The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-05-26
Travelling In Marocco.

In truth, the difficulties of Maroccan
travel, though sufficiently great, have
been exaggerated or are of the travellers
own making. The nest of envoys at
Tangier, engrossed with their petty
| rivalries and squabbles about nothing.
rarely see the Sultan, and they are I'M
known to his advisers, unless we ex-
| cept he Minister Of Foreign Affairs,
whom they keep on the coast for their
private batting, Tangier is, indeed, an
Oriental Pumpernickel. If, for ex-
ample, the German Minister cannot eat
! French colleague shall not enjoy the
banquet. The Italian Envoy may have
no taste fol antiquities, but he is not ON
that account inclined to look with com
plaisance on his Spanish neighbors'
| yearning after Roman cities and Phgni-
clan tombs. Moreover, knowing well
that the most popular ambassador is he
who gives least trouble. the diplomatists
are invariably inclined to throw cold
water on any enterprise which might
embroil the country they represent
with that of the marauders who have
maltreated some over-zealous investi-
gator; and to travel without an escort
| and firman is in most parts of Marco
co considered to be simply counting the
martyrs fate, while to travel with one
is almost as bad. Every village hates
the sight of the '.bashador's" caval-
cade; for the ''mona,n or gratuitous
supply of provisions which the wretched
people must bestow ON all Government
travellers, is tax which is not only
frequently abused, but is so repugnant
| to every sense of justice that right
minded men will often elect to dispense
with the favor, and, as a consequence
of running tilt against the customs OF
the country, incur the enmity of their
escort, and be Internationally swindled
in paying for what a minute before
| they were offered as gift.
There are, of course, also the relig-
ious and local prejudices of fanatical,
ignorant, semi-barbarous people to
overcome. saint houses" are so nu-
merous that one is never sure when
sacred soil is being defiled, and s.assou-
ies," or deryishes are not the kind of
people for whose good behavior any one
| would care to become bail. The Gov
ernors and village sheiks have no desire
to see strangers. Hospitality in Marco
co means prodigious feeds, and even
in that cheap country food costs money.
Nor are they anxious for the Sultan to
hear of their wealth, since rich men in
Marocco are short-lived, and If "sent
for" are apt not to return. Finally, the
tribesmen are prone to consider every
escort of white-robed soldiers as only
the abhorred tax-gatherers in disguise,
and TO act after their truculent instincts.
The Sultan occupies his time in march
| ing about the empire collecting his
dues, with the aid of plundering army
| of ruffianly spearsmen; for Marocco is
still an unconquered country.
! The Mauri of the Romans are the
Berbers of our day, and though they
have adopted, after rough fashion,
the faith of their Arab invaders, the She
reefian soF6reigns have in many parts
of Mauritania no influence beyond
the range of their guns. But Mr..
| Watson, armed with an Introduction
from the mulatto Shereef, had no
trouble whatever in reaching and re-
siding in the holy city of Wazan, hither-
to supposed to be indescribably Islamic;
and were some prudent individual,
equally well provided with recommen-
dations and able to speak Arabic, to
visit Mulai Edris, doubtless he also
would return in safety. We are con-
vinced, after some personal acquaint-
ance with the supposed difficulties of
Maroccan travel, that if a good-natured,
easy-minded scholar, physician by
preference, could settle down in Moga-
dog, ~ still better in Marocco city
under, OF course, diplomatic protection
learn the ways of the people and a
little of their language, and gain the
friendship of some of the more power
full Berber sheiks of the Atlas he might
add immensely to our present vague
acquaintance with the geography of the
Moorish empire - London 1tlaenpun,a.