The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-29 00:00:00

THE MOORISH EMBASSY.

We have already briefly noticed the arrival and
departure of an accredited Ambassador, accom-
panied by a numerous suite, from the Court of
Morocco to the Court of St. James's. _ _

As this illustrious personage has now left our
shores, we think it due to such a visitation—which
has not happened since the days of Charles ll.—to
give our readers some description of this Embassy.
Without further preface we proceed with our de-
scription.
On the 14th of June two missions from the Court
of Morocco simultaneously embarked at Tangier,
the one proceeding to England, the other to France.
On the 20th of the same month the Embassy for
England arrived at Portsmouth in the screw frigate
Melpomene, Capt. Ewart. The Embassy was ac-
companied from Tangier by Mr. James de Visme
Drummond Hay, C. 8., late Vice-Consul at Tetuan,
but now paid Attaché to his brother, Mr. John
Drummond Hay, C. 8., our energetic Minister Re-
sident at Tangier. It is well known that the C.B.
has been deservedly conferred upon these brothers
for the diplomatic services of one and the gallant
services of the other. The Moors were overjoyed
in being placed during the voyage under the pro-
tection of one whom they knew to be their friend,
and who, they were well assured, would protect
them in a strange land. Nothing particular trans-
pired during the voyage but the difficulty of teach-
ing these good people the use of a knife and fork.
In their first attempt they held on violently by the
knife, while they divided the meat with their fork.
Having accomplished this, they employed a large
tablespoon to perform the final duty of conveying
the morsels into the mouth.
But we must record the names and titles of the
different members of the Embassy.
The Ambassador rejoices in the name of Seed Mc-
hamed Siamee, being about 30 years of age, with a
pallid complexion and of a rather melancholy cast
of countenance. He is a man of wealth and influence
in the Court of Morocco, and Treasurer of the Em-
pire, apparently slothful in mind and body. •
Then comes the Plenipotentiary, Abderrahman
Agie, about 60 years of age, Councillor to the Sul-
tan. As the Ambassador is the head man, so is the
Plenipotentiary the man with a head. being of the
two by far the more intelligent, and taking the lead
in all matters connected with the Embassy.
Their Excellencies envelope themselves in fine
white and purple drapery, surmounted by a white
haik of large dimensions, which forms a hood
closely tied round the head and neck ; while on
their feet they wear plain yellow slippers, well
down at the heel.

The next in rank is a fine, tall old man, nearly
80, one of the first Generals in the Moorish army.
His dress is peculiar—a high-peaked red fez cap,
surrounded by a huge white turban of many folds,
with a streak of yellow in it to denote the rank
of General, strongly contrasting • with his fine
swarthy features, which are edged with a scanty
supply of white whiskers ; a white haik is thrown
gracefully over the left shoulder. He is armed with
a short dagger, in an elaborately embossed silver
sheath, and a long sabre in a red scabbard. He
belongs to the Bokhari, or Imperial Guard.
The Bokhari Guard are the descendants of pri-
soners taken in war from the interior of Africa by
Sultan Mulai Ismael about 200 years ago, and were
formed by him into troops, and married to Moorish
white women ; they are called slaves of the Sultan,
though they receive pay as soldiers. Four of these
soldiers accompany the General, and are very good
samples of the Black Guard—taken in the sense of
two separate words, and not in ono word of two
syllables.
A very intelligent fat little man, with a quick,
penetrating eye, is the next personage in the suite.
He is priest and secretary to the Embassy ; his
dress is similar to that of the Ambassador and
Plenipotentiary. There are also two Attaches. The
distinguishing dress of these young gentlemen is a
turban and *oat of many colours ; one of them is
a relative to the Ambassador.
Three slaves attend tie Embassy, one of them as
cook, with slit ears, caused by his earrings being
wanted in a hurry. Their thickened lips and de-
pressed noses betoken them to be denizens of an
African clime. Great is their attachment to their
masters, from whom, throughout Morocco, they re-
ceive the kindest treatment.
There is but one more person to be mentioned,
and he may often have been seen, during the stay
at the Embassy, chattering with the domestics at
Claridge's street-door, in Brook-street, and smoking
his cigarette with much complaisance. His dress is
a fez cap, blue jacket with yellow facings, blue
loose breeches, while his legs and feet are incarce-
rated in Manchester cotton stockings and London
laced boots. This intelligent young man has been
for many years a servant in the family of Mr. Hay,
at Tangier, where he has learnt a little English
and imbibed many European ideas, such as having
no objection to a glass of wine or beer, accompanied
by a pipe or cigar. We may here mention that
Moors, as a general rule, indulge neither in the one
nor the other.
Upon the arrival of the Embassy at Portsmouth
they at once proceeded by train to London, and
were received at the Waterloo terminus by Captain
Lynch, C. 8., an officer of the Indian navy, distin-
guished for his services in Persia and the East,
having been employed by the British Government
in many a dangerous diplomatic mission that re-
quired much discretion and endurance. This officer
was selected by her Majesty's Government to at-
tend upon the Moorish Embassy during its stay in
this country. Every arrangement had been made
by Captain Lynch for the reception of the Embassy
at Claridge's Hotel, whither they were accordingly
taken.
Mr. Claridge has throughout their stay at his
hotel been most indefatigable in his exertions to
minister to their comfort and requirements, a kit-
chen and slaughterhouse being set apart for their
use ; for, strict Mahomedans, they will not touch
meat of any kind that has not been killed after their
own fashion.
Very soon after their arrival they were honoured
with an audience by her Majesty, to whom they
were presented by Lord John Russell, and in the
evening attended her Majesty's State Ball. They
were present at the Volunteer Review in Hyde
Park, and were touched by the considerate kindness
of her Majesty in causing them to be rescued from
a crowded stand and placed beside the royal car-
riage.
They have been overwhelmed by visits and invi-
tations from many of the leading members of the
fashionable world, and have attended some few of
the parties of the season. At the Lord Mayor's
Ministerial dinner it was curious to witness their
aptitude for imitation in passing the loving cup. It
should here be stated that they presented the Lord
Mayor with £2OO towards the charities of the city.
We also understand that the Moorish Ambassador
to the French Court has given £4OO for the suffer-
ing Christian community in Syria.
They were taken to the opera and theatres, the
Crystal Palace, at which an incident occurred signi-
ficant of their veneration for anything of a sacred
character ; they observed that the tiles with which
the Alhambra Court is paved bore the inscription
in Arabic, " There is no strength but in God," and
would not therefore walk on them. Their presence
in the Alhambra Court was picturesque in the ex-
treme, and they looked as if they were part and
parcel of that faithful model of the ancient Moorish
building in Grenada. They have visited Woolwich,
the Queen's stables, the Kensington Museum, the
Zoological Gardens, the Houses of Parliament, the
Tower, the Thames Tunnel, the Docks, the Bank,
and the private gardens of Buckingham Palace.
They shun publicity and covet privacy, and are not
easily incited to the fatigue of sight-seeing ; they
appear to lack the spirit of curiosity. That which
seemed to be a real pleasure to them was the drive
to Mr. Claridge's private farm at Hendon, where a
tent was pitched for their accommodation, in which
dinner and tea after the Moorish fashion were pro-
vided. The black soldiers were highly amused ii
kicking about a football, and sometimes after a vio-
lent kick their slippers would accompany the ball.
They shot with bows and arrows at a target (which,
by the by, they never hit) until all the arrows were
broken. Their idea of playing at cricket was that of
throwing the bats at the heads of one another. It
was pleasant to witness the active enjoyment of
these black soldiers, while the Ambassador himself
fell fast asleep on a haycock, and on waking. ex-
claimed, " If you want to know what I like, it is
this." They more than once repeated their visit to

Hen
Itdon.
is to be hoped that the Embassy havere'turned