The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-08-25
Tangier as Seen from a H0usetOp.

It was Sunday. 1 do not know whose
Sunday it was, for there are three to the
week in Tangier. the Mohammedan, the
Jew and the Christian having each his
own. 1t was Sunday; but what was
more to the purpose, it was also market
day. l had caught the town in one OF
its spasms of business. Between these
spasms, and when the Aissawa are not
over-running it, or no fete is going on,
the place is said to be as dull and silent
as plague-smitten city.
It being my last, as well as my first
day in Africa, did not wait for the
Hadii to call me that morning. was an
early bird, astir even before the slight
est worm of breakfast was practicable.
Having completed my toilet, wandered
out on the platform in front of my bed.
room to kill the intervening hour. Dis
covering q stone staircase leading still
higher, I mounted the steps and found
myself on the roof of the hotel.
The Kasba on the height had all its
windows illuminated by the daybreak,
but the rest of the club lay in cool
shadow. At my feet stretched q con-
fused mass of square-cut white houses
reaching to the seas edge on one side,
and ending in drifts on the slant of hill
at my left-a town of snow that had
seemingly dropped fake by fake from
the clouds during the night.
There were figures moving on several
of the neighboring house-tops. All the
roofs were perfectly fiat, and most OF
them surrounded by low battlements.
Yonder was young negress in sulphur
hued caftan and green girdle, shaking a
striped rug over q parapet, and looking
consciously picturesque. On terrace
further off a Moorish washer-woman and
little girl were spreading out their
harcks and embroidered napkins on the
Aag-stones; the sun would reach them
by-and-by. At my right was o man in
dolently lifting himself off q piece of
carpet laid dangerously near the unpro-
tected roof-edge-possibly o summer
boarder who had chosen that airy bed
chamber. He was rubbing his eyes and
had evidently slept there over night. In
this temperate climate, where the Their
mometer seldom rises above 80 degrees,
and rarely falls below 40 degrees, the
house-top would be preferable to an in
side room to q summer boarder. On
many Of the roofs was evidence Of pretty
attempts at gardening, oleanders, acacias,
palms, and dwarf almond trees being set
out in ornamental jars and tubs. There,
no doubt, was the family resort after
night-fall, the scene of ceremonious or
social visits, and, I imagine. of much
starry love-nlaking.
Behind the hotel, in desolate vacant
lot checkered by small watts hslf-flled
with dye-stufis. was an Arab tanner at
work. Standing in the midst Of his col
ored squares, he resembled solitary
chessman. could look directly down
on his smooth bare skull, which seemed
cast of Rilt-bronze or bell metal. He
wore nothing but breech-cloth. The
Moorish tanners are very expert, and
employ arts not known to the trade else
where. They have process by which
lion and panther skins are rendered ~
pliable Is satin, and Of creamy white
ness. The green leather Of TABLET, the
red of Fee, and the yellow OF Morocco,
are highly esteemed.-(T. B. Aldrich,
in Harper's Magazine.