The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-08-10
SHOPPING Nv MOROCCO.
A Call Upon the nashaw of Fez-An Auc-
tioueer's Methods


The next day 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 Q
clever looking Arab, gotten up most inn
posingly In 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 | had never seen man
bastinadoed his delight was almost pitt.
full, and am afraid If / had stayed every
man in Fez would have been put to the
bastnado before the day was out, so anx-
ious was he to be hospitablo and show me
all that was of interest in the town.
After seeing 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 | asked permission to retire, which
was readily granted, and as the bashaw
found was planning to make some pur-
chases In Fez he sent for his major -domo,
instructipg him TO see that the merchants
of Fez did not take advantage of the
white man who was the sutan's friend.
They did not take advantage and If l
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 Il sensation on Wash
ington street and add 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 kand, 80 confined is the space. When
you approach his shop, does he Jump to
his feet with an eager bow and request
as to what he can show your Not he He
does not attempt to stife the yawn that
unjoints his face, and if he Is near enough
to the wall he leans against 1t and closes
his eyes In pure WEAKNESS.
If you ask him for something from the
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 TO
burn your grandmother or grandfather,
and reaching up, grasps n cord hung
above his head and pulls himself to his
feet. None of this for my buyer. lie
reached In, took what he wanted asked
its price, put down about half what was
asked, put the purchase under his cloak,
leaving string Of howls and Arab oaths
behind him. Only one man was bold
enough to jump out of his shop and run
after us, and to him the servant Of the
bashaw administered good box on the
ear, saying the purchase was for the sui
tans friend by the order of the bashaw,
and If toe merchant did not return to his
kennel, he would have him bastinadoed
before night.
This looked to me so much like high.
way robbery that | demonstrated, but
Jacob said 1t was custom and all right and
the usual way of doing but l have an
idea there was something irregular about
it after all, for | noticed there was CON
siderable excitement wherever we tarried
Then we went to the markets where all
the goods are sold by auction The auc-
tioneer, who could be told by his lack of
clothes, would take piece of goods from
any of the shopkeepers and start out to
sell 1t upon commission. Holding it as
high aloft rs he could he would shout
some bid and start upon the run around
the market When he passed any one
| who wished to examine it, he would drop
| 1t into their hands, allow them to examine
| it, take their bid, if they made any, start
again upon his run, shouting the price
| like a mailman, until he had made three
| circuits Of the market, after which he
| would turn it over to the highest bidder.
| Cor. Boston Transcript.