Daily Yellowstone journal., 1884-07-23
a y ~ ~ TANGlERS.
Mora, Arabs and W"'er- Carriers.
A Visit to Two " - "a Harems...
Their Inmates.

Mora. Arabs and w"er-Carriers..
A Visit to Two " ., "a Harems...
Their Inmates.
Mrs John Stratton in New YORK SUM-
High above me l behold the build
ings and walls of Tangiers. The blue
Mediterranean dashes its waves against
ruined mole and temporary pier fol
the accommodation of travellers. Every.
thing is different from European
scenes. Wild flowers grow in profu-
sion on the roofs and old walls. The
bright blossoms of the cactus glow in
the sunlight. The prickly pear at
tains 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 Irvine. 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 o motley crowd, who bring
game, meat, eggs, fowls and other pro.
visions from the surrounding country.
II is here that Gibraltar obtains 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,
descendants of the old pirates They
are wild and untamed, and tiercer than
untamed animals. They do not even
cover their heads. Their heads are
closely shaved after leaving lock by
which they fervently believe Moham.
med will pull them up to heaven. The
Jews are very numerous. They are
known by their peculiar dresses. They
fringe to the dust and put up with
every insult SO as to remain in Tan.
giers.
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 donkeys
from Barbary. These little creatures
carry wonderful loads. They look
small by the side of the camels. These
animals, relieved OF their loads, are
lying down in 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 Moorish
drum.
On passing through two gates We
came to fountain. II was surrounded
by mob of water-carriers. Tattered
rags huttered over the naked legs. They
fought tiercely for precedence in filling
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 tur.
ban, strstted majestically by, not deign.
ing to cast his naughty glance at us.
The streets swarmed with children in
various costumes. The small shops
were packed with men sitting cross.
legged. Above, below, around, and
beneath there was dirt of every de-
scription. Fortunately for us the viler
smells had been tempered 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, and 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 Fee
Morocco, and the great desert Of
Sahara. There is, however, O dense
resident population.
A few years ago an English lady
married Moor holding high position
in Tangiers. He promised that she
should be his only wife, but since then
he has espoused four other women. She
is allowed to walk out, but not unless
she is guarded. II she left him, she
could take nothing with her. II
he sent her away, she would
be entitled to an income or to $4,000
in cash. The poor thing is
virtual prisoner. We have received
an invitation 10 visit her, and shall
accept it. Yesterday we were guests
in two Moorish harems. The inmates
gave US q very kind reception. The
gloomy appearance Of the outer walls
contrastel strongly with the inside of
the house. The halls were tiled. Mar.
BILE pillars, bright colors and rugs gave
the rooms bright appearance. Mat
| tresses were laid on the carpets in
apartments facing the courtyard. They
were the bedrooms of the wives. There
were no windows. Each wife leaves
her slippers at the entrance of her bed
room. 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 O 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 ID years old. She
had been married two years. She sat
on the floor barefooted with three
other women, who were either relatives
or visitors. She was very pretty
With an engaging smile she motioned
us 10 sit near her. She looked ami.
mated, gay and happy. Several SER
wants in Oriental attire were in attend
ance. The life of Moorish wives, must,
however. be very wsarisome. They are
shut up in apartments With grated win.