah, wedding of, 88-93

Monk, General, 9

Moors in Spain, traces of. _See_ Spain

Morals, Moorish, lax, 39-44, 101

Morocco: retrospect, 1-13; of present day, 14-65; races: Berbers, Arabs, Moors, 15-17, 47-62; life of the people--society, business, pastime, religion, 63-204; diplomacy (_q. V. _); law and justice, 233-260; the political situation (_q. V. _); her neighbours, 307-331; Moors in Spain (_q. V. _); "Morocco news, " _Al-moghreb Al-aksa_, 381-394

Morocco-Algerian frontier, France "policing" the, 288

Mosques, French treatment of, 315, 319

Mulai Abd Allah V. , 1756, makes war upon Gibraltar, 11

Mulai Abd el Azîz IV. , present Sultan, 267-291

Mulai Abd el Káder, a favourite saint, 115

Mulai el Hasan III. , late Sultan, 24, 40, 267

Mulai Idrees, direct descendant of Mohammed, and early Arabian missionary to Morocco, 4; founded the Shurfà Idreeseeïn dynasty, 5

Mulai Yakûb el Mansûr, builder of mosque towers at Sevílle, Marrákesh, and Rabat, 347

Musical instruments, 135, 139, 151, 160

O

Official rapacity, 28, 242-251, 252-260

Orihuela, palms at, 371

P

Pawkers, Admiral, 11

Pepys, Samuel, once on a Moorish Commission, 383

Pilgrims to Mekka, 191-204; sea-route preferred to-day, 191; camp at Tangier, 192-200; comforts and discomforts, 192-200; a novel tent, 193-195; food, 197-199; returning home, 201-204

Piracy of Moors, 7-9; tribute extorted from European Powers, 9, 10, 12; abandoned by Algiers, 12; not wholly unknown to-day, 13

Political situation, the, 267-291; the Sultan and reforms, 268-270; unsettled state of the empire, 270-275; a change welcome, 276; agreement among the three great Powers remote, 276; Anglo-French Agreement (_q. V. _); famine and unrest, 277; German interests, 280; Spanish interests, 283; conference proposed, 282, 284; points for discussion, 285-288; "Morocco news" must be received with caution, 381-394

Postal reform needed, 286

Powder play, 91, 94, 121, 135

Prayer, Moslem, 69, 142, 152; call to, 69, 70

Prisons and prisoners, miserable, 233-241; long terms, 234-237; the lash, 238, 246; the bastinado, 255; Jews in, 260

Protection system, the, 29, 242-251; the need: story of Hamed Zirári, 242-246; the search: story of Abd Allah bin Boo Shaïb es-Sálih, 247-251; patent of, 251; "farming, " 251 _note_

R

Rabat, Hassan tower at, 347, 348

Railways would be welcomed by the Sultan, 297

Raïsûli, rebel leader in the disaffected north, 273-275

Rio Tinto copper-mines, 368

Ronda, corn-mills at, 369

Rosebery, Lord, on Morocco, 387

Rudolf II. , 1604: his active policy respecting Moroccan affairs, 280 _note_

S

Saragossa, the Aljaferia at, 378

School, Moorish, 97, 98

Sevílle, 337, 346-352, 367; Girálda tower, 346-348; palace, El Kasar, 349-351; royal "improvers" of Moorish work, 350; capital of Charles V. , 352; Moorish remains at, 367

Sherley, Sir Anthony, 1604, adventurer and diplomatist, 280 _note_

Shurfà Idreeseeïn dynasty founded by Mulai Idrees, 5

Sidi Mohammed, son of Mulai Abd Allah V. , 11

Si Marzak and his fair Azîzah, the loves of, 160-162

Slave-markets, Marrákesh and Fez, 179-181

Slavery in Morocco, 8, 17, _et passim_, 179-190; sources of supply, 180; girls for hareems, 181; treatment fairly kind, 181, 182; men have risen to high positions, 182; use chiefly domestic, 183; a slave-girl's cruel story, 185-190

Smeerah, quaint incident at, 198

Smin, use of, 112, 131

Smith, Sir Chas. Euan, 206

Snake-charming, 137, 151-158

Social life, Moorish, 82-87

Spain, Moorish empire in, founded by Berbers, 6, 54; footprints of Moors in, 332-379; place-names and words of Arabic origin, 333, 369; physiognomy of the people, 335; habits and customs, 335; salutations, 336; narrow streets, 336; forts and mosques (churches), 337; the mosque at Córdova (_q. V. _); Girálda and El Kasar at Sevílle (_q. V. _); the Alhambra at Granáda (_q. V. _); other Moorish towns, villages, castles, and remains, 366-379; women of, at the battle of Jaca, 378

Sports and pastimes, Moorish: active, 96, 133-137; passive, 138-150, 151-158, 159-165

Stamps and stamp-dealers, 287

Story-teller, the, 122, 137, 138-150; Mulai Abd el Káder and the Monk of Monks, 141-148

T

Tafilált, home for discarded Sultanas, 73

Tangier, English cede possession of, 9, 383; drunkenness and vice, 41; North African Mission, 42; shopping in, 118-124; market-place, 121-123; Sunday market, 125-132; salt-pans, 129; English Church at, 132; starting-place for Mekka pilgrims, 192, 196; residence of ambassadors, 205; gaol at, 233; many Frenchmen at, 300

Tarifa, Moorish remains at, 366

Tarragona, cathedral of, 373

Tea, making, 86, 103

Tilework of Algeria, 316

Toledo, 336, 373; Moorish hydraulists, 374; Ez-Zarkal's water-clocks, 374; cathedral, 374; sword-manufacture, 375

Tortosa, ancient pirate stronghold, 372

Tripoli, city and people, 326-331; the Turkish element in, 326; viewed from Morocco, 326-331; mosques, 328; irrigation, 330

Tunis, city, 321, 322

Tunisia, 299, 308; viewed from Morocco, 318-325; under French rule, 318-320; Jews in, 319; Arabs in, 322; Moors in, 322; women in, 325

V

Valencia, ancient Moorish paradise, 372

W

Water-carriers, Moorish, 132, 149

Water-clocks, Ez-Zarkal's, 374

Wazzân, Shareef of, present representative of Shurfá Idreeseeïn dynasty, 5, 296

Wilhelm II. In Tangier Bay, 281

Women of Morocco, occupations, 58, 62, 77, 111, 134; seclusion, 64, 77, 83, 103, 107; subservient position, 71-81, 107; possibilities of influence, 73; marriages, 75, 77, 88-93; divorce, 76; social visits, 82-87; wearing apparel, 84; excellent cooks, 85, 105, 111, 112; slaves, 181, 183, 185, 190; women in Tunisia, 325; in Tripoli, 329

X

Xeres, Old, Moorish citadel, 367

Z

Zarhôn, most sacred town, 5

Zawîah of Sîdi Abd er-Rahmán, 316

Zummeetah, "mixed, " quaint story of, 198

THE END

PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BECCLES. 

Transcriber's Note:

Page 6: Missing accent added to Seville (Sevílle). Page 36: corrected mis-matched quotes. Page 44: restored missing ^ accent to KarûeeïnPage 104: 'whch' corrected to 'which'. Page 128: 'beats' changed to 'beasts', to fit context. Page 130: 'flead' [sic]Page 153: corrected mis-matched quotes. ("And when at home? ')Page 185: 'Rabhah' is spelled 'Rabbah' in previous illustration. Page 198: sic: carraway/carawayPage 263: changed comma for period at sentence end. (sighted, This)Page 273: 'through' changed to 'though', to fit context. Page 274: 'accetpance' changed to 'acceptance'. Page 284: 'territoral' changed to 'territorial'. Page 289: carcase/carcass, both are correct: Oxford Dictionary. Page 299: sic: instal/install. Page 346: added missing accent to III SEVILLE (SEVÍLLE), for conformity. (II CÓRDOVA is accented). Page 349: added missing accent to Giralda (Girálda), for conformity. Page 353: corrected 'architectual' to 'architectural'. Page 372: comma corrected to period. (a Moorish cistern hard by. )Page 296: colon corrected to semicolon. (Moorish worshippers in, 342;). Page 296: added comma (Debts in Morocco, how settled, 30-34). Page 377: added closing quote to "Castle of Ayûb. Page 395: 'Bobadil' changed to 'Boabdil'. Page 395: removed extraneous '378' reference for Charlemagne. Page 396: removed extraneous '3' reference for Ferdinand and Isabella. Page 397: removed extraneous entry (368) for 'kufic inscriptions'; changed '575' to '375'. Page 398, 399: Missing accent added to Seville (Sevílle). Page 399: missing accent added to Cordova (Córdova). Page 399: comma added after 'remains' (other Moorish towns, villages, castles, and remains, 366-379;). Page 400: comma added after 'occupations' (Women of Morocco, occupations, 58, 62, 77, 111, 134;). 

oe ligatures are indicated with [oe]

I also removed the partial square brackets before or after thephotographer's names accompanying Illustration titles.