Smyrna times., 1888-08-22
SHOPPING IN MOROCCO.
A Call Upon the Bashaw of Fez-An Auc-
tiOneer's Methods.


The next day a call was made upon the
bashaw of Fez, whom found in the act
of administering Justice in the courtyard
of his palace. The Old gentleman was a
clever looking Arab, gotten up most i'm
posingly in a long haik and pink Moorish
slippers He received me most cordially,
and when he found that was waiting for
the letter from the sultan his hospitality
knew no bounds, and he insisted upon
my sitting at his right side while he
meted out sentences and punishments to
the malefactors brought before him.
When he found I had never seen a man
bastinadoed his delight was almost pitt
full, and am afraid if / had stayed every
man in Fez would have been put to the
bastinado before the day was out, so anx-
ious was he to be hospitable and show me
all that was of interest in the town.
After seeing a couple of poor chaps
thrown down and whipped just severely
enough to make man glad he was not in
their place, the sight lost interest for me,
and l asked permission to retire, which
was readily granted, and as the bashaw
! found l was planning to make some pur-
chases in Fez he sent for his MAJ dOmo,
! instructing him to see that the merchants
| of Fez did not take advantage of the
! white man who was the sultans friend.
! They did not take advantage and if
ever get cash enough together | am going
to send for that poor neglected Arab and
make him my shopper in general, for his
style would make sensation on Wash
ington street and add a comfortable sum
to my income. The shops of Fez are lit
tie dog houses dug out of the thick walls,
the floor of the shop being about breast
high, and the shOpkeeper sits upon the
floor in the midst of his goods, some OF
which are piled upon the shelves over his
head, but all three walls within touch OF
his hand, so confined is the space When
you approach his shop, does he Jump tC
his feet with an eager bow and a request
as to what he can show your Not he. He
does not attempt to stife the yawn that
unioints his face, and if he is near enough
to the wall he leans against it and closes
his eyes in pure WEAKNESS.
If you ask him for something from thu
shelf above his reach, he asks in reply
without opening his eyes, if there is nOt
something on the floor, within reach
which you can buy Just as well. If not
he yawns again, calls upon the saints t.
burn your grandmother or grandfather
and reaching up, grasps a cord hum
above his head and pulls himself to hi
feet. None of this for my buyer. H
reached in, took what he wanted. aske
its price, put down about half what wa
asked, put the purchase under his CLOAK
leaving Il string of howls and Arab oath
behind him. Only one man was Dol
enough to Jump out of his shop and ru
after us, and to him the servant of til
bashaw administered a good box on IL
ear, saying the purchase was for the su
tans friend by the order of the bashav
and if the merchant did not return to h
! kennel, he would have him bastinadot
! before night.
This looked to me so much like higl
way robbery that l demonstrated, bl
. Jacob said it was custom and all right al
: the usual way of doing; but l have
idea there was something irregular abor
! it after all, for l noticed there was co
! siderable excitementwhereve we tarrie
Then we went to the markets where
. the goods are sold by auction. The at
; tioneer, who could be told by his lack
;. clothes, would take a piece Of goods trC
. any of the shopkeepers and start out
= sell it upon commission. Holding it
i high aloft as he could he would sho
= some bid and start upon the run arOu
II the market. When he passed any @
II who wished to examine it, he would dI
4 it into their hands, allow them to eXami
!. it, take their bid, if they made any, ST
u again upon his run, shouting the pr
;; like a madman, until he had made tn
u circuits of the market, after which
T. would turn it over to the highest bidd
II Cor Boston Transcript