The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-03-28
A TRIP INTO THE INTERIOR OF MO-
ROCCO,

ROCCOs
Almost within sight of Europe ire the
Riff Mountains, stretching along the
Northern coast Of Morocco, and very
imperfectly known, because the fanati-
cal Berbers would kill any white man
whom they caught among their wild
hills. Even the watershed between the
rivers flowing North and South IS not
indicated on the maps, and only TWO or
three adventuresome whites, most nota-
bly NJ DeFoucauld, have been able, in
disguise, to make flying trips into the
country. DeFoucauld has supplied the
best information we possess about these
mountains and their warlike lnhaol-
tants. A while ago the Sultan OF MO
rocco sent them Governor, whom they
promptly killed, and the Sultan has let
them alone ever since.
Last summer Mr.. w. B, Harris ven
tured upon this forbid en- grounds par
ticulaIly rash undertaking, as he was
not well equipped to support the role OF
a Moor, His acquaintance with ARABIC
was imperfect, and as he could not talk
without exposing his real character, he
PLAYED the deaf mute, and relied upon
trusty Arab boy as his means OF commu-
nication, In the gaTb of middle-class
Moor, with his bare legs and arms
slightly stained, he started for She
shouan, a town of 5000 people which has
lately made its first appearance on the
maps, sixty miles South of the Mediter-
ranean.
He and his comrades passed many ma
tives without exciting suspicion. Those
who were lnquisitive were informed by
the boy that his master lived in Fee and
was travelling TO Sheshouan. Two men
of the Beni-Hassan tribe, however, &C,
cused him of being a Christian, and
threatened him with death if he did not
turn back, Harris pushed on in spite OF
them, and learned later that they lei
him go only that they might catch him
when he had penetrated further into the
country. That evening their weary
mules brought the travellers to Sheshou'
an, rather hourishIng community
which makes death the penalty to be
inflicted upon any Christian who dares
visit the town.
The parents of the Arab boy live there
and they bitterly upbraided their son for
asking them to give shelter to christ
ain. They were prevailed upon, how
ever, by large reward to entertain the
stranger. Thus assured OF nlghts
shelter and reasonably certain TO escape
notice in the indistinct light OF evening,
Mr. Harris sailed out to see the town
and mingle with the crowds. Among
thousands of bitter enemies he sauntereo
very unobstrusively through the streets,
but the novelty of his position and the
unaccustomed sights made the stroll
most interesting.
He was surprised to find bridge oil
solid masonry spanning the river, aque
ducts bringing water and distributing II
to all the houses and gardens; mills
grinding corn, their wheels turned by
water from the aqueducts; streets paved
with rough stones and bordered by gut
tiers where fresh water constantly howsi
red tile roofs found nowhere else, houses
much superior to those in many easily
accessible Moorish towns. The people
dress like those in other parts of Moroc'
CO. They regard themselves as direct
descendants of the prophet.
All next day Mr.. Harris lay hidden in
the home of his Arab boy. Towards
evening, as he was preparing TO start
back to the coast, it was nolsed ABOUT
that a Christian was in town. The men
who threatened him on the road had ar
rived with the startling news that
white man in disguise had come She
shouan. His purpose had been to leave
the town about dusk in the disguise OF
woman, while his mules departed by
another route. The excitement was
growing, and it was decided he had no
time to lose. Putting on mountaineer
garb, he stole out of one of the five
gates unnoticed, though every one in
the streets was discussing the rumor
about the Christian. Outside the walls
he was joined by his Arab boy and a
friend Of the faithful servant. Through
the night they toiled along the noun
tain path to a distant llage, which
they reached before daybreak, and the
white fugitive, whose feet were bleeding
from numerous cuts, was hidden during
the day in the house of the friend IN
need who accompanied him. Mean
while his mules were brought from She
shouan, and at midnight the fugitive
was once more on the road, and in thir
teen hours he had safely reached the