Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-12
LIFE IN TANGIERS.
An American Iady's Visit 10 Two Moor
ish Harems-Their Inmatcs.

iiiSD duONo lle UellOlu INC Dullu-
ings ard walls CT Tangiers, says an
American lady in letter to the New
York Saln The blue Mediterranean
dashes its waves against ruined mole
and temporary pier for the accommo-
dation of travellers. Everything is
different from European scenes. Wild
flowers grow in profusion on the roofs
and old walls. The bright blossoms of
the cactus glow in the sunlight. The
prickly pear attains the size and height
of trees, and in many places forms
arches beneath which ride Moors and
others mounted on mules and donkeys.
The natives eat the fruit, cutting each
pear from its stem with twine. The
leaves are food for camels.
Just below the hotel and outside the
gate of the city is the Soko Or market
place. On Sundays and Thursdays it
is filed with a motley crowd, who
bring game, meat, eggs, fowls. and
other provisions from the surrounding
country. 1t is here that Gibraltar ol-
tains its supplies.
Here you see the genuine Bedouin
Arab. Wild and dirty as he is, he is
clean when compared with the horrid
looking men from the Riff coast, de.
scendents Of the old pirates. They are
wild and untamcd, and fercer than
wild animals. They do not cover their
heads. Their heads are closely shaved
after leaving a lock by which they fer
vently believe Mohammed will pull
them up to heaven.
The noise and din in the market
place is Internal. AT least 5000 tongues
are at work. You can hardly force
your way through the crowd. Once
on the outskirts you are lost in great
herds of cattle and strings of loaded
lonkeys from Barbary. These little
creatures carry wonderful loads. They
look small by the side Of camels. These
animals, relieved Of their loads, are ly-
ing down in a circle with their fore
legs tied together. Near them are
numbers Of goatskin tents, filthy in the
extreme, and only high enough to sit
under. The confusion is terrible.
Some of the men are banging on drums
and Others are playing the khutah,
which is infinitely worse than the Moor
ish drum.
On passing through two gates we
came to fountain. 1t was surround
ed by mob Of water carriers. Tat
tered rags futtered over their naked
legs. They fought fercely for prece-
dence in filing their water skins.
Women whose faces were covered with
the exception of an eye, crouched on
the ground near by, selling bread. The
magnificent Moor, in flowing white
robe and spotless turban, strutted ma
jestically by, not deigning to cast his
naughty glance at us. The streets
swarmed with children in various cos.
TUNES. The small shops were packed
with men sitting cross-leggel. Above,
below, around, and beneath there was
dirt Of every description. Fortunately
for us, the viler smells had been tenn
pered by recent rains. In summer the
stencil is said to be almost unbearable
This morning we were awakened
early by great noise. We heard cries,
shouts, the beating Of drums, the firing
of guns, and the steady tramp of ami
mails, biped and quadruped These
were the thousands who had filled the
Soko returning to their homes in Fez,
Morocco, and the great desert of Sahara
There is, however, a dense resident
population.
Yesterday we were guests in two
Moorish harems. The inmates gave
us very kind reception. The gloomy
appearance Of the outer walls contrast
ed strongly with the inside of the
house. The halls were tiled. Marble
pillars, bright colors, and rug, gave
the rooms a bright appearance. Mat
tresses were laid on the carpets in
apartments facing the court yard.
They were the bedrooms of the wives.
There were no windows. Each wife
leaves her slippers at the entrance of
her bedroom. We saw no chairs, and
only an occasional cushion. The wives
prefer to recline or to sit on the floor.
One or two sat on sheep skins.
The second harem belonged to a rich
Moor. We saw there several clocks
and mirrors, evidently recent impor-
tation from Paris, but they looked out
Of place. The Moor had only one wife
and she was just thirteen years old
She had been married two years. She
sat on the floor barefooted with three
other women, who were either rela.
tives or visitors. She was very pretty.
With an engaging smile she motoned
us to sit near her. She looked animat-
ed, gay, and happy. Several servants
in Oriental attire were in attendance.
The life of Moorish wives must, how
ever, be very wearisome. They are
shut up in apartments with grated
windows, high above mankind, with
only occasional glimpses of the great |
wolld without.
In the first harem | saw a widow |
with seven children, all girls. Two
were playing cards and two were sew
ing. None of the girls had ever seen
a man. On Fridays only the widow
is allowed to go to the Mosl I'm ccme-
terry to weep and to pray over her dead