'/•• <&. ARMY MEDICAL LIBRARY WASHINGTON Founded 1836 wmtm. Section... *fcL.M. it. a Number .3^.3 9 J~G Fobm 113o, W. D.. S. G. O. "• 3—10543 (Revised June 13, 1936) 3**^ TOUR FROM GIBRALTAR TANGIER, I SANTA CRUZ,---- SALLEE, | and MOGODORE, I TARUDANTj AND THENCE OVER MOUNT ATLAS to MOROCCO. INCLUDING A PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF THE ROYAL HAREM, &c. By "WILLIAM LEMPRIERE, Surgeon. Cte.EllirU.€l!ttion, . wirn A&DlildiM %$D feO^RjcXjONS. ■ I PRiHTED BY 'TT "DOBSON/ AT THE STONE-HOUSE, SOUTH SBCOND-STRBET. M.DCC.XCIY. TO His Royal Highnefs Prince Edward, SIR, 1 HE diftinguifhed honour which your Royal Highnefs has been pleafed to confer upon me, by taking under your auguft protection the firft EfTay of a young Author, is a fingular inftance of the bene- volence and liberatity of your Royal High- nefs's difpofition, and will ever command my warmefl acknowledgments. That your Royal Highnefs may enjoy an uninterrupted courfc of health and prof- perity, and long continue a bleffing to the Britifh Nation, and an honour to the fer- vice, is the fincere wilh of Your Royal Highnefs's Moft grateful fervant, WILLIAM LEMPIULRE. WITxii>.^A^'^^Sa. EXCHANGE N.L.IvI. H ADVERTISEMENT. nPHE Author cannot help feeling himfelf under an obligation of apologifing for the frequent egotifms, which appear in the courfe of the fol- lowing narrative, and for the fiiare of it which his adventures neceffarily occupy. The reader will only have the goodnefs to bear in mind, that thefe tranfactions are detailed merely with a view of throwing light upon the character of the people, and the court, which he has undertaken to defcribe; and in this view, he humbly conceives that they ferve better to illuftrate the manners and difpofi- tions of the Moors, than the mofr. laboured difqnifi- tioas. A 3 CONTENTS, CONTENTS. CHAP. L JLfOTIVES of the Author for undertaking this Tour, —Sails from Gibraltar.—Arrival at Tangier.— Defcription of that Place.—Departure for Tarudan r. —Inflame of Tyranny exercifed upon a Jew.—State of the Country and Roads.—Mode of living on thefe journeys.—Defcription of Ar z i l l a. —Moorifb Luxu- ry.—Application from a Variety of Patient}.—Arrival a/Larache . . , page i CHAP. II. Defcription of La r Ac he.—Application from a Number qf Patien.'s.—Difeafes of the Country.—Sate of Me- dical Scieneein Morocco.—Curious Ruin___Beautiful Country.—Encampments of the Arabs—Manners and Cufloms of this fingular People.—Opprejfion of the Peo- ple —Inflames.—Mode of fjhing in the Lakes.— Sancluaries.—Moori/h Saints.—Anecdotesillu Qrative of this Subjecl.—Journey from Mamora to Sallee. i& CHAP. III. Defcription of Sallee.—Piracies.—Curious Letter of Muley Zidan to King Charles I--Brutal Ccn- ducl of a Muleteer.—Hanlfome Behaviour of the French Corfu!—Defcription of Rabat.—journey from Ra- bat ts Mogodorf.—Violent Jlorm.—Ruins of VA- DAL A. — Dar Beyda.—Azamore. — Melanholy /Inecdote of an EngliJIi Surgeon.—Mazagan.—Dyn Medina Viii CONTENTS. Medina Rab-«a. Saffi. General Jlate of the Country.—Defcription o/"Mogodore ... 38 CHAP. IV. General View of the Empire of Morocco.—-Situation and Climate.—Provinces.—Soil.—Wonderful Fertility. —Sea Ports.—Natural Produclions.—Mines.—Ani- mals.—Occajional Famines.—Famine^in 1778.—Ma- nufaclures.—Buildings—Roads.—Population.*—Intro- duction of Negroes.—Muley Ishmael—his Policy'. —Sidi Mahomet.—General OppreJJion of the People. —-Merchants.....-......62 C A A P. V. Journey from yLoGOBOKV. to Santa Cruz.—Some Ac- count of the Origin of that Place.—Arrival at Taru- dant.— Introdutlion to the Prince.—Defcription of his Palace.—Singular Reception.—Accommodations.— State of the Prince's Health.—Abfurd Prejudices of the Moors.—Altercation with the Prince.—Application from other Patients.—The Cadi.—'Introduction into the Prince's Harem.—Wives of the Prince---State of the Female Sex in this Secluded Situation.—-Vifible amend- ment in the Prince's Complaint.—His Affability.—Cha- raclerofthe Prince MuleyAbsulem. * 80 CHAP. VI. Defcription o/"Tarudant.—Country o/"Vled de Non. —Markets for the Sale of Cattle.—Extraordinary Amendment in the Prince's Complaint.— Great Civility from two Moors.—Singular Adventure.—The Prince ordered on a Pilgrimage to Mecca.—Intcrcejfwn in Favour CONTENTS. iX Favour of the Englifh Captives.—Unexpetled Order to repair to Morocco.......107 CHAP.' VII. Journey over Mount Atlas from Tarudant to Mo- rocco.—Retinue.—Dangerous Paffage over Mount Atlas.—Defcription of Mount Atlas.—Natural Produclions.—Animals.—Beautiful Vallies,—Manners and Cufoms of the Brebes.—Piclurefque Views in U.e Mountains. . . . . . 119 CHAP. VIII. Arrival at Morocco.-—Difficulty of obtaining an Au' dience.—Defcription of the Metropolis.—Buildings.— Houf of the Prime Mr.vfur.—The Caflle.—The Jew- dry,—-State of the Jews in Barlary.—Account of Jacob Attal, the Emperor's Jewj/h Secretary.— Manners of the Jews in Barbary.—-JewcJJes,—Drefs, ■—Marriages,—Difpcfithn for Intrigue in the Jewifh i/ora:r..~—The Emperor's Palace defcribed . 127 CHAP. IX. InlrodyS'wn to the Emperor.—Convsrfation .with his his Moorifh Majefly.—Account of the Emperor Sidi Mahomet—his Character—his extreme Avarice--- his miferable Situation.-—Anecdotes relative to the late Emperor.—Anecdotes of Sidi Mahomet—his De- ceit and Hypocrify—his Charity.-r-Pufillanimous Con- duel of the European Powers.—Ceremonies of the Court of Morocco.—Exatlions from Strangers.—Account of the principal Officers of State.—Character of the late Prime Minijler.—Revenues of Morocco.—Wealth X CONTENTS. of the Emperor, lefs than generally imagined.—The Army of the Emperor—how commanded—his Navy. —Internal Government of the Empire.—Ba/haws.— Alcaides.—Ell hackum.—Cadi.—Mode of adminifler- ing JuJlice.—Criminal Punifhments . . . 144 CHAP. X. Arrival ofMuley Absulem at Morocco—his pom- pous Entry.—Adventures of feme Englifh Captives.— Account of wild Arabs.—Interview with the Prince.— Flattering Expectations—difappointed.—Unworthy con- duct of the Prince—his departure for Mecca.—D'f- agreeable Embarraffments.—Efforts of the Author to procure Leave to return......1S 7 CHAP. XI. Departure of Captain Irving.—Infolence of the Populace to Cbriftians.—Manners and Character of the Moors. —Education of the Princes—Perfons and Drefs of the Moors.—Houfes and Furniture.—Ceremonies.—CoU' riers.—Anecdotes illujlrative of Moori/h Cufloms.— Topics of Converfation -at Morocco.—Horfemanfkip. —Mii/ic and Poetry. —Relighn.—Mofques.—Slaves. —Man iagts.—Fun erals.—Renegadoes.—Caravans to Mecca and Guinea. . . 198 CHAP. XII. Summons to appear before the Emperor—Admiffion intt the Royal Harem. Attendance on Lalla Zara.— Introduction to Lalla Batoom, the chief Sultana.— Introduction to Lalla Douyaw, the favourite wife of the Emperor—her Hifiory.—Defcription of the Harem CONTENTS. XJ Harem—its Economy.—Concubines of the Emperor. —Adventure and Altercation with one ofthofe Ladies. —Drefs of the Ladies in the Harem.—Opinion of the Moors concerning the Female Sex.—Emperor's Chil- ttren.—Drefs, Manners, and Situation of the Female Sex in Barbary . . . ... 248 CHAP XIII. Duplicity of the Emperor.—-Plan of the Author to effeB his Emancipation—unfuccefsful.—Application through another Channel.—Curious Prefent from the Emperor. —Striking Injlance of Tyranny.—Perfonal Applica- tion to the Emperor.'—Traits of Defpottfm.—The Em- peror's Difpatches obtained.—Commiffions from the La- dies in the Harem.—-Anecdotes of an Eng'i/h Mulatto. —Journey to Bulu ane—Defcription of that Fortrefs. —Singular Mode of pqffing the River.—Arrival at Sallee—at Tangier.—Prefent from the Emperor. —Return to Gibraltar * ... 280 CHAP. XIV. Return of the Author to Barbary.—-Tetuan-—Town and Buildings—Port.—Prefent State of the Empire "of Morocco under Muley Yazid.—Anecdotes rela- tive to his acceffion.—Muley Yazid jent to Mecca by his Father—his Return—takes Refuge in a Sane- '.uary.—State of the late Emperor.—Death of Sidi Mahomet.—Diffention among the Princes.—Muley Has em proclaimed Emperor—retracts his Preten- tions.—Anecdote relative to Muley AbdrAHAman —curious Letter from him to Muley Yazid.—His Submiffion.—Peaceable Eflablifiment of Muley Ya- zid.—Depredations of the Arabs.—Perfecution of the Jews.—Death of Alcaide Abbas.—Character of Muley Yazid.—Death of Muley Yazid. 295 A TOUR, ®c. CHAP. I. Motives of the Author for undertaking this Tour.—Sails from Gibraltar.—Arrival at Tangier.—Defcription of that Place.—Departure for Tarudant.—Injlance of Tyranny exercifed upon a Jew.—Stale of the Coun- try and Roads.—Mode of living on thefe Journies.— Defcription ©/"Arzilla.—Moori/h Luxury.—Appli- cation from a Variety of Patients.—Arrival at La- rache, IN the month of September 1789 a requefl was forwarded through Mr. Matra, the Bri- tifh conful general at Tangier, to his excellency General O'Hara at Gibraltar, from Muley Ab- fulem, the late emperor of Morocco's favourite fon, the purport of which was, to intreat his ex- cellency to fend a medical gentleman from the garrifon to attend the prince, whofe health was at that time in a dangerous and declining ftate. As the term Muley will frequently occur in the fucceeding pages, it may not be improper to ftate in this place, that it is a title of honour, which is confined to the royal family of Morocco, and is equivalent to that of lord, or rather prince, in our language. B The 2 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. The promifes of Muley Abfulem to the con* ful were fplendid and encouraging. The perfon who was to be fent on this expedition was to be protected from every indignity, and to be treated with the utmoft refpect. He was to receive a liberal reward for his profeffional exertions ; his expences during his journey, and while he ftaid in the country were to be punctually defrayed} and he was to be fent back without delay, when- ever his prefence fhould be required at the gar- rifon. But the moft flattering circumftance which attended this requifition of the Moorifh prince was, the releafe of certain Chrifrian captives who were at that period detained in flavery. Thefe unfortunate perfons confifted of the mafter of an EngUfh vefTel trading to Africa, and nine feamen, who had been wrecked upon that part of the coaft which is inhabited by the wild Arabs, and were carried into Qavery by that favage and mercilcfs people. How far thefe brilliant aflurances were fulfilled, will appear in the courfe of the following narra- tive. It is fufhcient for the prefent to obferve, that, influenced by the faith which the inhabitants of Europe are accuftomed to place in the profeffions of perfons of rank and dignity, and frill more im- pelled by that impetuous curiofity which is natural to youth, I was eafily perfuaded to embrace the opportunity of vifiting a region fo little known to European travellers, and to undertake this Angu- lar, and (as it was generally regarded) extremely hazardous fervice. However difappointed I may have been in my hopes of pecuniary advantage and emolument, ftill I can- A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 3 I cannot at this moment regret my rafhnefs, as it was confidered by many. In the courfe of my vifit I had opportunities which no European had ever enjoyed of becoming acquainted with the man- ners, policy, cufroms, and character of this Angu- lar people. The fanctity of the royal harem itfelf was laid open to my inflection. Even the dangers which I encountered, and the anxious apprehen- fions which I occafionally experienced, I can now reflect upon with a degree of emotion which is not unpleafant. The notes which I made upon the fpot ) had the pleafure to find proved interefling and entertaining to a number of my friends. By their perfuafions I have been encouraged to lay them be- fore the public; and my only and earneft wifh is, that the reader may not find his curiofity difap- pointed, his attention wearied, or his judgment difgufted, by the adventures and obfervations, which, with the mofl perfect confeioufnefs of my own inability as a writer, I fubmit to his inflec- tion. The neceflary preliminaries being fettled, and the baggage of a foldier requiring no great pre- paration, I embarked at Gibraltar the 14th Septem- ber 1789, on board a fmall veflel, and in fix hours arrived at Tangier, where I immediately waited on Mr. Matra, whofe polite reception and kind offices during the fix months that I fpent in Bar- bary, claim, and ever will command, my warmeft acknowledgements. I foon learned that my intended patient was, by his father's command, at the time of my arrival, at the head of an array in the mountains between Morocco and Tarudant, which obliged me to re- B 2 main 4 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C main at Tangier, till we received certain intel- ligence of the prince's return to Tarudant, his ufual place of refidence. It would be difficult to determine whether fur- prize or regret was moft predominant in my mind upon my arrival in this country. The diftance is fo trifling, and the tranfition io fudden, that I at fir ft could fcarcely perfuade myfelf that I was out of Europe, till I was convinced to the contrary by the wonderful difference of people and manners which immediately prefented itfelf on my entering Tangier. Civilization in moft other countries owes its origin to a commercial intercourfe with foreign nations; and there are few parts of the world, however diftant or uninformed, whofe inhabitants have not, in fome way or other, fallen into the manners of thofe foreigners by whom they are vifited. But here this circumftance fecms to have had not the fmalleft effect; for though fituated only eight leagues from Europe, in the habit of a conftant communication with its inhabitants, and enjoying the advantage of a number of foreigners refiding in the place, yet the people of Tangier ftill retain the fame uncultivated manners, the fame averfion to every kind of mental improvement by which the Moors have for ages paft been fo juftly characterized. It is well known that the the town and fortrefs cf Tangier formerly conftituted a part of the foreign dominions of Great Britain. While in the pofleffion of the Englifhit was a place of confider- able ftreogth, but when it was evacuated by the orders of Charles II. the fortifications were de- mo-lifhed, and only the veftiges of them are now vifible A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 5 vifible. There is at prefent only a fmall fort in tolerable repair, which is fituated at the northern extremity of the town, and a battery of a few guns which fronts the bay. From thefe c'rcumftances it is evident that it could make only a very weak refiftanceagainft any powerful attack. The town, which occupies a very fmall fpace of ground, and affords nothing remarkable, is built upon an eminence which appears to rife out of the fea, and is furrounded with a wall. The land for a fmall diftance round it is laid out into vineyards, orchards, and corn-fields, beyond which are tracts of fand, with lofty and barren hills. The fitua- tion is therefore far from beautiful or agreeable. The houfes are in general mean and ill furnifhed, the roofs are quite flat, and both thefe and the walls are entirely whitened over; the apartments are all on the ground floor, as there is no fecond ftory. Contrary to the ufual cuftom in Barbary, the Moors and Jews live intermixed at Tangier, and maintain a more friendly intercourfe than elfewhere in this quarter of the globe. The Jews alfo, inftead of going bare-footed by compulfion, as at Morocco, Tarudant, and many other places, are only required to do it when pafling a ftreet where there is a mofque or a fanctuary. The foreign c'onfuls (except the French who has a houfe at Sallee) refide at Tangier. Be- fore the reign of the late emperor Sidi Mahomet, they were allowed to live at Tetuan, a town greatly preferable to Tangier, as well on account of the inhabitants being more civiziled, as of the beauty of the adjacent country. A Angular cir- B 3 cumftance 6 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, Set. eumftance occafioned the expulfion of the Chri- ftians from that pleafant retreat ;—An European gentleman was amufing himfelf with fhooting at fome birds in the vicinity of the town, and acci- dentally wounded an old Moorifh woman, who unfortunately happened to be within reach of the fhot. Upon this accident the late emperor fwore by his beard that no Chriftian fhould ever again enter the town of Tetuan. It may be neeeffary to inform the reader that this oath (by the beard) is held by the Moors in fuch folemn eftimation, that they are rarely obferved to violate it, nor was the late emperor ever known to difregard it in a Angle inftance. The Atuation of confuk, indeed, in this diftant and uncivilized country, is by no means to be en- vied j and the recompence which fhould induce men of liberal education to Sacrifice their native comforts and advantages to fuch a fyftem of life as is required here, ought not to be trifling. They can form no fociety but among theitifelves; and even the univerfally allowed law of nations is frequent- infufficient to protect their perfons from infult. Subject to the caprice of an emperor whofe conduct is regulated by no law, and whofe mind is govern- ed by no Axed principle, they are often ordered up to court, and after experiencing a very tedious, fatiguing and expenftve journey, they are frequent- ly fent back again without having effected the fmalleft point to the advantage of their own coun- try, fometimes indeed without even being informed of the purpofe -of their journey. As an alleviation to fo unfociable a life, the Englifh, Swedifh, and Dauim confuls have erected country A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 7 country houfes at a fmall diftance from Tangier, where they occafionally retire, and enjoy thofe amufements which the country affords. Thefe are chiefly gardening, filhing, and hunting. From the plenty of game of every kind with which the country abounds, and and a total freedom from any reftriction with refpect to it (for there are no game laws in this empirej they give a full fcope to the pleafures of the field, and endeavour by thofe means to procure a fubftitute for the want of friend- ly and cheerful fociety. On the northern Ade of Tangier is the caftle, which though very extenfive, lies half in ruins. It has a royal treafury, and is the refidenee of the governor. Near the water-fide are ftorehoufes for the refitting of veffels, and at this port many of the emperor's row-gallies are built. A number of them alfo are generally laid up here, when not engaged in actual fervice. Indeed, from its con- venient fituation with refpect to the Straits, this is the beft fea-port that he has for employing to ad- vantage thefe fmall veffels. The bay is fufficiently fpacious, but it is dange- rous for fhipping in a ftrong eafterly wind. The moft fecure place for anchorage is on the eaftern part of the bay, about half a mile from fhore, in a line with the round tower and the Spanifh con- ful's houfe, which makes a very confpicuous ap- pearance from the bay. On the fouthern fide of the bay is the river, where, before it was choaked up with fand-banks, the emperor ufed to winter his large fhips, which he is now obliged to fend to Larache. Moft of the rivers in the emperor's dominions, which were B 4 formerly 8 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C formerly navigable, and well calculated for the the fitting out of veflels, and for the laying of them up in fafety, have now their mouths fo con- tinually filling with land, that in a courfe of years fmall fifhing boats only will be able to enter them. It has often occurred to me, that an enquiry into the ftate of the emperor's navy, and in particular into the inconvenience of his harbours, might be an object of fome confequence to the different Eu- ropean powers, who now condefcend to pay a moft disgraceful tribute to this fhadow of imperial dig- nity. Over the river of Tangier are the ruins of an ancient bridge, fuppofed to have been erected by the Romans. The centre of it only is deftroyed, and that does not feem to be the effect of time. It more probably was pulled down by the Moors, for the purpofe of permitting their veflels to enter the river. The remainder of it is entire, and by its thicknefs and folidity it evinces the excellence of the ancient architects, and fhews that ftrength, as well as beauty, made a conAderable part of their ftudy. As I propofe in a future part of this Narrative to defcribe very particularly the architecture, houfes, furniture, &c. in this country, I fhall conclude my account of Tangier by obferving, that in time of peace it carries on a fmall trade with Gibraltar and the neighbouring coaft of Spain, by fupplying thofe places with proviftons, and receiving in return European commodities of almoft every kind. In a fortnight after my arrival at Tangier the conful received a letter from the prince, inform- ing him of his return to Tarudant, and of his wifh A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 9 wifh that the Englifh furgeon might be difpatched to him immediately. Previous to my departure, however, it became neceffary to conAder what was required for the journey. Two horfemen of the Black or Negro cavalry, armed with long mufkets and fabres, were dif- patched by the prince to efcort me, and had been waiting for that purpofe for fome time. The go- vernor of the town had orders to fupply me with a tent, mules, and an interpreter. Bat it was not without much difficulty that a perfon could be found in Tangier who could fpeak the Englifh and Arabic languages fufficiently well to perform that office ; and it was owing to an accident that I at length was enabled to obtain one. After fearching the whole town in vain, the go- vernor ordered, during the Jewifh hour of prayer, that enquiries fliould be made among all the fyna- gogues for a perfon who underftood both lan- guages. An unfortunate Jew, whofe occupation was that of felling fruit about the ftreets at Gib- raltar, and who had come to Tangier merely to fpend a few days with his wife and family during a Jewifh feftival, being unacquainted with the in- tent of the enquiry, unguardedly anfwered in the affirmative. Without further ceremony the poor man was dragged away from his friends and home, and cciiftrained by force to accompany me. Of the mode in this defpotic government of feizing perfons at the arbitrary pieafure of a go- vernor, an Englifhman can fcarcely form an idea. Three or four lufty Moors, with large clubs in their hands, grafp the wretched and defencelefc B 5 . victim 10 JL TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. victim with as much energy as if he were an Hercules, from whom they expected the moft for- midable refiftance, and half fhake him to death before they deliver him up to the fuperior pow- er.-r-Such was exactly the fituation of my unfor- tunate interpreter. From the fudden and abrupt manner in which he was hurried away, in the midft of his devotions, the women immediately took the alarm, flew in a body to the houfe of the conful, and with fhrieks and lamentations endeavoured to prevail on him to get the man excufed front his journey. The immenfe diftance, and the ill'treatment which they knew was offered to Jews by the Moors, when not under fome civilized controul, were certainly fufficient motives for this alarm on the part of the women. Upon the conful's afluring them, how- ever, that the wife fhould be taken care of, and the hufband fent back without any expence to him on our arrival at Mogodore, where 1 was to be furnifhed with another interpreter, and upon my promifing to protect the Jew from infult, and, if he behaved well, to reward him for his trouble, the women immediately difperfed, and returned home apparently fatisfied. When this bufinefs was completed, the conful furnifhed me with a proper quantity of liquors, two days provifions, a beadftead formed by three folding ftools, for the conveniency of packing it on the mules, with proper cooking utenfils, and an oil-fkin cafe to carry my bedding. The whole of my equipage, therefore, confuted of two Negro foldiers, a Jewifh interpreter, one faddle-mule for A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 11 for myfelf, and another for him, two baggage- mules, and a Moorifh muleteer on foot to take care of them. On the 30th of September, at three in the afternoon, we fet out on our journey ; and at fix the fame evening arrived at a fmall village about eight miles from Tangier, named Hyn Dalia, where we flept that night. The country through which we parted, after quitting the neighbourhood of Tangier, was barren and mountainous, with fcarcely any inhabitants; and it countinued fo the whole way to £arache, only a few miferablc hamlets prefentin'g themfelves occafionally to our view. The villages throughout this empire con- Aft of huts rudely conftructed of ftones, earth, and canes, covered with thatch, and enclofed with thick and high hedges. This defcription exactly applies to that which received us on the firft even- ing of our expedition. So careful had the governor of Tangier been in executing his commiffion, and fo attentive to the accommodation of the perfon who was to reftore health to his royal mafter's favourite fon, that upon examining my tent, it was found fo full of holes, and in every refpect fo out of order, that I was obliged to place my bed under a hedge, and make ufe of my tattered tent as a fide cover- ing. After fpending the night in this Angular fitua- tion, we proceeded on our journey at half paft feven in the morning, and in an hour after croffed the river Marha, which was nearly dry; though I was informed that after the heavy rains it is deep and dangerous to be forded. In a wet feafon, when 12 A TOUR TO MOROCCO*, &C the rivers are fwelled, travellers are frequently detained for feveral days upon their banks. There are in fact but very few bridges in this country, fo that, except at the fea-ports, where they have boats, there is no method of paffing ftreams which are too deep to be forded, except by fwimming, or by the ufe of rafts. At ten we entered a thick and extenfive foreft, named Rabe a Clow. From its Atuation on a high mountain, from the rocky and difficult afcent, and from the diftant view of the ocean through the openings of the trees, this foreft prelented to us an uncommonly wild, romantic, and, I may with truth fay, a fublime appearance. From this profpect, however, our attention was in a great meafure diverted by the miferable road over which we now found we were to pafs, extending for the moft part over fteep mountains and craggy rocks. On this account we were obliged to ride very flow, and with the greateft caution. At eleven we crofted another river, called Ma- chira la chef, running at the bottom of this de- rated foreft, which, though the feafon was dry, was rather deep. Here the eye was agreeably refre fried, by a fine champaigne country, and a good road before us. On this we continued until we arrived at a rivulet with fome trees growing at a fmall diftance from its margin. At noon I fixed upon the moft fhady fpot Icouid find, and, agreeably to the Moorifli fafhion, fat down crofs- legged on the grafs and dined. As the drcffing of victuals would have retarded us too much on our journey, I always made a point of having fomething prepared the night be- fore A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 13 fore to eat cold the following day. Such repafts in frefco were agreeable enough, when wholefome and palatable water could be procured; but very frequently that was far from being the cafe. In many places it was fo muddy and offenfive, that, though extremely thirfty, I could not drink it un- lefs corrected with wine. Except in the large towns, no provifions could be procured but fowls and eggs ; with thefe, which I had been before accuftomed to efteem as delicacies, I now began to be fatiated and dif- gufted. My ufual fupper upon my rout was a cup of ftrong coffee and a toaft, which I found much more refrefhing than animal food. Every morn- ing I breakfafted upon the fame, and experienced the invigorating effects of this beverage, by its enabling me to fupport the fatigues of the day. After purfuing our courfe for about two hours, we arrived at the river Lorifa, where we were detained an hour by the height of the tide. The uncertainty and unevennefs of the bottom, and the number of large ftones which lie in the channel of this river, render it at all times unfafe to be parted. This circumftance we very fenfibly ex- perienced-, for when the tide permitted us to make the attempt, though we had men on foot for the purpofe of guiding our beafts, ftill by their ftriking againft the ftones, and by their ludden plunges into deep holes, we were continually thrown for- ward upon their necks. Hardinefs and dexterity are, perhaps, the firft. among the few advantages which uncivilized na- tions enjoy. It was amufing in this place to ob- ferve a number of Moors, who were travelling on M A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C on foot, pull off their cloaths, place them com- modioufly on their heads, and immediately fwim acrofs the ftream. In the evening we reached Arzilla, where, in confequence of the fervice in which I was engaged, application was made by the foldiers to the Al- caide, or governor of the town, to procure me a lodging. Arzilla is eleven hours journey, or about thirty miles diftant from Tangier: for the Moors compute diftances by hours ; and as the pace of their mules is at the rate of three miles an hour, the length of a journey is generally calcu- lated in this way with fufficient accuracy. The apartment affigned me was a miferable room in the caftle, without any windows, and re- ceiving light from a door-way (for there was no door) and from three holes in the wall about Ax inches fquare. This caftle covers a large fpace of ground; and though it is now in a very ruinous condition, appears to have been a building erect- ed formerly in a fuperior ftile of Moorifh gran- deur. The town is a fmall fea-port upon the Atlantic ocean. It was once in the pofleffion of the Por- tugueze, and was at that time a place of ftrength; but through the indolence and caprice of the Moorifh princes its fortifications have been fince neglected, and its walls are rapidly decaying in almoft every part. The houfes have a miferable appearance, and the inhabitants, who confift of a few Moors and Jews, live in a ftate of the moft: perfect poverty. The reader may form fome idea of the manners of this country, by imagining me and my interpret ter A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 15 ter at one end of the room, as above defcribed, drinking coffee; and at the other, the muleteer and the foldiers enjoying themfelves over a large bowl of Cufcafou, which they were devouring with all the fervour of an excellent appetite, and in the primitive fafhion, that is with their fingers. This fpecies of food is very common among the Moors, who have a tradition that it was invented by their prophet Mahomet, at a time when he could ob- tain neither fleep nor fubfiftence. It is their prin- cipal treat to all foreign minifters, and travellers of diftinction who vilit the country. It conftfts of bits of pafte about the Aze of rice, crumbled in- to an earthen colander, and cooked by the fteam of boiled meat and vegetables. The whole is then put into an earthen difh, and butter and fpices added to it. The difh is ferved up in a wooden tray, with a cover of palmetto leaves plaited to- gether. About an hour after my arrival the governor, and feveral of the principal Moors, paid me a vifit, and brought me, in compliment to my royal patient, a prefent of fruit, eggs, and fowls. After a con- verfation of about half an hour, during which many compliments parted on both fides, my vifitors took their leave, and we all retired to reft. As the report was rapidly and extenfively cir- culated that a Chriftian furgeon was arrived in the town, I found myfelf vifited very early in the morning by a number of patients, whofe cafes were in general truly deplorable. Many of thefe objects were afflicted with total blindnefs, white fweilings, inveterate chronical rheumatifms, and %6 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C dropAes. It was in vain to affure thefe unrortu- nate and ignorant people that their complaints were beyond the reach of medicine. All I could allege gained not the fmalleft credit; a Chriftian doctor, they afferted, could cure every malady, and repeatedly offered me their hands to feel their pulfe; for difeafes of every kind in this country, it feems, are to be difcovered merely by an applica- tion to the pulfe. From the urgent importunities of my patients, who all wifhed to be attended to at the fame time, I was at firft at a lofs how to proceed; however, I found myielf under the neceflity of ordering my guards to keep off the crowd, and permit one only to confult me at a time. It was truly diftreffing to obferve fo many objects of real mifery before me, without having it in my power to adminifter that relief for which they appeared fo anxious, and which they werefo confident of obtaining. Though moft of their complaints appeared to be incurable, yet had my time permitted I fhould have expe- rienced the moft heart-felt pleafure in exerting every means in my power to alleviate their fuffer- ings. Circumftanced as I was, I could only re- commend them medicines which could have but a temporary effect, and which ferved rather to fend them away fatisfied than to afford a perma- nent relief. In the mean time the governor had been paying attention to the bad condition of my tent, and by ordering the worft parts to be cut out, and the reft to be patched, had reduced it fo much in Aze that he had fcarcely left room for myfelf and interpreter with difficulty to creep into it. At A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. I 7 At eight o'clock the fame morning, October 2d, we began our route for the city of Larache, about twenty-two miles from Arzilla, and ar- rived there the fame day about four in the after- noon. Our journey thither was principally on the beach, fo that but little occurred which was worthy of obfervation. Before we could enter the town, we were ferried over the river Luccos, which in this part is about half a mile in breadth, and after many beautiful meanders falls into the ocean at Larache, CHAP. 18 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &Ci CHAP. II. Defcription of Larache.—Application from a Number of Patients.—-Difeafes of the Country.—State of Medi- cal Science in Morocco—Curious Ruin.'—Beautiful Country.-—Encampments of the Arabs.——Manners and Cufloms ofthisfingular People.'—Opprcjfion of the Peo- ple.—In/lances —Mode offifleing in the Lakes.^—Sanc- tuaries.—-MooriJh Saints.—Anecdotes illuflrative of this Subject.—Journey from Mamora to Sallee. IMMEDIATELY on my arrival at Larache I ■** was introduced to the Alcaide or governor, whom I found to be a very handfome black. He (hewed me great attention, and placed me in a very decent apartment in the caftle, which is in a ftate totally different from that of Arzilla. Larache formerly belonged to the Spaniards; it has tolerably neat buildings, and is of a mode- rate extent. This city is fituated at the mouth of the river Luccos, upon an eafy defcent to the fea. The agreeable windings of the river, the clufters of date and various other trees irregularly difpofed, and the gentle rifings of the ground, have a moft picturefque effect; which, aidsdby the reflection that your are contemplating the pure works of nature, unaffifted or undeformed by art, cannot fail to infpire the moft pleafing fenfations. The town, though not regularly fortified, pot feffes one fort and two batteries in good repair. The ftreets are paved, and there is a decent market- place with ftone piazzas. This city indeed on the whole exhibits a much cleaner and neater appear- ance A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C» 10, ance than any town which I vifited in Barbaryi Mogodore excepted. At the port veflels are refitted and fupplied with ftores, though there are no docks nor con- veniences for building large fhips. From the depth and fecurity of the river the emperor is in- duced to lay up his large veflels at Larache during the winter feafon. It indeed is the only port which he poffertes that can anfwer that purpofe. It is however probable, that this river in procefs of time vill be fubjedt to the fame inconvenience as that of Tangier, owing to the accumulation of fand, which already has produced a bar at its en- trance, of which the annual increafe is very per- ceptible. As one of my mules had fallen lame, I con- tinued the whole of the following day at Larache, with a view of exchanging him; but to my great mortification was not able to fucceed in the at- tempt. During a great part of the day my room was fo filled with patients that it might with great propriety be compared to an infirmary, and that not one of the leaf! confiderable. The difeafes that I obferved to be moft prevalent, were the hydrocele; violent inflammmations in the eyes, very frequently terminating in blind- nefs ; the itch, combined with inveterate leprous affections ; dropfies, and white fwellings. I alfo obferved a few intermittent and billious fevers, and frequently complaints of the ftomach, arifing from indigeftion. Though this country has in a few inftances been vifited by the plague, yet that difeafe by no means is fb prevalent here as in the Eaftern parts of Barbary, which are more con- tiguous 20 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. tiguous to Turkey, whence it is fuppofed ufually to proceed. The caufe of the hydrocele fo frequently occur- ring in this country feems to be in a great meafure the loofe drefs of the Moors, and the great relaxa- tion which is induced by the warmth of the cli- mate*. The ophthalmy, 01 inflammation' of the eyes, is evidently occafioned by their being expofed to the reflection of the fun from the houfes, which are univerfally whitened over. To this inconveni- ence the Moors are mote particularly fubject, from their drefs not being calculated to keep off the rays of the fun, and from no perfon being allowed the ufe of an umbrella except the emperor. The leprous affection appears to be hereditary, for I was informed that it has been frequently traced back from one family to another for feveral generations, and it has all the appearance of being the true leprofy of the antients. It breaks out in great blotches over the whole body, in fome few forming one continual fore, which frequently heals up, and at ftated times breaks out afrefh, but is never thoroughly cured. During my refidence at Morocco, I had frequent opportunities of trying a variety of remedies for this complaint, but I never fucceeded further than a temporary cure, for upon difcontinuing the medicines the difeafe was certain to return. The white fwellings and dropfies probably arife from poor living; three * The medical reader will probably fee a further caufe for the frequency of this complaint, in the great indulgence which the Moors allow themfelves in certain pleafures, and the application of the warm bath immediately after. parts A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &c. 21 parts of the people feldom having any other kind of provifion than coarfe bread, fruit, and vegeta- bles. With refpect to the ft ate of medical and chirur- gical knowledge in this country, it is very limited indeed. They have, however, their practitioners in phyflc, both Moors and Jews, who have gone through the form of fitting themfelves for the pro- fcflicn, which chiefly conflfts in felecting from the antient Arabic manufcripts that remain in the coun- try fome Ample remedies, which they afterwards apply, as well as they are able, to various diftem- pers. Their methods of treating diforders are, bleed- ing, cupping, fcarifying, fomentations, and giving internally decoctions of herbs. Some are bold enough in the hydrocele to let out the water with a lancet; and there are thofe who even-couch for the cataract. I never had an opportunity of feeing the operation of couching performed in Barbary, but I was introduced to a Moor at the city of Mo- rocco, who told me that he had performed it, and fhewed me the inftrument which he ufed for the purpofe. This was a piece of thick brafs wire, terminating gradually at one end in a point not very fharp. The Moors chiefly depend upon topical reme- dies, and feldom make ufe of internal medicines. Being ftrangers to the manner in which they are to operate, they feem to entertain no favourable opinion of their efficacy. It is indeed almoft im- poffible to perfuade them that a medicine received into the ftomach can relieve complaints in the head or extremities. It is but juftice,. however, to add, that 22 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. that I never knew them object to any thing that I adminiftered, provided I clearly explained to them the manner in which they were to be benefited by it. From thefe obfervations, and from the frequent recourfe which the Mahometans have to charms and amulets, it appears that, notwith- standing their belief in predeftination, they are not averfe to the ufe of means for the removal of diforders. Of the number who applied to me for relief at Larache, none appeared to exhibit the leaft fenfe of gratitude except one; the reft: behaved as if they thought they did me a greater favour by afking my advice, than I conferred on them by giving it. The perfon to whom I allude, as being fo different in his conduct from the reft, was an old Moor of fome diftinction.in the place, who defired me to come to his houfe and vifit a Ack friend, with which requeft I immediately complied. The man for this trifling attention was fo uncommonly grate- ful, that reflecting on the place where I was, and on the treatment I had already experienced, I was aftonifhed and gratified beyound expreffion. After fending to my apartment a large fupply of poultry and fruit, the ufual prefent of the country, he waited on me himfelf, and affured me, that while he lived he fhould never forget the favour which I had done him; at the fame time infifting upon my making ufe of his houfe as my own upon my return. As this was the principal inftance of this very Angular virtue among the Moors, which I expe- rienced during my whole tour in Barbary, I have thought it my duty to be particular in mentioning the circumftance. Oa A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 33 On the 4th of October, at fix in the morning, we left Larache, and at ten parted the river Clough, a fmall ftream. At four in the afternoon we came to the ruins of a large caftle, faid to have been built fome hundred years ago, by a Moor of diftinction, named Dar Corefy, who was put to death by the then reigning emperor, and his caftle deftroyed, Moft of the caftles and other public buildings in- deed, which I faw in this empire, afforded ftrong marks of having fuffered more from the hands of the tyrant, than from the injuries of time. I have already mentioned the beautiful profpects in the country adjacent to Larache: thofe in the road from that city to Mamora were not lefs de- lightful. We travelled among trees of various kinds, fo agreeably arranged that the place had more the appearance of a park than of an unculti- vated country. We croffed over plains which, without the aid of the hufbandman, were rich in verdure; and we had a view of lakes which ex- tended many miles in length, the fides of which were lined with Arab encampments, and their fur- faces covered with innumerable water-fowl. The finenefs of the day greatly added to the pleafure I received from thefe variegated fcenes, which are not unworthy the pencil of the ableft artift. At half paft four in the aftenoon we arrived at the flrft of thefe lakes, and pitched our tent in the centre of one of the encampments. Thefe encampments are generally at a very con- siderable diftance from the cities and towns; the villages, on the other hand, are commonly quite in the vicinity of fome town. The encampment confifts of broad tents, conftructed either of the leaves *4 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, ScC. leaves of the palmetto, or of camels hair. Some of them are fupported by canes, and others are fixed by pegs. The form of an Arab tent is in fome degree fimilar to a tomb, or the keel of a fhip reverfed. They are dyed black, are broad, and very low. The tent of the Shaik or governor is confiderably larger than any of the others, and is placed in a confpicuous part of the camp. Thefe camps are named by the Arabs Douhars, and the number of tents in them vary according to the pro- portion of people in the tribe or family. Some of the Douhars contain only four or five, while others confift of near a hundred. The camp forms either a complete circle or an oblong fquare, but the firft is more common. The cattle, which are left to graze at large in the day, are carefully fecured within the boundaries at night. In all the camps the tents are clofed on the North fide, and are quite open on the South, by which means they efcape the cold Northerly winds, fo prevalent in this country during the winter feafon. The Arabs who inhabit thefe encampments are in many refpects a very different race of people from the Moors who inhabit the towns. The latter, from being in general more affluent, from their intercourfe with Europeans, and from their different education, have introduced luxuries, and imbibed ideas, of which the others are entirely ignorant. From their ftrong family attachments indeed, as well as from their inveterate prejudices in favour ofantientcuftoms, thefe tribes of Arabs appear to be at a vaft diftance from a ftate of civi- lization. As this Angular people afTociate con- 4 tinually A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 25 tinually in tribes, their marriages are confined to their own family; and fo ftrict are they in the ob- fervance of this attachment, that they will not per- mit a perfon who is not in fome degree related to them to inhabit the fame camp with themfelves. The hufband, wife, and children all fleep in the fame tent, commonly on a pallet of fheep-fkins, but fometimes on the bare ground. The children remain with their parents till they marry, when the friends of each party are obliged to provide them with a tent, a ftone hand-mill to grind their corn, a baflcet, a wooden bowl, and two earthen dirties, which conftitutc the whole of their furni- ture. Befides thefe they have, however, a mar- riage portion, which confifts of a certain number of camels, horfes, cows, fheep, and goats, with a proportionable quantity of wheat and barley: and by grazing and cultivating the neighbouring ground they gradually increafe their ftock. The Arabs have feldom more than one wife. Their women, who are in general the very oppofite to every idea of beauty, do not, like thofe who in- habit the towns, conceal their faces in the pre- fence of ftrangers. Each camp is under the direction of a Shaik, to whom the reft apply for redrefs whenever they feci themfelves aggrieved. This governor is in- verted with the power of inflicting any punifh- ment which he may think proper, fhort of death. He is appointed by the emperor, and is in general the Arab who portertes the greateft property. As they are generally at a diftance from any mofque where they can exercife their religion, an empty tent is allotted for the purpofes of worfhip, C which 26 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. which is placed in the centre of the camp, and which at the fame time ferves for the nightly a- bode of any traveller who may pafs that way; and thofe who take fhelter in it are provided with a good fupper, at the expence of the whole aflbcia- tion. Within this tent all the children affemble every morning an hour before day-break, before a large wood fire, which is made on the outfide, and learn their prayers, which are written in Ara- bic characters on boards, and are always hanging up in the tent. The learning to read the few pray- ers which are on thefe boards, and to commit them to memory, is the only education to which the Arabs in general ever attain. The unfettled turn of thefe people has con- ferred upon them the appellation of wandering Arabs. As foon as the land which furrounds them becomes lefs productive, and their cattle have de- voured all the pafture, they ftrike their tents, and move on to fome more fertile fpot, till neceffity again compels them to retire. I met one of thefe tribes upon their march, and obferved that not only their camels, horfes, and mules, but alfo their bulls and cows, were laden with their tents, im- plements of agriculture, wives and children, &c. In the empire of Morocco all landed property, except what is immediately connected with towns, belongs to the emperor. The Arabs, therefore, when they wifh to change their fituation, are obli- ged to procure a licence from him, or at leaft from the bafhaw of the province, allowing them to take poflefflon of any particular fpot of ground; and in confideration of this indulgence they pay the emperor a proportion of its produce. The a Tour to morocco, Sec. 27 The treatment which I experienced from thefe people was kind and hofpitable, betraying no figns of that inclination to impofe upon ftranpers, which fo ftrongly mark the character of the inhabitants of the towns. . As foon as my tent was pitched, numbers flocked round it, but apparently more from curiofity than from any intention of offend- ing. On the contrary, they appeared exceedingly defirous to do every thing in their power for my accommodation. The drefs of the men confifts of a long coarfe frock, made of undyed wool, which is girt about the waift, and is called a Cafhove. In addition to this they wear the Haick, which is a piece of ftuff feveral yards in length, made either of wool, or wool and cotton. This, when they go abroad, they ufe as a cloak, throwing it over the whole of the under-drefs in a carelefs manner, the up- per part ferving to cover their head. They wear their hair cut quite clofe, ufe no turban, cap, nor (lockings, and feldom even wear flippers. The drefs of the women is nearly the fame, dif- fering only in the mode of putting on the Caf- hove, which is fo contrived as to form a bag on their backs, for the purpofe of carrying their chil- dren ; and this they are able to do, and perform all the drudgery of the family at the fame time. Their hair, which is black, is worn in different plaits, and is covered with a handkerchief tied clofe to their head. They are very fond of gold and filver trinkets when they can obtain them, and none of them are without a number of bead necklaces. Their children go quite naked till the C 2 age 28 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. age of nine or ten, when they are initiated in the drudgery of their parents. The mode of living amongft thefe people is much the fame as that of the Moors in towns, cufcofou being their principal diet*. Befides this, however, they eat camels and foxes flefh, and fometimes even cats have fallen victims to their voracity. They ufe barley bread, which is pre- pared without yeaft or leaven, and baken in an earthen difh in the fhape of a cake. The complexion of the Arabs is a dark brown, or rather olive-colour* Their features, from their more active life, have ftronger exprertion and few- er marks of effeminacy than thofe of the Moors in towns. Their eyes are black, and their teeth in general white and regular. The ill effects of ftrong family prejudices, and of that narrow and exclufive difpofition which ac- companies them, is ftrongly marked in thefe little focicties. Every camp beholds its neighbour with deteftation or contempt. Perpetual feuds arife be- tween the inhabitants of each, and too commonly are productive of bloodfhed, and the moft extra- vagant outrages. When one of thefe unfortunate contefts proceeds to open acts of violence, it fel- dom terminates till the emperor has taken a fhare in the difpute. Whoever is the author, he at leaft generally derives advantage from thefe dif- fenfions; for, independent of the corporal punifh- ment which he inflicts, he alfo impofes heavy fines upon the contending tribes, which proves the moft effectual mode of pacifying the combatants. Befides what the emperor gains in this way, which is frequently confiderable, he likewife re- ceives A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 29 ceives annually the tenth of every article of con- fumption which is the produce of the country ; he alfo fometimes exacts an extraordinary import, an- fwering in value to about the fortieth part of eve- ry article they pofTefs, which is levied for the pur- pofe of fupporting his troops. Befides thefe levies, thefe unfortunate people are liable to any other ex- action which his caprice may direct him to impofe upon them, from a plea of pretended or real ne- cclfity. The firft tax (the tenth) is paid either in ccrn and cattle, or in money. The other is al- ways paid in corn and cattle. The mode practifed by the emperor for extort- ing money from his fubjects is very fimple and ex- peditious, lie fends orders to the bafhaw cr go- vernor of the province to pay him the ilim he wants within a limited time. The bafhaw immediately collects it, and fometimes double the fum, as a re- ward to his own induftry, from the Alcaides of the towns and Shaiks of the encampments in the province which he commands. The example of the bafhaw is not loft upon thefe officers, who take care to comp enfate their own trouble with equal liberality from the pockets of the fubjects ; fo that by means of this chain of defpotifm, which defcends from the enperor to the mtaneft officer, the wretched people generally pay about four times the taxes which the emperor receives—fo little gainers are arbitrary monarchs by theoppref- fion of the public ! The exactions indeed have been fometimes fo feverc, that the Arabs have pofitively refufed to fatisfy the emperor's demands, and have obliged him to fend a party of foldiers to enforce them. Whenever he is forced to this extremity, C 3 the 30 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. the foldiers never fail to give full fcope to their love of plunder. When a ftranger fleeps in one of thefe camps, he refts in the moft perfect fafety ; for if he lofes the leaft article, or is in any refpect injured, all the Arabs of the camp become anfwerable for it. So that a foreigner travels with much greater fecuri- ty under the protection of government in this em- pire, than among the nations of Europe which are more civilized. The lakes in this part of the world furnifh great plenty of water-fowl and eels. The manner of catching the latter being in fome degree curi- ous, I fhall trefpafs upon the reader's patience while I endeavour to give fome account of it. A fort of fkiff, about fix feet long and two broad, is formed of bundles of reeds and rufhes, rudely joined together, leaving only fufficient room to contain one man. The fkiff gradually narrows off towards the head, where it terminates in a point, which is bent upwards in a manner fimilar to the turn of a fcate. It is guided and managed entirely by one long pole, and from its lightnefs is capable of very quick motion. For the imme- diate purpofe of taking the eels, a number of ftrong canes are fixed together, with a barbed iron in each, and with this inftrument, as foon as the eels are obferved in the water, the man im- mediately ftrikes at them with great dexterity, and generally with fuccefs. Almoft the whole employment of the Arabs con- fifts in the tillage of the ground adjacent to their camps, and in the grazing of their cattle. The grounds at a diftance from the lakes, by the burn- ing A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 3 I ing of the ftubble in the autumn, and a flight turn- ing up of the earth with a wooden plough-fhare, produce good crops of barley and wheat; and by thefe means the Arabs procure not only fufficient for their confumption, but are even enabled to bring a part for fale to the neighbouring markets. Near the marfhes and lakes their flocks and herds find a very rich p^fture, which from the number of every fpecies which I obferved, added in no fmall degree to the beauty of the romantic fcene. With refpect to their markets, they have fpots of ground fixed upon for that purpofe within a few hours ride of their habitations, where once a week all the neighbouring Arabs tranfport their cattle, poultry, fruit, and corn, to be difpofed of, and fometimes meet with a good fale from the Moorifh merchants, who come from the town to purchafe cattle and grain. Were the emperor to allow a free exportation of corn, with moderate duties, and to permit the people Ao enjoy what they earn, exacting only the tax allowed him by the Koran, of a tenth on each article,- his fubjects would foon become very rich, and "his own revenue would be trebly increafed. The foil is fo fertile, that every grain is computed to produce an hundred fold; but, owing to the want of a greater demand for this article, the Arabs fow little more than is neceffary for their own ufe. The only guards of thefe rude habitations, both againft thieves and wild beafts, are dogs of a very large and fierce fpecies. If thefe animals perceive a ftranger approach the camp, they furioufly iflue in a body againft him, and probablywould tear him to C 4 pieces, 32 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, SiC. pieces, were they not reftrained, and called off by their owners. Through the whole of the night they keep up an inceffant and melancholy barking and howling, which, though doubtlefs very ufe- ful, in keeping their mafters upon the watch, and frightening away wild hearts, yet, when united to the lowing of the herds and neighing of the horfes which occupy the vacant fpaces of the camp, cer- tainly tends to deprefs the fpirits, and impede that reft which the fatigue attending thofe journeys naturally requires. On the 5th of October, between five and fix in the morning, we quitted the habitations of thtfe hofpitable Arabs, ar.d travelled on to Mamora, where we arrived about fix the fame evening. The greater part of this day's journey afforded us a coitinuation of nearly the fame appearances with that of the preceding day. As we approached the town, we obferved on each fide of the lakes feveral fanctuaries of Moor- ifh faints. Thefe fanctuaries are ftone buildings of about ten yards fquare, whitened over, with a cupola at the top, containing in them the body of the faint. A veneration for perfons of eminent fanctity has pervaded all nations and all religions of the world. The Mahometan religion appears as little favour- able to this fpecies of fuperftition as moft with which we are acquainted, as it fo tenacioufly in- fifts on the unity of God, and fo ftrictly inhibits all creatures whatever from participating in the honours which are due only to the Deity. Some degree of idolatry, however, will prevail in every rude nation. When, therefore, a Mahometan faint A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 33 fiint dies, he is buried with the utmoft folemnity, and a chapel is erected over his grave, which place afterwards becomes more facred than even the mofques themfelves. If the moft atrocious criminal takes refuge in one of thefe chapels, or fanctuaries, his perfon is fecure. The emperor himfelf, who rarely icruples to employ any means whatever that may ferve to accomplifh his purpofe, feldom violates the privi- lege of thefe places. When a Moor is opprefled by any mental or bodily affliction, he applies to the neareft farnftuary, and afterwards returns home with his mind calm and comforted, expecting to derive fome confiderable benefit from the prayers which he has offered there: and in all defperate cafes the fanctuary is the laft refort. Saints in Barbary are of two kinds. The firft are thofe who by frequent ablutions, prayers, and other acts of devotion, have acquired an extraor- dinary reputation for piety. Too many of thefe are artful hypocrites, who under the mafk of religion practife the moft flagrant immoralities. There are, however, inftances of fome among them, whofe practices accord in general with their profertion, and who make it their bufinefs to attend upon the fick, and affift the neceffitous and un- happy. From fuch as thefe the fevere fpirit of philoibphy itfelf will fcarcely withhold refpect and veneration. Idiots and madmen form the fecond clafs of faints. In every ftate of fociety, indeed, an opi- nion has been prevalent, that perfons afflicted with thefe mental complaints were under the in- fluence of fuperior powers. The oracles and pro- C 5 phets 34 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. phets of the heathen world derived their celebrity from this circumftance; and even among the lower claffes in our own country we frequently have to encounter a fimilar prejudice. In conformity, therefore, with thefe notions, fo natural to uncul- tivated man, the Moors conAder thefe unhappy perfons as being under the fpecial protection of Heaven, and divinely infpired. Superftition here, as perhaps in fome other inftances, becomes ad- mirably fubfervient to humanity and charity. In eonfequence of this prejudice, the moft friendlefs and unprotected race of mortals find friends and protectors in the populace themfelves. They are fed and cloathed gratis wherever they wander, and are fometimes loaded with prefents. A Moor might with as much fafety offer an infult to the emperor himfelf, as attempt by any feverity to reft rain even the irregularities of thefe reputed prophets. It muft not, however, be diffembled, that opi- nions which have not their bafis in reafon and philofophy are feldom found to operate uniformly for the advantage of fociety. Independent of the wide fcope which thefe fuperftitious notions afford to hypocrify, numberlefs are the evils with which they are attended, fince whatever mifchief thefe fuppofed minifters of heaven may perpetrate, their perfons are always facred. It is not long fince there was a faint at Morocco, whofe conftant amufe- ment was to wound and kill whatever perfons un- fortunately fell his in way; yet, in fpite of the many fatal confequences from his infanity, he was frill fuffered to go at large. Such was the malig- nity of his difpofition, that while he was in the very A TOUR TO MOROC40, &C. 35 very act of prayer he would watch for an oppor- tunity to throw his rofary round the neck of fome perfon within his reach, with an intent to ftrangle him. While I refided at Morocco, I fenfibly ex- perienced the inconvenience of coming within the vicinity of thefe faints, as they feemed to take a particular pleafure in infulting and annoying Chrif- tians. Befides thefe, I may mention under the head of faints or prophets, the Marabouts, a clafs of im- poftors who pretend to fkill in magic, and are highly efteemed by the natives. They lead an in- dolent life, are the venders of fpells and charms, and live by the credulity of the populace. There is alfo among thefe people a fet of itiner- ant mountaineers, who pretend to be the favourites of the prophet Mahomet, and that no kind of ve- nomous creatures can hurt them. But the moft. Angular of this clafs are the Sidi NaAr, or fnake- eaters,who exhibit in public upon market-days, and entertain the crowd by eating live fnakes, and per- forming juggling deceptions. I was once prefent at this ftrange fpecies of amufement, and faw a man, in the courfe of two hours, eat a living fer- pent of four feet in length. He danced to the found of wild mufic, vocal and inftrumental, with a variety of odd geftures and contortions, feveral times round the circle formed by the fpectators. He then began his attack upon the tail, after he had recited a fhort prayer, in which he was joined by the multitude. This ceremony was repeated at intervals, till he had entirely devoured the fnake. Thus 36 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. Thus far by way of digreflion; I now return to the courfe of my narrative. Early in the even- ing of the fifth, we arrived at Mamora, which is diftant about fixty-four miles from Larache. It is fituated upon a hill near the mouth of the river Saboe, the waters of which, gradually widening in their courfe, fall into the Atlantic at this place, and form a harbour for fmall veflels. Mamora, like the generality of the Moorifh towns through which I pafTed, contains little worthy of obfervation. While it was in the pof- feflion of the Portugueze it was encompaffed by a double wall, which ftill remains ; it had alfo other fortifications which are deftroyed. At prefent, it poflefles only a fmall fort on the fea-fide. The fertile paftures, the extenfive waters and plantations, which we parted on our way hither, have already been remarked. The vicinity of Mamora is equally enchanting. What a delight- ful refidence would it be, if the country had not the misfortune to groan under an arbitrary go- vernment ! In the morning, between eight and nine, we mounted our mules, leaving Mamora, and direct- ing our courfe towards Sallee; where we arrived between one and two at noon, after having tra- velled over a fpace of about fifteen miles. The road between Mamora and Sallee, is in excellent order, and tolerably pleafant. It extends along a vale, towards which the hills gently flope on each fide. Within a quarter of a mile of Sallee, we ar- rived at an aqueduct, which the natives aflert to have A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 37 have been built many years ago by the Moors; but from its ftyle, and ftriking marks of antiquity, it bears more the refemblance of a piece of Roman architecture. Its walls, which are remarkably thick and high, extend in length for about half a mile, and have three ftupendous arch-ways opening to the road, through one of which we pafled on our way to Sallee. Although time has laid its deftructive hand in fome degree on this ancient piece of architecture, yet it ftill ferves the purpofe of fupplying the town of Sallee with ex- cellent water. CHAP. 33 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C CHAP. III. Defcription of Sallee.—Piracies.—Curious Letter of Muley Zidan to King Charles I.—Brutal Con- duct of a Muleteer.—Handfome Behaviour of the French Conful.—Dfcription ofRabat.—Journey fr«m Ra- bat to Mogodore.—Violent Storm.—Ruins o/Ta- Dala.—DarBeyda--Azamore.—Melancholy A- ntcdote of an Englifh Surgeon.—Mazagan.—Dyn Medina Raba:a.~-Saffi.—General State of the Country.—Defcription o/"Mogodore. T^HE name of Sallee is famous in hiftory, and ■*■ has decorated many a well-told tale. Thofe piratical veflels which were fitted out from this port, and which were known by the name of Sal- s* lee-rovers, were long the terror of the mercantile world. Equally dreaded for their valour and their cruelty, the adventurers who navigated thefe fwift and formidable veflels, depopulated the ocean, and even dared fometimes to extend their devafta- tions to the Chriftian coafts. As plunder was their fole aim, in the acquifition of it nothing im- peded their career. Human life was of no value in their eftimation, or if it was fometimes ipared, it was not through any fentiment of juftice or compaf- fion, but only that it might be protracted in the moft wretched of fituations, as the hopelefs flave to the luxury and caprice of a fellow mortal. The town of Sallee in its prefent ftate, though large, pre- fents nothing worthy the obfervation of the tra- veller, except a battery of twenty-four pieces of cannon fronting the fea, and a redoubt at the en- trance A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 39 trance of the river, which is about a quarter of a mile broad, and penetrates feveral miles into the interior country. On the fide oppofite to Sallee is fituated the town of Rabat, which formerly partook equally with Sallee in its piratical depredations, and was generally confounded with it. While Sallee and Rabat were thus formidable, they were what might be termed independent ftates, paying only a very fmall tribute to the emperor, and barely acknowledging him for their fovereign. This ftate of independence undoubtedly gave uncom- mon vigour to their piratical exertions. Few will take much pains, or encounter great rifks for the acquifition of wealth, without the certainty of enjoying it unmblefted. Sidi Mahomet, how- ever, when prince, fubdued thefe towns, and an- nexed them to the empire. This was a mortal blow to their piracies; for when thofe defperate mariners felt the uncertainty of poflefling any length of time their captures, they no longer be- came folicitous to acquire them; and at length, when the man who had deprived them of their privileges became emperor, he put a total flop to their depredations, by declaring himfelf at peace with all Europe. Since that period the entrance of the river has been fo gradually filling up with fand wafhed in by the fea, that was it poffible for thefe people to recover their independence, it would incapacitate them for carrying on their piracies to their former ex tent . Having * In perufing the manufcripts of a gentleman lately de. ceaJed, who foraicily refided a number of years in this Empire, ^O A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C Having a letter of recommendation to Mr. De Rocher, the French conful-general, I was ferried over the river to Rabat, where he refides, and met with a very polite reception. Upon landing my Empire, it appears that Sallee was, fo far back as the year 1648, eminent for its piracies and independence, and that it became an object of conqueft to the monarch of that time. He exprefles himfelf in thefe words :— " Sallee is a city in the province of Fez, and derives its name from the river Sala, on which it is fituated, near its influx into the Atlantic Ocean. It was a place of good commerce, till addicting itfelf entirely to piracy, and re- volting from its allegiance to its fovereign Muley Zidan, that prince, in the year 1648, difpatched an embafly to King Charles I. of England, requeuing him to fend a fquadronof men of war to lie before the town, Vvhile he at- tacked it by land. This requeft being confented to, the city was foon reduced, the fortifications demolifhed, and the leaders of the rebellion put to death. The year fol- lowing the Emperor fent another ambaflador to England, with a prefent of Barbary horfes and three hundred Chrif- tian flaves, accompanied with the following letter. I infert it as a fpecimen of the loftinefs of the Moorifh ftyle, and becaufe it leads me to think, that Muley Zidan wa9 a more enlightened prince than moft of his predecefTors. Neither the addrefs, fignature, nor reception it met with at our court, is exprefled in the manufcript. It appears to. be a modern tranflation, and is as follows : " The King of Morocco's Letter to King Charles the Frift of England, 1649. Muley Zidan. " WHEN thefe our letters (hall be fo happy as to come to your Majefty's fight, I wifh the fpirit of the righteous God may fo direct your mind, that you may joyfully em- brace the mefTage I fend. The regal power allotted to us, makes us common fei vants to our Creator, then of thofe people whom we govern; fo obferving the duties we owe to God, we deliver bleffings to the world in providing for the public good of our eftates; we magnify the honour of God, like the celeftial bodies, which, though they have much A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 41 baggage a very warm difpute arofe between the muleteer and my interpreter, concerning the method of packing "it on the mules again, for the purpofe of carrying it to the conful's houfe. much veneration, yet ferve only to the benefit of the world. It is the excellency otour office to be inftruments, where- by happlnefs is delivered unto the nations. Pardon me. Sic ! This is not to inftruct, for I know I fpeak to one cf a more clear and quick light than myfelf; but I fpeak this, becaufeGod hath pleafed to grant me a happy victory over fome part cf thofe rebellious pirates, that fo long have molcfted the peaceable trade ct Europe; and hath pre- fented further cccafion to root out the generation of thofe, who have been fo pernicious to the good of our nations : I mean, fince it hath pleafed God to be fo aufpicious in our beginnings, in the conqueft of Sallee, that we might join and proceed in hopeef like fttccefs in the war of Tunis, Al- giers, and other rlaces; dens and receptacles for the in- human villages of thofe who abhor rule and government. Herein while we interupt the corruption of malignant fpirits of the world, we ftu.ll glorify the great God, and perform a duty that will fhine as glorious as the fun and moon, which all the earth may fee and reverence: a wo.k thac (lull afuud as fweet as the perfume of the moft precious odours, in the noftriisof the Lord : a work whofe memory ft all be reverenced fo long as there fhallbe any rema'ning among men : a work grateful and happy to men who love and honour the piety and virtue of noble minds. This a6tion I here willingly prefent to you, whofe piety and vir- tues equal the greatnefs of your power; that we, who are vicegerents to the great and mighty God, may hand in hand triumph in the glory which the-action prefents unto us.— Now, because the iflands which you govern, have been ever famous for the unconqueredflrength of their (hipping, I have fent this my trufty fcrvant and ambaffador, to know whether, in your princely wifdom, you (hall think fit to affift me with fuch forces by fea, as (hall be anfwerable to thofe I provide by land ; which if you pleafd to grant, I doubt, not but the Lord of Hods will protect and affift thofe that fight in fo glorious a caufe. Nor cu^ht you to think 42 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. Both parties appeared fo very ftrenuous in their caufe, that neither of them paid any attention to ray interference; and it was at length carried to fuch excefs, that the muleteer ftruck my interpre- ter. Upon feeing this, I could no longer remain a filent fpectator, and I have reafon to fear my warmth was almoft as intemperate as that of the difputants. The blow was given in fo brutal a manner, that I could with difficulty reftrain myfelf from immediately returning it. It was fortunate, however, that I ftill poflefled fufficient coolnefs to reflect on the impropriety of fuch a proceeding, and I directed one of my Moorifh foldiers to puniih the muleteer. By means of long leather ftraps which he always carried about him, my Negro deputy performed his part fo well on the back of the delinquent, that he was foon glad to fall on his knees, and intreat a pardon both from myfelf and the interpreter. I was more defirous of punifhing this infult for the fake of eftablifhing my authority and confequence with the foldiers, than this ftrange, that I, who fo much reverenced the peace and accord of nations, fhould exhort to war. Your great pro- phet, Chrift Jefus, was the lion of the tribe ofjudah, as well as the Lord and giver of peace; which may fignify unto you, that he who is a lover and maintainer of peace, muft always appear with the terror of hi* fword, and, wading through feas of blood, muft arrive at tranquillity. This made James your father, of glorious memory, fo hap- pily renowned among nations—ft was the noble fame of your princely virtues, which refounds to the utmoft corners of the earth, that perfuaded me to invite you to partake of that bleffing, wherein I boaft myfelf moft happy. I wifh God may heap the riches of his bleffings on you, increafe your happinefs with your days, and hereafter perpetuate the greatnefsof your name in all ages." A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 43 from an intention of revenging the caufe of the Jew, for I could not find out which of the difpu- tants was in the wrong j but as my attendants had on two or three former occafions ftiewn a difpofition to be troublefome, and as fo glaring an indignity was offered to the perfon who looked up to me for protection, I was determined to avail myfelf of this opportunity of convincing them that it was their duty to pay me every attention. Mr. De Rocher, who refides in an excellent houfe built at the expence of his court, and who is the only European in the place, has happily blended original Englifh hofpitality with that eafy politenefs which characterizes his own nation. He gave me fo preffing an invitation to fpend an- other day with him, that though anxious to make an end of my journey, I could not refift his urg- ent folicitations. The town of Rabat, whofe walls enclole a large fpace of ground, is defended on the fea-fide by three forts tolerably well finifhed, which were erected fome little time ago by an Englifh rene- gado, and furnifhed with guns from Gibraltar. The houfes in general are good, and many of the inhabitants are wealthy. The Jews, who are very numerous in this place, are generally in better circumftances than thofe of Larache or Tangier, and their women are by far more beautiful than at any other town which 1 faw in this empire. I was introduced to one family in particular, where, out of eight fillers, nature had been fo lavifh to them all, that I felt myfelf at a lofs to determine which was the handfomeft. A combination of regular features, clearnefs of complexion, and expreffive black 44 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C black eyes, gave them a diftinguifhed pre-eminence over their nation in general; and their perfons, though not improved by the advantages which the European ladies derive from drefs, were ftill replete with grace and elegance. The caftle, which is very extenfive, contains a ftrong building, formerly uied by the late empe- ror as his principal treafury, and a noble terrace, which commands an extenfive profpedt of the town of Sallee, the ocean, and all the neighbour- ing country. There are alfo the ruins of another caftle, which is faid to have been built by Jacob Almonzor, one of their former emperors, and of which at prefent very little remains but its walls, containing within them fome very ftrong maga- zines for powder and naval ftores. On the out- fide of thefe walls is a very high and fquare tower, handlbmely built of cut ftone, and called the tower of Haffen. From the workmanfhip of this tower, contrafted with the other buildings, a very accu- rate idea may be formed how greatly the Moors have degenerated from their former fplendour and tafte for architecture. In the evening the conful introduced me to Sidi Mahomet Effendi, the emperor's prime minifter, who was at Rabat, on his way to Tangier. 1 found him a well-bred man, and he received me very gracioufly. After fome converfation on the purpofe of my journey, he defired I would feel his pulfe, and acquaint him whether or not he was in health. Upon afluring him that he was perfectly well, he expreffed in ftrong terms the obligation I had conferred on him by fuch agree- able information; and having wifhed me fuccefs in A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 45 in my journey and enterprize, we mutually took our leave. I availed myfelf of my delay at Rabat to get the lame mule changed, and directed my Negro foldiers to arrange our affairs in fuch a manner that we might leave the place early the next morn- ing. Mr De Rocher, in addition to the kindnefs I had already experienced, ordered a quantity of bread', which at this place is remarkably good, to be packed up for my ufe, as well as a proportion- able fhare of cold meat, and as much wine as we could conveniently carry with us. This feafon- able fupply lafted me three days, and gave me time to recover in fome degree my former relifh for fowls and eggs. Though I muft acknowledge that the attention and comforts which I experienced during my fhort ftay at Rabat proved a great relief, after the in- conveniences I had undergone in travelling thither, yet on the whole, I perhaps fuffered more from the idea of having fimilar inconveniences to thofe I had already experienced ftill to encounter, with- out a profpect of a fimilar alleviation, than if I had continued the whole journey in an uninter- rupted ftate. The confideration that I was to pais day after, day through a country where there is little to amufe the eye; that I had no companion with whom I could converfe, or to whom I could communicate my fentiments ; and that I was to travel the whole day at the tedious pace of three miles an hour, and at a feafon of the year when the coldnefs of the mornings and evenings were a very indifferent preparation for the heats which fjeceeded in the middle of the day, altogether preffed 46 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. preffed fo ftrongly upon my mind, that I mult confefs I could not help experiencing a confidera- ble dejection of fpirits at the idea of leaving Ra- bat*. * The Abbe Poiret's remarks on travelling in Barbary are fo appofite and fo juft, that I truft I (hall be excufed for introducing a quotation from that author.—In one of his letters he fays, " I have never known fo well how to appreciate the advantages of living in a polifhed nafion, as fince I have refided among a barbarous people. Never has the convenience of our highways (truck me fo much, as when I have been obliged to travel through thick woeds and deep marfhes. How much would a peregrination of eight days, in the manner I have travelled for fome time paft, change the ideas of thofe delicate Europeans who are continually complaining of bad inns, and of the fatigues they endure in their journeys 1 In this country there are neither inns, poft-chaifes, nor obliging and attentive land- lords. One muft not expect to find here broad highways, beaten and fhady paths, or places for repofing and refrefli- ing one's-felf; too happy, if, at the end of a fatiguing jour- ney, one can meet with a fmall hut, or a wretched couch 1 But this is feldom to be expected." Again, in another letter, '* How often muft you depart in the morning, without knowing where you will arrive in the evening! How often lofing yourfelf in thefe deferts, mufl you fearch out your way amid ft thorny brakes, thick forefts, and fteep rocks; fometimes flopped by a river which you muft wade through, by a lake which you muft walk round, or by a marfh which you cannot crofs without danger I fometimes fcorched by the fun, or drenched by the rain, and at others dying with thirft, without being able to find the fmalleft fpring to quench it! If you carry no provi- lions with you, it will be impoflible for you to take any refrefhment before night. This is the only time at which the Moors make a regular repaft, or can offer any food to a ftranger. But when night arrives, that period of repofe for the traveller in Europe, it is not fo for the African tra- veller. He muft then choofe out a dry (ituation, and well flieltered, to erect his tent; he muft unfaddle his horfes, unload A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 47 In confequence of the indolence of my attend- ants, my baggage was not completely packed up on the 8th till between ten and eleven in the morn- ing, when I left the hofpitable roof of Mr De Rocher, and proceeded on my journey for Dar Beyda, the next town which offered itfelf on my way to Mogodore. With all the inconveniences which I had hither- to experienced, I had reafon to think myfelf very fortunate in having fuch fine weather; for this was the feafon when the heavy rains ufually come on, and when a fhower of half an hour's continu- ance would wet more than the rain of a whole day in England. Dry weather had accompanied us the whole of the road from Tangier to Rabat, and the heat from the hours of eleven to three was violent; but, as I have juft before obferved, previous to, and after thofe hours, the air was un- commonly cool. As an alleviation to the great heat, we found the water-melons and pomegra- nates between Rabat and Mogodore of a moft de- licious flavour, and of particular ufe in allaying the exceffive thirft, and removing the fatigue we experienced from the journey. Thefe fruits grow common in the open ground, and we only paid two blanquils, or three-pence Englifh a-piece, for wa- ter-melons, which were fufficiently large to ferve unload his mules, cut wood, light fires, and take every precaution that prudence dictates, to defend himfelf againft ferocious animals and robbers. It is fafeft to encamp not far from the tents of the Arabs, when one can find them. They furuifli many fuccours w hen they are tradlable, and they are always fo when they fee one with a fufficient guard."—See a tranflation of the Abbe Poiret's travels through Barbary, Letter viii. 4 half 48 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. half a dozen people. I could not help obferving how provident nature has been, in granting in fuch plenty, fruits fo well calculated for the na- tives of warm climates. Indeed, many of the poor in this country have fcarcely any other pro- vifions than fruit and bread. At the time of our departure the appearance in the atmofphere promifed us a continuance of the fame fine weather we had hitherto experienced; and it continued fo till we had pafied three fmall ftreams which the Moors name the Hitcumb, Sher- rat, and Bornica. Thefe, after the heavy rains have fallen, fwell out into deep and. rapid rivers, and are frequently rendered totally impartiable, ex- cept in boats or on rafts. About five in the eve- ning, however, very heavy and black clouds be- gan to affemble, and very fhortly after followed a moft fevere ftorm. It was a dreadful union of wind, hail, rain, thunder, and lightning. From darknefs approaching faft upon us, we be- came very anxious to find out a place of fafety where we might pitch our tent, and for that pur- pofe fpurred our beafts; but no excitement from the fpur or whip could induce them to face the ftorm, and we were obliged to wait a full hour in a ftate of inactivity, till its violence was over. We then pufhed on till we arrived at a couple of Arab tents, pitched in an open country: bad as this fituation was, we however rejoiced in be- ing able to fix our tent for the night, even in this unfociable fpot. On the 9th of October, it having rained the whole night, we were detained till between ten and .eleven in the morning in drying the tent, which A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 49 which from its being quite wet, was become too heavy for the mules to carry with the other bag- gage ; we then purfued our journey, and at twelve, arrived at the ruins of Menfooria. There was formerly a caftle on this fpot, which from the ex- tent of its walls, and a f juare tower which form the whole of the ruins, appears to have been a very large building. My (bldiers informed me, that it had been the refidence of a prince who was in oppofition to his fovereign; and who was obli- ged to defer t it. The building was deftroyed by the then reigning emperor, and the intermediate ground is now inhabited by a few Negroes, living in fmall huts, who were banifhed thither for having on fome occafion incurred the difpleafure of the emperor. In an arbitrary country, where the pofteffion of the throne depends more on the will of the foldiers than on the rights of (ucceC- fion, the defpot confiders that caftles may prove rather places of fecurity for his opponents, than of any great utility to himfelf; he therefore either fuffers them to decay, or deftroys them entirely, according to the dictates of his caprice. Indeed every town through which I parted in the empire affords ftriking marks of the truth of this affer- tion. Soon after our leaving Menfooria we came up to Fadala, having forded in our way the river ln- fcfic. Fadala whilft its ruins exift, will be a Lift- ing monument of Sidi Mahomet's caprice. It confifts of the fhell of a town, began by him in the early part of his reign, but never finifhed. It i< cnclofed within a fquare wall, and is furnifhed with a mofque (the only building that was com- D pleted $0 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C pleated) for the ufe of the inhabitants, who, like thofe of Menfooria, live in huts in the intermedi- ate ground. To the right of Fadala we obferved a fmall but apparently neat palace, which my at- tendants informed me was built by the late em- peror for his occafional ufe, when bufinefs led him to travel thr.t way. The remainder of our journey to Dar Beyda, where we arrived about fix in the evening, af- forded nothing remarkable, excepting that we parted over a double bridge, which is the only piece of architecture of the kind that I faw in the country. It is the work of Sidi Mahomet, and is built of ftone. The country between Rabat and Dar Beyda, a diftance of about forty-four miles, is one continuation of barrennefs and rock. Dar Beyda is a fmall fea-port of very little im- portance ; it poflefles, however, a bay which ad- mits veflels of pretty confiderable burthen to anchor in it with tolerable fafety, except when the wind blows hard at north-weft, and then they are liable to be driven on fhore. Upon my arri- val, I was immediately introduced to the gover- nor, who was then in the audience-chamber, at- tending to the complaints of the inhabitants. Af- ter offering me his fervices, and begging my acceptance of a few fowls, he foon left us in the poffertion of the room where we flept that night. On the ioth of October we departed for Aza- more, about fifty-fix miles diftant, between feven and eight in the morning; and after a joun>cy of two days came up to the Morbeya, at the mouth and fouthern fide of which is fituated Azamore. The A TOUR TO MOROCCO, ?CC. 51 The river is fo wide and deep here, that it is ne- ceffary to be ferried over, and a large boat is con- tinually employed for that purpofe. We had no fooner got all our baggage, our mules, and ourfelves into the boat, and were ready to row off, than a moft violent difpute arofe between my Negro foldiers and the ferry- men. As it was no new circumftance to me to be a wknefs to thefe altercations, I remained very quietly in the boat till I obferved that one of the ferry-men was putting every thing on fhore again, whilft another was collaring one of the foldiers. In fact, matters were proceeding to fuch extre- mities, that I thought it was full time to interfere. Upon inquiry, I was informed that the propri- etor of the ferry farmed the river from the empe- ror, and that in confequence of it he was allowed all the perquifites of the ferry ; that my foldiers infilled that as I was in the emperor's fervice, it was the duty of the people to ferry me, my bag- gage, &c. without receiving any reward for their trouble. Which of the two were in the right I could not pretend to determine; but I was very .glad to end the difpute, by paying the ufual de- mand. After a few curies on both fides, the bag- gage and mules were replaced in the boat, and we were ferried over to Azamore, In a country where arts and fciences are totally neglected, and where the hand of defpotifm has deftroyed public fpirit, and. depreffed all private exertion, it is obvious, that confiderable tracts muft occur which are productive of nothing de- ferving of notice. This was precifely the cafe in my journey from Dar Beyda to Azamore, which D 2 pref«nted 5* A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. prefented to our view one continued chain of rocks and barrennefs, unpleafant and fatiguing roads, without any one object to vary the icene, or to intereft curiofity. Azamore is a fea-port town on the Atlantic ocean, fituated at the mouth of the Morbeya ; and though a large place, is neither ornamented with public buildings, nor has any thing remark- able in its hiftory or fituation. ^ In compliance with the particular requeft of one of my foldiers whofe near relations refide at Aza- more, I continued here the remainder of the day, and was lodged in a room of a Moorifh houie, which was fecluded from the family. Soon after my arrival I was vifited by a Jew in an European drefs, who had formerly lived with one of the Englifh confuls, and who fpoke the Englifh lan- guage with tolerable fluency. He took me to his houfe, and there received me with great hofpi- tality, infilling on my dining with him, and mak- ing ufe of his houfe as my own. After dinner he fhewed me the different parts of the town; and in the courfe of our converfation requefted me to be particularly cautious how I conducted myfelf with the prince whom I-was going to attend; obferving, * that the Moors were extremely fickle, and their conduct governed merely by the caprice of the moment. To enforce this caution, he related to me a ftory, from which I learned that an Euro- pean furgeon had at fome former period, attended a prince of Morocco, who, neglecting his advice when under his care, had increafed his malady; that this circumftance fo alarmed the prince that he fent for the furgeon, and upon his appearance produced A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 53 produced a piftol. The unfortunate man, alarmed and diftrerted by fuch unworthy treatment, haftily withdrew, and in a fhort time put an end to his cxiftence. On the 13th of October, having taken leave of my Jewifh acquaintance, and my foldiers of their friends, we fet off at eight in the morning for the town of Saffi, where we arrived on the evening of the 15th, after a journey of about fifty-feven miles. The country we paffed through was rocky and barren, producing fcarcely a tree, or indeed any verdure whatever. Soon after leaving Azamore, the town of Maza- gan prefented itfelf to our view to cur right. This place was taken a few years fince by Sidi Mahomet from the Portugueze; a conqueft of which his Moorifh majefty made a very pompous boaft, though it is well known that the Portu- gueze, from the great inconvenience and expence of keeping up the garrifon, without deriving any material advantage from it, had come to a refo- lution to evacuate it before the emperor's attack, and for that purpofe had actually begun to em- bark their goods and property. As, however, the emperor was determined to exhibit fome fpe- cimen of his mil'.tary prowefs and addrefs, this circumftance did not deter him from commencing a regular Huge. A magazine for military ftores (which may be feen from the road) was raifed with the utmoft expedition, and the attack was carried on with all the vigour and ability which his Moorifh majefty was capable of exerting. The Portugueze defended the town no longer than was neceffary to allow time to carry away D 3 their 54 *■ TOUR TO morocct, tkc. their effects and valuables; it was then fur-< rendered, or more properly, abandoned, to the Moors. On the day of our arrival at Saffi, we pafTed by the ruins of a town, which was once large and confiderable. It was built by a former emperor, named Muley Ocom Monfor, and is now called by the name of Dyn Medina Rabsea. Its only remains at prefent are remarkably thick and ex- tenfive walls, which inclofe gardens and huts, inhabited by di(banded Negro lbldiers. Saffi is a fea-port town, fituated at the bottom of a fteep and high mountain. It is a fmall place, and is only remarkable for a neat palace, which is the occafional refidenee of the emperor's foils, and a finall fort at a little diftance to the north of the town. Its vicinity is a mixture of moun- tains and woods, which gives it a wild and truly romantic appearance. Saffi carried on a confider- able commerce with'Europe, before Sidi Mahomet obliged the European merchants to refide at Mogodore. It affords a fafe road for fhipping, except when the wind blows hard at Weft, and then they are fubjedt to be driven on fhore. During my refidenee in this town, I took up my quarters at a Jewifh houfe, and was vifited by two Moors who had been in London, and could fpeak a little of the Englifh language. Among other marks of attention, they contrived to procure, unknown to me, a chair and a fmall table; articles which I had not feen fince I left Tangier, except at the French confuPs houfe, as the Moors never make ufe of either. At A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 55 At eight in the morning of the fixteenth, we fet off for Mogodore, a journey of about fixty miles, which we performed in two days. Soon after leaving Saffi we parted over a very high and dangerous mountain. The rocky, fteep, and rugged path, which was only broad enough to allow one mule to pafs at a time, and the per- pendicular precipice which hung over the fea, filled our minds with a fenfe of terror and awe, which no pen can dcfcribe. Our mules, however, accuf- tomed to this mode of travelling, carried us with the moft perfect fafety, over parts where, with European horfes, we fhould probably have been dafhcd to pieces. From this mountain we in a fhort time entered a foreft of dwarf oaks, which is about fix miles in length, and the fouthern extremity of which reaches to the river Tanfif. This is a very broad river, which after the heavy rains have fallen, or when fwelled by the tide, is always parted upon rafts. Thofe difficulties not prefentingthemfelves to us now, we forded the river with great eafe, and on approaching its fouthern fide, obferved in the midft of a thick foreft a large fquare caftle, which my foldies informed me was built by Muley Ifhmael, who is immortalized by the pen of Mr. Addifon, in one of the numbers of the Free- holder. Sidi Mahomet neglected it, and it is now falling to ruin. The breadth and windings of the Tanfif, its high and woody banks, and the caftle juft difcoverable through the trees, afforded al- together a fcene, which though fomewhat gloomy, yet was truly romantic and picturefque. D 4 The $6 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, See. The directions which I had received from Mr. Matra were, to continue at Mogodore, till the return of a meffenger, who was to be difpatched thence to Tarudant, informing the prince of my arrival. The very hofpitable treatment I experienced from Mr. Hutchifon, Britifh vicc-conful at Mogo- dore, during my flay at his houfe, with the fym- pathifing letters and friendly advice with which he afterwards favoured me, whilft under the many embarraffments and inconveniencies which I under- went at Morocco, have made the moft forcible itnprefiion on my memory; and I flionld feel utter- ly diflatisfied with myfelf if I omitted thus public- ly to acknowledge my gratitude to that gentleman. Before I proceed to defcribe Mogodore it may not be improper to take a fhort review of the gene- ral appearance of the country through which I parted in my journey from Tangier. The firft part of the journey, as far as Larache, prefented to us, as I before oblcrved, a rocky, mountainous, and barren country, and, if we ex- cept the foreft of Rabe a Clow, but few trees or flirubs. From Larache to Sallee the eye was a- greeably relieved by the variety of objects which offered themfelves to its view. The evennefs of the ground, the numerous lakes, and the verdure which furrounded them, indicated fully the ferti- lity of the foil; and thefe, joined to the interfered clumps of trees, would lead the contemplative mind to conceive that nature had intended this fpot for the refidenee of a more civilized people than its prefent inhabitants. r.. From Sallee to Mo- godore, and thence to Santa Cruz, we again meet with A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 57 with the fame barren, mountainous, and rocky country, which prefented itfelf at the firft part of the journey. Though I occafionally met with forefts of fmall treeks, fuch as the arga, the dwarf oak, the palm- tree, &c. yet the country produces no ufeful tim- ber whatever. The Moors are therefore obliged to import that article from Europe; and it may be on this account that the emperor portertes fo few vertels, and is obliged to fend thofe to be repaired in foreign ports. As vegetation does not take place in this climate till.fome time after the heavy rains have fallen, I had not an oportunity of obferving in this journey what plants were peculiar to the cli- mate. The variety which diftinguifhes the more im- proved countries of Europe, and particularlar Eng- land, probably arifes as much from the land being diftributcd into inclofures, as from local fituatioa. This advantage the emperor of Morocco does not enjoy; fince, excepting in the immediate vicinity of towns, no divifions of land are to be obferved ; the Arabs indifcriminately chufing pieces of ground, without fences, for the purpofes of agri- culture, which, as I before noticed, they change as occafion requires. The famenefs of fcene which arifes from this circumftance, is in fome degree lertencd by the numerous fanctuaries which are ditfuied over the whole country; but otherways thefe chapels prove troublefome to an European traveller, fince the Moors, upon parting them, always flop a confiderable time to pay their devo- tions to the remains of the lainti who arc buried the&» There is likewife a cuftom in this country, whicn is alfo prevalent in Portugal, of confecrating D 5 the 5 8 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. the fpot on which any perfon has been murdered, ly heaping a large proportion of ftones on the place, where it is ufual for thofe who pafs that way to add another ftone to the number, and to recite a fhort prayer, adapted to the occafion. All the towns through which I parted in my way hither, were furrounded with high walls of Tabby, flanked with fquare forts, generally with- out any artillery, and having caftles, which feemed to be in a very ruinous ftate, fituated upon the moft eminent fpot, for their defence or attack. The houfes, from having no windows and but very few doors, had more the appearance of dead walls than inhabited places; and their ftreets were univerfally narrow, filthy to a degree, irregular, and badly paved. With all thefe inconveniences, the inhabitatants enjoy an advantage of which many of the more civilized capitals of Europe can- not boaft, I mean that of good police. The ftreets are fo well watched at night, that robberies or even houfebreaking are but feldom heard of; and the general quietnefs which reigns through their towns after the gates are fhut, is a convincing proof of the attention of their patroles to their duty. Their detection, and fpeedy bringing to juftice the Criminals, likewife deferves our attention. From having no publick houfes or other places to har- bour thieves, and from no perfon being permitted to quit the country without leave, it is utterly im- poilible for a culprit to efcape the hand of juftice, except by taking refuge in a fanctuary, try which he banifhes himfelf for ever from focitty. On the other hand, the vigilance of the governors and other officers of juftice is fb great, and conducted with A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C $() with fo much addrefs, that unlefs the means of fafety which his religion points out are quickly adopted, the criminal in a very fhort time is de- tected, and as quickly punifhed. According to the opinion of fome travellers, much danger is to be apprehended in traverfing this country, from the attacks of wild beafts ; but it is only juftice to obferve, that during the whole of my progrefs to Mogodore, and indeed I may add afterwards in parting ovei the Atlas, I met with no obftruction or moleftation whatever from thefe animals; and I was alfoinformed, that a cir- cumftance of the kind was very rarely known to have happened. The fact is, the wild animals confine themfelves principally to the interior parts of the country, and to thofe retreats in the moun- tains which are beyond the track of men. Mogodore, fo named by Europeans, and Suera by the Moors, is a large, uniform, and well-built town, fituated about three hundred and fifty miles from Tangier, on the Atlantic ocean, and fur- rounded on the land fide by deep and heavy fands. It was raikd' under the aufpices of Sidi Mahomet, who upon his acceffion to the throne ordered all the European merchants who were fettled in his dominions to refide at Mogodore, where, by lower-* ing the duties, he promifed to afford every en- couragement to commerce. The Europeans, thus obliged to defert their former eftablifhments, con- fidering this firft ftep of the emperor to be a mark of his attachment to trade and commerce, and having refided long in the country without any better views at home, univerfally fettled at Mogo- dore, where they erected houfes, and other con- veniencies 60 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. veniencies for the purpofes of trade. The hopes, however, with which they had changed their fitua- tion, were confiderably fruftrated by the perfidy of the emperor, who indeed fulfilled his promifc, till he obferved the merchants fo fixed as not to be likely to remove; but he then began toincreafe the duties, and by that means to damp the fpirit of commerce which he had promifed to promote. His caprice, however, or, what had ftill more influence, valuable prefents, induced him at times to relax thefe feventies. In confequence of this circumftance the duties have been fo frequently varied, that it is utterly impoffible for me to ftate, with any degree of certainty, the ufual burthens laid upon articles of commerce in this port. The factory at Mogodore confifts of about a dozen mercantile houfes of different nations, whofe owners, from the protection granted them by the emperor, live in full fecurity from the Moors, whom indeed they keep at a rigid diftance. They export to America, mules. To Europe, Morocco leather, hides, gum arable, gum fandarac, oftrich feathers, copper, wax, wool, elephants' teeth, fine mats, beautiful carpeting, dates, figs, raifins, olives, almonds, oil, &c. In return they import timber, artillery of all kinds, gunpowder, woollen cloths, linens, lead, iron in bars, all kinds of hardware and trinkets, fuch as looking-glartes, fnuff-boxes, watches, fmall knives, &c. tea, fugar, fpices, and moft of the ufeful articles which are not otherwife to be procured in this empire. Befides the commerce carried on between this empire and Europe, the Moors have alfo a trade with Guinea, Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, Grand Cairo, A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 6t Cairo, and Mecca, by means of their caravans, of which I foon fha'l have occafion to fpeak more particularly. Mogodore is regularly fortified on the fea fide5 and on the land, batteries are fo placed as to pre- vent any incurfions from the Southern Arabs, who are of a turbulent difpofition, and who, from the great wealth which is known to be always in Mogodore, would gladly avail them- felves of any opportunity that offered to pil- lage the town. The entrance, both by fea and land, confifts of elegant ftone arch-ways, with double gates. The market-place is handfomefy built, with piazzas of the fame materials, arid at the water port there is a cuftom-houfe and pow- der magazine, both of which are neat flone build- ings. Befide thefe public edifices, the emperor has a fmall but handfome palace for his occafional refidenee. The ftreets of the town, though very narrow, are all in ftrait lines, and the houfes, contrary to what we meet with in the other towns of the empire, are lofty and regular. The bay, which is little better than a road, and is very much expofed when the wind is at North-Weft, is formed by a curve in the land, and a fmall ifland about a quarter of a mile from the fhore. Its en- trance is defended by a fort well mounted with guns. CHAP. 6Z A TOUR TO MOROCCO, 8cC. CHAP. IV. General View of the Empire of Morocco.—Situation and Climate.—Provinces.—Soil.—Wonderful Fertility. •—Sea Ports.—Naural Productions.—Mines.—Ani- mals.—Occafional Famines.—Famine in 1778.—Ma, nufattures.—Buildings.—Roaiis.—Populatisn.—Intro- duclion of Negroes.—Muley Ishmael—his Peliry. Sidi Mahomet.—General Gppreffion of the People, —Merchants. A S I had a better opportunity of being inform- •*■ *■ ed of the ftate of the country, and its pro- ductions, from the European merchants at Mogo- dore, than occurred at any fubfequent period during my tour, I fhall now avail myfelf of that information; and to this I feel myfelf induced by a further motive, namely, that it will enable the reader to perufe with more latisfaction and advan- tage the fucceeding pages of this Narrative. The empire of Morocco is fituated between the 29th and 36th degree of North latitude. It is about five hundred and fifty miles in length from North to South, and about two hundred in breadths It is bounded to the North by the Straits of Gibral- tar and the Mediterranean fea; totheEaft, by the kingdoms of Tremecen and Sugulmuffa; to the South, by the river Suz, and the country to the South of Tafilet; and to the Weft, by the Atlantic ocean. The empire is formed of feveral provinces and nominal kingdoms, which, as in moft coun- tries, before their union were diftinct and petty fovereignties. The A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 6j The climate, though in the Southern pro- vinces very hot in the months of June, July, and Auguft, yet is in general friendly to the conftitu- tions of its inhabitants, as well as to thofe of Europeans. To the North the climate is nearly the lame as that of Spain and Portugal, with the autumnal and vernal rains peculiar to to thofe countries; but to the Southward, the rains are lefs general and certain, and of courfe the heat is more, excertive. Moft of the towns which Europeans are allowed to enter, being fea-ports, have the advantage of being frequently refrefned with fea breezes; and Mogodore, though fo far to the Southward, from being fubject in the rummer feafon to have the wind regularly at North Weft, is quite as cool as the more temperate climates of Europe. Morocco and Tarudant are inland, and therefore, though nearly in the fame degree of Latitude as Mogodore, are much hotter; their great heats, however, are confiderably leflened by their vicinity to the Atlas, the higher parts of which are the whole year covered with fnow, and often favour them with cool and refrefhing breezes. The foil of the empire of Morocco is naturally very fertile, and with proper cultivation and at- tention is capable of producing all the luxuries of the Eaftern and Weftern worlds. It muft, how- ever, be confefled, that on fome parts of the fea- coaft, particularly where it is mountainous, like every other country under fimilar circumftances, the foil is fandy and barren ; but wherever there is the leaft appearance of a plain, fuch as that between Larache and Mamora, and in the neigh- bourhood 54 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C bourhood of Morocco and Tarudant, the foil is black and rich. Indeed I am informed from the beft authority, that at Tafilet, and throughout moft of the interior parts of the empire, its fer- tility is beyond imagination. From the flight cultivation it at prefent receives, which is merely the burning of the ftubble before the autumnal rains come on, and ploughing it about fix inches deep, the earth produces, at a very early feafon, excellent wheat and barley (though no oats) Indian corn, alderoy, beans, peafe, hemp, and flax; oranges, lemons, citrons, pomegranates, melons, water-melons, olives, figs, almonds, grapes, dates, apples, pears, cherries, plumbs, and in fact all the fruits to be found in the South- ern provinces of Spain and Portugal. The people here preferve their grain in Matamores, holes made in the earth, lined and covered with ftraw, on which earth is placed in a pyramidal form, to pre- vent the rain from foaking in. In thefe flores corn has been kept five or fix years, without under- going any very material change. As little encouragement, however, is extended to induftry in this country, many of their fruits which require attention, particularly their grapes, apples, pears, plumbs, &c. do not arrive at that perfection to which they are brought in Europe. Could, indeed, a proper fpirit for agriculture and foreign commerce be introduced in the country, or, in other words, could the fovereign be per- fuaded, that by fuffering his fubjects to be enriched he would improve his own treafury, this empire, from its convenient fituation with refpect to Eu- rope, and from the natural luxuriance and ferflity A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 6$ of its foil, might become of the higheft political and commercial importance. The only material impediment to commerce is the inconvenience and infecurity of the ports. I am well informed, how- ever, that at Valedia there is a bafon formed by nature, capable of containing with fafety any number of fhipping; and the other ports might moft probably be improved. It is'melancholy, in traverfing the immenfe tract of fo fine a country, to obferve fo much land lying wafte and uncultivated, which by a very little attention would be capable of producing an ine.diauftible treafure to its inhabitants. From this reprefentation it would fcarcely be fuppofed credible, that Spain, which is alfo a fine country, and a civilized nation fhould be obliged to remit to the emperor, very large prefents of money, to induce him to allow his fubjects to export corn, as well as moft other kinds of provifions and fruits, from Tangier and Tetuan. Indeed the Southern provinces of Spain can hardly exift without this fupply. To what are we to attribute this circumftance ? Is it that Morocco is fo much more fertile than Spain, that it producees a re- dundance with fcarcely any cultivation; or is the indolence of the Spaniards fuperior to that of the Moors themfelves ? The Jews in moft of the towns of the empire make wine; but, either owing to the grapes not being in fuch perfection as thofe of Europe, or to an improper mode of preparing it, its flavour proves but very indifferent. They alfo diftil a ipecies of brandy from figs and raifins, well known in th.it country by the name of aquadent. This 66 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. This liquor has a difagreeable tafte, but in point of ftrength is little inferior to fpirits of wine. It is drank without dilution very freely by the Jews on all their feafts or days of rejoicing, and there are very few of the Moors who are difpofed to forego any private opportunity of taking their fhare of it alfo. The Moors cultivate tobacco; there is a fpecies of it near Mequinez, which affords fi;uiT, the flavour of which is very little inferior to Maccaba. In my progrefs through the country I have no- ticed forefts of oak trees of a dwarf kind, which bear acorns of a remarkable fize and fwcet tafte. To the Southward we meet with the palm or date tiee, the arga, bearing a nut of the almond fpecies, with the olive, from both of which the inhabitants extract great quantities of oil, which conflitutes a confiderable part cf their exports to foreign countries. There is alfo an infinite variety of fhrubs and plants, fuch as the prickly pear, the aloe, &c. all in fhort that are to be found in Spain and Portugal. Cotton, wax, honey, fait, tran- fparent gum, and gum fandarac, are ail pro- ductions of this empire. In the mountains of Atlas there are numerous iron mines ; but as the Moors do not underfland the mode of working iron, thofe mines prove of no ufe to them, and they are therefore obliged to procure that article from Europe. The neigh- bourhood of Tarudant produces mines of copper; and the Moors affert, that in the Atlas there are al- fo fome of gold and filvcr, which the emperor will not allow to be touched. But I am inclined to imagine that if the affertion had any foundation in truth, A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 6j truth, the Brebes, who inhabit thefe mountains, and who are mere nominal fubjects, and pay but little refpect to the government of Morocco, would long before this time have difcovered them. It is, however, probable that this vaft chain of mountains may contain productions which might be converted to very valuable purpofes; but, owing to a want of emulat'on on the part of the inhabitants, and Europeans not being al- lowed to attempt any new difcoveries, a know- ledge of them is not to be attained. The domeftic animals of Morocco are much the fame as thofe of Europe, excepting the camel, which is the moft ufeful animal in this quarter of the globe, both on account of the great fatigue which it is capable of undergoing, and the little fubfiftance it requires. Camels are employed here for all the purpofes of agriculture and commerce, and are very numerous. It has been afTerted that dromedaries are indigenous to this country ; but in the courfe of my whole tcur I could hear of none, except thofe which are in the polfeflion of the emperor; and he, as I difcovered, procures them from the coaft of Guinea. Thefe are the fleeteft animals for travelling that are known, and are only ufed by the emperor on urgent occafions. I was informed that their pace is fometimes fo ex- ceedingly fwift, that their riders are obliged to tie a fafh round their waifts to preferve the power of refpiration, and cover the whole of the face ex- cept the eyes, to prevent their fuffering from the ftrong current of air occafioned by the rapid motion of the animal. It is computed that, in an ordinary 68 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C ordinary way, a dromedary will perform a jour- ney of five hundred miles in four days. The oxen and fheep of this country are fmall; but their flefh is well flavoured. The hides of the former, and the wool of the latter, are both articles of exportation. The fheep with large tails, dlfthguiihed in England by the name of Bar bar y fheep, are here very fcarce, and are more indigenous to the Eaftern parts of Barbary. The horfes, for want of attention in keeping up the breed, are much lefs valuable than they formerly were ; there are ftill however fome few that are good in the country, and thofe are generally ftrong, and have great fpirit. The mules are numerous and ufeful, though I do not think them equal to thofe of Spain, either in fize or beauty. Fowls and pigeons are remarkably plentiful and good in the empire of Morocco ; but ducks are fcarce, and geefe and turkies I never law there. The country abounds with the red-legged partridge. In the proper, feafon the frankolin, a bird of the partridge fpecies, of a delicious flavour, and beautiful pumage, is found here ; alfo a few woodcocks, fnipes in great numbers, all kinds of water-fowl, and a variety of fmall finging-birds. Storks are are very plentiful, and as they are never molefted by the Moors, who are taught to believe it finful to deftroy them, they become quite domeftic and tame. They are generally to be feen feeding among ruinous walls and caftles, where they pick up infects and fnakes. Hares, rabbits, antelopes, porcupines, apes, foxes, wild cats, &c. are all natives of this empire. Among A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 6a Among the ferocious animals may be enumer- ated wolves and wild boars, which are fpread over the whole empire; and in the fouthern pro- vinces, there are lions, tygers, and monftrous ferpents. During my refidenee in the country, I had frequent opportunities of examining that moft fingular of the animal productions, the cameleon. Though it is hardly neceffary to adduce any proof to the philofofhers of the prefent day againft the vulgar error that it feeds only upon air, yet it may afford fome fatisfadtion to my readers to be told that I had an opportunity of feeing a com- plete refutation of this opinion at Mogodore. A gentleman of my acquaintance there had in his porte-ffion, a cameleon, the dexterity of which in procuring its food I had ample means of obferv- ing. The fact is, its principal fupport is flies, which it catches by darting at them an exceed- ingly long tongue covered with a matter fo very glutinous, that if it but touches an infect it is impoflible for it to efcape. The moft fingular part of its conformation however, (if, perhaps, we except the power of varying its colours) is the eye, the mufcles of which are fo conftructed that it can move the ball quite round ; and I believe it exifls the only known inftance in all animated nature of a creature which is able to direct its vifion to two different objects at the fame time, however thofe objects may be fituated^ Except in the act of darting out its tongue to pro- cure fubfiftence, its motions are remarkably flow. Although it muft be allowed that the climate of Morocco is delightful to a de£ree, yet it is occafion- 70 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C occafionally fubject to great droughts, which na- turally produce immenfe {warms of locufts, the moft deftructive enemy to vegetation that exifls. In the year 1778 thefe infects came in fuch num- bers from the South, that they perfectly darkened the air, and, by deftroying all the corn, produced a general famine. This calamity was increafed to fuch a degree in the year 1780, that feveral unfortunate perfons actually died in the ftreets for want of food; many were driven to the neceffity of digging in the earth for roots to fupply the ur- gent calls of nature; while others were happy to find fome undigefted corn in the dung of animals, which they moft eagerly devoured. Upon this occafion of public diftrefs the emperor generoufly opened his ftore of corn, and diftributed it, as well as money, among his fubjects; and every perfon who was known to poffefs ftores was obliged to follow his example. Thefe melancholy facts are fo recent in the memory of the people, that they ftill repeat them to the Europeans who vifit the country. The manufactures of the empire are the haick, which, as was before obferved, is a long garment compofed of white wool and cotton, or cotton and filk woven together, and is ufed by the Moors for the purpofe of covering their under drefs when they go abroad, which they do by totally wrapping themfelves in it in a carelefs but eafy manner; filk handkerchiefs of a particular kind, prepared only at Fez; filks checquered with cot- ton ; carpeting little inferior to that of Turkey; beautiful matting, made of the palmetto or wild palm tree; paper of a coarfe kind ; Cordovan, commonly A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C -] 1 commonly called Morocco leather; gun-powder of an inferior nature; and long barrelled muf- quets, m ule of Bifcay iron. The Moors are un- acquainted with the mode of carting cannon, and therefore thofe few which are now in the country are prefents from Europeans. The manufacture of glafs is likewife unknown to them ; as indeed they make great ufe of earthen ware, and have few or no windows to their houfes, this commo- dity may be of lefs importance to them than many others. They make butter, by putting the milk into a goat-fkin with its outward coat turned in- wards, and fhaking it till the butter collects on the fides, when it is taken out for ufe. From this operation it proves always full of hairs, and has an infipid flavour. Their cheefe confifts merely of curds hardened and dried, and has uniformly a difagreeable tafte. The bread in fome of the principal towns particularly at Tangier and Sallee, is remarkably good, but in many other places, it is coarfe, black, and heavy. Their markets are under more ftrict regulations than might be expected from a people who are fo deficient in moft other inftances. A proper of- ficer, entitled Almotafon, or Mayor, is appointed to infpect all kinds of provifions and corn, and, according to their plenty or fcarcity, to fix the price on each article: it is alfo the duty of this officer to attend conftantly the markets, and to fee that no perfon is guilty of overcharging what he fells, for which, upon detection, the offender is punifhed, by having his hands tied behind him, and being publicly flogged through all the ftreets, the executioner occasionally exclaiming, " Thus 4 do 72 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, cvC do we treat thofe who impofe upon the poor." Provifions both of the animal and vegetable kind are fold by the Rtab, or large pound, confifting of the weight of twenty hard dollars, or Spanifh ounces; corn, by the Almood, four of which are equal to a Faneg Spanifh, or fack; and articles of merchandize, by the fmall pound of fixreen Spanifh ounces, when fold by weight; and by the Code, which is about two thirds of an En- glifh yard, when by meafurement. The Moors, agreeably to the Jewilh cuftom, cut the throats of all the animals they eat, at the fame time turning their heads towards Mecca, in adoration of their prophet. After fuffering them to bleed freely, they carefully wafh all the remain- ing blood away, and divide the meat into fmall pieces of about one or two pounds in weight. As they are unacquainted with the invention of pumps, and have but few fprings, it affords em- ployment to a number of indigent people, who would probably be idle otherwife, to carry water in fkins from the neareft river or refervbiiyr.id fell it to the inhabitants. From their being obliged to tar the fkins to prevent them from leaking, the water is frequently rendered very unpleafant. Their looms, forges, ploughs, carpenter's tools, &c. are much upon the fame conftruction with the unimproved inftruments of the fame kind which are ufed at this time in fome parts of Europe, only ftill more clumfily finifhed. In their work they attend more to ftrength than neat- nefs or convenience, and, like all other ignoraut people they have no idea that what they do is capable of improvement. It is probable, indeed, thai A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 73 that the Moors have undergone no very material change fince the revolution in their arts and fci- ences which took place foon after their expulfion from Spain. Previous to that period it is well known they were an enlightened people, at a time when the greater part of Europe was involved in ignorance and barbarifm; but owing to the weak- nefs and tyranny of their princes, they gradually funk into the very oppofite extreme, and may now be confidered as but a few degrees removed from a favage ftate. They ufe no kind of wheel-carriage, and there- fore all their articles of burden are tranfported from one place to another on camels, mules, or afles. Their buildings though by no means con- ftructed on any fixed principle of architecture, have at leaft the merit of being very ftrong and durable. The manner of preparing tabby, of which all their beft edifices are formed, is, I be- lieve, the only remains of their ancient knowledge at prefent exifting. It confifts of a mixture of mortar and very fmall ftones, beaten tight in a wooden cafe, and then fuffered to dry, when it forms a cement equal to the folid rock. There are always unaccountable difcrepancies and incon- fiftencies in the arts of uncivilized nations. The apartments are if poflible even more inconvenient than thofe of their neighbours the Spaniards ; but the carved wood-work with which many of them are ornamented is really equal to any I have ever feen in Europe. The Moors have no idea of making high roads, or repairing thofe which have been formed by the ancient pofleffors of the country, or perhaps by E the 74 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. the mere refort of pafTengers, but are content to leave them in the fame ftate in which they found them. Indeed, they are even incapable of com- prehending the fimple fact—that by improving the roads travelling would become more expedi- tious, and lefs expenfive. If we look for any of the elegant appendages of luxury and refinement in this country, we fhall be grievoufly difappointed. Their gardens are mere tracts of inclofed ground, over-run with weeds, interfperfed with vines, figs, oranges, and lemons, without tafte or difpofition^ and having perhaps one ftrait walk through the whole. They fometimes fow corn in the intermediate ground; but their gardens are rarely productive of efcu- lent vegetables, and feldom or never ornamented with flowers. As there are few or no bridges in the country, I am inclined to believe the Moors are not tho- roughly acquainted with the mode of conflructing large arches; and it is only at their fea-ports where they even nfe boats. Thefe circumftances, united to the bad roads, render this part of Bar- bary very inconvenient and dangerous to be tra- velled through. The country throughout is ill-watered. Moll of the rivers, which, however, are very few in proportion to the extent of ground, except juft at their fea-ports, deferve only the name of rivu- lets, and in the fummer feafon are many of them dried up. From all thefe circumftances it maybe conjectured that the population is not extraordi- nary. When on my return, in my journey from Morocco to Sallee, which required feven days to acccm- A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 75 aceomplilh, I met with no habitations but a few Arab tents fcattered in different parts; and I had reafon to believe that a great part of the interior country is nearly in a fimilar fituation. The towns are very few in proportion to the extent of coun- try, and thofe are but thinly inhabited, Indeed Morocco, which is a metropolis, has many of its houfes in ruins and uninhabited. The want of population in the empire of Mo- rocco, at this period may have been occafioned, in fome degree by the enormous cruelties exer- cifed by its former fovereigns, who have been known, not unfrequently, through a flight dif- guft to abandon a whole town or province to the fword. In the character of Muley Ifhmael, grand- father to Sidi Mahomet, we find the moft fingu- lar inconfiftericies; for it is certain, that although a tyrant of the clafs which I have been defcribing, yet in other refpects, as if to repair the mifchief which he committed, he left nothing undone for the encouragement of population. He introduced large colonies of Negroes from Guinea, built towns for them, many of which are ftill remain- ing, affigned them portions of land, and encou- raged their encreafe by every poflible means. He foon initiated them in the Mahometan faith, and, had his plan been, followed, the country by this time would have been populous, and probably flourifhing. As the Negroes are of a more lively, active, and enterprizing difpofition than the Moors, they might foon have been taught the arts of agriculture, and their fingular inge- nuity might have been directed to other ufeful purpofes. E 2 It 76 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. It is true Muley Ifhmael, when he adopted this plan, had more objects in view than that of mere- ly peopling his dominions: he faw plainly that his own fubjects were of too capricious a difpo- fition to form foldiers calculated for his tyranni- cal purpofes. They had uniformly manifefted an inclination to change their fovereigns, though more from the love of variety than to reform the government, or reftrain the abufes of tyran- ny. In fhort, whatever revolutions took place in the country confifted merely in a change of one tyrant for another. Muley Ifhmael had difcernment enough to fee, therefore, that by forming an army of flaves whofe fole depend- ence fhould reft upon their mafter, he could eafily train them in fuch a manner as to aft in the ftricteft conformity to his wifhes. He foon learnt that the great object with the Ne- groes was plenty of money, and liberty of plun- der ; in thefe he liberally indulged them, and the plan fully anfwered his expectations. Though, however, Muley Ifhmael had no great merit in introducing fubjects for the purpofes of tyranny, yet the good effects of this new coloniza- tion were very generally experienced. By inter- marrying among themfelves, and intermixing among the Moors (for the Moors will keep Ne- gro women as concubines, though they leldom marry them) a new race of people ftarted up, who became as ufeful fubjects as the native inhabitants, and brought the empire into a much more flourifh- ing ftate than it had ever been in fince their great revolution. Sidi A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 77 Sidi Mahomet had different views, and was actuated by different motives. From his inordinate avarice, he ceafed to act towards his black troops in the generous manner which had diftinguifhed his predeceflbr Muley Ifhmael; and they foon ihewed themfelves difcontented with his conduct. They frequently threatened to revolt, and fupport thofe of his fons who were in oppofition, and who promifed them the moft liberal rewards. They offered to place his eldeft fon Muley Ali, who is fince dead, on the throne; but this prince, not unmindful of the duty which he owed his father and fovereign, declined their offer. They next applied to Muley Yazid, the late emperor, who at firft accepted of the affiftance they tendered, but in a fhort time relinquifhed the plan. Sidi Mahomet, dilgufted with this conduct of the Negroes, determined to curb their growing power, by difbanding a considerable part of thefe troops, and banilhing them to diftant parts of the empire. This important mode of population has therefore been of late years neglected, while no better fyftem has been fubftituted in its room; for though the late emperor indulged in cruelty much lefs frequently than his predeceflbrs, yet popula- tion has, perhaps, been more completely impeded by the general poverty which he has introduced into the country by his fevere exactions, than it he had made a liberal ufe of the fword or of the bow-ftring. To acquaint Sidi Mahomet that any of his fubjects were rich, was equivalent to telling him that he had fo many ambitious opponents, who by their wealth would fupport his fons in rebellion, which it was neceffary to prevent, by depriving them of thofe riches. E 3 The. 78 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. The only maxim of government therefore a- c! opted by this monarch was to keep his fubjects as nearly as poflible upon a level; that is, in a ftate of poverty. This he moft effectually accomplifh- ed. No man who had property one day could with certainty call it his own the next. The moft devoted mifers, with their utmoft ingenuity, were unable to evade the difcovery of their treafure. If the victim of tyranny manifefted any reluctance to reveal to his inquifitors the facred depofitory of his hoarded wealth, the emperor feldom hefita- ted about the means of compulfion. The forti- tude of feveral enabled them to refill every tor- ture fhort of death; but the love of life was al- ways found to prevail over even avarice itfelf. But this perhaps was not the worft; the heavy taxes and duties impofed by this impolitic monarch impeded commerce, and difcouraged manufac- tures; and on the whole I am inclined to believe that the country was never in a greater ftate of poverty than during his reign. Power and weaknefs, rank and meannefs, opu- lence and indigence, are here equally dependent, equally uncertain. There are inftances of the ful- tan elevating at once a common foldier to the rank of a bafhaw, or making him a confidential friend; the following day he would perhaps imprifon him, or reduce him again to the ftation of a private foldier. It is furprifing that men under thefe cir- cumftances fhould be ambitious of rank, or defi- rous of riches and power. Yet fuch is the dif- pofition of thefe people, that they have an un- bounded thirft for rank and power with all their uncertainties; and, what is more extraordinary, when they have obtained a high ftation they fel- A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 79 dom fail to afford their fovereign a plea for ill- treating them, by abufing, in fome way or other, their truft. The only independent people in the country, if it be at all lawful to make ufe of the exprertion when fpeaking of Morocco, are to be found among the merchants who refide in towns at fome diftance from the feat of government. The neatnefs of their houfes and gardens, the furniture of their apartments, their rich difplay of china and glafs, and their liberal treatment of ftrangers, their bet- ter education, and more enlightened ideas, all ferve to point them out as a clafs of beings diffe- rent from the reft. I wifh this defcription would apply generally to all the people in trade; but I am forry to add it does not: it is confined to a particular clafs of merchants, who tranfact bufinefs upon a very large fcale. Even thefe, however, though diftant from the feat of government, befides, rigoroufly paying their quota of every fevere tax which the emperor chufes to impofe upon them,are not always exempt from plunder. If the bafhaw or Alcaide of the town can difcover a plea for imprifoning them, which he fometimes does without much regard to juftice, he feldom fails to turn it to his own advantage; and not unfrequently difgraces his mailer's royal name, by ufing it as a pretext t<>r feizing their property.—Thus the empire of Morocco, in all its parts, prefents a ftriking picture of the wretched policy and miferable confequences of defpotic government. E 4 CHAP. 80 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. CHAP. V. Journey from Mogodore to Santa Cruz.—Some Ac- count of the Origin of that Place.—Arrival at Taru- dant.— Introduction to the Prince.—Defcription of his Palace.—Singular Reception.—Accommodation.—. State of the Prince's Health.—Abfurd Prejudices of the Moors.—Altercation with the Prince.—Application from other Patients.—The Cadi.—Introduction into tht Prince's Harem.—Wives of the Prince---State of the Female Sex in this Secluded Situation.—Vifiblt•amend- ment in the Prince's Complaint.—His Affability.—Cha- rafter of the Prince MuleyAbsulem. T Had notrefted from the fatigues of my journey -*- above fix days at Mogodore, before a new fcenc was opened, by the return of the mefTenger from Tarudant, with orders for my immediate attendance on my royal patient. In addition to my former party, I was allowed by the governor three Negro foot-foldiers, armed with mulkets and fabres, an elegant tent, and a Jewifh inter- preter, who was perfect mafter of both Arabic and Englifh, and from whom in the end I derived the moft ufeful fervices. The Jew who had been preffed in fo fingular a manner into my fcrvice at Tangier was immediately, and doubtlefs much to his own fatisfaction, fent home. We performed a journey of feventy-fix miles, from Mogodore to Santa Cruz, in about three days, A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 81 days, which from the former part of this Narrative the reader will perceive is not remarkably flow travelling, iu Morocco, however fingular fuch a progrefs would appear on the level turnpikes of England. Our journey, which was on the fea- coaft, prefented to our view one continued expanfe of wild, mountainous, and rocky country, and we had confequently very bad roads. Our pro- grefs indeed could be compared to nothing but the continual afcending and defcending of a feries of rough and uneven ftone fteps. At one phice in particular the defcent was fo fleep, and the road fo choaked up with large pieces of ftone, that we were all obliged to difmount, and walk a full mile and a half with the utmoft caution and difficulty, before we could mount again. Santa Cruz is a fea-port, fituated on the decli- vity of a high and fleep mountain, forming the Weftern termination of that chain of mountains, which nearly divides the emperor's dominions into two parts, fo well known by the name of the Atlas. It formerly belonged to the Portugueze, and till the acceffion of Sidi Mahomet was the prin- cipal place whence Europeans were allowed to trade. It is at prefent a deferred town, with only a few houfes, wich are almoft hourly mouldering to decay. The port appears to be much more fecure than that of Mogodore; and from the vicinity of Santa Cruz to the Southern provinces, it appears to me to be the part of the empire which is beft adapted to all the purpofes of commerce*. * As Santa Cruz, before the reign of Sidi Mahomet, was, and is lhll capable of being made of great commercial im- l>oriance to Europe; and as its origin will afford fome idea,. hui*. 82 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C On the 26th of October we departed for Taru- dant, which is diftant forty-four miles from San- ta Cruz, where in two days we arrived. Our journey to this place was immediately inland, be- how the PortugHeze came to fettle upon this coaft; I muft trefpafs upon the reader's patience, while I relate, fioman eminent Spanifh author, in what manner it was firft raifcdj as well as its fubfequent ftate while poffeffedby the Moors, in theyear 1737, from the manufcript of an Englifh gentle- man who was refident in the country at that period. '? Agader Aguer, which the Europeans call Santa Cruz, is a town of modern fabric ; nor can I any where find that the fpot of ground on which it ffands was ever actual- ly inhabited, till the beginning of the flxteenth century. The 1, or very foon before, in the reign of Don Manuel, King of Portugal, a certain Portugueze adventurer under- took to fettle there, on account of the quantity of excellent fifh v ith which its bay abounded; and found means to build himfelf a timber fort or caftle, which he garrifoned with his followers, naming his fettlement Santa Cruz, or Holy Crofs ; his African neighbours calling it Dar al Rumi, or the Chriftian Houfe. " Don Manuel foon after forefeeing the great importance of this place to the navigation of thofe feas, and to his pro- jected conqueft of the weftern parts ot Barbary, took it into his own hands, reimburfing the adventurer who had founded it, all hisexpences, and making him other gratui- ' ties. Santa Cruz being thus annexed to the kingdom of Portugal, it was foon enlarged, fortified, and well inha- bited; and as this part of the world was at that time divided among feveral petty fovereigns, generally at variance with each other, it afforded the new colony, as well as many others upon the fame coaft, an opportunity of eftablifliing a firm footing in the country, inducing a number of dif- contented Arabs and Moors, with a view of revenging themfelves on their various adverfaries, to fwearallegiance to his Portugueze Majefty. " The aflmance which was afforded by thefe people to the Chriftian garrifons, enabled them to make frequent incurfions a tonfiderable way up the countiv, plundering and feizing upon a great number of the inhabitants, nhotn they A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 83 ing in the direction, and within half a day's ride to the South of the Atlas. We enjoyed the whole way from Santa Cruz a fine level road, through a woody and uncultivated country. they fent over to Europe as flaves. At this period, the Portugueze had eftablifhed themfelves fo firmly on the African coaft, that had not the family of Sharifs ftarted up, and the attention of thefe Chriftian adventurers been diverted to their new acquifitions in America, the greateft part of the country would in a fhort time have been com- pletely depopulated, and the Portugueze would have eftablifhed in it a permanent fovereignty. " Thefe Sharifs, from whom the prefent royal family of Morocco are immediately defcende I, obferving the va- riance between the people and their different foverei ;>is, and taking advantage of their credulity, pretended that they were lineally defcended from Mahomet, and that they were fent by him to protect his followers from tfie oppref- fions of their fovereigns. They foon made converts to their ftandard, and in a fhort time eftablifhed themfelves in the fovereignty of all the fouthern parts of Barbary. In order to add importance to their government, and know- ing that it would flatter the prejudices of their fubjects, who had been lb continually haraffed by their Chriftian neighbours, they determined upon expelling the Portu- gueze from Santa Cruz, and if fuccefsful, tocarry on their attacks againft the other Chriftian garrifons upon the Bar- bay coaft. " For thispurpofe, in the year 1536, an armv of 50,000 men, horfe and foot, was raifed with all expedition, and put under the command of Muley Hamed al Halfan, wh j with this force completely inverted the garrifon. After many unfuccefsful attacks on the part of the Moors, Santa Cruz at laft owed its deftruction to the negligence of one of its own people; who carrying a lighted match into the powder-magazine, it unfortunately blew in, and by its concuflion made a large breach in the wall; of which the Moors availing themfelves, they immediately recovered their fpirits, and, headed by their commander, haftened • in force up to the breach, before the altonifhed Portu ueze had 84 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. Upon my arrival at Tarudant, without being allowed time to difmount, I was immediately car- ried to the refidenee of the prince, which is fitua- ted about half a mile to the South of the town. had time to apply a proper remedy to this unforefeen ac- cident. They now attacked their enemy with fo much energy, and witli fuch fuperior numbers, that they foon reduced the garrifon, and put every perfon in it to the Iword. " Thus did Santa Cruz fall into the hands of the Moors, by whom it has ever fince been poffefled. The lofs of this important place proved extremely injurious to the Portu- gueze navigation to Guinea and India, by affording a har- bour to their European enemies, whofe fhips were accuf- tomed to flip out from this port, and to plunder and take the Portugueze as they palled by; while they fupplied thofe barbarians with powder, cannon, and other warlike flores, enabling the Moors by that means, in the courfe of lime, to attack the other poifeilions of the Portugueze in Africa." My Englifh author, who dates his manufcript in January 1737, gives the following account of Santa Cruz:— " Santa Cruz is a city of Africa, in the kingdom of Suz, fubject to the Emperor of Fez and Morocco, fituated in ;i temperate air, on a mountain diftant about half a league from the fea, in the latitude 30 deg. 35 min. North, feven leagues from Cape de Guerra, fixty from Morocco, one hundred and forty from Fez, and one hundred and fifty from Mequinez. It is in circumference about three quar- tcrs of a mile, of a fquare form, the four fides fronting the four quarters of the world. On the eaft, it has a fpacious plain of fand; on the weft, the fea; to the north, about the diftance of a quarter of a mile, is a fmall village, con- taining about twenty inhabitants; and on the fouth is its entrance, oppofite to the mount cf Tylde. " The town is encompafTed with walls defended by feven bafbons, having artillery mounted on them which carry between four and fix pound balls ; there are alfo fome fix- tccn and twenty-four pounders, but, owing to their not having proper perfons to work them, thofe pieces of ord- nance A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 85 At a fhort diftance, the houfe, which is fmall, and was built by the prince, has a great appearance of neatnefs; but that want of tafte and convenience, which is univerfally the characteriftic of the Moor- ifh buildings, is prefently difcernable when it is narrowly infpected. It is compofed of tabby, and is furrounded with a high fquare wall, which alio enclofes two tolerably neat gardens, planned nance are fuffered to lie on the ground half buried, render- ing them by that means entirely ufelefs. The walls indeed are only of fufficient ftrength to refift an attack from their neighbouring enemies, the Arabs, who have no ordnance to oppofe them with, but they could by no means with- ftand even a weak cannonade from a regular appointed artillery. " Santa Cruz is a place of confiderable trade, owing to the great quantities of copper whieh they procure from mines in the neighbourhood of Tafilet. It is alfo plentiful- ly ftored with various other merchandizes, fuch as wax pro- cured from HejaSaxitand Morocco, the beft in the country, Morocco leather, yellow leather of Tafilet, almonds, gum arabic, gum fandarac, oftrich feathers, elephants teeth, gold duft, and fait petre, wh ch i* exported with fome difficulty owing to its being contraband. There are alfo other merchandizes of European Manufacture, fuch as iron, leather from Buenos Ayres, mufquets, fwords, and all kinds of hard-ware, &c. as well as thofe of Afia and the eaftern parts of Africa, brought thither by caravans. The people are for the moft part of a tawny, fun-burnt complexion, fpare and lean in body, but active, ftrong, and capable of undergoing any labour or hardfhip, prettv good cccononiifts, not much addicted to prodigality or vanity, and are dexterous and aclive in their trade and bufinefs." Such was the ftate of Santa Cruz before Sidi Mahomet ordered it to be evacuated by the European merchants: and it is impolTible to read this account without being con- vinced that what I have advanced, with relpecl to its im- portance in a commercial view, is not beyond the truth. by 86 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C by an European, and now under the care of a Spanifh renegado. The apartments, which are all on the ground-floor, are fquare and lofty, opening into a court, in the centre of which is a fountain. The entrance is through a fmall arched door-way, which leads into a court-yard, where on one fide are a few out-houfes; on the other, the fpace allotted for the horfes of the prince. As the climate is open and fine, there are few or no ftables in this country, but the horfes are kept out in an open yard, and held by pins fixed in the ground. There is not much of magnificence, it muft be confefted, in this introduction, nor did any thing occur to counteract the unfavourable imprelTion, previous to our entering the apartment of the prince. The chamber into which I was conducted, I found a fmall room with feats in the walls; and there it is cuftomany for all perfons to wait till their names are announced. I obferved a number of fingular looking perfons attending here; and as I was not much difpofed to make one of their company, inftead of fitting, I amufed myfelf, as Europeans do, with walking about the room. In this exercife, however, I was a folitary perfor- mer; for the Moors, whatever be their object, whether bufinefs, coverfation, or amufement, are generally feated; and indeed fo novel to them was my deportment in this refpect, that they concluded I was either diftracted in my intellect, or faying my prayers. After being detained in this difagreeable fitua- tion for about an hour, orders were brought from the prince for. my immediate introduction with my interpreter. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 87 interpreter. From the chamber where we had been waiting, we paffed through a long and dark entry, which at its termination introduced us to a fquare court-yard, floored with checquered tiling, into which the prince's room opened, by means of large folding-doors. Thefe were curi- oufly painted with various colours, in the form of checquers. The immediate entrance to the room was neat; it was a very large arched door- way, curioufly ornamented with checquered tile- ing, and forming a fmall porch, or antichamber. The room was lofty, fquare, and floored with checquered tiling; the walls fluccoed, and the deling painted of various colours. Much of the beauty of the room was loft for want of win- dows, which is a defect obfervable in moft Moorifh houfes. I found the prince fitting crofs-legged, on a matrafs covered with fine white linen, and placed on the floor; this, with a narrow and long piece of carpeting that fronted him on which were feated his Moorifh friends, was the only furniture in the room. Upon my firft entrance, and delivering the conful's letter of introduction, which acccording to the cuftom of the country, v/as prefented in a filk handkercief, I was ad- drefTed by the prince with the falutation Bono tibib, bono Anglaife,• which is a mixture of Arabic and Spanifh, meaning, " You are a good doctor, the Englifh are good;" and was ordered with my interpreter to fit down on the floor, between the prince and his vifitors; when I was immediately interrogated by every one prefent, each having a queftion 88 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. queftion to put to me, and that of the moft in- fignificant kind. The prince exprefled great pleafure at my arri- val, wifhed to know whether I came voluntarily or not, and whether the Englifh phyficians were in high repute. To the firft queftion I replied, that I was fent by order of the governor of Gib- raltar : to the fecond, I felt it a duty which I owed to truth and to my country, to anfwer in the affirmative. He then defired me immediately to feel his pulfe and to examine his eyes, one of which was darkened by a cataract, and the other affected with a paralytic complaint •, and requefled me to inform him, whether I would undertake to cure him, and how foon ? My anfwer was, that I wifhed to confider his cafe maturely before I gave my opinion; and in a day or two I fhould be a better judge. One of his particular friends obferved to him, from feeing me without a beard, for I had fhaved in the morning, I was too young to be an able phyfician. Another remarked, that I had put powder in my hair on purpofe to difguife my age; and a third infilled, that it was not my own hair. But what feemed to produce the greateft aftonifh- ment among them, was my drefs, which from its clofenefs, the Moorifh drefs being quite loofe, they were certain muft occafion pain, and be dif- agreeably warm. The reader may be aflured, that a part of this converfation was not very entertaining to me; and indeed after the great fatigue which I had undergone, I could well have difpenfed with moft of. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 89 of their interrogatories •, but inftead of the diC million and repofe which I wilhed and expected, my patience was exhaufted by the abfurd curi- ofity of the whole court, who one after another intreated me to favour them with my opinion, and inform them of the ftate of their health, merely by feeling the pulfe. Having acquitted myfelf to the beft of my ability in this curious en- quiry, the prince informed me,»he had prepared for my reception a good houfe, whither he defired mc to retire, and vifit him the following morning early, when I was to examine his cafe more particularly. The good houfe promifed me by the prince, proved to be a miferable room in the Jew- dry, that is, the part of the fuburb inhabited by the Jews, fituated about a quarter of a mile from the towu. It was however, the habitation of the prince's principal Jew, and the beft in the pkce. This apartment which was on the ground floor, was marrow and dirty, having no windows, to it, but opening by means of large folding- doors into a court, where three Jewifh families, who lived all in the fame houfe, threw the whole of their rubbifh and dirt. I fuppofe my feelings might be rendered more acute by the difappoint- ment, for on being introduced into this wretched hovel, I was fo ftruck with horror and difguftx that I was on the point of mounting my horfe, for the purpofe of afking the prince for another apart- ment ; but upon being told it was the beft in the town, and reflecting that I had voluntarily entered upon thefe difficulties, I determined to ftruggle through them as well as I could, and confented for the prefent to acquiefce in this indifferent fare. I took 9« A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C I took, however, the firft opportunity of repre- fentingmy difagreeable fituation to the prince, who gave orders for apartments to be fitted up for me in his garden •, but from the flownefs of the ma- fons, they were not finiihed in time for me to oc- cupy them before J left Tarudant. The prince's Jew had directions to fupply me with every thing that was neceffary; and while at Tarudant I had no reafon whatever to complain of any inattention on the part of the prince. As foon as my baggage was unpacked, the frrfl object that occurred to me was to endeavour, un- der thefe circumftances, to make my fituation as comfortable as the nature of it would admit. At one end of my room I placed my three folding ftools, which I had ufed as a bed on the road, and fcreened it off as well as I could with mats, which I fixed acrofs the apartment as a partition. One of my boxes were fubftituted for a table, and another for a chair, not being able to procure cither of thofe articles in Tarudant. At the other end of the room my interpreter placed his bed- ding on the floor, where he flept during the whole of our flay. Having furnifhed our room, our next objeft was to confider in what manner our cookery was to be performed. The whole of our kitchen fur- niture confifted of one fmall iron fauce-pan, one pewter difh, two pewter plates, a horn to drink out of, and two knives and forks. As the Moors are many of them accuftomed to the ule of tea, breakfafting articles we were not at a lofs for. On the road the iron fauce-pan had ferved very well to boil our eggs and fowls, which, as I be- A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 9l fore obferved, were the only food we could pro- cure. But at Tarudant we found ourfelves in a a land of plenty, without having it in our power to avail ourfelves of fuch an advantage. After a few days inconvenience on this account, I found out a Jew, who contrived to drefs me a few haihes and flews fomething in the Spanifh ftile, with which fare I was obliged to be fatisfied du- ring my refidenee at Tarudant. Two hours before my arrival, the whole of the Englifh people who had been fhipwrecked, except the captain and a Negro, pafTed through the town in their way to the Metropolis. They had been re- deemed from the wild Arabs, by Muley Abfulem, with an intent, I prefume, of complying with his promife, but by the emperor's orders were fent up to Morocco. Upon my vifiting the prince the following day, and examining into the nature of his complaint, I found it to be of the moft defperate kind; but i.s I had travelled near five hundred miles to fee him, I could not be fatisfied to return back with- out attempting fomething; I therefore gave a formal opinion to the prince in writing, ftating, that I could by no means abfolutely undertake to cure him; that I could not even flatter him with very great hopes of fuccefs ;' but that if he chofe to give my plan of treatment a trial for a couple of months, we could then judge whether the dif- eafe was likely to be removed. This plan was approved of, and he immediately began his courfe of medicines. I have already intimated/ that the prince had tot.dly' loft the ufe of one eye by a cataract; and I may 92 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, kc. I may add, that he had nearly loft that of the other by a paralytic affection, which threatened to end in a gutta ferena*, and which had drawn the eye fo much towards the nofe, as fometimes entirely to exclude the appearance of the pupil. The only remains of fight left, were merely fuf- ficient to enable him to fee large bodies without diftinguifhing any of them particularly. The fpafm was the difeafe which I was ordered to cure. But thefe were by no means the limits of the prince's complaints. For in truth, his whole frame was fb enervated by a courfe of debauchery, that I found it neceffary to put him under a Uriel regimen; to enforce the obfervance of which, 1 committed from time to time my directions to writing. They were tranflated into Arabic, and one copy delivered to the prince, and the other to his confidential friend, who undertook, at my requeft, to fee them carried into execution. As I adminiftered internal as well as topical remedies, I' made a point of giving them to my patient with my own hand. The prince made no difficulty of fwallowing the medicine, however naufeous ; but it was a long time before I could make him comprehend, how a medicine intro- duced into the ftomach could afford any relief to the eye. I muft, however, do him the juftice to fay, that I found him a more apt difciple than any of his attendants. Many of them could not be made at all to underftand the action of medicines, * By this difeafe is to be underffood, fuch a ftate of the •ptic nerve is readers it infenfiblc to the ray.s of light. and A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 93 and of confequence were full of prejudices againft my mode of treatment. In a few days after my firft attendance on the prince, one of his prejudiced friends perfuaded his highnefs, that I had adminiftered medicines to him intended to produce a certain effect upon his conftitution, of which I had never entertained fo much as an idea before it was mentioned to me. What this effect was I cannot with decency ex- plain. Suffice it to fay that thefe malignant infi- nuations had too powerful an effect on the mind of my patient, and he expreffed himfelf to me upon the fubject in terms which I could not hear without the moft poignant indignation and un- eafinefs. I vindicated my conduct as well as I was able, under the difadvantages of an interpretation by explaining to him how impoffible for the medi- dicines to have the effect he fufpected; and how much more to my credit, as well as advantage, it would be to re-eftablifh his health than to do him a prejudice; that a pfofeffional man had a cha- racter ; which when once loft was irrecoverable; and that therefore I trufted he would reflect on my fituation, and confider me in a more favour- able light than his refentment at firft had led him to fuggeft. The prince began now to retract his calumny, by faying that he believed the medicines had produced an effect different from what I in- tended, but that it was the duty of the patient to infotm his phyfician of every circumftance which related to his health. In fhort, after a variety of explanations, I at laft brought him to confent to give my plan a few days longer trial, and if then there 94 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. there appeared any objections to the purfuing of it, I would willingly confent to give it up en- tirely. Thofe days being elapfed, and none of the fufpected effects appearing, the prince pro- ceeded regularly in the courfe agreeably to my directions. The intermediate time between my attendance on the prince whom I vifited twice a-day, was employed in reading a few books which I brought with me from Mogodore, making little excur- fions into the country, and vifiting patients at Tarudant. Among the latter was the Cadi, or judge of the town. This I found to be a venerable old man, of about feventy years of age, whofe beard was become perfectly white, and whofe coun- tenance, though doubtlefs altered by time, yet ftill retained a great expreffion of vivacity and fenfe, mixed with more apparent goodnefs of heart than any I had feen in the country. He received me with the greateft refpect, and ex- preffed his gratitude for my vifit in a manner that appeared ftrongly marked with fincerity. He feemed fully aware tnat his complaint was merely a decay of nature, and only wifhed me to admi- nifter fomething to him which might palliate his moft urgent fymptoms. With a great fhare of feeling he expatiated on the inconveniences I mull undergo, from being at fo great a diftance from my friends, and in a part of the world where the manners of the people were fo different from what I had been accuftomed to, exprefling his wifh at the fame time to render me every fervice that a perfon in his fituation could offer. Such an A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. ?S an uncommon fhare of fenfibility and reflection, from one whofe countrymen are in general in a very fmall degree removed from the lavage ftate, excited in me a warm defire of rendering my pa- tient a fervice; among the many queftions he put to me, he afked what was cuftomary for our judges in England to receive as a reward for their fervices. Upon my inform.ng him, the Cadi was in perfect aftonifhment: " Good God!" he ex- claimed, " the emperor allows me only fifty " ducats (about twelve pounds fterling) a year !'* I wifh I could have it in my power to give as favourable an account of my other patients at Tarudant, as of this refpectable old man. The generality of them proved infolent, ungrateful, and many, who vifited my habitation, notorious thieves. From my apartment being in the houfe of a Jew, none of whom dare venture to prevent a Moor from entering, I was from morning to night peftered with Arabs, mountaineers and the worft defcription of towns-people, who were fel- dom fatisfied with my advice, but infifted on my either giving diem money, or fomething elfe equal in value. Many I turned out of my room by force, while with difficulty they reftrained their refentment at my conduct, and every moment threatened to draw their knives upon me'; to others, who behaved a little better, I gave fome- thing to get lid of them; and to a third who, were real objects of diftrefs, I with pleafure ex- tended my utmoft affiftance. On the whole, my fituation was fuch as to oblige me to complain of it to the prince, who afterwards allowed me a fol- dier to mount guard conftantly at my door, who had 96 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. f had directions to permit no perfon to enter my room without,my particular permiffion. It was with the greateft pleafure that in about a fortnight after my firft attendance on the prince, I obferved an amendment in his complaint. His eye now evinced a difpofition to recover its for- mer pofition; at firft he was able only to difcern light from darknefs, but he could now diftinguilh an apple at about ten yards diftance. Thefe flattering appearances entirely removed every prejudice which at firft arofe in the minds of the prince's attendants; and his highnefs him- felf acknowledged that he had been too hafty in forming his opinion of me. The confidence which this fuccefs occafioned, induced the prince to ad- mit me into his Harem, where there were feveral ladies who had occafion for my fervices. Though this afforded me an opportunity of feeing the Harem, I Ihall wave a particular de- fcription of it, as it only differed from that of the the emperor (which I fhall hereafter very particu- larly defcribe) by being on a fmaller fcale. Upon receiving the prince's orders to attend his ladies, one of his friends was immediately difpatched with me to the gate of the Harem; with directions to the Alcaide* of the eunuchs to admit myfelt and interpreter whenever I thought it neceffary. The eunuchs, who have the entire charge of the women, and who in fact live always among them, are the children of Negro flaves. They are generally either very fhort and fat; or elfe * An officer in the general idea of the word. tall, A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 97 tall, deformed, and lame. Their voices have that particular tone which is obfervabk in youths who are juft arriving at manhood ; and their perfons al- together afford a difgufting image of weaknefs and effeminacy. From the truft repofed in them by their mafters, and the confequence which it gives them, the eunuchs exceed in infolence and pride every other clafs of people in the country. They difplayed indeed fb much of it towards me, that I was obliged, in my own defence, to com- plain of them once or twice, and to have them punifhed. Attended by one of thefe people, after palling the gate of the Harem, which is always locked, and under the care of a guard of eunuchs, we entered a narrow and dark paflage, which foon brought us to the court, into which the wo- men's chambers open. We here faw numbers of both black and white women and children; fome concubines, fome flaves, and others hired do- me flics. Upon their obferving the unufual figure of an European, the whole multitude in a body fur- rounded me, and expreffed the utmoft aftonifh- ment at my drefs and appearance. Some flood motionlefs with their hands lifted up, their eyes fixed, and their mouths open, in the ufual atti- tude of wonder and fur prize. Some burft into immoderate fits of laughter ; while others again came up, and, with uncommon attention, eyed me from head to foot. The parts of my drefs which feemed moft to att'act their notice were my buckles, buttons, and ftockings; for neither men tfor women in this country wear any thing of the ¥ kind. 98 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, CXC. kind. With refpect to the club of my hair, they feemed utterly at a lofs in what view to confider it; but the powder which I wore they conceived to be employed for the purpofe of deftroying ver- min. Moft of the children when they faw me, ran away in the moft perfect confternation; and on the whole I appeared as fingular an animal, and I dare fay had the honour of exciting as much curiofity and attention, as a lion, or a man- tiger juft imported from abroad, and introduced into a country town in England on a market-day. Every time I vifited the Harem I was furrounded and laughed at by this curious mob, who, on my entering the gate, followed me clofe to the very chamber to which I was proceeding, and on my return univerfally efcorted me out. The greateft part of the women were uncom- monly fat and unwieldy; had black and full eyes, round faces, with fmall nofes. They were of different complexions; fome very fair, fome fallow, and others again perfect Negroes. One of my new patients being ready to re- ceive me, I was defired to walk into her room; where, to my great furprife, I faw nothing but a curtain drawn quite acrofs the apartment, fimilar to that of a theatre which feparates the ftage from the audience. A female domeftic brought a very low flool, placed it near the cur- tain, and told me I was to fit down there, and feel her miftrefi.'s pulfe. The lady, who had by this time fummoned up courage to fpeak, introduced her hand from the bottom of the curtain, and defired me to inform her of all her complaints, which flic conceived I might A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. (}C) might perfectly pereeive by merely feeling the pulfe. It was in vain to afk her where her pain was feated, whether in her ftomach, head, or back; the only anfwer I could procure was a re- queft to feel the pulfe of the other hand, and then point out the feat of the difeafe, and the nature of the pain. Having neither fatisfied my curiofity by exhibit- ing her face, nor made me acquainted with the nature of her complaint, I was under the neceffi- ty of informing her in pofitive terms, that to un- derftand the difeafe it was abfolutely neceffary to fee the tongue, as well as to feel the pulfe; and that without it I could do nothing for her. My eloquence, or rather that of my Jewifh interpreter, was, however, for a long time exerted in vain; and I am perfuaded flie would have difmiffed me without any further enquiry, had not her invention fupplied her with a happy expedient to remove her embarraffment. She contrived at laft to cut a hole through the curtain, through which fhe extruded her tongue, and thus complied with my injunction as far as it was neceffary in a medical view, but moft effectually difappointed my cu- riofity. I was afterwards ordered to look at another of the prince's wives, who was affected with a fcro- phulus iwelling in her neck. This lady was, in the fame manner as the other, at firft excluded from my fight; but as fhe was obliged to fhew me her complaint, I had an opportunity of feeing her face, and obferved it to be very handfome'. I was informed that fhe had been at one period the favourite of the prince, but owing to this defect F 2 he ico a Tour to morocco, &c. he had in a great meafure deferted her; and this circumftance accounts for the extreme anxiety which fhe feemed to exprefs to get rid of this dif- agreeable difeafe. As foon as I had examined her neck, fhe took off from her drefs the whole of her gold trinkets, which were very numerous, and of confiderable value, put them into my hand, and defired me to cure her; promifing a ftill greater reward if I fucceeded. Confcious of the uncertainty of render- ing her any material fervice, 1 immediately re- turned the prefent, and affured her that fhe might depend on my giving all proper remedies a fair trial, but that I could not be anfwerable for their fuccefs. There is nothing more unpleafant than the inability of giving reafonable ground for hope, when it promifes to be productive of fo much hap- p:nefs to a fellow-creature. It was with pain I obferved that this poor lady, though fomewhat cheered, was yet diffatisfied with my reply; /he could not refrain from fhowing evident marks of difappointment, and even difpleafure, at my hefita- tion, by faying, fhe always underftood that a Chriftian phyfician could cure every difeafe. During the courfe of my attendance in the Ha- rem, I had an opportunity of feeing moft of the prince's women, who, exclufive of the four wives allowed him by his religion, were about twenty in number, and who did not, like his wives, dif- cover that invincible reluctance to the difplay of their beauty. They at firft proved very trouble- feme patients; for upon my not telling them all their complaints immediately upon feeling the pule, they confid^red me as an ignorant empiric, vho A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 101 who knew nothing of my profeffion. Befides this, I found that each of them flattered themfelves with almoft an inftantaneous cure. In fhort, after many fruitlefs efforts to teach thofe to reafon who had hitherto never made the fmalleft ufe of their underftandings, I was at laft obliged to adapt my deportment to the capacities of my patients, and foon acquired among them as much undeferved commendation as I had incurred unmerited re- proach. Moft of the women in the Harem were under thirty year3 of age, of a corpulent habit, and of a very aukward gait. Their knowledge of courfe, from having led a life of total feclufion from the world, was entirely confined to the occurrences in their Harem; where, as they were allowed a free accefs to each other, they converfed upon fuch fubjects as their uninformed underftandings ferved to furnifh them with. They are never fuffered to go out, but by an exprefs order from the prince; and then only when removing from one place of refidenee to another. I in general found them extremely ignorant, proud, and vain of their perfons, even to a degree which bordered up- on childifhnefs. Among many ridiculous ques- tions, they alked my interpreter if I could read and write; upon being anfwered in the affirmative, they expreffed the utmoft furprife and admiration at the abilities of the Chriftians. There was not one among them who could do either; thefe rudi- ments of learning are indeed only the lot of a few of their men, who on that account are named Talbs, or explainers of the Mahometan law. F3 Among 102 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. Among the concubines of the prince there were fix female flaves of the age of fifteen, who were prefented to him by a Moor of diftinction. One of thefe was defcended from an Englifh renegado, another from a Spanifh, and the other four were of Moorifh extraction. Where the more folid and ufeful accompliih- ments are leaft cultivated, a tafte is often found to prevail for thofe which are purely ornamental and frivolous. Thefe devoted victims of libidnous pleafurc received a daily leflbn of mufic, by order of the prince, from a Moor who had paffed fome little time in Loudon and Italy, where he had ac- quired a flight knowledge of that fcience. I had an opportunity of being prefent at one of thefe per- formances, but cannot fay I received mucji amufe- ment, in a mufical view, from my vifit. It was •a concert vocal and inftrumental: the inftrumenta ufed upon this occafion were the mandoline, a kind of violin with only two firings, and the tabor. The principal object in their performance feemed to benoife; it was without the leaft attention to melody, variety, or tafte, and was merely draw- ing out a wild and melancholy ftrain. Converfation, however, forms the principal en- tertainment in thefe gloomy retirements. When I vifited the Harem, I never found the women en- gaged in any other employment than that of con- verfing on the ground in circles. In fact, as all their needle-work is performed by Jeweffes, and their cookery, and the managemet of their cham- bers, by their flaves and domeftics, of which they have a proportionable number, according to the favour they are in with the prince, it is not eafy for A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. JOJ for them to find means of occupying their time, and particularly fince none of them are able to read or write. It is impoffible, indeed, to reflect on the fituation of thefe unfortunate women without the moft lively fentiments of compaffion. Excluded from the enjoyment of frefh air and exercife, fo neceffary for the fupport of health and life; de- prived of all fociety but that of their fellow-fuf- fcrers, a fociety to which moft of them would pre- fer folitude itfelf; they are only to be confidered as the moft abject of flaves—flaves to the vices and caprice of a licentious tyrant, who exacts even from his wives themfelves a degree of fubmiffion and refpect which borders upon idolatry, and which God and nature never meant fhould be paid to a mortal. After the lapfe of a third week, there was a confiderable amendment in the prince's complaint. He began to diftinguifh very large writing; and he affured me that he had written with his own hand a letter to the emperor, wherein he informed him of the relief my attendance had afforded him; affuring me, that his father would reward me very handfomely if I effected a cure. Our intercourfe was at this time improved into intimacy. He ufed to fee me without referve, and often at a time when he had his women with him, which, I was informed, was a mark of con- fidence with which no other man had ever before been honoured. He made me feel their pulfes, and obliged one of them, who was remarkably fat and unwieldy, to be held on the floor by two of the others, while I dropped into her eye fome of the fame medicine which I had occafion to ap- F 4 ply IO4 A T0tJR TO MOROCCO, &C ply to his. The violent but temporary pain brought on by this application produced an im- moderate fit of laughter in the prince, as well as in the other ladies; and the object of it, though in moft violent pain, to evince her refpect to his royal highnefs, declared it to be a very pleafant fenfation. Upon other occafions he would detain me for two, and fometimes three hours, enquiring con- cerning European cuftoms, and particularly thofe of the Englifh, their religion, laws, and govern- ment. He made fome comments upon what I told him, manifefted an earneft defire of informa- tion, and appeared greatly interefted in the con- verfation. At other times, when he had been put out of humour, after I had felt his pulfe, and adminiftered to him the medicines, he would dif- mifs me without afking me to fit down, or even allowing me to alk any further queftions.—But the curiofity of the reader is probably by this time excited refpecting the perfon and character of this prince; and perhaps it cannot be gratified at a more convenient part of the Narrative. Muley Abfulem is of the middle fize, of rather a corpulent habit, and about thirty-five years of age. His features are very much disfigured by the great defect in his eyes; the cataract having entirely obfcured one of them, and the other being drawn quite on one fide by the violence of the paralytic affection. Thefe circumftances, joined to the great natural fize and prominency of both eyes, a bad fet of teeth, and a fallow complexion, will not allow me to fay that the prince has the fmalleft pretenfions to the character of handfomc His A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 10$ His drefs was the fame as that of other Moors, which I fhall hereafter defcribe, except a filk taffel to his turban, which is in this country a diftinctive mark of royalty. When I firft faw him, he was covered with a loofe furtout, made of red woollen cloth, and edged with fur-fkin, which the Moors term a Caftan. Indeed the only diftinction of drefs in this country is in the good or bad qualities of the materials. I have feen inftances of private Moors, whofe drefs was much richer than that of any of the princes, or even of the emperor him- felf. The attendants of the prince confifted prin- cipally of foldiers, of which he has an unlimited number, pages, who are generally about his per- fon, black eunuchs, and a few black flaves. The character of Muley Abfulem is marked with lefs of feverity and cruelty than that of the greater part of the Moorilh princes; it poffeffes however, at the fame time, lefs of that fagacity,, acutenefs, and activity, which is fo neceffary for the government of fo uncivilized a people as the Moors. To be explicit, this prince is naturally of a mild and indolent difpofition;. immoderately indulgent to his paffions, when he can enjoy them without much trouble \ and very little ambitious of fame. Till very lately he had accuftomed himfelf to drink, to a very great excefs, ftrong brandy; that he has now entirely relinquifhed,. and his principal paflion fince has been the love of women, which engroffes the whole of his attention and time. I obferved, however, that he allowed his ladies much more indulgence than is in general cuftomary among the Moors;, and I found that even in his F 5 prcfence Vo6 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C« prefence they converfed among each other with as much freedom as if they had been by them- , felves. From the fketch which I have given of the prince's character, it will be no difficult matter to difcover the reafons why his father's wifhes for appointing him his fucceffor were difappointed. He was rich, it is true, but a great part of his wealth was fquandered on fenfual gratifications; and the total want of energy in his character prevented his fecuring friends in a country, where cruelty and great activity are confidered as the only characteriftics of fovereignty. The advantages of hereditary fucceffion can only be feen by contemplating the ftate of thole monarchs where it does not exifl. In Morocco, where there is no regular fixed order of fuc- ceffion, though the emperor is indulged in the formality of nominating his fucceffor, yet the fword fupplies the place of right; and that prince who can acquire the greateft number of friends, and confequentiy the ftrongeft army, fucceeds to the throne. This circumftance is often at- tended with the moft fat.d eftf?fts, and has given rife to thofe bloody 'revokitions which from one period to another have fh&ken and depopulated the empire of Morocco. The emperor Sidi Ma- homet, from having no competitors, enjoyed a much more peaceful reign than any of his pre- decefTors. How far his fucceffor, who has feveral brothers, each feeling an equil claim to the throne, will be equally fuccefsful, time only muft deter- mine. C IL A P. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. tof I CHAP. VI. Defcription o/"Tarudant.—Country o/"Vled de Non. —Markets for the Sale of Ca'tle.—Extraordinary Amendment in the Prince's Complaint.—Great Civilly from two Moors.—Singular Adventure.—The Prince ordered on a Pilgrimage to Mecca.—Interceffion in Favour of the Englifh Captives.—Unexpected Order to repair to Morocco. A S it is quite unfafhionable in this country to ■**■ go even to the next ftreet on foot, and as my fituation was at fome diftance from that of the prince, his highnefs made me a prefent of an horfe, which, however, I could not fay was one of the beft in the country. But as I had once engaged in his fervice, I conceived it my intereft to make the beft of every fituation. In the hours, therefore, when my perfonal attendance on my patient was not demanded, I frequently made ufe of my Rofinante, both for the purpofe of exercife, and for the gratification of my curiofity in vifiting every thing which appeared worthy of inflection. The following are the principal obfervations which I was able to collect in the courfe of my excur- fions; and 1 flatter myfelf they will ferve at leaft to give a general idea of the city where I refided, and its environs. Tarudant, now the capital of the province of Suz, was formerly, while the empire was divi- ded into petty ftates, the metropolis of a kingdom. It lies in a fine but uncultivated plain, about twenty miles to the South of the Atlas, and may be con- fidered; 108 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C fidered as the frontier town of that part of the emperor's dominions. The emperor, it is true, claims the fovereignty of the deiert of Zahara, and the territory of Vied de Non. But his autho- rity over that part of the country is almoft nominal; as it entirely depends on the caprice and inclination bf the Arabs who inhabit it; and who, from their diftant fituation from the feat of government, are more properly under the dominion of their own chiefs. They acknowledge the emperor to be their fovereign, and the head of their church, and occafionally pay him tribute as fuch; but they pay no attention whatever to his particular orders, and over their interior government he has not the leaft controul. Thefe people coafift of different tribes of Arabs, who live in tents without any fixed places of re- fidenee. They wander over the country in fearch of plunder, and are fuppofed, on fome occafions, to extend their depredations as far as Nigritia, whence they carry off Negroes. They profefs the Mahometan religion, though they intermix it with a great portion of idolatry; and in the deferts, where no water can be procured for the purpofe of ablution, they fubftitute fand. Their manner of treating thole unfortunate mariners who have the misfortune to be fhipwrecked on their coaft, I (hall hereafter have occafion to reprc- fent. The walls of Tarudant, now half in ruins, are very extenfive, and enclofc a much larger fpace of ground than is occupied by the buildings. The houfes, which are compofed of earth and mud, beaten very tight in a wooden cafe, and A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C IO^ left to be dried by the fun, have only appartments on the ground floor; and as each houfe is fur- rounded by a garden and wall, the place alto- gether bears a greater refemblance to a well-peo- pled fpot of country, or a collection of hamlets, than a town. This idea is much increaled by the number of lofty palm, or date trees, which are intermixed with, and overlook the houfes, af- fording altogether a very rural appearance. The apartments are in general mean and inconvenient, and principally inhabited by the lower clafs of mechanics, as there are very few Moors of dis- tinction refiding at Tarudant. It is true, when the prince is there, he brings with him all his attendants and friends, but they generally live in the caftle, and are by no means to be confidertd as the inhabitants of the town. ^ From the irregular and ftraggling manner in which the town is built, it is impoflible to form a conjecture concerning the number of houfes and inhabitants it contains. As its extent, however, is confiderable, it may be accounted an important and populous city, when compared with moft of the others in the emperor's dominions. The principal manufactures at Tarudant are making of fine Haicks, and the working of cop- per, which is procured in great plenty from a neighbouring mine. They have a regular market twice a week, where all kinds of cattle and pro- vifions are brought to be difpofed of. For the fale of horfes and mules, the proprietor of the mar- ket employs men on purpofe to ride, and exhibit the beafts to the beft advantage, and afterwards to put them up to public auction. In thefe fales, IIO A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. if the higheft bidder does not offer a price agree- able to the owner.% they are at liberty to refufe felling them. This cuftom prevents many of thofe impofitions in the fale of cattle, which too fre- quently prevail in European fairs and markets. By thus putting the cattle up to public auction, thofe perfons who have really good ones will in general get their full price for them; and thofe buyers, who from their ignorance might be liable to be impofed upon, can without much difficulty form a tolerable idea of the real value of the animal by the price which others bid. The Jewdry is a miferable place, fituated about a quarter of a mile from the town. The inhabitants are in the moft abject ftate of poverty and fub- jedtion, and when they enter the Moorifh town are obliged to go barefooted. The caftle, which is very extenfive, and fituated halfway between the town and Dar Beyda, the refidenee of the prince, is inclofed in a tolerably neat garden, which was planned by a Frenchman. It is di- vided into three parts; one for the prince, which he occafionally ufes, the other for his women, named the Harem*, and the third for all thofe who are in the fervice of the prince. As the prince's recovery became daily obferv- able, I thought I might venture to try him with a large watch which I had with me, to fee whe- ther he could point out the time of the day. In this he fucceeded very well, and had difcern- * Europeans have in general an idea, that the place al- lotted for the women to live in is named the Seraglio, This is quite erroneous. Seraglio means properly a palace, and the women's place of refidenee is the Harem. ment. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C I X I ment enough to obferve, that it was an old watch, and in part broken. He therefore begged my acceptance of a very elegant gold one, re- quefting of me to wear it inftead of the other. The handfome manner in which his highnefs made this prefent gave me a much more flattering idea of his character than his conduct afterwards warranted. But we are to recollect, that he was then in the act of receiving a benefit from me; that the journey which he was afterwards obliged to undertake, put it out of my power to render him any further fervice; and therefore, to an illi- beral and uncultivated mind, the motive for con- tinuing any acts of generofity or kindnefs no longer exifled. In the courfe of my vifits to the prince, I occa- fionally met with two Moors, one of whom had been in Italy for fome time, and the other in England, who could fpeak a little of the Englifh language. I mention thtfe men not only from motives of gratitude, but alfo to evince, that it is by improving the mind and converfing with re- fined and civilized people only, that we are able to conquer illiberal prejudices. From an impulfe of benevolence, for it could proceed from no other motive, fince they had not received the fmalleft favour from me, they in a fhort time con- tracted fb warm a friendfhip for me, that had I been their neareft relation, they could not have fhewn it in a ftronger manner than I experienced. They not only expreffed their diftrels at feeing me in a country where I muft be continually Sub- ject to infult, and where the manner of living muft be fo very different from that to which they knew by their own experience I had been accus- tomed. 112 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, $'C. tomed, but they alfo took me to their houfes, in- troduced me to their wives, a.id dv fired them to take the fame care of me as of their own fa- mily. This was not all; they urged me to allow one of them to go into fome other apartments, which they could obtain from the prince, and almofl infilled upon my accepting of theirs. To this friendly propofal, however, I could not accede. Indeed I was in daily expectation of taking pof- feffion of the apartments promifed me by the prince; and had it been otherwife I could never have intruded fo much upontheir friendihip as to have confented to this requeft. They continually, however, obliged me to accept of tea and fugar, and many other articles, which from their fcar- city at Tarudant were very valuable. Of money they knew I was not in want, as I drew upon Mr. Hutchifon's agent for that article; but of thofe little rarities which they frequently fent to the prince, I was always kindly compelled to take my (hare. Had thefe two eftimable perfons received all the advantages of a liberal education, what an ornament would they have proved to fociety, and of what extenfive utility to their nation! On returning home from one of my vifits to the prince, and having paffed the gate-way, which is very lofty, and leads to the town, I was fur- prized at hearing a number of voices, from above calling out very loudly," Tibib, Tibib !" (Doctor, doctor!)—On looking back I obferved Muley Omar, one of Sidi Mahomet's fons, and half- brother to Muley Abfulem, fitting in great ftate on the centre of the wall over the gate-way, with a number of his attendants on each fide of him, A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 113 him. I immediately rode up to the prince, and found him a tolerably good looking young man, of about two-and-twenty. He was rather of a dark complexion, and his features were ftrongly marked with good-nature. After the ufual falu- tation, and having anfwered his queftion, whe- ther I approved of the horfe his brother had given me, I took my leave; but could not poffibly conceive the reafon why a perfon of his confe- quence fhould be feated in fo ftrange a place. I had not ridden far before I obferved about an hundred Moors on horfeback, who were upon the full gallop, and firing at each other in a ftrange and irregular manner. I was now in- formed that this was a fham fight, performed for the amufement of the prince, who had chofen the top of the gate-way for his place of obfer- vation. As I found it an eafier matter to keep my mind employed in the day-time than in the evening, I accuftomed myfelf to go to bed, as well as to rife, very early. One evening I had not retired to reft more than three hours, when I was alarmed by a noife which I at firft imagined was occa- fioned by thieves getting into the houfe. There had been lately a great number of robberies at Tarudant committed by the Arabs, who, as the houfes in general were conftructed of nothing but mud, had a cuftom of making a hole in the wall large enough to admit themfelves through, with- out occafioning the leaft alarm to any of the fa- mily. This I conceived to be the cafe, and fup- pofed that the- noife I heard arofe from the acci- dental falling down of part of the walk 114 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. I immediately got up and flew to the door, which was already opened by my interpreter, who had rifen before me, and there I obferved the whole of my neighbours with 'lights in their hands, and in their fhirts and fhifts, in a perfect ftate of confternation. They were ftanding as if totally unconfcious where they were, and without the power of fpeech. Indeed the alarm had oc- cafioned the fame apprehenfions in them that it had in me, and they had juft advanced as far as the fpot where I firft faw them, without having the refolution to examine any further into the caufe of the noife. My interpreter, though but little better than the others, had fummoned up courage enough to approach the fpot whence the noife arofe; he there found that one fourth of the houfe, which was built in a fquare, with a court in the centre, had entirely fallen down, and buried in its ruins two Jews, who were fleeping in the fallen apart- ment. I immediately affifted, and we foon brought the two men into my room, where I examined them very particularly, and found them fpeech- lefs—but fpeechlefs only from fright. I muft confefs this accident, which had occafioned a crack in my apartment increafed my anxiety to change it, as it was impoffible to fay how foon 1 might be in the fame predicament with the two Jews whom I and my interpreter had extricated from the ruins; but notwithftanding all my im- portunities, I could not perfuade the prince's ma- fons to work faft enough to prove of any utility. Among the many inconveniences which I ex- perienced at Tarudant, were the frequent infults I received A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C "5 received in the ftreets, for which I could certainly have received redrefs, but the number of new faces which were daily appearing, made applica-i tions for it entirely ufelefs. One day in my way to the prince, I was infulted by an ill-looking Moor, who, under the fanction of a Sharif*, thought himfelf juftified in fo doing; and there- fore in a very rude manner, ran his mule directly upon me, with an intention of either giving me a fevere blow, or of frighting my horfe. I imme- diately expostulated with him upon the impro- priety of fuch brutal behaviour •, upon which he told me I might go to the devil, for he was a Sharif. Upon this I found it neceffary to explain to him that I was furgeon to his prince, who from being governor of the province, and having me under his immediate protection, would pay very little attention to his being a Sharif, but would punifh him as his conduct merited; that I was then going to his highnefs, and as I was well ac- quainted with his name, fhould make my com- plaint of him. With a meannefs proportioned to his pride, this haughty Sharif turned back his mule, and offered any atonement I could point out, even that of going down upon his knees, if I would forgive this offence, for he dreaded the idea of his infolence being made known to the prince. I immediately confented to accept his fub- miffion, but admonifhed him, though a Sharif, to be cautious in future how he committed fuch a breach of hofpitality as to infult a ftranger. * Sharifs are men who profefs themfelves to be the defendants of Mahomet, and on that account are held in great efteem. At 116 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. At the end of the fourth week, the prince in- formed me that he had received orders from the emperor to prepare himfelf to proceed on a pil- grimage to Mecca, but that it was his intention to take me up to Morocco, where he would intro- duce me to his father, whence I was to accom- pany him to Fez, and Mecquinez, where he would give me a detachment of foldiers which fhould conduct me to Tangier. " By thefe means," ad- ded his highnefs, " you will have an opportunity " of telling your brother Chriftians what a num- " ber of fine places you have feen in this coun- " try." His departure from Tarudant, however, was not to take place for fome weeks, fo that it would not interfere with the plan of cure which I was at prefent purfuing. In the courfe of our conversation, during the different times I vifited the prince, I repeatedly urged him to redeem out of his captivity Captain Irving, the mafter of the fhipwrecked Guinea- man, agreeably to his promife, and always re- ceived the ftrongeft aflurances that my requefts would be complied with; but hitherto nothing had been done. I therefore proceeded upon an- other plan, which as it operated to the interefl of the prince, I flattered myfelf would be attended with more fuccefs. I told him that Captain Irving was a phyfician, whom I knew to be a man of great abilities (for he really was brought up to the profeffion) and that his advice was highly neceffary in order to promote and facilitate my plan of cure, and therefore I wifhed him to be fent for immediately. The prince, though fatisfied with my conduct, was highly pleafed A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 117 with the idea of novelty, and foon obtained the emperor's permifffon to fend for him up to Ta- rudant. Having no European with whom I could con- verfe, and refiding among the very worft part of the Moors, who harraffed me at one time with their folicitations for relief, aud at another with their infolence, it will eafily be conceived that my time was not fpent in the moft agreeable manner poflible at Tarudant. My attendance however on on the prince, and the apparently great amend- ment in his health, ferved in fome meafure to keep up my fpirits, amufe me, and enable me to bear my fituation with patience. At the expiration of five weeks, during which time the prince exprelfed the moft perfect fatis- faction at the relief which I afforded him, an or- der came down from the emperor, commanding my immediate prefence at Morocco. It may well be conceived that I could not receive this order without ftrong emotions of chagrin and furprife. Frorr the well-known difpofition of thefe people, I Was aware that had any accident happened to the prince during my attendance on him, fuch an order would probably have been the confequencej but to remove me from my patient, at a time when his highnefs was continually informing his father of f is amtiidment, was a myftery which I could not unfold. I repeatedly urged the prince to explain the reafon of this extraordinary con- duct in the court; but he was either unable or unwilling to afford me any information. Confcious how aielefs and abfurd the attempt would be to withftand a pofitive order of the em- peror 118 A TOUR TO MORdCCO, &C peror in a government lb uncommonly defpOtic, and reflecting upon the favourable ftate of the prince's health, after revolving the queftion again and again within my oWn mind, I in the end (fo ready are our imaginations to flatter us on every occafion) brought myfelf to hope that the journey might prove rather to my advantage than other- wife. How egregioufly deceived I was in thofe hopes the fequel will fufficiently prove. A gold watch, an indifferent horfe, and a few hard d6lf lars forced into my hand contrary to my inclina- tion, were the princely and magnificent rewards which I received for taking a journey of five hun- dred miles, and an affiduous attendance on art ungrateful defpot I CHAP. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C I 10 chap. vn. Journey over Mount Atla/ from Tarudant to Mo- rocco.—Rtt.nu°.—Dangerous Paffage over Mount Atlas.—Defcription of Mount Atlas.—Natural Productions.—Animals.—Beautiful Vallies.—Manners and Cufloms of the 3s.Ens,s.-Picturefque Views in the Mountains. /"\N the 30th of November, between feven and ^-^ eight in the morning, I took my leave of the prince, having previoufly intreated him to conti- nue his courfe of medicines, and left Tarudant, under the charge of an Alcaide, and two foldiers of the Negro cavalry, who carried up the annual prefent from the prince to the emperor, of fix horfes and three boxes of money. Thefe, with my interpreter, a Jew, who ferved both as cook and groom, and a muleteer, who had the charge of my baggage, were my party for the journey. Between twelve and one at noon we arrived at the foot of Mount Atlas, about twenty miles from Tarudant, where we pitched a very elegant tent, which the prince had procured for me, adjoining to fome Moorifh huts. We found the country in our way hither a woody and uncultivated plain. On the following day at fix in the morning we ftruck the tent, and immediately began to afcend Mount Atla;. For near four hours we had oDe continued, difficult, and fatiguing afcent, owing to the road being narrow, rocky, and fleep. From its abrupt and angular turnings the Moors dift'mgiufh it by an Arabic name, which fignifies the camel's neck. 2 In 120 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. In many places and particularly on the higher parts of the mountain, befides the inconvenience of a rocky road which was only broad enough to allow one mule with difficulty to pafs, we had a tremendous perpendicular precipice on one fide, and even in fome places, where the mountain confifted only of a narrow ridge of rock, on both. It was aftonifhing to obferve with what eafe and fafety our mules afcended and defcend- ed the rough and uneven paths over the moun- tains without putting us to the neceffity of de- mounting. By two in the afternoon we began to defcend, and arrived at a fmall village, in the centre of which we pitched the tent. On the following morning, at a little before fix, we proceeded on our journey, and at five in the evening arrived at the termination of the mountains, where we flept that night. The firft part of this day's journey was a defcent on a moft dreadfully fteep and rocky road, which at laft brought us into a beautiful vale, between two very high mountains, which immediately opens into the plains of Morocco, in a manner that is truly picturefque and fublime. I confefs it would have gratified me to have prolonged my ftay for a little while in thefe moun- tains, fo fertile in objects interefting to curiofity. The few obfervations which I was able to collect in my paffage over them I fhall, however, prefent to my readers, without any further apology. The Atlas are a chain of high mountains, in- terfected with deep vallies, which extend from the Eaftern to the Weftern parts of Barbary, di- viding it into two parts or fections. Thofe to the Wcftward A TOUR TO MOROCCO, ckc. 121 Weftward, from their height, are named the Greater Atlas, ant thofe to the E.iflward the LefTer. So immenfe is the height of thefe moun- tains, and particularly of tholb in the neighbour- hood of Morocco, that though fo far to the Southward, their 'fummits are perpetually covered with fnow. When Muley Abfulem, the follow- ing January, rifled over the fame track which I had paired in December, it fnowed the whole way; and from Morocco we at that time could not difcover any part of the mountains which was not completely white. The atmofphere rear their furirahs is intenfely cold, to a degree indeed which is frequently found to be dcflructive to animal life. I was well in- formed that fome Brebes, who had attempted to afcend the higheft part of the mountain', died im- mediately on the fpot, while others who were engaged in the fame attempt were obliged to re- turn with the utmoft precipitancy. As December was not the moft favourable fea- fon for botanical refearches, I faw little vegeta- tion on the mountains, except the arga-tree, on which I have already made fome remarks when fpeaking of the natural productions of the coun- try in general; but I am informed from the beft authority, that in the fpfing thefe mountains abound with an innumerable variety of curious plants. Indeed I have great reafon to believe the natural philofopher would find a nobler fcope in this country for his enquiries than in almoft any part of the globe ; and that the knowledge of medicine, as well as of botany, would be im- proved by a philofophicil tour over the Atlas. G In t 122 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. In the interior parts of the mountans there are, as I have before obferved, numerous iron-mines, and the Moors have an opinion that there are gold ones alfo; but the truth of this has not been as- certained. I was informed of feveral volcanoes which exifted in different parts, but as I did not fee them, I only give this as a mere report; though from the nature of things I cannot help repeating, that I think it highly probable many curious and valuable articles are concealed in the bowels of thefe unknown mountains, which indolence and want of emulation, fo ftrongly interwoven in the cifpofition and character of the Moors, will not fufrer them to explore. With refpect to animal productions, Mount Atlas abounds with lions, tigers, wolves, wild boars, and monftrous ferpents. But except when the neceffity produced by an extremely fevere winter drives the animals into thefe vales or tracks of men, they generally conf ne themfelves to the moft inacceflible parts of the mountains. This remark, however, is not to be underftood without exceptions; for when I was at Tarudant a tiger was killed quite clofe to the town; and there have been many inftances of their ranging far beyond limits of the Mountains. The means made ufe of by the inhabitants to fecure themfelves from their attacks at night are, by making large and numerous wood-fires, which the wild beafts fel- dom venture to approach. When I parted over the mountains, I met with no animals of prey, except fome remarkably large eagles. On the upper parts, in fome places, there was nothing to be fteu but an huge mafs of barren a lid A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 123 and rugged rocks, whofe perpendicular and im- menfe heights formed precipices, which, upon looking down, filled the mind with inexpreflible horror; in others, we patted through thick and extenfive torefts of the arga-tree, which, though it afforded an agreeable variety, being the only vegetable on the mountains, very little leffcned the general appearance of barrennefs. The vallies, however, prefented us with a very different fcene. Here we obferved numerous vil- lager, gardens, and inclofures, which, though in December, were beautifully covered with verdure, and fnled with fruit-trees of every defcription. Corn grew at this feafon in the greateft abundance, intermixed with plantations of olives and oranges, and ferved as the refort of a variety of finging birds of every defcription. In fome places lmall cafcades of water iffued from the rocks and moun- tains above, uniting and forming one continued ftream, which plentifully watered the plain. In fact, this fcene afforded the moft pleafing relief to the mind, after the fatigues and dangers we had experienced in the higher parts of the mountains. The villages confifted of huts, rudely con- ftructed of earth and mud, and walled in. They are very numerous, and are inhabited by a fet of people who are named Brebes. Thefe people dif- fer entirely from the Arabs and Moors. They are the original inhabitants of the country, who at the time of the conqueft by the Arabs fled into thefe mountains, where they have ever fince con- tinued, and in a great meafure maintained their independence. Each village is under the direction ofaShaik, who, contrary to to the practice in the G 2 encamp- ' 124 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C encampments of the Arabs, is an officer of their own choice. The Brebes are a very athletic and ftrong-fea- tured people, patient, and accuftomed to hard- ihips and fatigue, and feldom remove far from the fpot where they refide. They fhave the fore part of the head, but fuffer their hair to grow from the crown as far behind as the neck. They wear no fhirt or drawers; they are only covered by one woollen garment without fleeves, and belted round the middle, though I have feen fome few cover it with the haick. Their principal amufe- ment is in the ufe of their mufkets; they are in- deed excellent marklmen, and are very dexterous in twirling their mufkets round, throwing them very high in the air, and afterwards catching them. So attached are they to thefe inftruments, that they frequently go to the expence of fixty or even eighty ducats, to ornament them with filver and ivory. Their employment confifts principally in cul- tivating the vaiiies, looking after their cattle, and hunting wild bcafts, the fkins of which become a very valuable article for fale. Like the Arabs they have their regular markets for the difpofal of cattle, cVc. where they either receive money or fome other article in exchange. They have fallen, in a great neafur--, into the cuftoms and religion of the Moors, but they ftiil retain their original language; and a Iv'uor is frequently obliged to uie an interpreter to enable him to convtrfe with them. Befi.ks thofe who refide in huts in the v.i'.'e,-, which are numerous, there are alfo others who live A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 125 live in caves in the upper parts of the mountains; lb that the number of the whole muft be very con- fiderable. From their fecure fituation, the Brebes, although inhabiting a confiderable tract within the bounds of the empire, have frequently proved very trouble- fome to the Moorifh monarchs, fometimes paying them tribute, and at others refufing it, according to the dictates of their inclination. It is not long fince a general revolt took place among the Brebes, which obliged the emperor to fend a large army to fubdue them; but he fucceeded no farther than to oblige them to difperfe, with- out either conquering them, or gaining the point at which he aimed, which was to compel them to the payment of the tribute he demanded. The fituation indeed of thefe mountains does not admit of the operations of a large army; for the moun- taineers, accuftomed to climb up into the almoft inacceffible receffes, foon get beyond the reach of enemies who never before had made the at- tempt. Befide the Brebes, many Jews refide in the vallies, and poffefs feparate habitations or villages. Thefe people are employed in the trifling mecha- nical occupations which the Brebes require. In- deed I believe, there is no part of the world where the Jews are fo completely diffufed over the face of the country, or where they are fo feverely op- preffed, as in Barbary. In one of the places where I flept in thefe val- lies, foon after I got under my tent, I was amufed with the found of an inflrument very much re- fembling the bagpipe, and producing a wild and G 3 melancholy 126, A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. melancholy ftrain. Curious to know the nature of the inftrument, I fent for the perfon who was playing upon it, and immediately purchafed ir. It proved to be made of a common cane, about eight inches in length, perfectly hollow, without any cork or flop to it, with fix holes before, and one behind for the thumb, between which was .1 narrow brafs plate by way of ornament; it had a common cord fixed to it, for the purpofe of hanging it round the neck. It in fact altogether fo well correfponded with the defcription of the pipe which was ufed by the antient fhepherds, that I have little doubt of this defcription reviving a few claflical and romantic ideas in the minds of fome readers. It is by no means a very eafy matter to defcribe the different fenfations which are experienced in palling over thefe wonderful mountains. Their immenfe height, the dangerous precipices, the vales, which form their depth appeared like fo many abyffes, infpired altogether an emotion of awe and terror, which may be better conceived than expreffed. On the other hand, the unlimited and great variety of profpects difcoverable from their fummits, the numerous herd of goats and fheep which were fcrambling over the almoft per- pendicular cliffs, and the univerfal barrennefs of the mountains, contrafted with the beautiful ver- dure of the vallies immediately below, formed on the whole a fcene fufficiently beautiful and pic- turefque, to counterbalance the inconveniences we otherwife fuffered. C II A P. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &c\ I 27 CHAP. VIII. Arrival at Morocco.—Difficulty of obtaining an Au- dience.—Dfcrip.'ion of the Metropolis.—Buildings.— Houjeofthe Prime Minifler.—The Cajlle.—The Jew- dry.—Stale of the Jews in Barbary.—Account of Jacob Attal, the Emperor's Jewifh Secretary.— Manners of the Jews in Barlary.—Jeweffs.—Drefs. —, Marriages.—Difpofition for Intrig ue in the Jc wifh Women.—Toe Err p. r or's Palace deferibed. (~\N the 3d of December, betwen five and fix ^-^ in the morning, we proceeded on our jour- ney, and foon reached a fine plain, on which we continued the whole way to Morocco, where we arrived on the following day about noon, having performed altogether a journey of about one hun- dred and twenty-five miles. My firft object on my arrival was to fecure my- felf a convenient place of refidenee in the Jewdry; and having accomplifhedthat to my fatisfaction, I immediately took pofleflion of it, expecting anxi- oufly every hour to be fummoned before the em- peror. Though, however, his Moorilh majefty was repeatedly informed of my arrival, yet to my great aftonilhment I continued a whole month in a ftate of uncertainty and expectation, without having it in my power to obtain an audience, or to be informed of the caufe which removed me from Tarudant. The number of anecdotes in circulation through the town to my prejudice, excited in me continual uncafinefs, which even increafed in proportion to G 4 the 128 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. the length of time that had elapfed fince my ar- rival. By one of the emperors confidential friends it was infinuated to me, that his imperial majefty had heard I was young; that I was adminiftering internal medicines for difeafes of the eye, which was a practice totally new and unaccountable to them; that European medicines were always pow- ful and violent, and that if I had been fuffered to attend the prince much longer, his conftitution would have been ruined for ever. Another even went fo far as to fay, that the emperor fufpected me of having been employed by my countrymen with a view to poifon his fon. After much perplexing inveftigation into the truth of thefe affertions, I now difcovered that my journey to Tarudant was a private affair, fettled between the conful and the prince; that the em- peror, who at that time was not upon the beft terms with the Englifh court, and who had already flopped all communication between his dominions and the garrifon of Gibraltar, was highly difpleafed that an Englifhman fhould be introduced, unknown to him, for the purpofe of attending his fon in a medical capacity; that his Moorifh phyfician, out of pique, had perfuaded the emperor, that Eu- ropean medicines were too potent for the prince's conftitution, and that in reality his fon was in ex- treme danger while under my care;—that in fine, all thefe arguments weighed fo powerfully with the emperor, that he not only determined on im- mediately removing me from rhe prince, but at the fame time ordered fome of my medicines to be privately fent up to Morocco, where they were to undergo a flrict examination by his phy- fician. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 120' fician. The caufe of my not being honoured with an audience, I found to arife from a defire in the emperor, to be thoroughly informed of the ftate of the prince's health before he faw me, that ac- cording to circumftances he -might give me a favourable or a cool reception. As fome alleviation to the uneafinefs occafion- ed by this ftate of fufpenfe, I was now much. more comfortably fituated than I had been before at Tarudant. The apartment which I had pro- cured was one ftory high, in the houfe of a very refpectable family, and was fpacious, clean, and retired. From a Genoefe gentleman in the fer- vice of the emperor, I was enabled to procure a table, two chairs, twodifhes, a few plates, fome knives and forks, and a couple of tumblers. la addition to thh, a Jew offered his fervices as cook, who had lived fome time with an European, and who proved an adroit and ufeful perfon. Provifions of every kind were remarkably plentiful, good, and cheap. For beef and mutton I paid only about two pence Englifh a pound, for fine fowls about fix pence each, and pigeons were frequently fold at the rate of three halfpence a pair. Had I, in addition to all thefe comforts, been able to have procured a little agreeable fociety, my fituation would have been very fupportablej but in that particular I fcarcely pofTelfed more advantages than I had during my refidenee at Tarudant. The Genoefe gentleman, from whofe houfe I had borrowed a part of my furniture, was at Mogodore, and the only Europeans who were at thr.t time at Morocco^ if we except a fe-.y C c ' £■ ^ I3O A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. Spanifh artificers in the emperor's fervice, were part of the Englifh feamen who had been fliip- wrecked, a French officer, with fome French fea- men, who were alfo captives from a fimilar ac- cident, and three Spanifh friars. Out of thefe I could only chufe for my fociety the French officer and the friars. With the firft, as I was acquainted with the French language, I could converfe pretty fluently, and I really found him a moft agreeable companion: he had taken his paffage on board a veffel bound for the French fettlements on the coaft of Guinea, whither he was proceeding to join his regiment, and was fhipwrecked on that part of the coaft of Africa which lies in the direction of the Canary Iflands. This misfortune, united to the hardfhips which followed it on his being carried into flavery by the wild Arabs, and the little profpect which then appeared of his redemption, had made a deep impreffion upon his fpirits, and fubjectedhim to occafional attacks of hypochondria. The em- peror, it is true, could not be accufed of ill treating any of the captives; on the contrary, he allowed them daily a fmall fum of money, and permitted them to walk about at liberty. His detention of them, however, in the country, without any im- mediate profpect of returning home, was a fufficient reafon for them ftill to confider themfelves in no other light than that of flaves. The Spanifh friars, who have a fmall convent in the Jewdry, and who were originally placed there for the purpofe of redeeming captives, as they diftributed medicines to the poor gra;is, con- fidcred themfelves as being engaged in the fame profc'lEon A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 13 I profeffion with myfelf, and received me very hos- pitably; but as, from my not underftanding their language, I was obliged to converfe with them by means of my interpreter, who fpoke Spanifh, the fociety enjoyed with them was very limited in- deed. I cannot avoid expreffing my concern for the fate of thefe worthy men, who are diftineJ to fpend the whole of their Lves on a fpot deflitute of all civilized fociety, where they are continually fubjected to the caprice and infolence of the em- peior, as well as of the worft part of his fubjefts. They appeared to me to be men who had received much information from reading, as well as from obfervation, and they very properly employed their times in the duties of their profeffion, in the offices of devotion, and adminiftering medicines to the poor, in fludy, and in fuch innocent re- creations as the limited fociety of Morocco af- fords. To divert my thoughts from the great uneafincfs which my fituation naturally infpired, during fo long a ftate of fufpence, I made daily excurfions through different parts of Morocco; though, from the continual infults which I experienced when in the ftreets, even this amufement was attended witi confiderable inconvenience. The city of Morocco, which lies about one hundred and twenty miles to the North of Taru- dant, ninety to the eaft of Mogodore, and three hundred and fifty to the South of Tangier, is fituated in a beautiful valley, formed by a chain of mountains on the Northern fide, and thofe of the Atlas, from which it is diftant about twtnty miLs, on the South and Eail. The country which immcYuue-ly 132 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. immediately furrounds it is a fertile plain, beauti- fully diverffied with clumps of palm trees and fhrubs, and watered by fmall and numerous flreams, which defcend from Mount Atlas. The emperor's out-gardens, whkh are fituated at the diftance of about five miles to the South of the city, and are large plantations of olives walled in, add confiderably to the beauty of the fcene. Morocco, though one of the capitals of the empire—for there are three, Morocco, Mequinez, and Fez—has nothing to recommend it but its great extent, and the royal palace. It is inclofed by remarkably ftrong walls, built of tabby, the circumference of which, is about eight miles. On thefe walls there are no guns mounted, but they arc flanked with fquare tOwers, and fur- rounded by a wide and ck-ep ditch. The city has a number of entrances, confifting of large double perches of tabby, in the Gothic ftyle, the gates of which are regularly fhut every night at certain hours. As polygamy is allowed by the Maho- metan religion, and is fuppofed in fome degree to affect population, it would be difficult to form any computation near the truth with refpect to the number of inhabitants which this city may contain. The mofques, which are the only public build- ings except the palace, wcrrh noticing at Moroc- co, are more numerous, than magnificent; one of them is ornamented with a very high and fquare tower, built of cut ftone, wm\h is \ifible at a coi> iiderable diftance from the city. The ftreets are very narrow, dirty, and irre^v- lar, and m.ir.y of the ho;,:e* ,wc uninhabited, and fr;'"T A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 133 falling to ruin. Thofe which are-decent and refpectable in their appearance are built of tabby, and enclofed in gardens. That of the Effendi, or prime minifter, was among the beft which I vifited in Morocco. This houfe, which confifted of two flories, had elegant apartments both above and below, furnifhed in a ftile far fuperior to any thing I ever faw in that country. The court, into which the lower apartments opened, was very neatly paved with glazed blue and white tiling, and had in its centre a beautiful fountain. The upper apartments were connected together. by a broad gallery, the balluftres of which were painted of different colours. The hot and cold baths were very large; and had every convenience which art could afford. Into the garden, which was laid out in a tolerably neat ftile, opened a room adjoining to the hov.fe, which had a broad arched entrance, but no door, beautifully orna- mented with checquered tiling; and at both ends of the apartment the wails were entirely covered with looking-glals. The flooring of all the rooms was covered with beautiful carpeting, the walls ornamented with large and valuable looking- glalies, intermixed with watches and clocks in glafs cafes. The ceiling was carved wood-work, painted of different colours, and the v/hole was in a fuperior ftile of Moorifh grandeur. This and a few others are the only decent habitations in Morocco. The generality of them ferve only tv> imprefs the traveller with die idea of a mifer- able and deferted city. The IVics'niciia is a particular part of the town where fti.fi and oth.r valuable articles are e\~ i '- 134 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. pofcd to fale. It confifts of a number of fmall fhops, formed in the walls of the houfes, about a yard from the ground, of fuch a height within as juft to admit a man to fit in one of them crofs- legged. The goods and drawers are fo arranged round him, that when he ferves his cuftomers, who are ftanding all the time out in the ftreet, be can reach down any article he wants, without being under the neceflity of moving. Thefe fhops, which are found in all the other towns of the empire, are fufficient to afford a ftriking example of the indolence of the Moors. There are three daily markets in different parts of the town at Morocco, where provifions are fold, and two weekly fairs or markets for the di(- pofal of cattle, where the fame cuftom is obferved as at Tarudant. The city is fupplied with water by means of wooden pipes connected with the neighbouring flreams, which empty themfelves into refervoirs placed for the purpoie in the fuburbs, and fome few in the centre of the town. The caftle is a large and ruinous building, the outer walls of which enclofe a fpace of ground about three miles in circumference. It has a mofque built by Muley Abdallah, father to Sidi Mahomet, on the top of winch are three large balls; thefe, the Moors allege, are formed of folid gold, but as no perfon is permitted to afcend to them, we muft truft to their word for the truth of this affertion. The caftle is almoft a town of itfelf; it contains a number of inhabitants, who in fome department or other are in the fervice cf the emperor, and all under the direction of a par- A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 135 ticular Alcaide, who is quite independent of the govern >r of the town. On the outfide of the caftle, between the Moorifh town and the Jewdry, are feveral fmall, diftinct pavilions, enclofed in gardens of orange- trees, which are intended as occafional places of refidenee for fuch of the emperor's fons or bro- thers as happen to be at Morocco. As they are covered with coloured tiling, they have at a fmall diftance rather a neat appearance, but upon ap- proaching or entering them, that effect in a great meafure ceafes. It is a fingular circumftance, that in the imme- diate vicinity of Morocco, for fome diftance round the city, the ground is totally occupied by a great number of rats, of a larger fpecies than any I had ever before feen, which burrow under ground, and like rabbits, allow ftrangers to approach very near before they retire to their holes. They indeed gave me every idea of a rabbit-warren in miniature. The Jews, who are at this place pretty numer- ous, have a feparate town to themfelves, walled in, and under the charge of an Alcaide, appointed by the emperor. It has two large gates, which are regularly fliut every evening about nine o'clock, after which time no perfon whatever is permitted to enter or go out of the Jewdry, till they are opened again the following morning. The Jews have a market of their own, and, r.s at Tarudant, when they eqter the Moorifh town, caftle, or palace, they are always compelled to be bare- footed. The I36 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, 3. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 137 The Moors difplay more humanity to their beafts than to the jews. I have feen frequent inftances where individuals of this unhappy people were beaten lo feverely, as to be left almoft life- lefs on the ground, and that without being able to obtain the leaft redrefs whatever, as the ma- giftrates always act with the moft culpable par- tiality when a Moor and a Jew are the parties in a fuit. What they lofe by oppreffion, however, they in a great meafure make up by their fuperior addrefs and fagacity, which frequently enables them to over-reach the Moors—as I cannot com- pliment the Jews of Barbary in general upon their probity and principle. Jacob Attal, the emperor's Jewifh and favour- ite lecretary, had more influence with his royal mailer, and did- more mifchief by his intrigues and addreff, than all the other m'mifters put to- gether. This young man who was a native of Tunis, and who was tolerably well acquainted with the Englifh, Spanifh, Italian, French, and Arabic languages, was of an active and entepriz- ing mind, and had fo well informed himfelf of the natural difpofition of the Moors, and particu- larly of that of Sidi Mahomet, that he had gained an entire afcendency ever the emperor. As he knew that an unbounded love of money was the ruling paflion of his royal mafter, he not only glifh; and blanquils, of five farthings, both filver coins; fluces, which are of copper, twenty-four being equal to a blanquil; but ounces aie the money in which bills are ufually drawn in the country. All the emperor's coins have his name in Arabic ftamped on one fide, and on the other the date, and place at which they were coined. furren- 138 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. furrendered to him half of his own gains, but alfo furnifhed the emperor with the earliell an I beft information concerning thofe who were in poffeffion of wealth, as well as with a project for extracting it from them. By thus attacking the emperor on the weakeft fide, he fecured his friendfhip; but he fecured it by means which ex- pofed him to the refentment and revenge of thou- fands as foon as the emperor died, which has been fince too fatally proved. I muft, however, do this young man the juftice to add, that throughout the whole of his adminiftration, though in fome inftances, perhaps, contrary to his own intereft he fhewed an exclufive preference to the Englifh ; and of this the Moors in general were fo fenfible, that they gave him the appellation of the Englifh ambaffador. The Jews in moft parts of this empire live en- entirely feparate from the Moors; and though in other refpects oppreffed, are allowed the free exercife of their religion. Many of them, how- ever, to avoid the arbitrary treatment which they conftantly experience, have become converts to the Mahometan faith; upon which they are ad- mitted to all the privileges of Moors, though they lofe their real eftimation in the opinion of both fects. In moft of the fea-port towns, and particularly at Tetuan and Tangier, the Jews have a tolerable finattering • of Spanifh; but at Morocco, Taru- dant, and all the inland toWns, they can only fpeak Arabic and a little Hebrew. . They nearly follow the cuftoms of the Moors, except in their religious ceremonies; and in that particular they are. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 1^9 are by far more fuperftitious than the European Jew^. The Jews of Barbary fhave their heads clofe, and wear their beards long; their drefs indeed, altogether, differs very little from that of the Moors (which I fhall hereafter defcribe) except in their being obliged to appear externally in black. For*which purpofe they wear a blackcap, black flippers, and inftead of the haick worn by the Morrs, fubftitute the Alberoce, a cloak made of black wool, which covers the whole of the under drefs. The Jews are not permitted to go out of the country, but by an exprefs order from the emperor ; nor are they allowed to wear a fword, or ride a horfe, though they are indulged in the ufe of mules. This arifes from an opinion pre- valent among the Moors, that the horfe is too noble an animal to be employed in the fervice of fuch infidels as Jews. The drefs of the Jewifh women confifts of a fine linen fhirt with large and loofe fleeves, which hang almoft to the ground ; over the fhirt is worn a caftan, a loofe drefs made of woollen cloth, or velvet, of any colour reaching as low as the hips, and coveting the whole of the body, except the neck and breaft which are left open, and the edges of the Caftan as worn by the Jeweffes of Morocco, are embroidered with gold. In addition to thefe is the Geraldito, or petticoats, made of fine green woollen cloth, the edges and corners of which are fometimes embroidered with gold. They are faftened by a broad fafh of filk and gold, which furrounds the waift, and the ends of it are fuffcred to hang down behind, in an eafy manner*. This 140 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. This is the drefs they wear in the houfe, but when they go abroad, they throw over it the haick. The unmarried women wear their hair plaited in different folds, and hanging down be- hind. They have a very graceful and becoming method of putting a wreath of wrought filk round the head, and tying it behind in a bow. This drefs fets off their features to great advan- tage, and diftinguifhes them from the married women, who cover their heads with a red filk handkerchief, which they tie behind, and over it put a filk fafh leaving the ends to hang loofe on their backs. None of the Jewifh women ufe (lockings, but wear red flippers, curioufly em- broidered with gold. They wear very large gold ear-rings, at the lower part of their ears, and at. the upper three fmall ones fet with pearls or pre- cious ftones. Their necks are loaded with beads, and their fingers with fmall gold or filvcr rings. Round each wrill and ankle they wear large folid filver bracelets; and the rich have gold and filver chains fufpended from the fafh behind. Their marriages are celebrated with much fef- tivity for fome time previous to the ceremony, and the intended bride with all her female relations, go through the form of having their faces painted red and white, and their hands and feet Aained yellow, with an herb named henna. A variety of figures are marked out on them with a needle, and then this herb, which is powdered and mixed with water into a pafte, is worked into the holes made by the needle, and thefe marks continue on the hands and feet for a long fpace of time. Upon the death of a Jew (before and after burial) all A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. I4X die female relations, with other women hired for the purpofe, affemble in the room of the deceafed, and for feveral days lament his lofs by moft dreadful fhrieks and howlings, and tearing their cheeks and hair. The Jeweffes of this empire in general are very beautiful and remarkably fair.—They marry very young, and when married, though they are not obliged to hide their faces in the flrcet, yet at home they are frequently tre ted with the fame ' feverity as the Moorifh women. Like the Moors, the Jewifh men and women at Morocco eat fepa- rate; and the unmarried women are not permitted to go out except on particular occafions, and then always with their faces covered. A difpofition for intrigue in the female fex is always found to accompany tyrannical conduct and undue rcftraint on the part of ours ; and this difpofition is again made the excufe for the con- tinuance of thefe reftraintf. Thus the effect be- comes a caufe, and when the women ceafe to be the guardians of their own honour, they derive no credit from the prefervation of it, and incur in their own eftimation but little difgrace by its lofs. The Jews allege, in extenuation of their fe- verity, the licentious inclinations and artful difpo- fitions of their women, and that a fingle act of eriminajity in a daughter would be an effectual bar to her ever forming a legal connection. The fame objection not being fo applicable to their married women, they are permitted to go out without reftraim:. Indeed many of their hufbands, from interefted motives, are too apt to connive at a conduct, which, in other countries would in- fallibly 142 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. fallibly bring down upon them well-merited con* tempt. The palace of Morocco is an ancient building, furrounded by a fquare wall, the height of which nearly excludes from the view of the fpectator the other buildings. Its principal gates are con- flrueted with Gothic arches compofed of cut ftone, which conduct to feveral open and fpacious courts ; through thefe it is neceffary to pafs be- fore we reach any of the buildings. Thele open courts were ufed by Sidi Mahomet for the pur- pofes of tranfacting public bufinefs and exercifing his troops. The habitable part of the palace confifts of fe- veral irregular fquare pavilions, built of tabby, and whitened over; fome of which communicate with each other, others are diftinct and moft of them receive their names from the different towns of the empire. The principal pavilion is named by the Moors the Douhar, and is more properly the palace or feraglio than any of the others. It confifts of the emperor's place of refidenee, and the Harem, forming altogether a building of con- fiderable extent. The other pavilions are merely for the purpofes of pleafure or bufinefs, and are quite diftinct from the Douhar. The Mogodore pavilion, fo named from the emperor's partiality to that town, ha* by iar the faireft claim to grandeur and magnificence. This apartment was the work of Sidi Mahomet, and is lofty and fquare- It is built of cut flune, hand- fbmcly ornamented with windows,"and co'tred with varnifhed tiles of various colours; and its elegance and neatnefs, contrafted altogether with A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 143 Simplicity and irregularity of the other buildings, produce a moft ftriking effect. In the infide, be- fides feveral other apartments, we find in the pa- vilion a fpacious room, floored with blue and white checquered tiling, its ceiling covered with curioufly carved and painted wood, and its ftuc- coed walls varioufly ornamented with looking- glaffes and watches, regularly difpofed in glafs cafes. To this pavilion Sidi Mahomet manifefted an exclufive preference, frequently retiring to it both for the purpofes of bufinefs, and of re- creation. The apartments of the emperor have in general a much fmaller complement of furniture than thofe of the Moors in the inferior walks of life. Handfome carpetting, a matrafs on the ground, covered with fine linen, a couch, and a couple of European bedfteads, are the principal articles they contain. The gardens within the walls of the pahce, of which he has feveral, are very neat; they contain orange and olive trees, varioufty dif- pofed and arranged, and interfered with flreams of water, fountains and refervoirs. Thofe on the outfide are nothing more than large tracts of ground, irregularly planted with olives ; having four fquare walks, and furrounded by walls. In introducing the defcription of the palace in this place, I have rather deviated from the chro- nological feries of my narrative, as the events which brought me acquainted with this lacred refidenee of the Moorifh princes were pofterior to my vifiting all the other quarters of the metro- polis. CHAP. 144 A TOUR TO MORCCO, &C CHAP. IX. Introduction to the Emperor.—Converfation with his his Moor'fh Majefty.—Account of the Emperor Sidi Mahomet—his Character—his extreme Avarice— his miferable Situation.—Anecdotes relative to the late Emperor.—Anecdotes of Sidi Mahomet—his De- ceit and I/ypoctfy—hi; Charity.—Pufillanimous Con- duct of the European Powers,—Ceremonies of the Court of Morocco.—Exactions from Strangers.—Account of the principal Officers of State.—Character of the late Prime Minifler.—Revenues of Morocco.—Wealth of the Emperor, lefs than generally imagined.—Th? Army of the Emperor—how commanded—his Navy. —Internal Government of the Empire..-^—Bafha'ws.— Alcaides.—Ell hackum.—Cadi.—Mode of adminifltr- ing Juflke.—Criminal Punifbments. A FT E R the laple of a month without a prof- -*•■*• pect of obtaining an audience, my anxiety was increafed to a degree which in the end proved extremely injurious to my health. From the at- tention which 1 had paid to moft of the emperor's minifters, who all of them in their turn had oc- cafion for my fervices, I thought I had a right to expect fome little return. With all that deceit which has characterized the inhabitants of Bar- bary * from the earlieft periods, they profeffed the warmeft friendfhip for me, and alfared me that they would exert their influence upon the empe- ror to perfuade him to fee me. Among the num- ber was a Moor named Sidi Brahim, to whom 2 * Punica fides. the A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C *4S the prince had given me ftrong letters of recommen- dation, and who, during a tedious ficknefs which had prevailed in his family, had received from me the moft conftant attention. This Moor had directions from the prince to introduce me im- mediately upon my arrival to the emperor, and to fhew me every civility that was due to fuch recommendation. All thefe circumftances I con- ceived gave me a fufficient right to expect that Sidi Brahim, both from motives of duty to his prince, and gratitude to me, would have exerted himfelf in a manner correfpondent to fuch obliga- tions. But that was far from being the cafe. When his family was under my care, he certainly did receive me with attention, and treated me with kindnefs; but when my advice became no longer neceffary, his friendfhip cooled in propor- tion; and latterly, when we happened to meet, he fcarcely feemed to recollect me. Upon reflec- tion, what was I to expect from a man, who for his notorious crimes, though at that time in great favour, had been punifhed by his fovereign, having had the greateft part of his beard pulled up by the roots ? Unfuccefsful nd difappointed through this chan- nel, I had recourfe to fome others of the emperor's attendants, on whom I had conferred favours, and who had perhaps ftill greater influence with the emperor than even Sidi Brahim. Among this number were thr prime minifter, and one of the emperor's principal talbs. From thefe officers I experienced, however, much the fame treatment as from Sidi Brahim; and had I not accidentally been called in to attend the wife of one of the cm- H peror's I46 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. peror's principal Jews, it is probable I might have continued in the fame fame ftate of anxious un- certainty for fome weeks longer. As a return for my attendance, the hufband of this patient, agreeably to my requeft, had addrefs and influence enough to perfuade the emperor to appoint an audience for me the very day after the ap- plication. On the day appointed for my reception at court, about twelve at noon, three negro foldiers, with large clubs in their hands, came to my apart- ments to efcort me to the palace; telling me, that they had directions to return with me inflan- taneoufly, and that they muft anfwer it with their heads, if they delayed a moment in the exe- cution of their orders. Not fufpecting that my Jewifh friend, for fuch I muft certainly denomi- nate him, could have effected my wifhes fo im- mediately, I was by no means prepared for the audience; and I requefled them to wait a few moments, till I could enable myfelf to appear in a decent drefs before the emperor. Far, however, from acceding to my requeft, the foldiers became impatient, and acquainted me, that I muft either proceed with them immediately, or they would return and inform the fultan, that I had refufed to comply with his orders. I now found myfelf under the neceflity of fetting off, and we all ac- tually ran together to the palace with the utmoft expedition. When we arrived there, I was intro- duced to one of the mafters of the audience, who defired me to wait on the outfide of the palace till I was called for. From A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 147 From the abrupt and hidden manner in which I was forced away by the foldiers, I expected to be ufhered immediately into the imperial prefence; but fo far was I ftill from the confummation of this expectation, that I remained on the fpot where they firft placed me, from twelve o'clock at noon till five in the evening, revolving in my mind, what kind of a perfon I fhould find the emperor, what reception I fhould meet with, and the anfwers which I ought to make to any que'ftions he might propofe. Situated as I was with refpect to the prince whom I had been attending, and confidering the malicious reports refpecting my conduct which had been circulated about Morocco, the reader may well fuppofe that I was led to form a variety of conjectures, concerning what was likely to be the refult of the audience. I however placed my whole confidence in the prince's re- covery, which was a circumftance, when clearly known to the emperor, 'that muft undoubtedly operate in my favour. This idea at laft entirely removed a number of uneafy and anxious reflec- tions, which had occured to me when I firft en- tered the palace; and by the time the meffenger came to introduce me to the emperor I had brought myfelf to be as calm and recollected as if my mind had been perfectly at eafe, and had no reafon to be otherwife. From the court-yard into which I was firft in- troduced, I was hurried with the greateft precipi- tancy through two or three others, till I arrived at the gate which opened to the court where the emperor was waiting to receive me. I was there H 2 detained I48 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C detained for fome time by the mailer of the au- dience, owing to my refufal of the prefent which Europeans are accuftomed to make to the em- peror upon being honoured with an audience. I had been previoufly acquainted that no perfon was ever permitted to appear in his majefty's prefence, unlefs accompanied by a handfome pre- fent ; but I conceived my fituation to be in every refpect fo totally different from that of other ftrangers who vifited the court, that I told the mailer of the ceremonies, if he perfifted in refuting me entrance, I would immediately return home again. The Moor, finding that I was determined not comply with his requeft, and knowing that the emperor was purpolely waiting to fee me, was afraid to defer my introduction any longer; I was therefore ufhered into his majefty's prefence very expeditioufly, and directed to place myfelf and my interpreter in fuch a fituation as to be feen with- out approaching too near his perfon. The Moor who introduced me, upon appearing in fight of the emperor, proftrated himfelf on the earth, kiffed it, and in a very humble manner exclaimed in Arabic, " May Cod preferve the king!" The emperor then ordered him to ap- proach, and deliver what he had to fay. He inform- ed his majefty, that in compliance with his order, he had brought before him the Englifh doctor; after which, having made a very low bow, he retired, and the emperor immediately defired me and my interpreter to advance towards him; but as foon as we had got within ten yards of the emperor, two A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 149 two foldiers came up, pulled us by the coat, and acquainted us that we muft not prefume to ap- proach any further. I found the fovereign feated in an European poft-chaife, placed in one of his open courts, and drawn by one mule in fhafts, having a man on each fide to guide it. Behind the carriage were foot foldiers, fome Negroes and others Moors, in two divifions, forming together a half-moon. Some of thefe foldiers were only armed with large clubs, while others had mufkets which they held clofe to their bodies, and pointed perpendicularly. sThe emperor, after furveying me minutely and with the greateft attention, accompanied with no fmall fhare of hauteur, demanded from my in- terpreter, in a very ftern manner, if I was the Chriftian doctor who had been attending Muley Abfulem? I defired him to anfwer, that I was. —" How came you into the country ; and were " you fent by order of your own king, or by " whom ?" To render, my vifit of more importance, I anfwered, " By order of government."—"Where "did you learn your profeffion, and what is the " name of the perfon who taught it you ?" I in- formed his majefty.—" What is the reafon that " the French furgeon* are better than the Englifh; (C and which do you think are beft?" I anfwered, (( The French furgeons are very good, but it «' muft certainly be allowed that the Englifh are «' in general fuperior, being more fcientifically "educated."—The emperor then obferved, that a French furgeon had come into the country, and in the courfe of his practice had killed feveral perfons. H 3 His 150 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C His majefty next afked, in a very auftere man- ner, " What was the reafon I had forbidden Muley " Abfulem the ufe of tea?" My reply was, " Mu- "ley Abfulem has very weak nerves, and tea is " injurious to the nervous fyftem."—" If tea is " fo unwholefome," replied his majefty, " why do " the Englifh drink fb much?" I anfwered, "It "is true, they drink it twice a day; but then " they do not make itfo ftrong as the Moors, and " they generally ufe milk with it, which Jeffens " its pernicious effects. But the Moors, when " once they begin to ufe it, make it very ftrong, " drink a great deal, and very frequently with- " out milk."—" You are right," faid the emperor; " and I know it fometimes makes their bands " fhake." After this converfation, about a dos^a- diftilled waters, prepared from different herbs, were frought for me to tafte, and inform the em- peror what they were; which were hot, and which were cold, &c. His majefty now condefcended to become more familiar and eafy in his remarks, and defired mq to obferve the fnow on Mount Atlas, which his carriage immediately fronted, wifhing to know if we had the fame in my country. I anfwered, that we frequently had a great deal in the winter feafon, and that England was a much colder climate than Morocco. The emperor obferved, that if any perfon attempted to go to the top of the mountain, he would die from excefs of cold. He then in- formed me, that on the other fide of the mountain was a very fine, plain, and fertile country, which was named Tafilet. Obferving A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. I5I Obferving that the emperor was now in a good humour, I embraced the oportunity of mention- ing to him, how much my feelings had been hurt by the malicious reports which had been for fome time paft circulating to my prejudice; that they were of fuch a nature as to make me very defirous of having my character cleared up, by a proper examination into the prefent ftate of the prince's health, as well as into the nature of the medicines which I had been adminiftering to him. The emperor in reply faid, that he had already ordered his Moorifh phyfician to examine very particularly my medicines; who had declared that he could find nothing improper in them. It is very clear, however, that fome fufpicion muft have taken place in the breaft of the emperor, to have induced him to fend privately for thefe medicines, for the purpofe of having them fo nicely examined; from which circumftance I could not help feeling it as a very fortunate event for myfelf, that the prince's health was in fo favourable a ftate. After a converfation of fome length, the heads of which I have endeavoured briefly to ftate, the evening being far advanced, the emperor com- manded one of his attendants to conduct me home to his Jew, and defire him to take great care of me; adding, that I was a good man, I was Muley Abfulem's phyfician, and that he would fend me home to my entire fatisfaction. He then ordered his carriage to drive on. Confidering myfelf as now acquitted of the charges which had been infinuated againft me, and elevated by the emperor's promifes at the audience, I muft confefs that I returned home with a much H 4 lighter 152 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. lighter heart than I could boaft of when I went. I now only waited for the arrival of the prince at Morocco, which I conceived would confirm the emperor's good wifhes towards me, and make my fituation as agreeable as I could expect. Such are the fanguine hopes with which we are apt to fatter ourfelves, after having encountered dif- ficulties, when the fmalleft profpect opens of relief. In the evening my room was filled with a num- ber of the attendants of the emperor, who came to congratulate me on the honour I had received by a fight of their royal mailer; at the fame time ro demand prefents, which on fuch occafions, they alleged was a cuftom to which all Europeans fub- mitted. As therefore I faw there were no other means of relieving myfelf from their impertinent importunities, I was obliged in fome degree to< comply with their demands. I found the emperor Sidi Mahomet to be a tall thin eld man, of near eighty years of age, and of a fallow complexion. From a vifage naturally long, and a diftortion of one eye, united with an acquired habit of aufterity, his appearance at firft was rather difgufting to ftrangers; but that im- prefiion was foon worn off by the affability of his converfation, which he generally confined to thofe fubjects he thought moft adapted to ihe perfon with whom he converfed. At the lame time he difplayed a great defire to acquire information, as well as to difcover the abilities of others. Some years ago he fo far loft the ufe of his feet as to difable him from walking. This difagreeable effect was probably owing to v/ant of ufe, and to his accuftom- A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. J:>:» accuftoming himfelf conftantly to be either in his carriage or on horfeback. When I faw him, his beard and eye-brows, though before, as I was informed, very dark, had acquired a perfect white- nefs, and his voice was much impaired. His drefs was exactly fimilar to that of other Moors, differ- ing only in the finenefs of the materials, and he was only diftinguifhed from his fubjects by a lar- ger retinue, riding in a carriage, or when on horfeback having an umbrella carried before him. From the general tenour of his conduct through- out his reign, and from his converfation, Sidi Mahomet appears to have poffeffed ftrong natural talents, to which had a good education been united, he might have proved a great monarch. But the want of education, and the illiberality and fu- perftition of his religion, betrayed him frequently into cruelty; and the pofleffion of arbitrary power tinged his character with that intolerable caprice which has ever diftinguifhed and difgraced the Moorifh princes. Avaricious from his youth, he gave his whole attention to the accumulation of wealth; and it was from that motive only that he appeared to give more encouragement to European merchants than any of his predeceffors. It is at the fame time well known, that he occafionally oppreffed them with fuch heavy duties, that they have been obliged to fend home their veflels empty. In hopes of adding ftill more to his treafures, Sidi Mahomet became himfelf a merchant, took up goods from Europeans, and obliged the Jews to pay him five times their value for them; fo that there was not H 5 a fingle I54 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, Sec a fingle refource for becoming rich of which he did not avail himfelf. Avaricious to this excefs, and naturally of a very timid difpofition, his great object has been peace: well aware that war could neither enrich him, nor contribute to his enjoy- ments in any refpect. His reign, it is true, has been diftinguifhed by fewer inftances of cruelty than that of any of his predeceffors, but he has certainly exceeded them all in the licentioufnefs of his attacks upon private property. He was always furrounded by people, who, for the fake of rifing into favour, were at all times ready to give him information concern- ing any of his fubjects who were rich. It was then his ufual courfe of proceeding, to invent fome plea for confining them in prifon; and if that did not fucceed, he put them in irons, chain- ed them down, and proceeded in a courfe of feverity and cruelty, till at laft, wearied out with punifhments and difgraces, the unfortunate vic- tims furrendered the whole of their poffeffions; which alone procured them the enjoyment of liberty, an oportunity of again obtaining fufiftence, or perhaps of once more becoming the prey of the rapacious monarch. Such of his fons as were in friendfhip with him, were continually making him prefents, as if apprehenfive of the fame fate; and fince I left the country it has been ftrongly reported that my patient Muley Abfu- lem, who was the only fon for whom the empe- ror profeffed much affection, was plundered by his father of the greateft part of his riches; which indeed were reputed to be very confider- able. Vices A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 155 Vices are never folitary; and thofe which are moft naturally connected with an avaricious and timid difpofition, are jealoufy and fufpicion. Con- fcious how little he deferved the affection ©f his people, and latterly fenfible of having totally loft it, Sidi Mahomet was in conftant fear of affaffina- tion and poifon. In this ftate he dragged on a miferable exiftence; an example to arbitrary kings, and a living proof that the picture exhibited of the Roman tyrant, by the farcaftic hiftorian, was not overcharged. He feldom ftirred out of his palace, unlefs accompanied by a numerous band of foldiers, and even of thefe he had always his fufpicions. At night he had conftantly fix blood- hounds in his chamber, and relying more on the fidelity of the irrational creation than on man, he thought thefe a more certain guard than his foldiers. His victuals were dreffed and tafted in his prefence; and at dinner, though no perfon was permitted to eat immediately with him, yet he always had fome of his fons and minifters in the fame apartment, who were helped out of his difh. To complete the mifery of this unfortunate old man, he lived under the continual apprehenfion of being conquered by his eldeft fon Muley Yazid, the late emperor, who, in confequence of fome ill treatment received from his father, retired fecretly from court, and took refuge in a fanituary near Tetuan. This prince, whofe grandmother was an Englifh woman, had acquired the univerfal efteem of the whole country by his generous conduct and his gre,at abilities; and though at that time in a ftate of poverty, and with only four attendants about him, \$6 k TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. him, fuch was his influence that he had only to ftep forward, and fay he wanted money and troops, and he would fhortly have been at the head of an army, that muft at any time have entirely overwhelmed the late government of Morocco. From motives of duty, and perhaps of policy, this however was a ftep he did not wifh to take, confcious that his father could not long furvive, and that upon his death he was certain of the fucceflion. The emperor, notwith- ftanding, was ftill unable to fubdue his appre- henfions; and when I was at Morocco fent an army of five thoufand blacks, with an order to violate the fanctuary, and carry off the prince. This order was not obeyed, for the chief could not place fufficient confidence in his troops; and the prince continued quiet in the factuary till his father's deceafe. To evince the policy, as well as the fagacity of Muley Yazid, I muft beg leave to relate an anecdote, which occurred a fhort time previous to that period. The people who have the care of the fanctuary received pofitive orders from the emperor to expel the prince by force; which, if they failed in doing, he affured them he would fend and put every man, woman, and child in the neighbourhood of the fanctuary to the fword. The people, though well difpofed to the prince, intimidated by thefe orders, related faithfully to him the emperor's intentions, and informed him that, as their lives were at flake, they expected him to remove, at the fame time recommending him to another fanctuary at no great diftance, where he could equally take refuge. The prince, who. A TOUR TO~MOROCCO, &C. 157 who is one of the beft horfemen in the country, and who had a horfe of which he had the en- tire command, immediately promifed them to depart, and mounted his horfe for the purpofe. But what was their furprife, when they found the horfe would not ftir from the fpot, notwith- ftanding the apparently free ufe of whip and fpur ? Upon this the prince exclaimed, " You fee plain- " ly that it is God's will I fhould continue here, " and therefore no other power fhall ever drive " me out." This had fuch an effect upon the fuperftitious multitude, that they preferred rifking the refentment of the emperor, to the violation of what, in their eftimation, was fo apparently the will of God. With refpect to the other features of the em- peror's character, his principal vices appear to have refulted from that great corrupter of the human heart, arbitrary power: for he was the moft arbitrary of monarchs, having at his abfolute difpofal the lives and properties of all his fubjects. In fuch circumftances, what man can be trufted, nay, who would truft himfelf? In fuch circum- ftances, can we wonder, when we obferve the occafional indulgence of intemperate revenge? Among thefe we are to account his treatment of an unfortunate Jew who had imprudently written fomething to his prejudice, and for this flight of- fence was quartered alive, cut to pieces, and his flefh afterwards given to the dogs. Upon another occafion, a fimilar difpofition was manifefted by Sidi Mahomet. A Moor of fome confequence, and very opulent, gave a grand entertainment on the marriage of one of his fons. The 158 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. The emperor, who happened to be in the neigh- bourhood, and who well knew that magnificence was a ftriking proof of wealth, was determined to be prefent at the feftival, in order that he might more fully inform himfelf of the circum- ftances of the Moor. For this purpofe he dif- guifed himfelf in a common drefs, and entered the houfe in the midft of all the jollity, and perhaps the licentioufnefs of the entertainment. The mailer of the ceremonies obferving a perfon of mean ap- pearance intrude himfelf into the room fo abrupt- ly, ordered him out; and upon the refufal of the ftranger, he gave him a kick, and pufhed him by violence out of the houfe. For a fhort fpace of time after this occurrence the whole affair paffed with- out notice,' and probably had efcaped the memory of moft; and it was a matter of the utmoft furprize to the mafter of the houfe, to receive an order com- manding him immediately to repair to Morocco. Upon being introduced to the emperor, he was afked if he recollected the circumftances which have juft been related, to which he replied in the affirmative. " Know then," fays the emperor, " I was that Moor whom you treated thus con- " tumelioufly; and to convince you that I have " not forgot it, that foot and that hand which " infulted me fhall perifh."—I have feen this un- fortunate victim of tyranny walking about the ftreets with one leg and an arm. The emperor was as ready to revenge the ima- ginary or the real injuries of his fubjects. To elucidate this affertion; an Englifh and French gentleman were amufing themfelves by the diver- sion of courfing, in the vicinity of Mogodore, when A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &c. 159 when one of their dogs unfortunately attacked the calf of a Moor. This accident foon brought out the villagers, who immediately fhot the dog, and entered into a very ferious quarrel with the Chriftians, which terminated in a general conteft. The women of the village now thought it a pro- per occafion for their interference ; and among their number was one, who from old age had loft all her teeth except two, and thefe were fo loofe that they could be with difficulty retained; and another, who had upon a former occafion frac- tured her arm, the bone of which had never been reduced or united. In the courfe of the difpute, thefe two women were unintentionally ,thrown down, and by this accident the old lady loft both her teeth, while the other infilled that the Chrif- tians had been the occafion of fracturing her arm. To be brief, the Chriftians were overpowered by numbers, and were obliged to retire to Mogodore, where they immediately made a complaint to the governor of the infults they had received from the Moors, who in their turn alio appeared before him with a complaint againft the Chriftians. The whole being referred to the emperor, both parties were ordered up to court, with the view of giving the matter an impartial hearing, and of adminis- tering juftice accordingly. It is hardly neceffary to intimate, that in this uncivilized country, and with a man of Sidi Mahomet's prejudices, the Moorifh evidence would be certain of' a favour- able hearing. The circumftances indeed of one woman lofing her teeth, and another having her arm fractured, appeared in the eyes of the empe- ror fo plaufible, that upon their being made known to i6o A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C to him, without hefitation he ordered the Chrifc tians to be put in irons, and confined till he fhould determine upon the punifhment which fuch appa- rent crimes merited. For this purpofe, the Mufti, or high prieft: was defired to refer the matter to the Koran, with a view of punifhing the delin- quents according to its dictates. The prieft foon found out a paffage, where it fpecies an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The Englifh gen- tleman, whom the old lady fixed upon for the perfon who had been the occafion of her misfor- tune, was therefore directed to lofe two of his teeth, which punifhment was immediately put in execution in the prefence of the emperor; while his French companion, as they could not find out a punifhment in the Koran for breaking an arm, received the baftinado in a manner which dis- graced humanity and the law of nations; the pri- foners were then fet at liberty. This circumftance brings to my mind how nar- rowly I efcaped falling into a fimilar predicament in the courfe of my detention at Morocco. One day, within the walls of the palace, I was grofsly infulted by a Moor, at a time when, from the great anxiety I was under, my temper was much difturbed, and which fo far had put me off my guard as to induce me to give the offender a blow on the face. Upon this a Moorifh foldier, who, unobferved by myfelf, was fitting behind me in a corner of the wall, exclaimed in Arabic in a very auftere tone, " Chriftian, how dare you ftrike that Moor ?" A full confcioufnefs of having acted imprudently, and a recollection of the emperor's former treatment of Chriftians under fimilar cir- cumftances,. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. irjl cumftances, now preffed upon my mind with fuch force, that at firft I was at a lofs what part I fhould take to extricate myfelf from this difficul- ty. To walk away, would be an acknowledg- ment of guilt, and would afford the Moor a greater plea for making a complaint; I therefore determined upon returning back and expoftulating with the man, by telling him that I had been grofsly infulted, and muft therefore be under the neceffity of making immediate application to the governor of the town to have the offender feverely puniflied for attacking one, who, from the nature of his employment, was in the emperor's fervice, and confequently under his particular protection. In reply, the Moor faid, that had I kicked him, horfewhipped him, or punifhed him in any other way but that of flapping his face, he fhould have over-looked it; but a blow on the face was in their law a crime of fo ferious a nature, that he thought it his duty to acquaint the emperor of it, who had hitherto never pardoned any perfon convicted of fo heinous an offence, but had always cut off that hand of the Moor which had offered the in- fult ; what then could a Chriftian expect from him ? From the knowledge I had already learn- ed of the Moorifh character, I ftill thought it neceffary to continue in the fame ftrain, by in- forming the Moor, that he might act as he thought proper, but that I fhould ftill fulfil my refolution, and had no doubt but it would have its proper effect. The man now began to foften, and faid, that as I was in the emperor's fervice, he would for this time look over the offence, but cautioned me to be careful how I acted in future. Upon 162 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. Upon confidering every circumftance I thought it moft prudent to let the matter drop here; and I acknowledge that this affair proved a fufficient leffon to me to avoid in future entering into fimi- lar contefts with the Moors. Sidi Mahomet was fufficiently confcious of his own power and dignity, and kept every perfon at the moft abject diftance; no perfon daring to approach or fpeak to him without his permiffion.. Senfible alfo of the excefles into which he might be betrayed by ungoverned paffion, if at any time he found his temper difcompofed, he indiscrimi- nately ordered every perfon out of his fight. It may eafily be conceived that the monarch had no difficulty in fecuring obedience to this mandate, fince all were fenfible that to have continued in his prefence would have been highly dangerous, if not fatal. The only perfons who poffeffed any confider- abie influence over the emperor were his womenj and it was through that channel that the moll fuccefsful bufinefs was tranfacted with him. Thus far for the vices of arbitrary power. But deceit, hypocrify and falfehood were qualities which could not be immediately afcribed to that fource, unlefs wTe confider them as the neceffary effects of an education in a defpotic court. As a cloak to actions which he knew muft excite difap- probation and difguft, Sidi Mahomet attempted to perfuade his fubjects that they proceeded from motives of religion and juftice; and to give them a greater fenction he enrolled himfelf in the frater- nity of faints, and paid a ftrict attention to all the fuperftitions and forms peculiar to his religion. This r A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 163 This conduct anfwered well with the ignorant part of the community, but the more enlightened could not but obferve that he attended more to the ceremonial of his religion than to its principles, which he made no fcruple of violating whenever it fuited his convenience. What he promifed one day he would refufe the next, fo that no depen- dance was ever placed upon his word. Ad- ded to thefe, h? poffeffed a large portion of that low cunning which is common to perfons whofe minds and fentiments have not been elevated or refined by literature or fcience. He perhaps, in- deed, found this quality not without its ufes in governing fuch a people as the Moors; and no man underftood their character and difpofition better than he did. He was aware that refpect is frequently deftroyed by unfeafonable familiari- ties, and therefore kept at a moft ftately diftance from his fubjects. and but feldom appeared among them. By thefe means his confequence was preferved, and his conduct, and his talents were involved in that impenetrable and awful mift that furrounds the feraglios of Eaftern mo- narchs. The few rebellions which occurred during his long reign, proved decifively that he knew how to govern his fubjects. Whenever a difpofition for revolt prevailed in any of the provinces, a body of troops was immediately dilpatched to plunder the whole of the difcontenteel province, and to feize the infurgents, who were immediate- ly conducted to court, and punifhed according to the magnitude of their refpective offences. Some were put to death, others were deprived I64 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. of their hands and legs; and for leffer crimes the difcontented parties underwent the baftinado. This monarch employed perfons in different dis- tricts to watch the motions of his fubjects, and to inform him of every fymptom of revolt; and thus, by a well-timed interference, he was enabled to crufli rebellion in the bud. In his conduct towards foreign powers, Sidi Mahomet difcovered the fame difregard to truth and juftice, the fame adroitnefs and cunning. He readily promifed to grant every demand, provided he was to be well paid for the conceffion. But it muft have been valuable prefents indeed which would induce him to perform his promife. He protracted negociatlons in order that he and his minifters might be enriched by them; but al- ways as much as poflible avoided bringing them to a final determination, by either granting or re- fufing a favour. If foreign powers omitted to pay him the tri- bute he demanded, he immediately threatened in the fevereft manner to commence hoftilities; yet in this he was never in earnefl, for he was more afraid of his enemies than they had reafon to be of him. When he found they were not cif- pofed to contend the matter with him, he increafed his demands accordingly. In order to enhance his confequence, he en- deavoured to perfuade his fubjects that he was remarkably fkilled in matters of which they were entirely ignorant. To preferve an appearance of ability, when he was vifited by Europeans, if the ftranger was a merchant, the fubject of conver- fation was on manufactures, foreign commerce, A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 165 &c. If he was a military officer, fortifications, attacks, &c. were the topics; and ifafeafaring perfon, he would then fcratch on a piece of paper a plan of his coafts and harbours. Though he rarely advanced any thing to the purpofe on thefe fubjects; yet as foreigners who vifited the court generally appeared there with a view of obtaining feme favour, and as it was never cuftomary for any perfon to contradict the emperor, they al- ways coincided with his opinions, and pretended at leaft to admire his extenfive abilities. This fully anfwered the intention of the emperor; it induced his fubjects to form a good opinion of his underftanding, and he often collected fome real information from the anfwers which his vifitors returned to his queftions. Sidi Mahomet paid more attention to military affairs than to his navy, though if any power re- fufed to repair a frigate, it was a fufficient induce- ment for him to threaten a war. He thought himfelf perfectly acquainted with the art of for- tification, but his knowledge of it extended no farther than a few loofe hints which he had re- ceived upon the fubject from thofe Europeans who had vifited the court. In his court and perfonal appearance, Sidi Ma- homet affected great Simplicity of manners, not allowing even his own fons to appear in his pre- fence except in a plain Moorifh drefs. They then were obliged to uncover their cap or turban (for a Moor never pulls off either except when going to bed) and to wear inftead of the Haick the Sulam, which is a cloak made of white or blue woollen cloth, the front parts of which they were obliged to throw over their fhoulders,. and as obliged 166 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. foon as they faw the emperor, to proftrate their heads to the ground, and kifs it, exclaiming, " God " fave the king!" He then ordered them to ap- proach, and fpeak to him. Though in general of a ftately demeanour, he was fometimes known to unbend, and occasion- ally took pleaSure in converfing with his courtiers on various fubjects; but they were permitted to advance no opinion of their own, but merely to approve of what he faid. He frequently talked upon the Subject of religion, and confidered him- felf as well informed in that particular. He fometimes endeavoured to explain to them dif- ferent parts of the Koran, pointing out its beau- ties, and imprefling on the minds of his auditors the moft intolerant prejudices againft Chriftians. The mixture of good and evil fo incident to all human characters, was alfo to be found in Sidi Mahomet. Notwithftanding what has been remarked of his avarice, his duplicity, and abfurd pretenfions to religion, there are fome circum- ftances which ferve to leffen our indignation, and thefe it is only confiftent with juftice and candour to ftate. It is generally allowed, that though he muft neceftarily fuffer in a comparifon with the princes of free and civilized nations, yet when compared with his defpotic predeceffors, his cha- racter greatly rifes in the fe ale of humanity. He was feldom or never wontonly cruel. He was certainly fometimes too hafty in pronouncing Sen- tence on criminals, for which he has been often known to exprefs the ftrongeft Sentiments of re- morSe; and his defire to prevent any ill effects from his paffions has been already remarked. In A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 16j In his adminiftration of juftice he generally acted very impartially, except indeed when his own intereft was immediately concerned, and then every other feeling gave way. It muft, however, be acknowledged, that though him- felf a moft notorious violator of the laws, he fo far refpected them that he never would permit others to follow his example. Though fo ex- tremely avaricious, it has been already ftated that in fome fevere inftances of public diftrefs, he gene- roufly difpenfed his treafures to adminifter relief to the fufferers; and the number of poor peo- ple who were daily fed at his palace, of which I was an eye-witnefs, plainly evinced that he was not deftitute of charity. Europeans met with greater encouragement, and the wheels of com- merce were lefs clogged, during the reign of Sidi Mahomet than at any preceding period. Thus was this monarch a fingular compound of liberality and intolerance, of avarice and benevo- lence, of cruelty and compaffion. It is perhaps only a ftate of defpotifm that we behold this con- fufion of character. The legal reftraints of civi- lized life, form themfelves into habits; and the eccentricities and caprices to which circumftances, fituation, the ftate of the health, or perhaps the variations of the climate, difpofe the human mind, are no longer found to exifl in European countries, or to exift in an inferior degree. Happy it is, when any reftraints are impoied upon us, to prevent us from doing evil. Man is a creature not formed for arbitrary power. So limited are his views, fo variable his difpofition, fo violent and l68 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. and tyrannical his paffions, that the wifeft of men would certainly not wifh for abfolute authority, and the beft, if entrufted with it, would pro- bably abufe it. The conduct of the emperor towards foreign courts has already been noticed. His means of extracting money from them by threatining a war, which perhaps in reality he dreaded, has been likewife ftated. It will probably not be unfeafon- able in this place to introduce a few remarks on their conduct towards him. The obfervation that firft and moft naturally prefents itfelf u^on this occafion is—that nothing but grofs neglect or inexcufable ignorance could induce the European princes in general to remain in a kind of tributary ftate to a prince, who had neither an army nor a fleet which deferved the name, and a a people whofe difpofition is lefs Suited to enterprize than perhaps any other. What had they to fear from him ? His whole fleet confifted only of a few fmall frigates and row- boats, ill managed and worfe manned, the whole of which might have been deftroyed in one day by two or three well-appointed European frigates. The entrances of thofe ports where he laid up his (hipping, if we except Tangier and Larache, are, as I before obferved, fo continually choaking up with fand, that in a fhort time they will only admit fifhing-boats, or the very fmalleft craft. The towns are none of them regularly fortified, except Mogodore, and that hardly produces half a dozen men who underftand the leaft of working the guns. And yet this contemptible power gives A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. \6\) laws to all the coafts of Portugal and Spain, and may be faid in fome meafure to command the en- trance of the Mediterranean! It may be faid, he was too trifling a power to notice; if fo, why lavifh immenfe prefents for the purpofe of keeping him in temper? Thofe who imagined they fecured his friendfhip by thefe means were much miftaken; on the contrary, they only added fuel to that flame of avarice which was not to be extinguifhed, if he was one day prefented with a frigate, he afked for two the next; and the more his requefts were indul- ged, the more his inordinate defires were in- creafed. It is well known to thofe who have been con- veriant with the Moors, that to fecure their friendfhip you muft firft affert your own fuperiori- ty, and then if you make them a trifling prefent, its value is trebled in their eftimation. The fame difpofition would have been found in Sidi Ma- homet, as in the common Moor. So far from courting an alliance, it would rather have been good policy at once to quarrel with him; the lofs of a few towns and particularly Mogodore, to which he was much attached, from its being raifed under his own auSpices, would Soon have reduced him to good humour and Submiffion. The emperor's title is, " Emperor of Africa; "Emperor of Morocco; king of Fez, Suz, and " Gago; lord of Dara and Guinea; and great « Sharif of Mahomet." The principal amufement of the emperor was latterly obferving his foldiers fire with mufquets at targets, and rewarding thofe who were fuc- cefsful with fmall pieces of money. He alfo occa- I fionally I70 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. fionally entertained himfelf with falcons; but in general he fpent the greater part of his time with his women. The emperor received foreigners, and tranfacted all public bufinefs, either in his carriage or on horfeback, in fome of the open Spaces within the palace. Formerly, indeed, on fuch occafions, it; was fometimes cuftomary to admit ftrangers in- to one of the rooms; and then he obliged them to conform to the cuftom of the country, by pulling off their fhoes when in his prefence: but fome Spirited Europeans a few years ago having refufed to pay that homage, he ever afterwards gave them audience in one of his court-yards. The Spanifh friars at Morocco only were an exception to this rule, for upon their informing him that they never pulled off their fhoes to any power under God, he always permitted them to enter his room with them on. Previous to a ftranger, whether an European or Moor, obtaining an audience of his Moorifh Majefty, a prefent was always made to one of his minifters, as an inducement to him to acquaint his Sovereign that a ftranger lolicited that honour. The firft prefent, unlefs it was fomething very handfome, did not always fucceed; and it was frequently neceffary to apply- to two or three mini- fters to procure a Speedy audience, or even to fend in a prefent to one of the Sultanas, none of whom entertained any very uneafy fenfations about ac- cepting the compliment. The latter was indeed the moft certain mode of fucceediug. After having fb far accomplifhed his wifhes, the ftranger was next liable to be detained a longer or a fhorter time before the capricious monarch would A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. lU would fix on a day for receiving him. Even after. this he would frequently fend for him in a violent hurry to the palace,and when there keep him ftand- ing in one of the open courts feveral hours; he would then fend an excuSe Sor not admitting him on that day; and this agreeable proceSs was in many inftances repeated three or four times. The tar- dinefs, infolence, and irregularity, of the court of Morocco, is indeed beyond conception; and thofe who have bufinefs there, ought to be pof- feffed of all the philofophy and patience of a Stoic, if they would avoid the deprivation of their fenfes. No perfon whatever, whether Moor or Chrif- tian, was admitted into the preSence of the Sove- reign, but when accompanied with a handfome prefent, more or lefs valuable, in proportion to the favour to be rc-quefted. Even the emperor's own fons were not exempted from this cuftom, upon paying their firft vifit after a previous ab- Sence. The generofity of the fuitor muft not even ftop here; for when the audience is over, the mafter of the ceremonies with his fervants, and the-porters of all the gates of the palace, which are rather numerous, have a claim for their per- quifites, and are not to be got rid of till they ob- tain fomething. Indeed, as they receive no pay from their royal mailer, theSe perquifites were the only means they had of obtaining a Subfift- ence*. * For the fatisfaction of thofe who may have occafion to vifit the court of Morocco upon bufinefs, I have with difficulty obtained an account of the fees which are ufiutf* iy paid by European merchants to lhe emperor's attend- ants. Confuls and ambafTadors of courfe pay more in proportion. 172 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. After having completed the bufinefs at court, the obtaining of the final difpatches was common- ly attended with the fame difficulties as the ob- taining of an audience. The emperor was not Exfences at Court. {"A more or lefs valuable prefent, ac- To the emperor—-i cording to the favour which is ex- |_ pected. T© the mafter of the ceremonies for"] public audience, who introduces >The fame in propor- ilrangers to the emperor — J tion. Ounces. To the man who attends the emperor at the Machoire 20 To — who cleans his mufkets - - - 20 To — who has the care of his horfes - 20 To -— who makes tea for the emperor : -10 To — who has the care of his lance . - 10 To — who has the care of his umbrella - • j To — who has the care of the emperor's faddles 10 To the emperor's coachman - - - .5 To the man who has the care of the emperor's fpurs - 5 To — who has the care of the emperor's tents - 10 To — who has the care of the emperor's flippers j To — who gives the emperor water to drink - $ To — who takes care of the emperor's chair - 5 To — who takes the flies off the emperor's face 5 To — who takes care of the emperor's fword - j To — who takes care of the emperor's watch - 5 To the porters of the Machoire, for ten gates - 40 To the emperor's gardners - - - - 10 To calling for each audience - - - - 10 Total - 205 An ounce, as I have before obferved, is a filver coin of dearly the fame value as five pence Englifh. only A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C« I 73 only naturally very forgetful, but fometimes, from political motives, intentionally fo. He was very well aware that the longer ftrangers were detained at Morocco, the more his minifters would be en- riched by them; and as the money came at laft, though by a circuitous courfe, into his own pocket, he ufed frequently to forget that ftrangers were waiting for their difpatches. The minifters, on the other hand, unlefs ftimulated by Subftantial prefents, were generally extremely dilatory in re- minding him of them; and there have been many inftances of foreigners being detained at Morocco five or fix weeks, entirely owing to this circum- ftance. With refpect to the court of Morocco, it lat- terly hardly deferved that appellation. When the emperor was young, his faculties clear, and his abilities in their prime, he entrufted to his mi- nifters a confiderable fhare of the public bufinefs; but within the few laft years of his life, when his ftrength of body as well as of mind were worn out by hard fervices and old age, either from fufpicion or dotage, he took the reins of govern- ment entirely into his own hands. The minifters and fecretaries not daring to notice the miftakes of the fovereign, were obliged to write out letters and fend orders, which were contradicted almoft every hour, and which occafioned the utmoft con- fufion. The court of Morocco, indeed, under the moft advantageous circumftances, was always notorious for its irregularity and contradiction * but a fhort time previous to the emperor's death, the government could fcarcely be faid to exift at all. I 3 As 174 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. As an account of the officers employed about the court of the emperor has never been particu- larly detailed to the public, a fhort ftatement of them will probably not be uninterefting: I (hall therefore, in as few words as poflible, point out their refpective employments. The emperor's court confifted of, i. A prime minifter, named the Effendi, or friend; who was the refponfible man, and during that period when the government was carried on in a more regular manner, all letters and orders were figned by him before they were difpatch- ed. 2. A principal fecretary to the treafury, united with the office of Effendi; who had the diiburfe- ment at large of the emperor's payments, with fix Moorifh and feven Jewifh under-fecretaries. 3. A mafter of the horfe, with one hundred and twenty afliftants. 4. A grand chamberlain, a place commonly united with that of prime minifter, with feventeen afliftants; nine of whom were fons of Spanifh renegadoes, three fons of negroes, and the others Moors. c. A grand falconer, which is an hereditary place, and perhaps the only one in the country, with twenty afliftants. 6. A keeper of the great feal. 7. Two grand ftewards, with eight afliftants. 8. Five infpectors general of all the emperor's affairs, the principal of whom was the Effendi. 9. Three mafters of ceremonies for public au- diences, with forty afliftants. 10. An A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. fj^ 10. An interpreter general for the German, Dutch, Englifh, French, Spanifh, and Latin lan- guages; this man was a German renegado. 11. A fecretary for the Spanifh and Italian lan- guages, who was a Genoefe. 12. Two grand keepers of the jewels and plate. 13. A grand mafter of the baths. 14. Two grand keepers of the arfenal. 15. Two keepers of the emperor's goods and warehoufes. 16. Three infpectors of mofques, &c. 17. Five keepers of the provifions. 18. Two keepers of the library. 19. Two aftrologers. 20. Four mafters of the carriages with two afliftants. 21. Twelve fons of renegadoes, who have never had beards, employed in drawing the fmall carriages. 22. Three principal afliftants for prayers, with feventeen deputies, fons of the great people of the empire. 23. Three bearers of the umbrella, with nine afliftants. 24. One bearer of the fabre. 25. Two bearers of the bafon. 26. Two bearers of the lance. 27. One bearer of the watch. 28. Five bearers of the emperor's own fire- locks, who are all Alcaides, with fifteen inferior afliftants. 29. A bearer of the colours and ftandard. 30. A phyfician and a furgeon, with feveral tradefmen, too numerous to mention. I 4 Upon I7& A TOUR TO MOROCCO, tkc. Upon taking a retrofpective view of the em- ployments under the emperor of Morocco, we fhal] "find that they differ fo much from thofe of other flates, as might have been imagined, from the ignorance of the European cuftoms obfervablc in this people in. other refpects. The places of Ef- fendi and principal fecretary to the treafury being united in one perfon, bears confiderablc analogy to the union of the office of prime minifter with thofe of chancellor of the exchequer and firft lord of the treafury. The appointments of fecretary of ftate, mafter of the horfe, grand chamberlain, keeper of the great feal, aud grand falconer, are all places which are well known in European courts; and many others have nearly the fame correspondence. The principal difference between the court of Morocco and thofe of Europe is, that the pof- feffors of thefe appointments in European courts enjoy very lucrative incomes from their refpective flates, while thofe of Morocco receive none at all from the court. They depend folely on the perquifites which are paid them by thofe who have bufinefs to tranfact with the court. Even this, however, fometimes forms a very inconii- derable income, though always Subject to defal- cation from the rapacious hand of their fovereign, who feizes upon every thing with which he comes in contact. The Effendi to the emperor had a degree of addrefs, and an elegance of manners which would have done honour to an European courtier. He received a ftranger with a pleafing Smile and a reSpectful bow; fhook him warmly by the hand, enquired A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 177 enquired after his health, invited him to his houfe, and off red him his Services. As he was rich, he w. ■- \tremely timid in the preSence of the cy ., notwithftanding he annually made him ?. ,. ;,e prefent to keep him in temper. Some of the princes, and many others, followed his ex- ample in this refpect, judicioufly preferring the enjoyment of a little wifh a certainty, to the run- ning a rifle of the whole. The emperor of late had no regular court days,. but fixed upon them as inclination or convenience dictated. On thofe days all the princes who were at Morocco, and every perfon in the imme- diate Service of the emperor, were obliged to at- tend at the Machoire, an open part of the palace fo named, where they, with the foldiers, were arranged in the form of a crefcent; the minifters and ftrangers in Sront, and the Sovereign, either on horSeback or in his carriage, in the centre. Upon theSe occafions the public bufineSs in general was tranSacted, foreigners were received, grievances were flated, complaints heard (every perfon being at liberty to apply to the emperor for redrefs) and malefactors were punifhed in the prefence of the Sovereign, and the whole court. The revenues of the emperor of Morocco con- fift of a tenth on every article of confumption,, being the natural production of the country, as. allowed him by the Koran ; an annual tax upon. the Jews; his cuftom-houfe and excife duties; and the tributes which he exacts from his fub- jects, foreign Itates, and European merchants, ia the form of prefents. From the laft articles he derives the moft confiderabie part of his income. I 5 The, 178 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. The want of fyftem, and the caprice of Sidi Mahomet, was fuch that it was utterly impoflible to fay what was the annual amount of all thefe branches of revenue. The duties were frequently changed three or four times in the courfe of a year, and the tributes were fubject to an equal degree of uncertainty. After all it has been a matter of great doubt and fpeculation whether Sidi Mahomet was wealthy. From the greater encou- ragement to commerce during his reign, the trifling expence of his court, every perfon engaged about it, receiving little or no pay from the emperor, the uncommonly fevere exactions he enforced, and the numerous voluntary prefents he received, the na- tural conclufion was, that he muft have been very rich. On the other hand, however, his expences at the fieges of Melilla and Mazagan are known to have been very confiderable; and thefe, united to the valuable prefents he annually tranfmitted to the grand Seignior, and to the Sharifs* of Mecca, are to be placed in the oppofite fcale; and when this is done, it will perhaps appear that his wealth was far from confiderable. The land forces of the emperor of Morocco, confift principally of black troops, the defeendants of thofe Negroes which Muley Ifhmael imported from Guinea, and fome few white, amounting al- together to an army of about thirty-fix thou- fand men upon the eftablifhment, two thirds of which are cavalry. This eftablifhment, how- ever, upon occafion admits of a confiderable in- creafe, as every man is fuppofed to be a foldier, * See page 115. and A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 179 and when called upon, is obliged to act in that capacity. About fix thoufand of the ftanding forces form the emperor's body guard, and are always kept near his perfon i the remainder are quartered in the different towns of the empire, and are under the charge of the bafhaws of the provinces. They are all clothed by the emperor, and receive a trifling pay; but their chief depend- ance is on plunder, which they have frequent op- portunities of acquiring. The Soldiers have no diftindtion in dreSs Srom the other Moors, and are only marked by their accoutrements, which, confift of a fabre, a very long mufquet, a fmall red leather box to hold their balls, which is fixed in front by means of a belt, and a powder-horn flung over their fhoulders. The army is under the direction of a com- mander in chief, four principal Bafhaws, and Al- caides who command diftinct divifions. With refpect to the Alcaides it is proper to remark, that there are three descriptions of perfons who bear this appellation : but thofe to whom I at prefent allude are military officers, who command foldiers from a thoufand to five hundred, twenty-five, or even four men in a divifion. The black troops which I have been defcribing are naturally of a very fiery difpofition, capable of enduring great fatigue, hunger, thirft, and every difficulty to which a military life is ex- pofed. They appear well calculated for fkirmifli- ing parties, or for the purpofe of harraffing an enemy; but were they obliged to undergo a re- gular attack, from their total want of difcipline, they would foon be routed. In all their man- oeuvres, i8o A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. ceuvres, they have no notion whatever of order and regularity, but have altogether more the ap- pearance of a rabble than of an army. Though thefe troops are fuppofed to be the ftrongeft fupport of defpotifm, yet from their avarice and love of variety, they frequently prove the moft dangerous enemies to their monarchs; they are often known to excite fedition and rebel- lion ; and their infolence has fometimes proceeded to fuch exceffes, as nearly to overturn the go- vernment. Their conduct is governed only by their paffions. Thofe who pay them beft, and treat them with the greateft attention, they will always be the moft ready to fupport. This cir- cumftance, independent of every other, makes it the intereft of the monarch to keep his fubjects in as complete a ftate of poverty as poflible. The Moors are, indeed, remarkable for infincerity in their attachments, and for their love of variety; a military force, in this kingdom efpecially, is there- fore the only means which a defpotic monarch can employ for fecuring himfelf in the poffeflion of the throne. Ignorant of every principle of rational liberty, whatever contefts this devoted people may engage in with their tyrants, are merely con- tefts for the fucoeflion ; and the fole object for which they fpend their lives and their pro- perty, is to exchange one mercilefs defpot for an- other. The emperor's navy confifts of about fifteen Small frigates, a few xebecks, and between twenty and thirty row-gallies. The whole is commanded, by one admiral; but as thefe veflels are princi- pally, ufed for the purpofes of piracy, they feldom. unite A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. iSl tiinite in a fleet. The number of feaman in the fervice, are computed at fix thoufand. I have already noted the bad ftate of the ports of Morocco, and the probability of their becoming ftill worfe ; it is therefore evident, that very little is to be apprehended from the emperor as a naval power; and indeed I am apt to believe, that though a confiderable part of his dominions is apparently maritime, he will in the courfe of fome years be deftitute both of fleets and harbours. When defcribing the emperor's character, I ob- ferved, that there cannot exift a more abfolute go- vernment than that of Morocco; the lives and properties of the fubjects depending entirely on the will or caprice of the monarch. The forms of order and juftice are, however, ftill preferved, though but verylittle of the fubftance remains. An officer is appointed by the emperor for the government of every province, who, as I have already ftated, is named a Bafhaw; he is gener- ally a Moor of fome diftinction, and frequently one of the emperor's fons. This officer, who is appointed or removed at the will of the fovereign, has almoft an unlimited power throughout the province which he commands; he can inflict every punifhment but death ; can levy taxes, im- pofe fines, and in fhort can plunder any individual he pleafes; and indeed, if the reader will not fmile at the abufe of words, the plundering of the public and of individuals may be confidered as a part of his office. When by every fpecies of ra- pacity he has amaffed a large property, then it be- comes the bufinefs of the emperor to divert this treafure into his own coffers. Some frivolous plea 132 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C plea is therefore invented for the imprifoning of the bafhaw, which is immediately put into execu- tion. The emperor then feizes upon all his pro- perty, and afterwards reinftates him in his govern- ment, in order that the fame game may be played over again. So perfectly acquainted with man- kind in every ftate and fituation, was our inimit- able Shakefpeare: " Rofencrantz. Take you me for a fpunge, my " lord ? " Hamlet. Aye, Sir; that foaks up the king's " countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But « luch officers do the king beft fervice in the end; " he keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his "jaw; firft mouthed, to be at laft fwallowed. " When he needs what you have gleaned, it is but " fqueezing you, and fpunge, you Shall be dry " again." Subordinate to the bafhaw, the emperor ap- points governors to each town, named Alcaides, and officers with a fimilar authority in every Dou- har or encampment, who are called Shaiks; thefe officers have the fame power inverted in them over their feveral diftricts as the bafhaws have in their provinces. But in other refpects their fitua- tion is worfe, as they arc not only fubject to the tyranny of the emperor, but alfo of the bafhaw. The Alcaide, or governor, is invefted with both the military and civil authority in the town where he refides. As a military officer, he com- mands a number of foldiers, whom he employs. for the public defence and tranquility, and alio for enforcing the payment of taxes, for the punifhing of delinquents, and to convey his orders and mef- A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. iSj Sages to court, or into the country. As a civil officer, he has the entire cognizance of all criminal matters, for which he di cretionally inflicts any punifhment fhort of death. If we only reflect on the dangerous extent of this almoft unlimited power, it is eafy to anticipate the abufes of it in a country where fo little atten- tion is paid to juftice or honour. For the moft trifling offences the Alca'de >c^ - rns the delin- quent not only to be bafhnadoed *•. it-'-'v. and imprifoned, but alfo to pay him a ium ji ;j -y, or prefent him with fome other article equal in value, which probably the prifoner has been half his life in acquiring. It frequently happens, indeed, that falfe accufations are invented purpofely againft: individuals to plunder them of their property. This is not the only inconvenience arifing from an abufe of power;—for let a perfon commit the moft notorious crime, if he can carry up a prefent to the governor of greater value than what was prefented by his accufer, he is not only forgiven, but if he has the leaft ingenuity, he will find very little difficulty in throwing the whole of the crime upon his antagonift. Indeed, in this country, juftice, or rather judgment, is moft cafily procured by purchafing it. Under the Alcaide is an officer named Ell-hac- kum, or deputy governor, whofe office bears fome analogy to our principal bailiff of conftable. Befides thefe officers, there is in every town a Cadi, who is both a civil judge and the chief prieft; for it is well known that the civil and re- ligious inftitutions are united in the Koran. When any difpute happens between individuals, refpect- ing I84 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. ing matters of right or property, debts, infults, &c. the.perfon who fuppofes himfelf injured may apply for redreSs to the Cadi, who is to determine the matter agreeably to the principles of the Koran. In the abfence of the Cadi, any of the Talbs, who are common priefts, are equally authorised to act for him. If the parties chufe to employ lawyers, the pleadings muft be carried on in writing, otherwise they plead orally their own cauSes. Upon theSe occafions the Cadi or Talbs cannot openly receive any payment, but it is well known that they are too frequently influenced by private prefents. The chief of the Cadis is the Mufti, who is al- fo the fupreme head of the church. When any party in a fuit conceives that he has reafon to complain of the jurifdiction of thefe of- ficers, he has a right to appeal to the emperor, who gives public audiences for the purpofe of admi- niftering juftice. This cuftom would be a great alleviation to the evils of defpotifm, were the em- peror always to adminifter juftice impartially; but valuable prefents have fometimes too powerful an influence even over the fovereign himfelf. On this account, as well as on that of the great dif- tance of many of the provinces from the feat of government, the people feldom embrace this laft refource in applying for juftice. The mode of punifhing criminals in this coun- try depends entirely upon the will of the fovereign. Trifling offences are ufually punifhed by imprifon- ment and the baftinado, which is inflicting a certain number of ftripes on the back and legs by leather ftraps, and which is fometimes executed with great A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 185 great feverity. For crimes of a more ferious na- ture, in fome cafes the hands are cut off, parti- cularly for ftealing, in others a leg and a hand. When I was at Morocco four men who had com- mitted murder had both their hands and legs cut off, and were afterwards fhot. Other criminals arc run through with fwords, knocked down with clubs, or are beheaded. Another mode of punifhment is toffing, which is io contrived that the victim falls immediately upon his head.— There were feveral perlbns about Sidi Mahomet, who from practice had acquired an habit of throwing perfons up, fo as at pleafure either to break the head, dillocate the neck, fracture an arm, leg, or both, or to let them fall without re- ceiving any material injury. When I was at Mo- rocco a man received the latter punifhment in the morning, and in the afternoon the emperor made him a handfome prefent as a recompence for what he had fuffered. To fum up all in a few words, there is no mode of cruelty known which has not been practifed at Morocco. I am well aware that in the prefent uncivilized ftate of the people, fevere and exem- plary punifhments may be neceffary to keep them in any degree of fubjection; but it muft be at leaft allowed that fuch feverities fhould never be in- flicted but when there is a full proof of guilt. The contrary of this I am afraid is too often the cafe at Morocco. The accufed is feldom permitted to make his defence, but is fent out of the world very frequently without knowing for what he fuffers. Thefe I 86 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. Thefe punifhments were always inflicted in the prefence of the emperor. The former monarchs of this country were their own executioners, and Sidi Mahomet acted in the fame capacity when prince; but upon his acceffion to the throne he refigned this refpecTable office to his Negro fol- diers. I never was prefent at any of thefe exe- cutions, but was informed that legs and arms are taken off by a common knife and faw, and that the flump is afterwards dipped in boiling pitch, which is the only mode of flopping the haemor- rhage with which they are acquinted. To evince in what a cool light all thefe things are confidered by the Moors, one of the emperor's fons had undertaken to put a memorial from me into his father's hands, praying to be fent home. Upon my calling upon him to aflc if he had com- plied with my requeft, he informed me that when he laft faw his father an opportunity had not offered, as he was then very bufy in putting fom* perfjms to death. CHAP. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. I87 CHAP. X. Arrival of'Mu ley Absulem at Morocco—his pom- pous Entry.—Adventures of fame Englifh Captives.— Accmnt of wild Arabs.—Interview with the Prince.— Flattering Expectations—difappointed.—Unworthy con- duct of the Prince—his departure for Mecca.—Dif- agreeable Embarraffments.—Efforts of the Author to procure Leave to return, A BOUT ten days after my interview with the **• emperor, Muley Abfulem arrived from Taru- dant, in his way to Mecca. As this prince was fo diftinguifhed a favourite with the emperor, his public entrance into Morocco was conducted in a much more magnificent ftile than any other part of the royal family would perhaps have ventured upon. As foon as intelligence arrived that the prince was approaching the city, two of his bro- thers, Muley Slemma and Muley Ouffine, who happened to be at Morocco at the time, the Bafhaw, and all the principal perfons in the city, received orders to proceed on horfeback to meet him, which they did in great form, and found him encamped at the diftance of about four miles. As foon as he had dined, the cavalcade commenced, confifting firft, of all the prince's Alcaides, about twelve in number, in front, flanked on each fide by one flandard-bearer, who carried each a red flag, and one lance-bearer, carrying a lance of an uncom- mon length. Behind them was Muley Abfulem in the centre; on the right of him Muley Slemma, and on the left Muley Ouffine. The next in order was 188 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &€. was the Bafhaw, with the principal perfons of the city; and the rear was brought up by a troop of one hundred cavalry, all abreaft, partly Negroes and partly Moors, who had the butt end of their mufkets refting on their faddles, with the muzzles pointed perpendicularly. In this manner the prince advanced till he approached the walls of the town, where he received orders to halt till the emperor came to him; an honour which had never been paid by Sidi Mahomet to any perfon before. The emperor fhortly after advanced on horfeback, with his fuite, confifting of about fifty foldiers. Upon his approach Muley Abfulem difmounted and kiffed the earth; upon which the emperor commanded him to rife, and approach clofe to his perfon. He then bleffed him, laying his hand on the prince's head, and afterwards embraced him with all the affection of a fond father. Having made many enquiries concerning his fon's health, the emperor took his leave, and each retired to their respective places of refidenee. As foon as the prince had got within the walls of his garden, his troops fired three vollies of muf- quetry in an irregular manner, as is cuftomary on thefe occafions, and there the ceremony con- cluded. It may eafily be imagined, that I loft no time in waiting on his highnefs, and I received from him as flattering a reception as I could poflibly wifh. The prince informed me that he had continued recovering his fight gradually, and that he found himfelf in every other refpect in good health. I took this opportunity of reprefenting to him how difagreeably I was fituated with refpect to the emperor A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. igp emperor, and milled that he would now clear up every doubt that might have arifen on my account; and with this requeft he promifed to comply. On paying my fecond vifit, the prince informed me that he had obtained the emperor's permiflion to have again recourfe to his medi- cines, and that he was certain he fhould have in- fluence fufficient with his father to perfuade him to give me up the Englifh captives, as a compli- ment for my fervices. The prince had brought along with him to Mo- rocco the Englifh captain, the only Englifhman that had been left in flavery, the black having died fome time before. My reader will eafily con- ceive the pleaSure I felt at Seeing my unSortunate countryman, who had been leSt alone in the hands of favages, now out of immediate flavery, and with the chearful profpect, according to the pro- mifes of the prince, of being immediately fent home to his friends and country. My fenfations indeed on the occafion may be much more eafily felt than defcribed. But if this circumftance had fuch an effect upon me, what muft it have had upon this unfortunate officer, who for fome months paft had been feparated from his people, one of whom was a near relation, and without knowing whether they were dead or alive; who with the evils of flavery had experienced that of a fevere fever, without having any perfon to con- fole him, or afford him that affiftance which is fo neceffary upon fuch occafions ? To be redeemed under fuch circumftances from his inhofpitable fituation, to recover from his illnefs, and to meet with all his companions at Morocco, well taken care IJ)0 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C care of by the emperor, was a change which he had given up all expectation of ever behold- ing. The captain was a well-informed young man, and an agreeable companion. He had been brought up, as I before intimated, to the profeffion of medicine and furgery, in both of which he had received a good education. His firft eflay in the world was as furgeon to a Guinea-man; after having made feveral voyages in this capacity, how- ever, finding it a difadvantageous employment, he obtained the command of a fmall veflel in the fame trade, and this was his firft voyage as com- mander. Contrary to his inclination he was ordered by his owners to fail between the canaries and the coaft of Africa, which is at all times confidered as a dangerous navigation. As he approached towards the fpot where his misfortune happened, which is inhabited by wild Arabs, he got into a ftrong current, which drives directly towards the i^ore, and a perfect calm fucceeding, the veffcl unavoidably ran aground. The crew immediately took to their boat, carried off all the money on board, which was about five hundred dollars, with a good fhare of provifions and water, and got fafe to fhore. The part of the country were they were wreck- ed confifted of deep and heavy Sands. As uport their firft landing they faw nothing to moleft them, it was their intention to proceed on foot, along the coaft to the northward, till they could reach Santa Cruz or Mogodore, where they could make their Situation known. For this purpoic they A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. IOJ they fet off with their money, provifions and water, and met with no difturbance till the end of two days. They then obferved a party of wild Arabs, armed with large clubs and knives, and rapidly advancing towards them: their firft object was to bury their money in the fands. Over- powered by numbers, they faw no chance of making a fuccefsful defence, and therefore every moment expected inftantaneous death. The la- vages, however, had a different object in view. They knew very well that what property the un- fortunate people had about them was fufficiently Secure, without being under the neceffity of deS- troying their lives in order to obtain it, and they were not ignorant of the value of their perfons when offered for Sale; their ultimate object there- fore was, to bring them to market as flaves. As each of their conquerors conceived him- felf equally interefted in the capture, they were fome time before they could agree among them- felves how they fhould difpofe of their prifoners; in the mean time fome of the people were knocked dewn, others had their pockets cut out, and the buttons torn from off their coats. They were at laft feized on by different perfons, and carried away to different places of refidenee. As I had an oportunity of feeing Some of thefe favages at Morocco, and as they appeared to be in fome refpects different from thofe Arabs whom I had met with in my travels, I fhall beg leave to defcribe them. Contrary to the cuftom of the Moors, they wear the hair long, which is a dark black, and ftarting from their heads like porcu- pine's quills. Their complexions are off a very 2 dark 1^1 A TOTJR TO MOROCCO, &C. dark brown, their nofes very pointed, their eyes dark and ftaring, their beards long, and their features altogether fuggeft the idea of lunacy or raving madnefs. In their perfons they are very ftrong and mufcular; and many of them go quite naked; others wear only a fmall garment round t heir waifts.—But to return to my narrative. The Englifh failors were put into miferable huts or tents, where for feveral days they could procure no fuftenance, but juniper-berries, brakifh water, and now and then a fmall quantity of milk. From thefe people they were foon difpofed of to others, who put them into the immediate em- ployments of flavery; thefe employments were the carrying of water in fkins, and performing various other kinds of drudgery, which was at all times accompanied with ftripes. After continuing in this ftate between two and three months, they contrived to get a letter con- veyed to the Englifti vice conful at Mogodore, expreffive of their fituation, who forwarded it to the conSul general at Tangier, and at the fame time wrote to Muley Abfulem upon the fubject. This prince, who commanded the province ad- joining to that where Captain Irving and his people were detained, at the expiration of eight months from the time this accident happened, obtained the emperor's permiffion to redeem them out of flavery, with orders to fend them up to Moroc- co, where his Moorifh majefty thought proper to keep them, till they were exprefsly fent for by our fovereign; or, in other words, till he received an handfome prefent. About 4 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, See. 193 About four days after the prince's arrival, the flattering afluranees which he had at firft given me refpecting thefe unfortunate perfons were ap- parently confirmed, by his informing me, that he had fucceeded to his wifhes with the emperor, in what he had promifed relative to the Englifii captives; that in two or three days he was to fee oft for Fez, in his way to Mecca, and that he was to take us all with him as far as Sallee, whence a party was to be difpatched to conduct us to Tangier. Such agreeable intelligence, and from fuch authority, afforded me the moft pleafing hopes that my journey would yet end to my Satisfaction. I eagerly flew to the captain to acquaint him with it; but he feemed too much accuftomed to dis- appointments, to entertain any very fanguine ex- pectations from my information. I think, how- ever, his fpirits appeared Somewhat revived upon the occafion. The day before the prince's departure I was de- fired to flate the number of mules which would be neceffary to convey my baggage; at the lt;r.e time I was told, that in two days we were all vj fet off. To my very great Surprize, however, on the Same evening, I was for the firft time re- fufed permiffion to fee the prince; an exaiSe being made that he was then bufy, and therefore wifhed me to call in the morning. At the fame time I few every preparation making for the journey, and was positively told that the prince was to de- part from Morocco the very next day. As I could not help feeling uneafy and alarmed at this circumftance, I repaired early inthemorn- K ing I94 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. ing to the prince's habitation, to know the truth of what 1 had heard the day before; little enquiry, however, was neceffary, fince the firft object that prefented itfelf was the baggage mules ready loaded; and, in addition to this circumftance, I was informed, that the prince was to fet off in an hour's time. It was in vain that I fent in repeated meffages to the prince, requefting that he would permit me to fee him. The only anfwer I could obtain was, that he was then engaged, and that I muft wait a little. Wearied out at length by the urgency of my folicitations, a particular friend of his highnefs came out and told me, that the prince had fent me ten hard dollars, with order to leave the garden immediately, as no perfon but the em- peror could fend me home. Enraged at this unworthy treatment, I defired the Moor to acquaint the prince, that it was not money I wanted; I wifhed him only to fulfil his engagement, and that till I had fome profpect of that being accomplifhed, I would not ftir from the garden, unlefs compelled by force. The re- fult of this meflage was, that the fame man re- turned with two dollars more, and faid that the prince had done all he could for me. If I chofe to go to one of the emperors fecretaries, whole name he mentioned, he would give me the em- peror's letter of difpatch, and then I might pro- ceed home in what manner I pleafed, but that the prince had no further bufinefs v. ith me. Find- ing that meflages were fruitlefs, I determined to watch the oportunity of the prince's coming out of his houfe, and as foon as he had mounted his horfe A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. W horfe, I placed myfelf directly before him. In this laft refource, however, I found myfelf equally unfuccefsful as before, and experienced the laft extreme of rudenefs and ingratitude; for before my interpreter could pronounce a Single Sentence, the prince pufhed on, and rode haftily by me, leaving me in as difagreeable a fituation as can well be conceived. To whatever point I directed my view, there appeared nothing comfortable in the profpect. I had come purpofely into the country to attend the prince, with his moft pofitive affurances that I fhould be fent back again, when he had no further occafion for my fervices. How great then muft be my mortification to find myfelf in a worfe fitua- tion than the crane in the fable? fince inftead of obtaining from him this negative favour, in return for all the fatigues and inconveniences which I had experienced on his account, I found myfelf deferted entirely, and left in the charge of a haugh- ty and perfidious emperor! Doubt after doubt took poffeflion of my mind; and this, joined with the reflection of having fo completely difappointed the hopes of the unfortunate feamen, as well as the favourable accounts I had written to the con- ful on the prince's recovery, preffed fo forcibly on my feelings, that for the fpace of two or three hours I was in a ftate little better than that of in- finity. As foon as I found myfelf in fome degree re- covered, I went to the perfon to whom I was di- rected for my letter of difpatch, and was inform- ed that he had fet off early that morning for Fez; and had the further fatisfaction of difcovering that the prince had availed himfelf of this excufe, K 2 in X0.6 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. in order to avoid my importunity. As no ftran- ger who is fent for by the emperor can ftir from the court till he gets his difpatches, I now con- fidered myfelf in every refpect a prifoner. Difap- pointed in every hope of emancipation, I returned home, and immediately dilpatched expreffes to the confuls at Tangier and Mogodore, informing them of my fituation, and earneftly requefting their immediate interference. In the mean time 1 omit- ted no other means which occurred to procure my difpatches, but all without SucceSs. The moft probable ftep which I could devife, or at leaft which I could carry into effect, was to convey to the emperor's hands the following memorial, by means of one of his fons. To his Imperial Majefty of Morocco. Moft auguft fovereign, With all the refpect and fubmiffion due to your majefty's exalted ftation, I take the liberty of in- forming your majefty, that 1 had particular orders from the governor of Gibraltar, under whole command I have the honour to ferve, to return im- mediately to my duty, upon my fervices being no longer necefTary to your majefty's fon, the prince Muley Abfulem. That now being the cafe, I on- ly wait to know whether I am to have the honour % of conveying your majefty's commands to Tangier, either for your majefty's fon Muley liafem, or for the Britifli conful-general. I have the honour to be, moft refpectfully, Your majefty's moft humble and devoted fervant, W. Lempriere. I got A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C r97 I got the above letter translated into Arabic, worded in the ufual compliments of the countrv, and having inclofed it in a filk handkerchief, the mode in which all letters are prefented to royal pcrfonages in Barbary, and carried to Muley Omar, whom I had Seen at Tarudant, with a pre- Sent of Irifli linen, in value about fix dollars, wrapped up alio in a filk handkerchief; and re- queued him to deliver it into his father's hands the firft opportunity. The prince firft received the prefent, and then told nu*, that as we were old friends, I needed not have troubled myfelf with bringing one ; but that 1 might be allured hs would fettle the bufinefs to my entire Satisfaction in a very fhort time. The refult of this applica- tion was, a promife from the emperor of being fent home immediately; but this was attended with the fame infincerity which I had ufually ex- perienced. My next effort was, by making prefents to the principal minifters to bribe them over to my in- tereft, as my delay might probably ariSe as much from the emperors want of memory as from any other caufe; for his faculties were then fo much impaired, that he was not able to recollect circum- ftances from one hour to another. I was in hopes that by means of his minifters he would be con- tinually reminded of me; but, either be caufe my prefents were not Sufficiently large, or becaufe theSe rapacious minifters were in hopes I would repeat them, I effected nothing by this plan. K3 C H A f\ 198 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C CHAP. XL Departure of Captain Irving.—Infolence of the Populace to Chriftians.—Manners and Character of the Moors. —Education of the Princes.—Perfons and Drefs of the Moors.—Houfes and Furniture.—Ceremonies.—Cou- riers.—Anecdotes illuflrative of Moorifh Cuftoms___ Topics of Converfation at Morocco.—Horfemanfhip, —Muftc and Poetry. —Religion.—Mofqucs.—Slaves. —Marriages.—Funerals.—Renegadoes.—Caravans to Mecca and Guinea. TN a fortnight after the prince's departure all the ■*■ Englifh captives were ordered to Mogodore, to remain under the care of a gentleman of that place, till our court fhould think proper to fend for them. Deprived by this circumftance of the fociety of the captain, whofe good fenfe and agree- able converfation leffened in a great degree the uneafinefs I experienced from the irkfomenefs of my fituation, I muft confefs my fpirits did not receive much benefit from the change. My only refource at prefent for fociety was the French of- ficer whom I formerly mentioned. Limited as our lociety was to that of each other, there exifted a further impediment to amufement; for we could not leave the jewdry without being faluted with repeated fliowers of ftones, oppro- brious names, and every infult that bigotry and brutality could devife. The ignorant of every nation are intolerant; and there can fcarcely exift a more defperate or favage defcription of people than the Lazzaroni of Morocco: they are a mixed race, A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 199 race, confifting of the bafeft of the citizens, with a number of ferocious mountaineers and wild Arabs, who have wandered thither in hopes of acquiring a fubfiftence either by labour or by theft. The defcription indeed of a mingled race will ftill more extenfively apply even to the more civi- lized inhabitants of this country. In the towns particularly, the defcendants of the different tribes from which they are fprung may ftill be traced, viz. thofe of the native Moors, of their Turkifh conquerors, and of the negroes who have been in- troduced in the manner already related. The complexion of the two firft is a fallow white, and from this circumftance, and from their intermarrying with each other, it is not poflible always to determine the origin of each individual; I fhall therefore clafs them both under the general appellation of Moors. But the negroes, though they form a large proportion of the emperor's fub- jects, are now by no means fo numerous as in the reign of Muley Ifhmael, who firft introduced them into the country. They are better formed than the Moors, and as they are more lively, daring, and active, they are intrufted with an important fiiare in the executive part of government. They con- ftitute in fact the moft confiderable part of the emperor's army, and are generally appointed to the command of provinces and towns. This cir- cumftance naturally creates a jealoufy between them and the Moars, the latter confidering the negroes as ufurpers of a power which they have no right to affume. K 4 The 200 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C The negroes are blood-thirfty, capricious, and revengeful. As foldiers they manifeft fuff.cient ardour when commanded by popular officers; but their attachment depends on the generofity of their chief, and the energy, feverity, and cruelty of his difpofition: if he flackens in any of thefe particulars, they either defert him, or deliver him up to his enemy. Befides the negroes which Sorm the emperor's army, there are a great many others in the coun- try, who either are or have been flaves to private Moors: e\ery Moor of confequence, indeed, hag Lis proportion of them in his it nice. To the difgrace of Europe, the Moors treat their flaves with humanity, employing them in looking after their gardens, and in the domeftic duties of their houfes. They allow them to marry among them- felves, and after a certain number of years fpon- taneoufly prefent them with the invaluable boon cf liberty. They foon are initiated in the Maho- metan perSuafion, though they Sometimes intermix with it a few of their original fuperftitious cuf- toms. In every other refpect they copy the drefs and manners of the Moors; of which I fhall en- deavour to give the reader fome general idea. To think juftly and with candour of the Moorifh character we mu^t take into our confideration the natural effects or a total want of education, a moft rigidly arbitrary government, and a climate calculated, as far as" rlimate has influence, to fli- mulate and excite the vicious paffions, as well as by its debilitating and relaxing influence to wea- ken and deprefs the nobler energies cf the mind. To A; TOUR TO MOROCCO, &c. To. thefe we may add the disadvantages arifing from the want of a free intercourfe with other nations, and the influence of an abfurd and un- charitable religion. In fuch a ftate of things the traveller is not to be furprifed if he finds moft of the vices of fa- vage nations grafted upon thofe of luxury and indolence; if he obferves fuperftition, avarice, and lull the leading features of character, with their natural concomitants, deceit and jealoufy; he is not to be furprized if he finds but little of the amiable attachments and propenfities, little of friendfhip or Social union with each other, Since the nature of the government, and the habits of his private life, are calculated to infpire each maa with a diflruft and fufpicion of his neighbour. I will not affert, however, that this character will univerfally apply.—However the cuftoms and government of a nation may militate againft virtue and excellence, there are always fplendid excep- tions to the prevalent vices of every fociety. There are certainly among the Moors many whofe pri- vate virtues would do honour tq any civilized na- tion ; but I am forry to add, that thofe characters are not numerous. Groaning under the fevereft oppreffions of defpotifm, they lofe all Spirit for induflry and improvements, and Suffer indolence and ignorance to reign without controul. -Sen- fible of the uncertainty of enjoying the fruits of labour and ingenuity, the great majority of the people remain content with the bare neceflaries of fife, or when in power endeavour to enrich themfelves by the fame means which had before kept them in a ftate of poverty. . Arts 202 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, *-'* 214 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. joyfully embrace every private opportunity of drinking both to excels. With refpect to the hours for eating, the peo- ple of this country are remarkably regular. Very foon after day-break they take their breakfaft, which is generally a compofition of flour and water boiled thin, together with an herb which gives it a yellow tinge. The male part of the family eat in one apartment and the female in another. The children are not permitted to eat with their parents, but take their meals afterwards with the fervants; indeed in moft other refpedts they are treated ex- actly as fervants or flaves by their parents. The mefs is put into an earthen bowl, and brought in upon a round wooden tray. It is placed in the centre of the guefts, who fit crofs-legged either on a mat or on the floor, and who form a circle for the purpofe. Having previoufly wafhed them- felves, a ceremony always performed before and after meals, each perfon with his fpoon attacks vigoroufly the bowl, while they diverfify the en- tertainment by eating with it fruit or bread. At twelve o'clock they dine, performing the fame ceremonies as at breakfaft. For dinner, from the emperor down to the peafant, their difh is univer- fally Cufcofoo, the mode of preparing which has been already defcribed. I believe I have intimated more than once that neither chairs, tables, knives or forks, are made ufe of in this country. The difh is therefore brought in upon a round tray and placed on the floor, round which the family fit as at breakfaft, and with their fingers commit a violent affault on its contents; they are at the .*.& A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 2K fame time, however, attended by a Have or do- meftic, who prefents them with water and a towel occafionally to wafli their hands. From the want of the fimple and convenient invention of knives and forks, it is not uncommon in this country to three or four people pulling to pieces the fame piece of meat, and afterwards with their fingers itirring up the pafte or Cufcofoo, of which the of- ten take a whole handful at once into their mouth. Their manner of eating indeed was to me fo dif- gufting, that though Cufcofoo is in reality a very good difh, yet it required fome time to get rid of my prejudice fo far as to be induced to relifh it. Atfun-fet they fup upon the fame difh, and indeed fupper is their principal meal. Such is the general mode of living among the principal people in towns. There are confider- able multitudes, however, who do not fare fo well, but are obliged to content themfelves with a little bread and fruit inftead of animal food, and to fleep in the open ftreets. This kind of exiftence leems ill calculated to endure even in an inactive ftate; far more fevere muft it therefore be to thofe who exercife the laborious employment of couriers in this country, who travel on foot a journey of three or four hundred miles, at the rate of between thirty and forty miles a day, without taking any other nourifhment than a little bread, a few figs, and fome water, and who have no better fhelter at night than a tree. It is wonderful with what alacrity and perfeverance thefe people perform the moft fatiguing journies at all feafons of the year. There is a regular company of them in every town, who are ready to be difpatched at a mo- - ment's t\6 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, e\:C. ment's warning to any part of the country their employers may have occafion to fend them. They conftitute in this empire the only mode of con- veyance for all public and private difpatches; and as they are well known in the place to which they belong, they are very punctual in delivering every thing that is put into their hands. From their Steady pace in travelling, at the rate of about four miles an hour, and from their being able to pafs over parts which from the mountainous ftate of the country, and from the want of good reads, perfons on horSeback would find inaccefliblc, they are indeed by far the moft expeditious meffengera that could be employed. As a proof of the a- mazing exertions of which they are capable, 1 need only mention, that there have been repeated inftances or a courier proceeding from Morocco to Tangier, which is a journey of about three hundred and thirty miles, infix days. As none but the very vulgar go on foot in this country; for the purpofe of vifitin^, mules are confidered as more genteel than horfes; and the greateft pride of a Moor is to have fuch as walk remarkably fall, and keep his footmen, of which the number is proportionable to the rank and con- fequence of the mafter, on a continued run. As the Moors are not fond of admitting men into their hoaSes, except upon particular occafions, if the weather is fine they place a mat, and fome- times a carpet, on the ground before their door, feat themSelves upon it croSs-legged, and receive their friends, who form a circle, fitting in the Same manner, with their attendants on the out- fide of the groupe. Upon thefe occafions they cither i A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 21} cidier drink tea, or Smoke and converfc. The ftreets are Sometimes crowded with parties of this kind; fome engaged at playing at au inferior kind of chefs or drafts, at which they are very expert; but the majority in converfation. The people of this country, indeed, are fo decidedly averfe to ftanding up, or walking about, that if only two or three people meet, they fquat themfelves down in the firft clean place they can find, if the con- verfation is to hold but for a few minutes. At Morocco, when I vifited Muley Ouffine, one of Sidi Mahomet's fons, I was always received in the manner which I have now deScribed. I found him fitting croSs-legged on a common mat, in the Same open place wnere his horfes were kept, and his friends forming a Semicircle round him. I was immediately defired to form one of the groupe, and was helped to tea upon the occafion. In the courfe of our converfation, the prince told me, that the Chriftians and Moors were brothers5 that the Englifh were very good men; but that he had a particular averfion to the friars, for they were a determined fet of knaves, and were neither friends to Chriftians or Moors. I found this prince a handfome young man, of about the age-of fix-and-twemy, of rather a dark complexion, but accompanied with an open and generous -countenance. lie had been a few years ago appointed to the government of Tafilet, where he fo far gained the affections of the people under his government, that they proclaimed him king; ai.d he for lome time governed with all the independent authority of a Sovereign. This cir- cumftance obliged the emperor to diipatch an army L againft 218 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, Uc. againft him, upon the arrival of which he im- mediately furrendered, and was brought to Mo- rocco, where he was deprived of an his property, as well as his power; and when 1 was in the countt y, he lived in a very retired manner indeed. Yvhen at Tafilet, he had the character of acting very liberally towards every perfon with whom he was connected; at Morocco he manifefted fome 'proofs of the fame difpofition towards me: merely for a trifling attention which I fhewed to his favourite black, he prefented me with a horfe, that proved as good as any of which I had poflef- flon while in the country. The only vice to which this young man was ad- dicted was that of drinking to a very great excels. In this refpect, however, he was not more cul- pable than all the reft of his royal brothers. He told me, that if he did not daily take before c inner fix tumblers of aquadent, a Species of brandy fomething weaker than fpirits of wine, he would rot be able to hold up his head the remainder of the day. He wifhed to know if this cuftom was bad for his health; and if fo, what I would advife him to do. I recommended to him the dif- uSe of fpirits, and to fupply their place with wine; which he might either procure from the European merchants at Mogodore, or he might ufe the wine which was made by the Jews. This advice, however, the prince obferved he could not follow, Since the Mahometan law more par- ticularly forbade the ufe of wine, than that of fpirits. This, I replied, might be true, in the • Strict letter of the law; but when wine v, as ufed , as a medicine, it became no longer wine. Thw LLa A TOUR TO MOROCCO, S:C. 2?f idea I Sound Satisfied the Scrup-fes^of the prince, and he promifed to Sollow m^ advice. I was afterwards Sent Sor to Muley Slemma, another of the emperor's fons, who with the late emperor Muley Yazid, were the offspring of a woman whofe parents were Engiifh. This prince, who is about thirty-eight years of age, and of a tall and majeftic appearance, with a very expref- five an 1 lively countenance, fhewed me uncom- mon attention the whole time I was at Morocco. His pavillion, where he received ftrangers, and tranfacted bufinefs, was fituated at the extremity of a long walk, in a garden of orange-trees. It • confifled of one large room on the ground flooi, fitted up in the fame ftile as that of Muley Abfulem at Tarudant. The prince was fitting crofs-iegged op a large mattrefs, covered with fine white linen, and placed on the floor fronting the door-way, with his Moorifh vifitors on each fide of hi:r., forming a Semicircle. Upon my firft introduction he expreffed -uncommon pleafrtre at feeing me, exclaiming, Bono, Bono, Anglaif! and added, that the Englifh were his brothers and beft friends. I was then directed to feel his pulfe, and to inform him whether or not he was in healtb; as foon as I aflured him he was perfectly well, he defired me to befeated on a narrow carpet, which was placeel on the floor for the purpofe, and he then ordered one of his pages to bring in tea, though fo late as twelve o'clock at noon. Out of compliment to me, for the Moors feldom ufe it, the prince Sent for milk, and Said, as he knew the Englifii always di.ink it with their tea, he would prefent me with a milch cov/, that I might enjoy the cuftom of L 2 my 220 A T0V^vT0 MOROCCO, &C. my own qcunt^Vr,^rhis promife, however, en- tirely efeapeJ'his royal highnels's memory, and the cow never made her appearance. In the courSe of our converfation, the prince manifefted many indications ei good-nature and addrefs; told me, that whilft he was on his travels in Turkey, he had been conducted from one port ro another in the Mediterranean by an Englifii frigate, the captain of which fhewed him fo much attention, that he fhould always bear it in re- membrance. ^ As ioon as the ceremony of tea w?s concluded, the prince oidered out his horfe, which was a very beautiful young animal, with a Saddle ornamented with a rich ve'ivet cover, and gold ftir- rups. He nfen mounted him, and went through all the ma'noeuvers of managing a horfe with which the moors are* acquainted, fuch as putting him upon the full Speed, and flopping him in- ilantaneoufty, rifing up on the fad die and firir^ a mullet when the horfe is on the full gallop, &c. in the performance of all which exercjfes he feem- ed very dexterous. The prince then afked me if we could do fuch things in England; and with- out waiting for a reply, ordered one of hi;; at- tendants to catch a fheep out of' his grounds* and take it home to my lodgings. He laid, that as he always was fond of feeing his brothers th" Englifti, he wifhed I would vifit him twice a day during my continuance at Morocco, and then gallopped off.-----But to return to my obferva- tiens. The manner of falutation among the Moors is, when two equals meet, by a ejuici: motion they fhake hands, and afterwards kifs each each other's #- ♦ A TOUR TO MOROCCO, Sec. 22! other's hand. When an inferior meets a fuperior, fuch as an officer of rank, a judge, or a governor, he kiffes that part of his-Haick which covers the arm, and fometimes, as a higher mark of refpect, he will kiis his feet. But the compliment due to the emperor, or any of the princes of the blood, is to take off the cap or turban, and to proftrate the head to the ground. When two particular friends or relations meet, they anxioufly embrace and kifs each ether's faces and beards for a few minutes, Nmake a number of enquiries about the health .of each party, as well as that of their families, but feldom allow time for a reply. The common topics for converfation amon;; thefe people, are the occurrences of the place, teligion, their women, and their horfes. As curiofity is a quality which naturally attaches to all indolent people, it may eafily be conjectured that the Moors are not deficient in this refpect. It is incredible with what avidity they lay hold of r.ny trifling circumftance which may occur in the neighbourhood; what pleafure and what pride they Seem to take.in communicating it; nor at'; they deficient in the arts of magnifying or adorn- ing the tale with every addition which may ferve to render it more palatable, or give it a greater appearance of plaufibility. Religion is aifo .a Savourite topic; but this fubject is confined principally to thofe Societies which are Sreqnented by their Talbs, or men of letter?. As thefe gentlemen, however, are not a little proud of their acquirements in reading and writing, they do not fail to embrace every opportunity of manifefting their fuperiority over L 3 thofe «•- 222 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. thofe who are not fo happy as to be diftinguifhed by thofe accomplifhments. Decency of manners and delicacy in converfa- tion are among the moft certain marks of refine- ment and civilization, and the contrary vices are equally univerfal characteriftics of ignorance and barbarifin. The converfation of the Moors con- cerning their women is of the moft trifling and difgufting defcription, and confifts of abfurd and vulgar observations, equally repugnant to decency and common fenfe. The Subject, however, on which, like our young men of fafhion in England, they appear moft calculated to fhine, is their horfes. It would indeed be truly difgraceful not to be accomplifhed upon this topic, fince it appears to occupy, both day and night, by far the greateft portion of their attention. I have formerly intimated that thefe animals are feldom kept in (tables in Morocco. '[ Lzy are watered and fed only once a day, the former at one o'clock at noon, and the latter at fun-Set; and the only mode which they ufe to clean them, is by wafhing them all over in a river two or three times a Week, and Suffering them to dry themfelves. Notwithftanding the attachment which the Moors manifeft to their horfes, they moft certainr ly ufe them with great cruelty. Their higheft pieafure, and one of their firft accomplifhmeutr., is, by means of long and fharp fpurs to make the horfe go full Speed, and then to Stop him inftan- taneoufly; and in this they certainly manifeft uncommon dexterity. The iron-work of their bridles is lo conftructed that by its preflure on th> hcrfe's A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 223 horfe's tongue and lower jaw, with the leaft exer- tion of the rider it fills his mouth full of blood, and if not ufed with the utmoft caution throws him inevitably on his back. The bridle has only av fingle rein, which is fo very long that ir. ferve* the purpofe of both whip and bridle. The Moorifh Saddle is in fome degree fimilar to the Spanifh, but the pummel is ftill higher and more peaked. Their ftirrups, in which they ride very fhort, are fo formed as to cover the whole of the foot. They either plate or gild them, according to the dignity, opulence, or fancy of the pol- f-flbr. Their faddles, which are covered with red woollen cloth, or, if belonging to a perfon of confequence, with red fatin or damafk, arc faftened with one ftrong girth round the body, in the European ftyle, and another rpund the fhoulders. The Moors frequently amufe themfelves by riding with the utmoft apparent violence againft a wall •, and a ftranger would conceive it impoffible for them to avoid being dafhed- to pieces, when juft as the horfe's head touches the wall, they, ftop him with the utmoft accuracy. To ftrangers on horfeback or on foot it is alfo a common fpecies of compliment to ride violently up to them, as if intending to trample them to pieces, and then to ftop their horfes fhort and fire a mufquet in their face-;. This compliment I have experienced, and could very well have difpcnfed with their polite- nefs. Upon thefe occafions, they are very proud in discovering- their c'exterity in horfemanlhip, by making the animal rear up, So as almoft to throw him on his back, putting him immediately L 4 after 224 A TOUR TO MOROCCO,' &C. after on the full fpeed for a few yards, then flop- ping him inftant.tncoufly, and all this is accom- panied by loud and hollow cries. There is another favourite amufement, which difplays perhaps fuperior agility:—A number of perfons on horfeback ftart at the fame moment, and accompanied with loud fhouts, gallop at full fpeed to an appointed fpot, when they Hand up ftraight in the ftirrups, put the rein, which I have juft obferved is very long, in their mouths, level their pieces and fire them off; throw their'fire- locks immediately over their right fhoulders, and ftop their horfes nearly at the fame inftant. This I am told, is their manner of engaging in an action. Though I am willing to allow the Moors the merit of fitting a horfe well, and, as far as is ne- ceffary fcr the above-mentioned exercife, of having a great command over him, yet their horfes are ill-bred, and they entirely neglect to teach them thofe paces which in Europe are confidered as the moft agreeable for the common purpofes of riding. As none of thefe animals in Morocco are geldings, and as the Moors are unacquainted with the ufe of the ring, they are obliged to break them in when very young, by taking them long and fatiguing journies, particularly over the moun- tainous and rocky part of the country, where they foon reduce their fpirit; they then take the opportunity of teaching them to rear up, fland fire, gallop, and flop fhort in the manner already related; and having accomplifhed this they are fatisfied without any farther qualification. For ihis reafon a Barbary horSe Seldom can perform any A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C Z2$. any other pace than a full gallop or a walk; and from being broken in and worked hard before they have acquired their full ftrength, thefe horfes ■ in a very few years become unfit for fervice. The Moors feldom ride the mares, but keep them in the country for breeding; and, contrary to the general opinion in Europe, they confider them fo much more valuable than hcrfes, that they are never permitted to be exported. Like all barbarous nation-, the Moors are pafi- fi* nuely fond of mufic, and Some few have a tafte for poetry. Their flow airs, for want of that va- riety which is introduced when the feience has at- tained a degree of perfection, have a very melan- choly famenefs; but fome of their quick tunes are beautiful and Simple, and partake in Some degree of the characterise melody of the Scotch airs. The poetry of their fongs,. the conftant Subject of which is love, though there are few nations per- haps who are lefs Sensible of that paffion, has cer- tainly lefs merit than the mufic. Their infVrum?nts are a kind of hautboy which differs from ours only in having no keys; the mandoline, which they have learnt to play upon from their neighbours the Spaniards; another inftrument bearing fome refemblance to a violin> and played upon in a fimilar manner, but with only two firings ; the larg? drum, the co:"inoa pipe, and the tabor. Thefe united and accompa- nied with a ce tain number of voices, upon many occafions form a band, though Solo mufic is more common in this unSocial country. Upon ali days of rejoicing, this kind of mufic, repeated vollies of mufquetry, either by men on horfeback or on foot, and in the evening a grand. L-. £ attack 226 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. attack upon, the CuScoSoo, conftitute the principal part of the public entertainments. Mountebanks and jugglers alfo of every defcription meet with great eneouragement from the Moors. There are no other places of reception for the accommodation of travellers in this country ex- cept in their Fondaks, which are only to be met , with in large towns. Thefe confift of a certain num- ber of dirty apartments, with no other accommoda- tion whatever, but the walls and roof, to protect the ftranger from the inclemency of the weath.r; and lie muft furnifh himfelf with every article of which he may be in want, both in refpect to prp- vifions and bedding. There is at the fame lime, an open court, where the horfes of all travellers are intermixed. In moft of the towns there are regular fchools, where thofe children whofe parents have the means of doing it, and have fenfe enough to fend them (which indeed are but few in proportion to the whole) are inftructed by the Talbs in reading and writing, and fometimes in the firft rules of arithmetic. The greater part of the people, how- ever, learn very little more than to read a few prayers felected from the Koran, which are in common ufe, and are written in Arabic characters. on paper which is palled on aboard. To fpeak particularly on the religion of the Moors would require a volume, and fuch a vo- lume as would certainly be more extenfive than entertaining. It is well known they profefs the Mahometan faith, and I may add, that they attend very rigidly to all the bigotry and fuperftion which, is peculiar to that religion. Since: A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 227 Since every ftranger* who enters a mofque is either put to death, or is obliged to conform to their religion, a very exact account of their places of worfhip is not to be expected from an Euro- pean. The obfervations I made en pnffant, the doors which are very large, being in the day-tima always open, I Shall endeavour to relate.. The mofqne is ufually a large Iqaar; buildingy compofed of the fame materials as the houfes, confifting of broad and lofty piazzas, opening into a fquare court, in a manner in fome degree fimilar to the Royal Exchange of London. In the centre of the court is a large fountain, and a Small ftream furrounds the piazzas, where the Moors perform the ceremony of ablution. The court and piazzas are floored with blue and white chec- quered tiling, and the latter are covered with matting' upon which the Moors kneel while re- peating their prayers. In the moft confpicuous part of the mofque, fronting the Eaft, ftands a kind of pulpit, where the Talb or prieft occa- fionally preach.s. The Moors al.way enter this place of worfhip barefooted, leaving their flippers at the door. On the top of the mofque is a fquare fleeple with a flag-ftaff, whither at ftated hours the Talb afeends, hoifts a white flag (for they have no bells,) ana" calls the people to prayers, repeating in Arabic three times,and addreffing hi:r>- felf each time to a different part of the town, How- great is God! Mahomet is his prophd I Come ad ye faithful-, Come top:\iyer. From this high fituation the voice is heard at a confiderable diftance, and the Talbs have a monotonous mode of enuncia- tion, the voice Sinking at the end of every fliort Sentence^ 228 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. fentence, which in fome meafure refembles the found of a bell. The moment the flag is difplaycd every perfon forfakes his employment and goes to prayers. If they are near a mofque they perform their devo- tions within it, otherwiSe immediately on the Spot where they happen to be, and always., with their faces towards the Eaft, in honour of the prophet Mahomet, who, it is well known was buried at Medina. The prayer which is generally repeated on thefe occafions is a chapter from the Koran, acknowledging the goodnefs of God and Maho- met, and it is accompanied with various geftures, fuch as lifting the hands above the head, bowing twice, performing two genuflexions, bowing again twice, and kifling'the ground. The whole of this. ceremony they repeat three times. Their fabbath is en our Friday, and commences from fix o'clock the preceding evening. On this day they ufe a blue flag inftead of the white one. As it has been prophefied that they are to be con- quered by the Chriftians on the fabbath day, the gates of all the towns and of the emperor's palaces are fhut when at divine fervice on that day, in order to avoid being furprifed during that period. T heir Talbs are not diftinguifhed by any particu- lar drefs. TheMocrs have threefolemn■devotional periods in the "courfe of the year. rTiu firft, which is named Aid de Cabier, is held in commemoration of the birth of Mahomet. It continues feven days, during which period every perfon who can. afford the expence, kills a fheep as a facrifice, and divides it among his friends. The fecond is the- llama dam,. A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 22CJ Ramadam. This is a rigorous fall or lent, held at the feafon when Mahomet difappeared in his fl'ght from Mecca to *T ■ Una; and is conducted by the Moors with Jo much fuptrftition, that for thirty day?, from fun-rife to fun-fet, they Jay afieic all worldly act.;, and devote their whofe attention to exercifes of piety; carefully abflaining from eating, drinking, fmoaking, wafhing their mouths, or even Swallowing their Saliva; and they are in- dulged with their uSual cuftom of bathing only, npon condicion, that they avoid Suffering the wa- ter to approach their heads, left any of it fhould enter the mouth or ears. To make amends for this ftrict obfervance of their lent during the day, they appropriate the whole night to the indul- gence of every gratification, and at the expiration of the faft, a general feftival takes place, named the Beyran which continues feven days. The third is named Llafhore, and is a day fet apart by Maho- met for every perfon to compute the value of his property^ in order for the payment of Zakat, that is, one tenth of their income to the poor, and other pious ufes. Although this Seaft only lafts a Single day, yet it is celebrated with far greater magni- ficence than either of the others. There is alfo a fuperftitious cuftom among the. Moors, when any .thing of moment is to be undertaken, Such as going on a dangerous journey or voyage, the difpofal of their children in mar- riage, &c. for fome grave perfon to make an har- rangne to the multitude, upon which his auditors call for the key of direction. By this is m.ant: the performance of joining the hands, looking ftcadiaftly on the palms during the admonition,^ thea. 23c A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &€. then by a joint concurrence calling upon God and and the prophet, and concluding the ceremony by ftroaking their faces with both hands, and joining in chorus, faying Salem, Salem, (peace be' with you) with much devotion. The due performance of this ceremony, they conceive will enfure them certain fuccefs in all their undertakings. The Moors compute time by lunar months, and count the days of the week by the firft, fecond, third, &c. beginning from our Sunday. They ufe a common reed for writing, and begin their manufcripts from right to left. The Moors marry very young, many of their females not being more than twelve years of age at their nuptials. As Mahometans, it is well known that their religion admits of polygamy to the extent of four wives, and as many concubines as they pleafe; but if we except the very opulent, the people feldom avail themfelves of this indul- gence, fince it entails on them a vaft additional expence in houfe-keeping and in providing for a large family. Whatever inftiution is contrary to truth and found morality will in practice refute itfelf; nor is any further argument than this fingle obfervation wanting to anfwer all the abfurdities which have been advanced in favour of a plurality of wives. In contracting marriage the parents of both parties are the only agents, and tbe intended bride and bridegroom never fee each other till the ceremony is performed. The marriage fettlements are made before the Cadi, and then the friends of the bride produce her portion, or if not, the huf- band agrees to Settle a certain Sum upon her, iu in caSe he fliould die, or divorce her on account of barren-- A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 23 I barrenneSs, or any other cauSe. The children of the wives have all an equal claim to the effects of the Sather and mother, but thoSe of the concubines can each only claim half a fhare. When the marriage is finally agreed upon, the bride is kept at home eight days, to receive her female friends, who pay congratulatory vifits every day. At the Same time a Talb attends upon her, to converSe with her relative to the Solemn engage- ment on which fhe is about to enter; on theSe occafions he commonly accompanies his admoni- tions with Singing a pious hymn, which is adapted to the Solemnity. The bride alSo with her near relations go through the ceremony of being paint- ed afrefh ; the nature of which cuftom I fhall deferibe when I fpeak of the harem. During this procefs the bridegroom on the other hand receives vifits from his male friends in the morning, and in the evening rides through the town accompanied by them, fome playing on hautboys and drums, while others are employed in firing volleys of mufquetry. In all their fefti- vals the difcharge of mufquetry indeed forms a principal part of the entertainment. 'Contrary to the European mode, which particularly aims at firing with exactnefs, the Moors difcharge their pieces as irregularly as p.oflible, fo as to have a continual fucceifion of reports for a few minutes. On the day of marriage, the bride in the evening is put into a fquare or octagonal cage, about twelve feet in circumference, which is covereel with fine white linen, and fometimes with gauzes and Silks of various colours. In this ve- hicle which is placed on a mule, fhe-is paraded round 232" A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. round the ftreets accomoanh d by her relations- and friends, Some carrying li >:■■•.> 1 torches, others playing on hautboys, and a third party again firing vollies of mufquetry. In this manner fhe is carried to the houfe of her intended hufband, who returns about the fame time from performing Similar ceremonies. On her arrival fhe is paced in an apartment by herfelf, and her hulban i is introduced to her alone for the firft time, who finds her Sitting on a filk or velvet cufliion, Suppofing her to be a perfon of conSequence, with a fmall table before her, upon which are two wax candles lighted. Her Shift, or more properly fhirt, hangs down like a train behind her, and over it is a filk or velvet robe with clofe fleeves, which at the breaft and wrifts is embroidered with gold; this drefs reaches fomething lower than the calf of the leg. Round her head is tied a black filk fearf, which hangs behind as low as the ground. Thus attired, the bride fits with her hands over her eyes, when her hufband appears and receives her as his wife, without any further ceremony *: for the agree- ment made by the friends before the Cadi is the only fpecific contract which is thought p.cceife'-y. If the hufband fhould have any realbn to SuSpect that his wife has not >been Strictly virtuous, he is at liberty to divorce her and take another. For fome time after marriage the family and frknds * Interim duae miniftrae negrae exfpectant fori?, ut no- titiam habeam coHfumnutionis; quod cum pro certo co^- noveiiut cantus bucciuarum, & borabardarura emillio fac- tum, aanunciant. arc: A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. -33 arc engaged in much feafting and a variety of amufements, which laft a longer or fliorter time, according to the circumftances of the parties. It is ufually cuftomary for the man to remain at home eight elays, and the woman eight month.-; after they are firft married; and the woman is ac liberty to divorce herfelf from her hufband if fhe can prove that he does not provide her with a proper fubfittence. If he curfes her, the law obliges him to pay her, for the firft offence, eight ducats, for the fecond, a rich drefs of ftill greater value; and the third time fhe may leave him entirely. He is then at liberty to marry again in two months. At the birth of a child, it is cuftomary for the parents to grieve eight days, at the expiration of which they facrifice a goat or a fheep, and ip- vite their friends and acquaintance to partake^of the fea ft. Women fuffer but little inconvenience in this country from child-bearing; they are fre- quently up the next day, and yp through all the duties of the houfe with the infenton their backs. They do not adopt the method of teaching their children to walk which is cuftomary in Europe, but when they are twelve months old they put them on the floor, where from firft crawling they naturally in a fliort time acquire the habit of walk- ing, and as foon as they can be made in the leaft degree ufeful, they are put to the various kinds of labour adapted to their age and ftrength. Others, whofe parents are in better circumftances, are, as I before obferved, fometimes fent to fchool; and thofe who are intended for the church ufual- ly continue their ftudies till they have nearly learnt 234 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. learnt the Koran by rote. In that caSe they ar» enrolled among the Talbs or learned men of the law; and upon leaving School are paraded round the ftreets on a horfe, accompanied by mufic and a large concourSe of people. The proceffion is conducted in the following manner. Upon the day appointed, one of the moft fliewy horfes in the place is procured for the youth to ride on, who if he is a perfon 'of confequence, is dreft in all the gaiety which filks and brocades can afford, wearing a turban richly ornamented with gold and jewels, and interfperfed with flowers. Thus ar- rayed, he mounts his horfe, which alfo is not with- out its decorations, carrying in his hand his pray- ers palled on a board, on which he looks with ftedfaft attention; and he proceeds with all the fedatenefs and compofed gravity of old age to the different places appointed for the purpofe, ac- companied by mufic, and all his fchool-fellows en horfeback, dreffed according to their circum- ftances. At laft they meet at the houfe of the head boy of the fehool, where they are treated with a colle£lion of fweatmeats. This cuftom, which is evidently adopted with a view of pro- moting an emulation in their youths, is one of the very few good inftitutions which are obfervable among thefe people. In celebrating the rite of circumcifion, the child is dreffed very Sumptuoufly and carried on a mule, or, if the parents are in poor circumftances, on an afs, accompanied with flags flying and muficians playing on hautboys and beating drums. In this manner they proceed to the mofque, where the ceremony is performed.. When A TOUR TO MOROCCO,*&C. 235 When any perfon dies, a certain number of women are hired for the purpofe of lamentation (for the men are Seldom obServed to weep for the lofs of a friend) in the performance of which no- thing can be more grating to the ear, or more 'unpleafant, than their frightful moans or rather howlings>at the fame time thefe mercenary mourn- ers beat their heads and breafts, and tear their cheeks with their nails. The bodies are ufually buried a tew hours after death. Previous to in- terment the corpSe is waflied very clean, and Sew- ed up in a fhroud compoSed of feven pieces of fine linen united together, with the right hand under the head, which is pointed towards Mecca; it is carried on a bier fupported upon men's fhoulders to the burying-place, which is always, with great propriety, on the outfide of the town, for they never bury their dead in the mofques or within the bounds of an inhabited place. The bier is accompanied by numbers of people, two a- breaft, who walk very faft, calling upon God and Mahomet, and Singing hymns adapted to the occafion. 4 The grave is made very wide at the .bottom, and narrow at the top, and the body is depofited without any other ceremony than Singing and praying in the Same manner as on their way to the grave. They have no tombs in this country, but long and plain ftones; and it is irequently cuftomary for the female friends of the departed to weep over their graves for Several days after the funeral. The Moors will not allow Chriftians or Jews to pafs over their places of interment; as they have * fuperftitious idea, which is perhaps more pre- valent 236 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, CCC. valent among the lower clafs of pedple, than thofe who are better informed, that the dead Suffer pain from having their graves trodden upon by it*fidels; an.I I recollect when at Tangier, I re- ceceived a veiy fevere rebuke from a Moor, for accidentally having paffed through one of their burying grounds. When a women lofes her hufband fhe mourns four months and eight days, during which period fhe is to wear no filver or gold; and if fhe hap- pens to be pregnant, (he is to mourn till fhe is brought to bed. For the above time the relations of her late hufband are obliged to fupport her. I could not learn that any mourning was due from the hufband for the lofs of his wife; but it is cuftomary, particularly among the great people, for a fon to mourn for his father by not fhaving his head or any part of his beard, and by not cutting his nails for a certain period. When a Jew or a Chriftian is converted to the Mahometan faith, he is immediately dreffed in a Moorifh habit, and paraded round the ftreets on horfeback, acsompanied with mufic anej a great concourSe of people. He then chufes himielf a Moorifh name, and fixes on a perfon who adop's him as a child, and is ever afterwards called his father. This adoption, however, is only nominal, for he is by no means bound to fupport him. The new convert is not allowed to marry any other woman than a negro, or the daughter of a renegado; and his defcendants are not con- fidered as genuine Moors till the Sourth genera- tion. The A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 237 The renegadocs in the empire of Morocco are principally Spaniards, though th<-re are fome few of other nations in the country, who have deferted from Ceuta or Spain, to avoid the hand of juftice for fome capital crime or mifdemeanor—. ommon- ly, irvJeed, murder, I met with many of thefe people at Morocco, who frankly acknowledged to me that murder had been the caufe of their defertion. Though the emperor may for various reafons find it convenient to countenance rene- gadoes yet the Moors in general fo thoroughly dcteft them, that they cannot be induced upon any terms to allow them to form a part of their fociety. I cannot better conclude this fection than by fubmitting to the reader the following account of the caravans to Mecca and Guinea, which I re- ceived from a gentleman refident in Barbarj', on whofe veracity I could pi ace the utmoft con- fidence. Seven Months before the feaft Aid de Cabier, or the commemoration of the birth of Mahomet, pilgrims from every quarter affemble at Fez, in order to join the caravan which at that feafon proceeds for Mctca. They are compofed of three claffes of people.—Firft, The mountaineers, named Brebes: Secondly, the Moorifh merchants: and, Thirdly, Perfons in pub io employments, or who are en^-^ed about the court of the emperor. Thus religion and intereft confpirc to draw together a large and motely groupe, and to induce them to undertake a journey which is as fatiguing and dangerous as it is expenfivc. The 13^ A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C» The firft clafs are not required to afk permiffion to join the caravan. The lecond arc obliged to prefent themfelves to their refpective governors, as well to avoid the incon\ tniences of debts on their own account, as en that of their families, who might be fubjedt to be molefted by credi- tors during their abience. If a merchant has the leaft connection with the court, if is expected that he will alfo prefent to the emperor, who, as he feels himfelf difpeffed, grants or refufes him permiffion to enter upon the j urney. Thofe of the third clafs muft have an exprefs permiffion from the emperor, who never allows any to go whofe circumftances will not fufficiently en- able them to defray the expences of the pilgri- mage. As there are two modes of performing this pilgrimage, by fea and by land, thofe who prefer the former are fubjected to an examination by the governor of the port whence they embark, to fee that they pay the freight of the veffel, and to inform himfelf whether they have fufficient means to go and return ti'om this facred object of Mahometan devotion, without being under the neceifity of borrowing, or being fufpected of ufing • any bale and difhonourabie means of obtaining a fubfiftence. ThoSe who proceed by land are liable to be examined alfo, but not So rigoroufly as the others; the Shaik of the caravan hiving the power to punifh thofe who are guilty of any irregularities. The p;ace whence the caravan fets out by land, ' is from Teza, a town in the province of Tedla, fome diftance to tho Euft kA' the city of Fez, the latter A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. latter being the firft place of rendezvous. At Fez, the moft commercial city in the whole mniie, and abounding with provifions of every inp- tion, each perfon furnifhes himfelf in the bal man- ner he is able, accor mg to his rank md circum- ftances, with a furfic <■.;. fupply to laft thi he reaches Tripoli or Turns at leaft. This grand caravan is always accompanied by many other-,, of whuh one goes to Algicr , another to funis, and a third to grand Cairo, &c. Thofe perfons who go t, Algiers and Tarns are not under the neceffity of afking permiffion, as they are perfons who are accuHomed to carry on a trade with thofe two place*; whence they return with a quantity of their rcfpective manufactures. The caps of Tunis are of great ufe in the empire of Morocco, and their filks alfo fell at a very good price, though upon the whole thoSe of Al- giers are preferable for the girdles ufed by the Moors, curtains, women's drefs, and furniture for beds and rooms. The manufactures in leed of both Algiers and Tunis are brought to a greater perfec- tion than thofe of Morocco. The merchants who go upon thefe expeditions carry with them ready money, Hakks and flippers, which are the manu- factures of Morocco, and difpofe of the two laft articles to the Arabs and inhabitant.- of the towns in the neighbourhood of Algiers an! Tunis, who, though they do not wear the Haick as a part of their drefs, yet make ufe of them for a variety of other purpofes. Some time within the firft fifteen days of the month Jumeth Tenii, every proper preparation being previoufly made, the grand caravan fets off from 240 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. from Teza in the following order:—After havi»g invoked the true and fole God an.i his prophet Mahomet, to give every benediction to this fee red journey, they all meet near the tent of the chief conductor, who is named in Arabic Scheck Re- beck, and commence their devotions to the lound of clarinets, tabors, Sec. The unloaded camels and mules aie then firft put in motion, attended by the cooks, watermen, &c. Next to this party follow thofe who travel on foot, either from devo- tion or neceffity; to thefe is entrufted the care of the loaded mules and camels. Ana the rear is brought up by thofe who are mounted either on horfes or mules. L The caravan is put in motion at fun-rife, flops at twelve o'clock at noon to dine, and about four in the afternoon the people encamp in the fame manner as thev did at Teza. The courfe which they take is through the in- terior parts of the country, leaving Tremecen, Algiers, and Tunis to their left. Some of them, indeed, make excrfions to the two latter places, and afterwards join the caravan. By thefe means they i.re enabled both to obtain a frefh fupply of provifions for themfelves and beafts, and to fell to the Arabs Haicks, flippers, mid old caps, for whieh they ufually receive a very good price: and the profits enable them frequently to make advan- tageous purchafes at Mecca, Alexandria, and Cairo. Upon their arrival, after a journey of two months and a half, at that part of the fea-coaft where the tower of Salines is fituated, and which is about half a days ride from the city of Tripoli, they reft themfelves ten days. At this place all i the A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &c. 241 the pilgrims Supply themfelves with forty or fifty days provifions, which is generally fufficient to fupport them to Alexandria or Grand Cairo; and on their return they purchafe in the neighbour- hood of Tunis and Tripoli a large fupply of mules, frequently giving only twenty-five hard dollars for what they afterwards fell in Morocco for eighty or an hundred. From the tower of Salines they continue their route as far as Alexandria and Grand Cairo, where they furnifh themfelves in the fame manner as at Tripoli, with fufficient provifions for the remainder of the journey, which requires al- together near Seven months to accomplifh. To thoSe who undertake this journey for the purpofe of trade, it generally anfwers extremely well. By purchafing goods at one place, and Selling them at another, they contrive to make upon each Sale a profit of ten per cent. The Arabs from Fez as far as Alexandria and Grand Cairo, though a rude clafs of people, are very warmly attached to their religion, and on that account give the pilgrims a friendly reception, furnifhing them with barley, butter, eggs, mutton, beef, &c. From that place, however, to Mecca the route is not So eaSy, as the Arabs, inftead of the benefactors, frequently become the plunderers of thefe holy travellers. On thefe occafions they "Spare nothing, and leave them not So much as the neceffaries oflife; particularly if they refufe the contributions which they ufually demand for per- mitting the caravan to pafs peaceably through the country. Within the laft Seven or eight years this paflage is become more dangerous than evt r. Th c 24^ A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. banditti now affemble in very confiderable bodicg in theSe deScrts, and at certain paffes the travel- lers may be affailed with great advantage. In paffing the ifthmus of Suez, for inftance, above Alexandia, the caravan may be defeated by an hundred men. Thefe robbers, therefore, generally endeavour to poft themfelves in fuch a manner as to attack it in this place. Thofe people who carry on a petty trade en- deavour to convert their little flock into ready money upon their arrival at Mecca; where, with the remainder of the caravan, and other Maho- metan pilgrims, they commemorate by a feaft the nativity of the great prophet Mahomet, when every perfon is obliged to facrifice at leaft one fheep. It is computed that on this day, which is the tenth of the moon Dalaja, above two millions of fheep are flaughtered at Mecca. After the performance of this folemn rite the majority of the travellers employ themfelves in laying out their money to the beft advantage. Some purchafe muffins Levant filks, &c.; others effence of rofes, amber, mufk, Perfian filks, &c. while another part of them favc their money to lay it out at Grand Cairo, where they purchafe a good flock of raw filk, cottons, and manufactured Silks of different kinds. In this city, indeed, every article may be had at nearly the fame price as at Mecca. On the whole, we may aflert, at a mo- derate computation, that the value of the articles contained in one of thefe caravans, joined with the ready money, amounts to two millions of hard dollars. Thofe A TOUR TO MOROCCO, Zee. ThoSe perfons who proceed by Sea join the cara- van after diSembarking at Alexandria, and paying the Sreight of the veflel in which they fet fail. On their return alfo, confiderable numbers embark at Alexandria, and land at Tetuan or Tangier, whence they depart for their refpective homes, and Sell the commodities they bring with them Sor perhaps a third more than their original price. Others con- tinue their journey by land, and add to the riches brought Srom the Levant, the merchandizes of Tunis and Algiers, which are held in great efteem throughout the empire of Morocco. By theSe means they double the capital they provided themSelves with at firft Setting out. It would be no very difficult matter Sor a Chriftian to join one of theSe caravans, provided he obtained the recommendation and exprefs per- miffion of his Moorifh majefty, or the Shaik of the caravan, who would take him under his pro- tection. This obftacle would be ftill further re- moved, if the Chriftian would confent to wear the Turkifh habit or drefs himfelf in the manner they are obliged to adopt at Grand Cairo. By thefe means he would obviate every inconvenience to which the European drefs fubjects a traveller, both with refpect to the wild Arabs, and to the weak and illiberal people of the caravan. As the caravan, however, does not go far into the inte- rior parts of the country, the object of difcovery would hardly be fufficient to counterbalance the fatigues and dangers of the expedition. There are no caravans which go directly into the interior parts of the country. It would, in fact, be as dangerous for a Mahometan as for a Chriftian to penetrate an hundred leagues beyond M 2 the 244 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. the inhabitants of thefe parts are favage, avaricious, rind capable of committing any crime for a \ery trifling-emolument. A fatal proof the cruelty of thefe Arabs occurred in 1786, when forty pil- grims on their return from Mecca, were maffacred. Thefe people demanded hofpitality from the moun- taineers of Zamor near Mequinez, for only one night; but as they brought fome valuable goods with them, it is fuppofed that it was owing to that circumftauce, that they were all put to death. The-country beyond the mountains of Atlas, about fix days journey to the Eaft of Morocco, is not even.known though it is probable it might be penetrated with fafety, provided the fame means were ufed as are employed by the caravans which go to the South; that is, a Small proportion of force, and a fmall proportion of generofity. There is no particular caravan fo confiderable for the South as that which goes to Mecca. As thefe indeed are intended merely for the purpofes of commerce, they feldom confift of more than one hundred and fifty, or perhaps two, or at moft three hundred perfons, including the mule- teers, camel-drivers, and other fervants. Some of thefe caravans fet out from Morocco, while others go from Tarudant, Fez, and Tetuan. The firft pais.by way of Domnet, while the others meet at Tafilet, and thence purfue their journey towards the defert. Thefe caravans go no further than Tombut, where there are fome merchants of Morocco, eftablifhed for the purpofe of carrying on a trade with the inland parts cf Guinea, where they traffick for flaves, ivory, gold dull, &c. The merchandizes which the caravans carry from Morocco, A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 245 Morocco, Tarudant, &c. con Sift of Haicks and blue cloths for which they find a good Safe throughout the country of the Mohafres and at Thouat. The city of Thouat is in the interior parts of the country, about thirty days journey from Ta- filet. Fiom Thouat the caravans proceed directly to Tombut. There is much greater danger in paffing the two deferts between Tafilet and Thouat, than between the latter place and Tombut. As the Arabs of the deferts are much addicted to rapine, the caravans are obliged to make them trifling prefents, to enable them to travel without being molefted. The other Arabs, who purchafe merchandize, fuch as blue cloths, fmall daggers, looking-glaffes, &c. pay generally in return oftrich- feathers ; and this traffick is attended with very tolerable profits. The articles which the caravans carry immedi- ately to Tombut are tobacco and fait. It is ne- ceffary to pay attention to what camels may be wanted for the purpofes of carrying water through the deferts, as in fome parts they travel four, and in others nine days, without meeting with a drop of water. It is in a great meafure on this account that the camel becomes fo ufeful an animal in hot climates. Their flomachs, it is well known, are fo conftructed as to allow them to pafs many days without food or drink. In the inner coats of their flomachs there are a number of little cells, in which they retain a large proportion of water for a length of time, nature having provided them with a method of regurgitating it when thirfty. From the fize of the ftomach it alfo admits of a M 3 large 2i\6 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. large portion of food to be taken in at a time, to which they have rccourfe by rumination when their appetite calls for a Supply of noorifhment. Their owners, therefore, have only to give them plenty of barley and \vac:r at the entrance of the deferts, and that proves fufficient to laft them till a frefh Supply can be conveniently procured. Thefe extraordinary animals are able to carry a very great weight in proportion to their fize, and to perform vtiy long journeys without much ap- parent fatigue. Thty are ufed both for the pur- pofes of riding and carrying burdens. Their Steps are very long and flow, and they are tract- able and eafily managed. They are taught to kneel down when they are loaded; and when ufed for the laddie are entirely managed by a fhort And thick ftiek, which both ferves the purpofes of bridle and whip. It is not uncommon in Earbary to fee three perfons, with furniture in proportion, mounted upon one camel. Upon the arrival of the caravans at Tombut, they exchange their tobacco and fait for flaves, gold dull, and ivory, which are brought thither from Guinea. Four thoufand flaves are fuppofed to be annually carried from Tombut, great part of whom are lent to Mafcar, Algiers, and Tunis. —It but Seldom happens that any eunuchs are brought away, unleSs by a particular commiflion from the emperor or Some of the princes, no other perSon in- the country being permitted to keep them. It is indeed extremely difficult to procure them at all. The place whence they are ufually brought is the kingdom of Bambara. In Muley IihmaeTij reign the number of eunuch's in the em- A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 247 pire of Morocco was fuppofed to amount to feven hundred ; but they are now So reduced, that one hundred is the utmoft that could be muftered in the whole empire. ThoSe perSons who have been concerned in the trade to Tombut Sor the laft twenty years, com- pute the value of the merchandizes transported annually thither Srom the empire of Morocco to amount to at leaft a million of hard dollars; and the commodities received in return, Such as oftrich- feathers, ivory, gold dull, amber, and Guinea flaves, to ten millions; two thirds of which are carried to Algiers, Tunis, &o The flaves are purchafed near Tombut, at a very cheap rate, there having been inftances of a fine Negro boy being bought for fix pounds of fait. As a proof that Chriftians may proceed along the fhore by land from Guinea to Morocco, two French men, in the year 1781, came from Senegal to Morocco, and brought intelligence of fome forts having been taken from the Englifh on that river. It is, however, proper to remark, that they were provided with efcorts from one place to another. M 4 CHAP. 248 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. C II A P. XII. Summovs to appear bfore tie Emperor—Admifflon into the Roycl Harem. Attendance on Lalla Zara.— Introdu"icn to Lalla Batoom, the chi.f Sultana.— Ir.tr-eduction to Lalla Dob yaw, the favourite wife of the Effiperor—her Hiflory.---Defcription of the Harem—its Economy.—Couculiv.es of the Emperor. —Adventure and Altercation with one cf thofe Ladies. —Drefs of the Ladies in the Harem.—Opinion cf the Moors ca'arning the Female Sex.—Emperor's Chil- dren.—Drefs, Manners, and Situation cf the Female Sex in Barlary. "pROM the unfuccefeful efforts which I had ■*• made for the purpofe of procuring my dif- patches, I had begun to reconcile myfelf to the idea of remaining a pr'ifoner at Morocco, when, to my great Surprize, at the expiration of a month from the time of the prince's departure, his Moorifh majefty fent to me in particular hafte to repair to the palace. Upon receiving this mefiage my beft hopes were excited, I naturally expected an immediate eman- cipation, as it is neceffary that ever)' ftranger fhould See the emperor previous to his departure; and I flew to the palace with all the alacrity which Such an expectation was certain to inSpire. What then was my aftonifliment, when, upon my arrival rt the palace, a meffenger brought orders from the emperor, the purport of which was, that I fhould immediately examine one of his Sultanas who was indifpoSed, and in the afternnoon return with A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 249 with proper medicines, and at the fame time report my opinion of her cafe to his majefty. It is difficult to fay whether difappointment or furprize were the predominant emotion in my mind on receiving this order. After the prejudices which from his diflike to the Englifh, and his ignorance of the effects of internal medicines, the emperor was known to have entertained againft me, and after having detained me at Morocco for fuch a length of time, with no apparent view but that of manifefting his contempt of me as an En- glifhman,it appeared unaccountable that he fliould give orders for my admiffion into the Harem, where in addition to the former objections, there were alfo fome ftill ftronger in the eyes of the Moors ; as the admiffion of one of our fex into that facred depofitory of female charms, was almoft unprecedented, and I believe totally fo with refpect to the Harem of the emperor. Whatever might be the motives with his impe- rial majefty for the violation of Moorifh decorum in this inftance, I did not conceive I had much reafon to rejoice at the event. I had already expe- rienced too much ingratitude from the prince, as well as too much ungenerous treatment from the emperor, to encourage me to undertake any future engagement of the kind in this country; and the difficulties and prejudices which from experience I knew I had to encounter, when employed in my profeffional line by the Moors, united to the uncer- tainty oi removing the lady's complaint, rendered it altogether not very fafe to adminifter my advice under fuch disadvantageous circumftances ; and even that curiofity which would naturally be ex- M 5 cited 250 A TOUR. TO MOROCCO, &C. cited in moft perSons on Such an occafion, was not luflicient to reconcile me to this new employment. Unfortunately in this dilemma I had very little time allowed me to determine, Since the meffenger was waiting to conduct me to the gate of the Harem. My embarraffment, however, continued only for a fliort period; for I foon recollected that it was in vain to oppofe the emperor's order. I therefore deferred giving a decifive anfwer till I had Seen my patient, and made mySelf fully ac- quainted with the nature of her complaint. The public and ufual entrance to the Harem is through a very large arched door-way, guarded on. the outfide by ten body guards, which leads to a lofty hall, where the captain or Alcaide, with a guard of feventeen eunuchs, are polled. No perfon is admitted into this hall, but thofe who are known to have bufinefs in the Harem. The emperor's order being delivered on the outfide of the door to the Alcaide, I was imme- diately, with my interpreter, conducted into the Harem by one of the Negro eunuchs. Upon en- tering the court into which the women's apart- ments open, I difcovered a motley group of con- cubines, domeftics, and negro flaves, who were varioufly employed. Thofe of the firft defcription had formed themfelves into circles, feated on the ■ground in the open court, and were apparently engaged inconvefation.—The domeftics and flaves were partly employed in needle-work, and partly in preparing their cufcofoo. My appearance in the court, however, foon attracted their attention, and a confiderable number of them upon obferving me, unacquainted with the means by which I had been A TOOR TO MOROCCO, &C 25 I been admitted into the Harem, retreated with the utmoft precipitancy into their apartments; while others more courageous approached, and enquired of my black attendant who I was, and by whofe orders he had brought me thither. The moment it was known that I was of the medical profeffion, parties of them were detached to inform thofe who had fled, that I was fent in by order of the emperor to attend Lalla Zara, my intended patient's name, and requefting of them to come back and look at the Chriftian. Seranio Tibib! Chriftian Doctor! refounded from one end of the Harem to the other; and in the courfe of a few minutes I was fo completely Surrounded by women and children, that I was unable to move a fingle ftep. Every one of them appeared Solicitous to find out Some complaint on which fhe might cbnSult me, and thoSe who had not ingenuity enough to invent one, obliged me to feel their pulfe; and were highly difpleafed if I did not evince my ex- cellence in my profeffion by the difcovery of fome ailment or other. All of them feemed So urgent fo be attended to at the Same time, that while I was feeling the pulSe of one, others were behind, pulling my coat and entreating me to examine their complaints, while a third party were upbraid- ing me for not paying them -the Same attention. Their ideas of delicacy did not at all correfpond with thoSe of our European ladies, for they exhi- bited the beauties of their limbs and form with a degree of freedom that in any other country would have been thougfet indecent; and their converfation was-equally unreftrained. This 252 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C This apparent laxity of conduct in the Moorifh ladies does not proceed from a depravity in prin- ciple. As the female fex in this country are not entrufted with the guardianfliip of their own honour, there is no virtue in referve. A depraved education even ferves to corrupt inftead of to reftrain them. They are not regarded as rational or moral agents; they are only confidered as be- ings created entirely to beSubServient to the pleafiire of man. To excite the paffions, and to do and fay every thing which may inflame a licentious ima- gination, become therefore neceffary accomplilh- ments in the female fex, and their manners and conduct naturally affume a caft totally different from thofe women in a more refined and more liberal ftate of Society. In thoSe inftances to which I refer, they were not conScious of trefpaffing the limits of decency; and in others they manifefted a fingular attention to what they conceived to be decorum. When I requefted to fee the tongues of fjme patients who complained of feverifh fymp- torns, they refufed to comply, confidering it as inconfiftcnt with their modefty and virtue; fome of them indeed laughed at the fingularity of the requeft, and attributed it either to an impertinent curiofity, or an inclination to impofe on their un- derftandings. As the number of my patients continued to in- creafe rather than to dirninifli, there appeared but little profpect of an introduction to the fultana Lalla Zara, whom I was firft directed to attend, in any reafonable time. The eunuch, however, wearied out with waiting, exerted all the vigour cf authority which his natural effeminacy would ia'jult A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 2J3 admit of in obliging them to difperfe, and which was So Sar effectual at leaft as to allow me room to pafs, though this female croud ftill followed me till I had nearly reached the lady's apart- ment. From the firft court into which I had been in- troduced, I pafledthiough two or three Similar, till I at length arrived at the chamber of my intended patient. I was here detained a little time in the court, till my patient and her apartment were ready to receive me.—Upon my entrance I found the lady fitting crofs-legged on a mattrefs placed upon the floor, and covered with fine linen, with twelve white and negro attendants, feated on the floor alfo, in different parts of the chamber. A round cufliion was placed for me next to the lady, on which 1 was defired to be feated. I fhould have remarked, that, contrary to my expectations, I found that none of the emperor's women dif- guifed their faces in the manner which I had ex- perienced in the prince's Harem, but I faw them all with the fame familiarity as if I had been intro- duced into the houfe of an European. Lalla Zara*, who was of Moorifh parents, was about eight years ago remarkable for her beauty and accomplifiiments; on which account fhe was then in every refpect the favourite wife of the emperor. So dangerous a pre-eminence could not be enjoyed, without exciting the jealoufy of thofe females whofe charms were lefs confpicuous; and who, befides the mortification of having a lefs Lalla, Signifies laefy or miftrcfs, but is only applied in this, country 10 the fultanas. fliare 254 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. •fhare of beauty, experienced alfo the difgrace of being deferted by their lord. Determined to effect her ruin, they contrived to mix Some poiSon (moft probably arfenic) in her food, and cone'acted the deteftable plot with Such art and addreSs, that it was not perceived until the deleterious drug had began its baneful operations. She was feized with moft violent SpaSms, and a continual vomiting; and had fhe not been poffeffed of an uncommonly ftrong conftitution, fhe muft immediately have fallen a victim to the machina- tions of her rivals. After a fevere ftruggle, how- ever, between life and death, the effects of the poifon in fome degree abated; but it left the un- happy lady in a ftate of dreadful debility and ir- ritation, and particularly in the ftomach, from which it was not perhaps in the power of medi- cine to extricate her. Her beauty too, the fatal caufe of her misfortune, was completely deftroyed, and her enemies, though difappointedin their aim of deftroying her life, yet enjoyed the malignant triumph of feeing thofe charms which had excited their uneafinefs, reduced below the ftandard of ordinary women. When I Saw her, fhe had Such a weakneSs of digeftion, that every Species of food which fhe took, after remaining a few hours on her ftomach, was returned perfectly crude and undigefted. As fhe did not receive proper nourifhment, her body had wafted away to a fhadow, and her frame was in fo a weak a ftate, as not to allow her to walk without affiftance. Her complexion was entirely •altered. Her fkin, from being naturally clear and fair, as I was informed, was changed to a Sickly A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 2$$ fickly "brown, which, joined to a ruined fet of teeth, and a ghaftly countenance, had effaced every trace of that beauty, which fhe before might have poffeffed. Upon my firft enter- ing her apartment, though from my profeffion accuftomed to behold objects of diftrefs and mifery yet I was So Sorcibly ftruck with her unhappy fitu- ation and wretched appearance, that I was obliged to exert all the fortitude of which I was mafter, to avoid the difcovery of my feelings. Lalla Zara was at this time about fix-and-thirty years of age, and though in So weak a ftate, had two beautiful young children; the firft was in its Sixth year, and the youngeft, which was then under the care of a wet-nurfe, was very little more than a twelve-month old. I was quite afto- nifhed to obferve fuch ftrong and apparently heal- thy children, the offspring of a mother whofe con- ftitution was fo dreadfully impaired. It was cer- tainly, however, a very fortunate circumftance for Lalla Zara that fhe had thefe children; fince by the Mahometan law a man cannot divorce his wife provided fhe bear him children; fo that though the emperor took very little notice of this poor lady, yet he was, for the above reafon, obliged to maintain both herfelf and her offspring. From the wretched Situation in which I have deferibed this unfortunate female, it is eafy to con- ceive that her fpirits muft revive at the moft diftant profpect of procuring relief in her difiigreeable complaint. Such, indeed was the the cafe. She received me with all that Satisfaction which hope, united with fome degree of confidence, moft natu- rally iafpires. Under 2$6 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &c. Under theSe circumftances the predicament in which I felt myfelf was, I muft confeSs, molt truly embarraffing. It was one of thofe unpleafant Situations, in which duty and intereft are com- pletely in oppofition to each other, or rather when the Sympathetic feelings Hand oppofed to perfonal fafety. Humanity pointed out to me that it was my duty to relieve her if poflible; on the other hand, felf-prefervation no lefs ftrongly dic- tated, that it was abfolutely neceffary to my fafety and happinefs to embrace the firft opportunity of leaving a country where I exifted in the moft cri- tical and moft difagreeable fiuiation. Both thefe fentiments for fome time preffed equally on my mind, and left me at a lofs how to determine. I at length, however, fixed on a middle plan of conduct, which appeared likely to affect the fiifety A the lady, without endangering my own. This was, to give a proper courfe of medicines a fair trial for a fortnight; and then, if the leaft profpect of amendment ihould appear in confequence of them, I could leave her more, with fuch directions as might enable her to ufe them without medical attendance. This plan I conceived it moft prudent not to communicate immediately to my patient: I there- fore, without affording her any very flattering hopes of a cure, affured her, that I would ufe every means with which I was acquainted for the refto- ration of her conftitution. Contrary to moft other Moorifli females, I found Lalla Zara in every refpect affable and polite; though deprived of her health, fhe retained her natural vivacity, and with the ravages of her inveterate malady, fhe ftill re- mained a pleafing and an intcrefting character. I was A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 257 I was upon the point of taking my leave of Lalla Zara, when a female meffenger appeared to re- queft my attendance upon Lalla Batoom, who, from the priority of her marriage, is called the firft wife of the emperor, and is more properly en- titled to the denomination of fukana than any of the others. As the emperor had given directions for my ad- miffion to Laila Zara only, and as I fcon perceived that the eunuch regarded me with the moft jealous eye, I muft confefs that, however my curiofity might be excited, yet when Solicited to vifit the other ladies, I could not help feeling fome ap- prehenfions of the danger which I incurred by tranfgreffing the emperor's order. On the other hand, I reflected, that both the eunuch and the women would be equally involved in the confe- quences of a difcovery; the firft for conducting me, and the others for admitting me into their apartments; and therefore that it was as much their intereft as mine to be cautious, as well in pre- venting the circumftance from reaching the empe- ror's cars, as in not receiving me in their apart- ments at a time when he was likely to enter the Harero. All thefe arguments, united to the defire which I felt to avail myfelf of fo favourable an opportunity of feeing a place where no European had ever before been admitted, had fo much weight, that my objections were Speedily removed. I found Lalla Batoom to be a perfect Moorifli beauty; fhe was moft immoderately fat, about forty years of age, with round anel prominent cheeks, which were painted a deep red, fmall black eyes, and a viJr.gc: completely guihlcSs of expreffion, 258 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. She was fitting upon a mattraSs on the floor, which, as ufual, was covered with fine white linen, and fhe was Surrounded with a large party of concubines, whom I was informed fhe had in- vited to be her vifitors on the occafion. Her room bore a much greater appearance of grandeur than that of Lalla Zara, and fhe was indulged with a wrhole fquare to herfelf. As foon as I entered her apartment, Lalla Batoom requcfteel of me to be feated clofe by her fide, and to feel her pulfe. Her complaint was a flight cold, of which an unconquerable defire of feeing me had moft probably been the occafion. As foon as I had felt her pulfe, and pronounced my opinion, I was employed in going through the fame ceremony with all the other ladies in the room, who defired I would acquaint them with r11 their complaints without any farther enquiries. From the great experience which I had acquired in this kind of practice while at Tarudant, and from the knowledge which I had attained of their complaints, which in general proceeded from too violent an attack upon the cufcofoo, I was enabled to make no defpicable figure in this myfterious art, and was very fuccefsful in my opinions. From the Subject of their own health, the con- verfation prefently changed to criticifms upon my drefs. There was not a fingle part of it which was not examined, and commented on with their ufual loquacity. My interpreter was then afked if I was a csarried man, and if fo, whether I had brought my wife with me, with a variety of equally important queftions. In the midft of this converfation, tea was introduced, though at eleven o'clock A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 259 o'clock in the morning. A fmall tea-board with four very fhort feet, Supplied the place of a table, and held the tea equipage. The cups were about the fize of large walnut-fhells, of the very belt Indian china, and of which a very confiderable number was drank. After I had concluded my vifit to the queen of the Harem, I was next conducted to Lalla Douyaw, the favourite wife of the emperor, whom I found lo be what would be termed in Europe a very fine and beautiful woman. She is a native of Genoa, hnd was, with her mother fliipwrecked on the coaft of Barbary, whence they became the em- peror's captives. At that period, though but tight years of age, her peribnal charms were fu very promifing and attractive, that they induced the emperor to order her to be taken forcibly from htr mother, and placed in his Harem, where, though at fo early a period of life every means were in vain employed to entice her to change her religion, till at length the emperor threatened to pull up every hair of her head by the roots, if fhe defifted any longer; and fhe then found herfelf obliged to fubmit to his inclinations. After remaining fome time in the character of a concubine, the emperor married her; and from her great great beauty, addrefs, and fuperior men- tal accomplithments, fhe foon gained his beft affec- tions, which fhe ever after poffeffed. She had, indeed, fo much influence over him, that though he was naturally of a very ftubborn difpofition, fhe was never known to fail in any favour fhe Solicited, provided fhe perfevered in her requeft. When 26o A TOUR TO MOROCCO, etc. When I faw her fhe was about thirty years of age; in her perfon rather corpulent, and her face was diftinguifhed by that expreflive beauty which is almcft peculiar to the Italian women. Her ad- drefs was pleafing, and her behaviour polite and attentive. In the Harem, from her accompliih- ments in reading and writing well the Arabic lan- guage, fhe was confidered by the other females as a fuperior being. From the circumftance of being taken So young into the Harem, fhe had nearly forgotten her na- tive language, and could only converfc fluently in Arabic, having but a diftant recollection of the events which firft brought her into her prefent Situation. She, however, informed me that we were brother and filler (a common phr.afe ufed by the Moors to exprefs the affinity which Chriftians bear to each other in a religious fenfe) and had dif- cernment enough to obServe that fhe was among a very uncouth and ignorant people. She added, that her mother, v/hom I had afterwards an op- portunity of Seeing at a Venetian merchant's houSe at Mamora, was ftill a Chriftian, though fhe her- felf was no longer fuch, and that fhe hoped I would vifit her e\ery time I came to the Harem. Her complaint was a Scorbutic affection of the gums, which threatened the lofs of Some of her front teeth. This circumftance gave her the great- eft uneafineSs, as fhe was fearful it might disfigure her other features, and by that means caufe an abatement in the affection of the emperor. On this account fhe was extremely anxious to have my advice, though when I was in her apartment fhe ahvays experienced the ftrongeft apprehenfions left A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 26T 1.1 my attendance on her fliould come to the em- peror's knowledge, which might be attended with the moft Serious confequences to us both. Lalla Zara, owing to her bad ftate of health, pnd the coniequent ruin of her perfonal charms, had long been neglected by the emperor, who, moft probably, admitted of my attendance on her .more for the lake of exonerating himfelf from her conftant importunities to fee me (for it was a con- fiderable time before fhe could gain his confent) than from any great anxiety on his part for her recovery. With refpect to a perfon of fuch a defcription, k was perhaps a matter of indifference to the emperor by whom fhe was feen or known, and therefore there was no ground for that jea- loufy to which the Moors in general are fo noto- rioufiy addicted. Lalla Douyaw was very differently fituated. She was in the bloom of health and beauty, with all thofe exterior accomplifhments which were likely to excite the moft ardent paffion ; and indeed the emperor's attachment to her was unexampled.— Under thefe circumftances, when we confider with what caution the Moors in general endeavour to prevent any foreign intercourfe with their wo- men, it could not be fuppofed that the emperor would relifh the idea of an European in particular being admitted frequently, and almoft alone, to this firft object of his deareft affections. Lalla Douyaw, however, to prevent the poffi- bility of detection, enjoined her female flaves to be particularly affiduous to inform her when there was the fmalleft reafon for an alarm; while, on the other hand fhe was continually making pre- fents 262 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. fents to the eunuch who attended me, cautioning him at the fame time not to intimate to any perfon out of the Harem that I had been admitted into her apartment. She fo far gained an afcendancy over him, that I frequently remained with her for an hour at a time, converfing upon European cuftoms; and though fhe knew but little of them, yet the Subject always feemed to afford her the higheft pleafure. As foon as fhe thought it would be imprudent for me to remain any longer, fhe rc- quefted of me to go, but with a promife to call tipon her the next time I vifited the Harem. Her apprehenfion of a difcovery was not confined to the chance of an alarm from the emperor, or from the perfidy of the eunuch; it was likewife extend- ed to the jealoufy of the other women in the Ha- rem, who might probably rejoice in an opportu- nity of effecting her ruin. It was, however, per- haps a fortunate circumftance for us both, that by moft of them admitting me into their apartments, it was equally their intereft to be filent, fince a difcovery of the one would inevitably lead to the detection of the others. The fourth wife, who is daughter to an Englilh renegado, and mother to the reigning emperor, being at Fez at the time when I vifited the Harem, I had not an opportuntiy of feeing. When I waited on the emperor in confequence of my vifit to the Harem, I was honoured with quite a private audience; for he received me in the court clofe to his houfe where no perfon is permitted to be prefent while the emperor is there, but a few pages, and the people who immediately belong to his carriage. The 4 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, ScC. "2.6$ The fovereign was in an open four-wheeled carriage, hung very low, of a fize juft large enough to admit one peffon, and drawn by the fons of four Spanifh renegadoes. As foon as I was ob- ferved by him, his majefty ordered me with my interpreter to approach, and carry him the medi- cines, defiring me to tafte them before him, to convince him, I imagine, that there was nothing in them that was improper. He then examined them with great attention, and ordered me to explain to him what they were, and in what man- ner they were expected to act. When required to give my opinion concerning the cafe of my patient, I informed his majefty, that the fultana's complaint was of fuch a nature as to require a very long courfe of medicines, but which I appre- hended it would not be neceffary to change; that therefore I propofed to attend her for a fortnight, and then leave her a proper fupply, with fuch directions as might enable her to take them almoft with the fame advantage as if I was prefent. I added, that I had received orders from the go- vernor of Gibraltar to return to the garrifon im- mediately, which if I difobeyed I fhould certainly loSe a very good employment; and that, as I was convinced of the emperor's kind intentions to- wards me, by the promifes which he had made at my firft audience, I was perfuaded his majefty would not detain me a day longer than the period I mentioned. In reply, the emperor faid, that he only wifhed me to attend the Sultana for about ten days, at the expiration of which, it the me- dicines' proved likely to be ufeful, I fhould then leave her a proper fupply, and he would fend me home 264 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &c. home (to ufe his expreffion) upon a fine horfe. He then gave orders to his prime minifter to pay me ten hard dollars as a prefent f and commanded that free admittance fliould be granted me into the royal Harem, whenever I thought it neceffary. The Harem, as I before obferved, forms a part of the palace or feraglio, without any other imme- diate communication with it than a private door, ufed only by the emperor himfelf. The apartments, which are all on the ground floor, are fquare, very lofty, and four of them encloSe a fpacious fquare court into which they open by means of large folding-doors. Thefe, as in other Moorifh houfes, which in general have no windows, ferve the purpofe of admitting light into the apartments. In the centre of thefe courts, which are floored with blue and white checquered tiling, is a fountain, fupplied by pipes from a large refervoir on the outfide of the palace, which ferves for the frequent ablutions recommended by the Mahometan religion, as well as for other purpofes. The whole of the Harem confifts of about twelve of thefe fquare courts communicating with each other by narrow paffages, which afford a free accefs from one part of it to another, and of which all the women are allowed to avail themfelves. The apartments are ornamented externally with beautiful carved wood, much fuperior to any I have ever feen in Europe, as well for the difficulty of the workman (hip, as for the tafte with which it is finifhed. In the infide moft of the rooms are hung with rich damafk of various colours ; the floors arc covered with beautiful enrpets, and there arc A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 20*5 are mattreffes difpofed at different diftances for the purpofes of fitting and fleeping. Befides thefe, the apartments are furnifhed at each extremity with an elegant European mahogany beadfted, hung with damafk, having on it feveral mattreffes placed one over the other, which are covered with various coloured Silks; but theSe beds are merely placed there to ornament the room. In all the apartments without exception, the ceiling is wood, carved and painted. The principal or- naments in Some, were large and valuable looking- glafles, hung on different parts of the walls. In others, clocks and watches of different Sizes, in glafs caSes, were difpoSed in the Same manner. In fome of the apartments I obferved a projection from the wall, which reached about half way to the ceiling, on which were placed feveral mat- treffes over each other, and each covered with filks of different colours. Above and below this projection the v/all was hung with pieces of Sattin, velvet, and damafk, of different colours, orna- mented on each edge with a broad ftripe of blaqk velvet, which was embroidered in its centre with gold. The whole Harem was under the management of the principal fukana, Lalla Batoom: that is in general, fhe was diftinguifhed by the title of miftrefs of the Harem, without having any particular con- troul over the women. This lady and Lalla Douyaw, the favourite, were indulged with a whole fquare to themfelves; but Lalla Zara, and all the concubines, were only allowed each a fingle room. N Each 2 56 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. Each female had a feparate daily allowance from the emperor, proportioned to the eftimation in which they were held by him. Out of this they were expected to furnifh themfelves with every article of which they might be in want; the Harem is therefore to be confidered as a place where ib many diftinct lodgers have apartments without paying for them, and the principal fultana is the miftreSs of the whole. The daily allowance which each woman re- ceived from the emperor for her fubfiftence was very trifling indeed. Lalla Douyaw, the favourite fultana, had very little more than half-a-crown Englifh per diem, and the others lefs in proportion. It muft be allowed, that the emperor made them occafional preSents of money, drefs, and trinkets; but this could never be Sufficient to fupport the number of domeftics and other expences they muft incur. Their greateft dependence, therefore, was on the prefents they received from thofe Europeans and Moors who vifited the court, and who en- ployed their influence in obtaining Some particular favour Srom the emperor. Nor had the monarch fufficient delicacy to diicourage this mode of nego- riation. He well knew that if his women had not obtained fupplies by other means, they muft have had recourfe to his purfe; and as he had taken too good precautions to allow any mifchief to arife from this cuftom, he was always well pleafed to have bufineSs tranSacted through that channel. Ambafladors, conSuls, and merchants indeed, who were acquainted with the nature of the court, per- fectly knew that this was always the moft Success- ful mode that could be adopted. As an illuftration of A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 2#7 qf this affertion, when I was at Morocco, a Jew, defirous of obtaining a very advantageous favour from the emperor, for which he had been a long time unfuccefsfully Soliciting, Sent to all the prin- cipal ladies of the Harem prefents of pearls to a very confiderable amount; the conSequence was, that they all went in a body to the emperor, and immediately obtained the wifhed-Sor conceffion. The ladies Separately furnifh their own rooms, hire their own domeftics, and, in fact, do what they pleafe in the Harem, but are not permitted to go out without an exprefs order from the em- peror, who very feldom grants them that favour, except when they are to be removed from one palace to another. In that cafe a party of foldiers is difpatched a little diftance before them, to dif- perSe the male paffengers in particular, and to prevent the poflibility of their being feen. This previous ftep being taken, a piece of linen cloth is tied round the lower part of the face, and after- wards thefe miferable females cover themfelves entirely with their Haicks, and either mount mules v/hich they ride like men, or, what is more ufual, , are rut into a fquare carriage or litter, conftructed for this purpofe, which by its lattice-work allows them to fee without being feen. In this manner they fet off under the charge of a guard of black eunuchs. This journey, and fometimes a walk within the bounds of the palace, with which they are, however, feldom indulged, is the only ex- ercife they are permitted to take. The emperor's Harem confifted of between fixty and a hundred females, befides their domeftics and flaves, which were very numerous. The four N 2 wives 268 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C wives which I have already noted are by no means to be confidered as the firft Set of which the em- peror was poffeffed, Since Some died and others were repudiated*. So that it is a difficult matter to determine what was the precile number of Sidi Mahomet's wives. Many of the concubines were Moorifli women, who had been prefented to the emperor, as the Moors confider it an honour to have their daughters in the Harem; feveral were European flaves, who had been either made captives or pur chafed by the emperor, and fome were Negroes. In this groupe the Europeans, or their de- fendants, had by far the greateft claim to the character of handfome. There was one in par- ticular, who was a native of Spain, and taken into the Harem at about the fame age as Lalla Douyaw, who was indeed a perfect beauty. Nor was this lady quite fingular in that reSpedt, for many others were almoft equally handfome. The Moorifh women have in general an inex- preffive countenance, and a ruftic fimplicity of manners. Their perfons are below the middle ftature, of a remarkably fat and fquare make, with very large hands and feet. Their com- plexions are either a clear brown, or, what is more ufual, of a fallow call. Their faces are round, and their eyes in general black; the nofe and mouth very fmall, and the latter is ufually ac- companied with a good let of teeth. * The Mahometan law allows a man to divorce hrs jvife, provided fhe does not produce him any children, and he returns her the portion which was agreed upon when the marriage firft took jlace. Am rg A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 260 Among my patients in the Harem, was one of the Moorifli concubines, who with a handfome fet of features had united an intolerable fhare of pride and affectation, the effects cf which I ex- perienced in the moft difgufting degree. I was defired to adminifter to her a remedy for a fight complaint of the ftomach, with which fhe had been affected for a few days. The medicine was to be of fo gentle a nature as not to create the flighteft degree of pain, or any inconvenience what- ever. Determined that fhe fhould have no rea- fon to complain on that account, I prepared her a powder, which, had fhe given it to a new-born infant, would have proved as inoffenfive as to herfelf. The lady, however, ftill apprehenfive of its bad effects, obliged her younger filler, who was like- wife a concubine in the Harem, to take it by way of trial; and then, if it agreed, it was her intention to have had another dole for herfelf. Unfortu- nately for me, the young lady, at the idea of be- ing compelled to take a medicine of which fhe was not in want, foon after flie had Swallowed it became very fick, which So alarmed her filler, that flie immediately Sent for me, and upbraided me in the fevereft language, for fending a medicine which had nearly deftroyed the young lady, who had been in the moft violent agonies the whole day; adding, that had fhe not been poffeffed of a very ftrong conftitution, fhe muft inevitably have perifhed. She tauntingly obferved, that flie had formed a better opinion of the Chriftians than fhe now found they deferved; and afked me im- periouflv, whether I was a proper perfon to un- N 2 dertake 270 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. dertake the cure of the fultana ? As it was im- poflible that I could be pleafed with theSe ignc»- rant and unmerited reproaches, and as I was well aware that fince I had no directions to attend any perSon but Lalla Zara, it was entirely a matter of favour in me to comply at all with their requeft, I embraced the opportunity of at once Silencing her ill-timed loquacity, and effectually putting a ftop to fimilar impertinence from any other quarter. I explained to her, in the firft place, that fo far from the medicines having the tendency of which fhe accufed them, that they in reality were of much too mild a nature for a perfon of her con- ftitution. I added, that fince fhe entertained fuch Sufpicions of them from the firft, how could fhe be So deftitute of affection and feeling as to compel her filler to take what fhe would not venture upon herSelf, without regard to the difference of her age, or to the ftate of the health? That her un- grateful behaviour would operate as a difcourage- ment to me, and would perhaps prevent my af- fording affiftance to many of the other ladies, whofe complaints might require much more at- tention than hers did; and that in future fhe could not expect to receive from me, if it fliould even be neceffary, the fmalleft affiftance. She now began to relent, and acknowledged that fhe had been rather too warm, adding many apologies, and concluded with wifhing me a happy return to my country and friends. I could adduce many other anecdotes to illus- trate the ignorance and pride of thefe unfortunate women; but this I think will be fufficiently con- vincing to anfwer the purpofe. It may not be im- proper A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 27 I proper to add, that this little altercation proved afterwards of great Service to me in the Harem, by convincing the ignorant part or it that I paid very little attention to their caprice. ObServing that the eunuchs kept a very cloSe and watchful eye over me when I vifited the Harem, I always took care that my deportment in their preSence fliould be Such as to give them no reafon for any complaint againft me. When in the apartments of my patients I fometimes fo far for- got myfeir, as to enter into a pretty long conver- fation; but I found that the eunuch was always difpofed to interrupt our entertainment, by hint- ing that 1 had already flaid too long, and muft therefore depart. Yv ith Lalla Douyaw, however, they feemed to have lefs influence; and though flic; thought it prudent to make them occafional pre- fents, yet flie never would Suffer me to leave the room till'by her own requeft. In one of my vifits I obServed a proceffion, which upon inquiry I found was intended as an invocation to God and Mahomet for rain, of which there had been a Scarcity for feveral pre- ceeding months. The proceffion was commenced by the youngeft children in the Harem, who were barely able to wa'k, two a-breaft, and thefe were followed by the next in age, till ?:: length a great part of the w^rnen fell into tie groupe, making altogether upwards of a hundred perfons. They carried on their heads their prayers written on paper, pafted on a fquare board, and proceedeel through all the courts finging hymns, the purport of which was adapted to the folemn occafion. I was informed that they had continued this cere- N 4 mony 272 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. money every day during the whole of the dry weather, and were to repeat it till their prayers were attended with fuccefs. Though the emperor occafionally came into the Harem, yet it was more ufual for him to give notice to thofe ladies whofe company he wiflied, to attend in his apartment; when they made a point of Setting off their charms to the beft advantage. When in his prefence they paid him every atten- tion which a common flave would fliew to his mafter, and never ventured to offer their opinion, except by his approbation.—But to return to the Moorifli ladies. From the idea which is fo prevalent with this people, that corpulency is the moft infallible mark of beauty, the women ufe a grain which they name Ellhouba, for the purpofe of acquiring that degree of perfonal excellence at which they afpire: this they powder and eat with their Cufcofoo. They like wife take, with the fame intention, large quantities of pafte, heated by the fleam of boiling water, which they fwallow in the form of bo- lufes. It is certainly true, that the number of corpulent women in this country is very confider- able, but it is probable that this circumftance arifes as much from their very confined and inac- tive mode of life, as from any of the particular means which they employ to produce that effect. The drefs of the ladies confifts of a fhirt, with remarkably full and loofe fleeves, hanging almoft to the ground, the neck and breaft of which are left open, and their edges are neatly embroidered with gold. They wear linen drawers, and over the fhirt a Caftan, which is a drefs fomething fimilar A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 273 fimilar in form to a loofe great coat without fleeves, hanging nearly to the feet, and is made either of filk and cotton or gold tiflue. A Safh of fine linen or cotton folded is tied gracefully round the waift and its extremities fall below the knees- To this Safh two broad ftraps are annexed, and paffing over each arm over the fhoulders form a crofs on the breaft, and to that part of it which patTes between the breaft and (houlder of each arm is fixed a gold tortoife, carelefsly SuSpending in front a gold chain. Over the whole drefs is extended a broad filk band of the Fez manufacture, which furrounds the waift, and completes the drefs, ex- cept when they go abroad, and then they inveft themfelves in a careleSs manner with the Haick. The hair is plaited from the front of the head backwards in different folds, which hang loofe behind, and at the bottom ate all fixed together with twitted filk. Over the heads they wear a long piece of filk about half a yard wide, which they tie clofe to their head, and fuffer the long ends, which are edged with twilled filk, to hang behind in an eaSy manner nearly to the ground.. The remainder of the head-drefs is completed by a common filk handkerchief which furrounds the head like a woman's clofe cap, differing from it only by being fixed in a full bow behind inftead of in front. At the upper part of each ear hangs a fmall gold ring half open, which has at one end a clutter of precious ftones, fufficient nearly to. fill up the vacancy occafioned by the opening of the ring. At the tip, or lower part of the ear, is hkewiSe SuSpended a broad and Solid gold ring,. which is So large that it reaches as low as the N $ ne ck, 274 A TOUR TQ MOROCCO, &C , neck, and which, as well as the other, has a cluf- ter of precious ftones, in proportion to the fize of the.ring. The ladies wear on their fingers feveral Small gold rings, Set with diamonds or other pre- cious ftones, and on the wrifts broad and Solid gold bracelets, Sometimes alSo Set with precious ftones. Their necks are ornamented with a great variety of bead and pearl necklaces. Below thefe a gold chain furrounds the neck, and fufpends in front a gold ornament. Like the men, the Moorifli women wear no {lockings, but ufe red flippers, curioufly embroi- dered with gold which they take off when they enter their rooms. Immediately above the ankle, each leg is furrounded with a large folid gold ring, which is narrow in front, but very broad behind. The ladies paint their cheeks of a deep red, and ftain their eye-lids and eye-brows with a black powder which I apprehend to be antimony. It is a branch of artificial beauty in this country, to produce a long black mark on the forehead, another on the tip of the nofe, and feveral others on each cheek. The chin is ftained of a deep red, and thence down to the throat runs a long black ftripc The infide of the hands, and the nails, are ftained of a deep red, fo deep indeed,, that in moft lights it borders on black i and the back of the hands have feveral fancy marks of the fame colour. The feet are painted in a fimilar manner with the hands. I feldom obferved in the Harem the women at any employment but that of forming themfelves hito different circles for the purpofe of converfa- tipoA A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 275, tion, Sometimes in the open courts, at others in the different apartments. As they are not permit- ted to enter the moSques, they pray at the ap- pointed times in their own chambers. The Moors, indeed, entertain the prejudice which is commonly attributed to the Muffulmen in general, that the female fex are altogether an inferior fpecies of ani- mals, merely formed to be flaves to the pleafures. of men, whofe falvation is confequently not of fo much importance; and with this fentiment the conduct of the men towards them in every inftance correfponds. The Moors likewife affign other reafons for not permitting their females to enter their places of worfhip: they affert that it would be not only contrary to the cuftom which prevails in the country, of not allowing the fexes to meet together in any particular fpot, but it might alfo,, by creating loofe and improper ideas, draw off' the attention from their devotion. The women have their Talbas as v/eil as the men their Talbs. Thefe perfons who are either wives or concubines, juft as it happens, and whofe principal qualifications appear to be reading or writing, teach the younger part of the Harem to> repeat their prayers, and the older females they inftruct in the laws and principles of their religion. All the emperor's daughters, and the children of his concubines, as foon as they were of a pro- per age, were fent to Tafilet, where they finifhed their education, and by intermarrying with the defeendants of his ancestors they ferved to people that extraordinary city—extraordinary on this ac- count, that the inhabitants of it are all Sharifs, or the fuppofed lineal defeendants of Mahcmet, and are 276 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. are moft of them collaterally or otherwife related to the prefent royal family of Morocco. Muley Ifhmael, who, as I before obferved, was grand- father to the late emperor, had three hundred chil- dren at Tafilet, and their defeendants are now fuppofed to amount to nine thoufand who all live in the fame place.. The fons of the emperor's wives are confidered as princes, who have each an equal claim to the empire, and as fuch are always refpected. If they have not difobliged their father, they are generally appointed to the government of feme of the pro- vinces, where, in the capacity of Bafhaws, their principal object is the accumulation of riches. The reader will have obferved, that I referved; my observations on the female part of fociety in this country, till I had given fuch a general ac- count of the Harem as might ferve for a proper introduction to that part of my fubject. By this arrangement I have relieved myfelf from the tedi- oufnefs of repetition, and my readers from that obfeurity which naturally enfues when information is imparted in a disjointed ftate. A few obferva- tions will ferve to complete the defcription. The Moorifh women may be divided into two, claffes; the black or negro women, and the white. 'The firft are either flaves or have been fo for- merly; and from their fervices, or through the favour of their proprietors have obtained their freedom. TheSe women have all the characters, both with reSpect to, diSpofition, Seatures, and complexion, peculiar to the country from which. they are brought. Many of them are in the fitu- ation of concubines, and others in that of domef- tics.. Their, male children are all brought up to, Serve A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 277 Serve in the army of the emperor.—To this clafs may be added the mulattoes, both male and Se- male, who are the production of a Moor and a Negro woman, and are confequently very nume- rous in this empire; but as they differ but little in character from the Negroes, and are only diS- tinguifhed Srom them being indulged with their freedom, I fliall pafs them over without any fur- ther obfervations. Thofe of the female fex who may be properly confidered as natives of the country, are of a white, or rather a fallow complexion. From the very limited fphere in which they are allowed to act, and the contempt in which they are held as members of fociety, their characters admit of very little of that variety which diftinguifhes the Eu- ropean women. Happy, perhaps, it is for them, that the fun of knowledge has never beamed upon their gloomy prifons, fince it could only ferve to enlighten them to a fenfe of their own mifery, difgrace, and fervitude! Happy is that accommo- dating power, which providence has vouchfafed to human-kind, which adapts them to their feveral fituations! and happy it is that the information of mankind is generally fuch as fuits the fphere in which they are deftined to act! Educated with no other view than for the Sen- fiial purpoSes of their mafter, or hufband, the chief ©bject of the female Sex of this country is to ad- minifter to his pleafure, and by the moft abject fubmiffion to alleviate the rigours of that fervitude to which they are doomed. When in the preSence of their deSpot, both wives and concubines are obliged to manifeft the fame refpect as his com- mon 278 A TOiUR TO MOROCCO, &C. mon flaves; and though all are not confined clofely to their houfes as is cuftomary in the emperor's Harem, yet when they do go out they are obliged to be extremely circumfpect in concealing their faces, and cautious in every part of their de- meanour. Women of distinction, however, are very feldom allowed to go abroad; it is only thofe of the loweft clafs which are ufually feen in the ftreets, and even thefe are fo difguifed and wrap- ped up in their Haicks, that they appear more like a bale of cloth put in motion, than a human form. If they happen to meet an European in the country, at a time when no Moor is in fight, they feldom mifs the opportunity of difplaying their features, by throwing the Haick on one fide, and even to laugh and converfe with him, though -al- ways with the utmoft rifk, as the eye of jealoufy, it is well known, never flumbers. If an European or a Jew fliould be caught in a clandeftine connection with a Moorifh woman, he is obliged to become a convert to the Mahometan faith, or his life would be forfeit; and the wo- man, I was informed, is punifhed either by burn- ing or drowning, though I cannot fay lever knew an inftance of that dreadful fentence being put in execution. A man indeed muft have uncommon addrefs, and no fmall ftiare of caution, to carry on an intrigue of that kind, though on the part of the women of this country he will feldom want for encouragement. It muft, however, be allowed, that the means which the Moors employ for the prevention of intrigues, Yery often tend to the encouragement of them- A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 279 them. By drefling themfelves in the female habit, men may very eafily paSs the ftreets unobServed, as they may reft affured they will not be addreffed or even looked at by the Moors; and if they con- trive to call at the houfe when the mafter is from home, they need be under no apprehenfions of being detected when he returns. If he Sees a ftrange woman's flippers at the doors of his Ha- rem, he concludes it is a female neighbour, and never approaches the room till the flippers are removed. The drefs of the opulent females among the Moors, is fimilar to that of the emperor's ladies, differing only in the value of the materials. Thofe of the inferior clafs wear linen drawers, and over them a coarfe woollen frock, tied round the waift with a band. They plait the hair in two folds, from the upper part of the head all the way down behind, wearing over it a common handkerchief tied clofe to the head, and when they go out they wear the Haick. CHAP. 2Bo A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. CHAP. XIII. Duplicity of the Emperor.—Plan of the Author to efe3 his Emancipation—unfuccefsful.—Application through another Channel.—Curious Prefent from the Emperor. —Striding Inftance of Tyranny.—Perfonal Applica- tion to the Emperor.—Traits of Defpotifm.—The Em- peror's Difpatches obtained.—Cemmifjions from the La- dies in the Harem.—Anecdotes of an Englifh Mulatto. —Journey fo Bulu iyne—Defcription of that Fortrefs. —Singular Mode of paffing the River.—Arrival at Sallee—at Tangier.—Prefent from the Emperor. —Return to Gibraltar. HT E N days having elapfed fince my firft attend- ■*■ ance on Lalla Zata, the emperor defired my patient to acquaint him what effect the medicines had produced; and being informed that fhe was apparently in a ftate of recovery, he fent into the Harem a doubloon piece, wrapped up in one cor- ner of a filk handkerchief, and ordered the lady to prefent me with it as a compliment for the fer- vice I had already rendered her, accompanied with fplendid promifes, if I fucceeded in reftoring her to perfect health. Little reflection was neceffary to convince me, that thefe manoeuvres had an aim and tendency very different from that of fulfilling the emperor's engagements relative to my return. It required, therefore, Some consideration to determine, whe- ther it would be moft prudent to continue my at- tendance, or exert mySelf immediately with re- doubled vigour to accomplifh my emancipation. The A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 281 The latter mode of conduct I refolved upon, for the following reafons. In the firft place, I had been abfent Srom the garriSon much longer than was originally intended by government; it was, therefore, impoffible to fay how far the protraction of my refidenee in in Morocco might interfere with the arrangements of my fuperiors, or affect the fervice. Secondly, every European with whom I converfed, or cor- refponded, advifed me by all means to embrace the firft opportunity of returning; fince, though my patient was for the prefent in a recovering ftate, yet, from the caprice and ignorance of the Moors, there was fome reafon to apprehend that flie might tire of her medicines ; and confidering the matter in the moft favourable point of view, Suppofing flie could be relieved entirely from her complaint, it was not improbable that the women, who had been the original occafion of her illnefs, upon obferving her recovery, might with the Same diabolical malignity which induced them to ad- minifler the firft doSe of poifon, be inclined to avail themfelves of my attendance, and injure her conftitution a fecond time; while all the ill confe- quences would infallibly be attributed to my treat- ment. The age and infirmities of the emperor alfo rendering my Situation very precarious, deter- mined me to employ the earlieft opportunity in effecting my eScape; and the following was the plan which appeared to promiSe the moft probable SucceSs. I told my patient that I had brought with me very little more medicine than was Sufficient for the cure of Muley Abfulem; and that thofe which I had 282 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C- I had adminiftered to her were the few which had not been ufed; that as they muft neceffarily Soon be exhaufted, and as my attendance on her with- out medicines could anfwer no purpoSe whatever, I would recommend her for her own fake, to ad- vife the emperor to fend me to Gibraltar for a frefh fupply. " Ah !" exclaimed the lady, " there " is n© occafion for your going, the emperor can " write to the conful for them." For a reply of this kind I was not wholly unprepared ; and'as I had found it neceffary to act a part on this occafion, I determined to go through with it, and reluctantly to play the empiric, by informing my patient that the compofition of theSe medicines was known to no perSon but myfelf} and therefore to write for them would be totally ufelefs. This ftatement ap- peared unanfwerable, and my plan was fo far crowned with fuccefs. An application, on my account, was immediately made to the emperor by all the principal women, whom Lalla Zara had engaged in her fervice for that purpofe. The emperor, however, whole difcernment had been excellent in his youth, and whofe intellect was at intervals as vigorous as ever, was not to be impofed on. He promifed the women more than he ever intended to perform, and ten days more elapfed, when I found myfelf as near return- ing as on my firft arrival at Morocco. Thus baffled in my attempt, though my inde- fatigable female agents repeated their application not feldomer than twice every day, I applied to a German renegado, who fpoke the Englifh lan- guage, and who, from his fituation at court, had frequent opportunities of feeing the emperor pri- vately, A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 283 vately, and intreated of him to procure me a licence to depart. But all that he was able to ob- tain in my favour, was a renewal of the fame fair promifes which had been fo frequently made, and made with the fame fincerity. I muft not omit, however, to relate, that in a few days after this application, I received from the emperor a prefent of two horfes, accompanied with a pofitive afi- furance of being difpatched immediately home. One of the horfes was young, but was in So wretched and emaciated a ftate, that he appeared better calculated to afford food for the canine race, than to prove of any utility to a traveller. The other, it muft be confeffed, was not in fo ftarved and miferable a condition, but then he was completely fuperannuated, and confequently quite as ufelefs as his companion. He had been prefented to the emperor in the morning by a poor man, who, for fome trifling difgrace which he had in- curred, had brought this horfe as an atonement; the man, however, was committed to prifon, and and in the afternoon the horfe was prefented to me. Before I could get thefe unparalleled courSers out of the walls of the palace, I was flopped by the porters of four gates, who each demanded a hard dollar as a perquifite annexed to their places. On my arrival at home, two deputy mafters of horfe alfo came to my apartment for a preSent Sor themSelves, and for their chief; fo that the reader may eafily judge how far I was a gainer by the emperor's munificence! After this circumftance, feveral days having elapfed without any profpect of accomplifhing .my 284 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C my wifhes, I was advifed by an European, whc had come from Mogodore to Morocco upon bufi- nefs, as the fureft means of fucceeding, to feize the firft opportunity that offered of the emperor's appearing in public, which he feldom did fo as to be feen by ftrangers, and, trufting no longer to other agents, at once afk his majefty for my dif- patches. Fortunately, as I thought, the emperor afforded me an opportunity of feeing him the fol- lowing day; and, though the foldiers would n27 their wives and daughter left to the mercy of the black troops, who treated them with the greateft indecencies. A third object of the emperor's perfonal revenge was Alcaide Abbas, his father's black general: with refpect to this officer, the emperor had two motives for punifhing him. In the firft place, he was the commander of that very army which was intended for his own deftrudtion; and, in the fecond, upon his father's deceafe, inftead of Sur- rendering the army to Muley Yazid, he with- drew it to the Southward, and, it was SuppoSed with an intention of Supporting Muley Slemma. Notwithftanding, however, this conduct on the part of Abbas, the emperor certainly would not have put him to death, had it not been at the par- ticular requeft of his black army, whom at that time he did not wifh to offend. Abbas, fully con- fcious how much he was difliked by his troops, attempted to make his efcape to a fanctuary upon a very Swift horfe; but his horfe falling he was unluckily feized, and immediately carried before the emperor, with very heavy charges on the part of his foldiers. After a hearing of the charges, the emperor fignified to the culprit that he might yet partake of his royal mercy, provided he would confine himfelf for two months to the fanctuary of Muley Abfulem. For this purpofe he fet off; but he was again feized by the foldiers, who brought him back to the emperor with ftill heavier charges; and the emperor, finding that the foliers were determined on his deftruction, with hisown hands, by one blow of his fabre, divided his head in two, ancfrhe immediately expired. Abba ^ 324 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C Abbas was the beft officer in the emperor's fervice, and never manifefted the flighteft token of timidity, or condefcended to afk his life; on the contrary, when the emperor lifted up his fabre, he in a ftern and undaunted manner looked his fovereign in the face, and died with the countenance and the tranquility of a hero. As his body had not received the emperor's pardon, it remained on the ground unburied, to the great nuifance of every perlbn who paffed that way. For Such is the bar- barous cuftom of the country, that when a man is put to death by the emperor, or his order, his body cannot be buried without its firft receiving a for- mal pardon from the emperor. Muley Yazid, long before his father's death, had threatened the life of the Effendi. He had been a principal agent in exciting the father's hatred and prejudice againft his fon. A further caufe of the emperor's refentment, was the great impofition practiSed on his father by the Effendi reflecting the corn bufinefs with the Spaniards, by which he had amaffed a very confiderable Sum of money in bribes and prefents. Upon the emperor's death, the Effendi took refuge in a fanctuary, and, had he been wife, he would not have ventured abroad; but Muley Yazid having pofitively promifed to pardon him, he was induced to forfake his afylum. For fome time the new fovereign diffembled his intentions, and waited for a favourable of ortunity to feize him. As foon as he was taken, he offered the emperor two hundred thoufand dollars to fpare his life; but the monarch haughtily repliee^, that he, wanted not his money, and that he would not condcfcend to 2 accept A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. 325 Accept a bribe Srom a traitor. He then order?:! his two hands to be cut off, in which ftate he fuf- fered him to remain for fome days, and then commanded him to be beheaded. One of his hands was placed on the walls of Fez, and the other fent down to Tangier, and ordered to be nailed on the door of the Spanifh conful, to con- vince that nation in what manner the emperor was difipofed to treat ail the friends of the Spaniards. The emperor always, indeed, manifefted an exclufive preference to the Englifh beyond all European nations, and on many other occafion?,. evinced an inveterate diflike to the Spaniards. From the moment of his acceffion to the throne, he expreffed a difapprobation of the Spanifh mea- sures, during his father's reign; and threatened to revenge himfelf very fhortly on that country. The Spaniards, who have more reafon to wifh for peace, from their ports being fo contiguous to the emperor's, as well as from the immenfe fup- plies which they procure from his dominions, than any other nation, endeavoured to ward off the threatening ftorm, by very large and repeated prefents of money, and othe r valuable articles, tor the emperor and his minifters. But this plan, which had been fo fuccefsful in the former reign, effected nothing in the prefent. Muley Yazid hnd, from his youth, been difregardful of money; and, indeed, in his contempt of wealth, had even ex- ceeded the boundaries of prudence; he had alfo conceived avery ftrong and very early predifectie^n in favour of the Englifh. Notwithftanding thefe circumftances, the Spaniards ftill continued to cu- Q terta'n 326 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &c. tertain hopes of fuccefs in their negociations, till they heard of the death of the Effendi, their great friend and patron, and of the infult offered to their court, by the Effendi's hand being nailed on their conful's door. Such an affront was fufficient to convince them, that war was inevitable: but they efteemed it moft prudent to get their conful, and friars, out of the country, before they commenced hostilities; and a frigate for this purpofe was dif- patched to Tangier. When they arrived there, they informed the governor, that they had on board a very valuable prefent ,for the emperor, and defired that he would fend proper perfons to receive it. The conful and friars took this op- portunity df coming on board; and the frigate, having fent off the Moors with the prefent, fet fail, and the next day captured two Moorifh gallies off Larache, in fight of the emperor, who was walking upon his.terrace at the very moment. The valuable prefent which they carried,proved nothing more than huge bales of rags. Thefe repeated intuits were not calculated to conciliate the emperor; he confequently made im- mediate preparations for the attack on Ceuta, and foon after befieged it. But this garrifon proved too ftrongly fortified, both by nature- and art, to render it poflible for the Moots to be fuccefsful, unlefs affifted by a naval power, and the emperor, after a fruitlefs fiege for feveral months with a very confiderable army, was obliged to retire. The infults offered by the Spaniards in the decep- tion they employed to procure the releafe of their conful and friars, and afterwads in the capture of the two Moorifh veflels, made fuch an impreflion i on A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. &7 on the emperor, that he threatened to put the town of Tangier to the fword, for fo flagrant a piece of neglect. In their j unification, the peo- ple informed their fovereign, that the error muft be imputed to the governor, who alone was re- fponfible for every circumftance which happened within his diftrict. This officer, who at the rifk of his life had fupported Muley Yazid in his minority with money, and afterwards placed him on the throne, for which the emperor took a folemn oath that he would never do him or his family the fmalleft injury, was now thrown into irons, and immediately ordered into the royal prefence. The unfortunate man, forefeeing his fate, requefted the emperor would do juftice to God and Ma- homet; to which he replied, " I mean to do juftice to my country by punifhing a traitor;" and he im- mediately difpatched him with a mufquet. The numberlefs cruelties which were perpetrated by Muley Yazid, I have not fufficient authentic information to authorife me to detail, nor am I fufficiently informed of the actual circumftances of his reign, to be able to offer to the public a perfect narrative of it. Thus far I can ven- ture to affert with truth, that he in a fhort time devoted himfelf entirely to the drinking of ftrong liquors, which for the greateft part of the day rendered him unfit for bufinefs, and excited him to the moft favage cruelties; and, what was moft diftreffing, where they were the leaft deferved; with fome he amufed himfelf by galloping up with great violence and fpearing them, others were buried alive, while a third party were cut to pieces with fwords. 0^2 It 328 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C. It is almoft unneceffary to add, that the neglect of public bufinefs, and the total infecurity of their perfons from the tyranny of the monarch, de- ftroyed in time intirely the confidence which the people had at firft placed in their fovereign, and encouraged Muley Hafem, towards the latter part of the year 1791, to put himfelf at the head of an army in oppofition to his brother. This prince, who poffeffed moft of the bad, without any of the good qualities of the emperor, and who com- manded againft him during the life of Sidi Ma- homet, was further induced to this meafure in confequence of a fupply of ftores, and confider- able fums of money, which he received from the Spaniards, who had great reafon to wifh a change of government. The emperor, who ftill had many friends, foon collected a confiderable army, with which he marched to the Southward to dif- lodge his brother, who had taken poffeffion of the city of Morocco and its vicinity. Muley Hafem, upon this occafion, difcovered his ufual pufil- lauimity, by refigning his command te one of his generals; who, however, was an active and enter- prizing officer. When the two armies met, a dreadful engagement enfued. The emperor dif- covered an uncommon ftiare of perfonal courage, intermixing with the enemy and fighting like a private foldier. After a fevere conflict, he to- tally routed the enemy and took poffeffion of Morocco ; but not before he had received feveral wounds, which in a few days proved mortal. During the fliort period of life which remained to him, his whole attention was occupied in pu- flilhing the people of Morocco for their attach- ment A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C 320 ment to his brother. Between two and three thoufand of the inhabitants, without regard to age or fex, were maffacred in cold blood; while Some of therh he ordered to be nailed alive to the walls, he tore out the eyes of others with his own Spurs, and, in his dying moments, palled an edict that fixty people of Mogodore, among whom were moft of the European merchants* fliould be decapitated for the affiftance which he fuppofed they had afforded to his brother* Fortunately for them, he died foon after iffuing the order, and it was not forwarded. Muley Yazid, who only reigned two years, and at his death was in the forty-third year of his age, was poffeffed of many qualities, which, if they had been properly improved, would have rendered him a very ufeful monarch in a country where the fovereign poffeffes So much influence over his Subjects; naturally quick of apprehenfion, determined in his conduct, and not eafily biaffed by the perSuafion oS others, poffeffing a great fiiare of perfonal courage, and a total contempt of wealth; had thefe endowments of nature been meliorated by an enlightened education, they might have enabled him to have accomplifhed fome reformation in his fubjects, and perhaps led the way to fome further impovement. Unfor- tunately this prince too eafily gave way to the dictate of his paffions, which foon totally inca- pacitated him from carrying on even the com- mon bufinefs of government; and rendered him as great a monfter as ever filled the throne of Morocco. Since 330 A TOUR TO MOROCCO, &C Since the death of Muley Yaeid, the country has been in a very unfettled ftate; the people be- ing now rendered extremely cautious how they elect another monarch. To the Southward of Sallee, Muley Hafem, from poffefling the army, is obeyed as the fovereign; while on the Northern fide of the empire, Muley Solyman, who from fois exemplary conduft has gained the efteem of the people, is confidered as emperor. It now refts for time to determine which is to be the fuc- cefsful candidate.. FINIS. N- A Tour From Gibraltar. Third Edition Lempriere, William Philadelphia: T. Dobson, 1794 National Library of Medicine Bethesda, MD CONDITION ON RECEIPT: The full speckled calf laced-in binding was worn and deteriorated. The corners were bent, the leather was at least missing partially from the corners, and the boards were delaminating at some corners. The back board was detached. The front joint and internal hinge were broken. The endpapers were very discolored and were brittle. The sewing was intact. The back flyleaf was detached from the text block. Most of the pages were dirty and discolored. Many were foxed. The back endleaves and last thirty pages were water stained at the edges. A few pages had small tears. The exterior leaves were marked with manuscript inks, graphite pencil, colored crayon, and stamp ink. TREATMENT PERFORMED: The pH was recorded before and after treatment: before 4.0, after 8.5. The volume was collated and disbound retaining the original sewing. The head, tail, and pages were dry cleaned where necessary; the pages were nonaqueously buffered (deacidified) with methoxy 1 magnesium methyl carbonate. Tears were mended and folds guarded where necessary with Japanese kozo paper and wheat starch paste. The sewing was reinforced. The binding was repaired by rebacking using linen and Japanese paper colored with acrylic •"1 pigment. if. ■h 3* -'^ Wv */ ■ Northeast Document Conservation Center