The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-03-06
Scenes in Morocco.

On every side, as you travel through the
country, you cannot help noticing the fer.
tility Of the land Delicious fruits grow
almost wild in great abundance --oranges,
pomegranates, apricots, peaches, ounces,
almonds, vines and fig-trees. Wide fields
OF grain wave before your eyes, as surely
they would not were ii not that the soil
barely needs to be turned over, for, through
all the centuries since this coast was first
cultivated not one particle of improvement
do the indolent people seem to have made
10 their clumsy methods. When native
farmer finds he cat 10 longer sic in the
sun and postpone his plOwing, if he is to
have any crop at all, he catcaes donkey
and goat, or COW or any other creature
tincluding his wife) that will pull, and
harnesses them to the plow, which would
be fine curiosity for one Of our agricultu.
raj fairs, since it is simply some sticks Of
wood bound together so that the sharply
pointed end Of the main or handle piece Is
dragged along little under the sod. Yet
we must not forget that much nearer home
like lack Of progress is seen, for 10 parts
OF Mexico an almost exactly similar excuse
for plow has been used for 300 years,
and may, perhaps, be used for 300 more.
When the caravan reaches town Of
considerable size n stop is likely to be
made for some days in order to allow trad
ing TO be carried on. But business il not
permitted to worry the traders much, and
between the entertainments Of the village
people and the recreations at tae camp,
the stranger will not lack for amusement.
II is to this race, it is always to be romem-
bered, that we owe the Arabian Nights
tales. OF these articles our translation
contain only a selection, and as you sit and
sip your coffee, tea or lemonade, IN some
little cafe Of whitewashod stone, YOU hear
the old plots and familiar names, and many
new ronances Of tho same kind, told BY
mon who do nothing else. These tales
form the treasure Of very numerous class
Of men aud women throughout the East,
who find livelihood in reciting them to
crowds never tired Of listening. The pub
lie squares Of al the towns abound with
such men, whose recilations, full OF ees-
lures and suggestive looks, hold a circle Of
silent listeners spell bound with the pleas
ing pictures their imsginaiious conjure.
II is said that the physicians frequently
recommend the story-sellers 10 their pa-
tients, in order TO soothe pain, to calm
agitation or 70 produce sleep; and, accns-
toned 10 talk TO sick folks they modalate
their voices, soften their sones aud gently
cease as sleep steals over the sufferer
Quite the opposite Of this quiet aud
dreamy amusement, which takes the place
Of our theatres, arc the shows Of the snake
charinerz, who everywhere collect pennies
from adnliring groups They sic on the
grouad and handle The serpenls IN every
way, allowing them to coil about ,heir
arms, necks aud bodies, and dait long.
fcrked tongues almost into their faces.
while one OF The group hammers ! ta,a.
bourine Ne though his life depended on L.
! cannot conceive how this t0.ealled music
has anything % do With the wonderful
control o1ersiaud over the snskts by lie
jassler 1 shoald think they weuld grow
cross rnther than be eeharmsda bv Is ia
cesiaot diseords Ewesi zagsrso6