The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-03
SCENES IN TANGIER.
a Pen Picture of an Interesting Old
City OF the Orient

City OF the Orient
From Temple Bar.
Natives in many varieties of costume were
wading backward and forward between the
shore and the boats that had brought the
cargo from the vessels, carrying bales and
boxes, either piled on their backs or poised
on their heads to the custom house.
Some wore loose cotton skirts and wide
trousers reaching only to the knee, with
white turbans or the Turkish fez ON their
heads. Others were wrapped in -"iella-
biyas" the native Moorish cloak with its
long peaKed hood either drawn carelessly
up OF hanging down their backs. and all
were barelegged. The widest confusion
appeared TO prevail-from a distant point
of view every one seemed struggling to
possess himself of what another had got
hold Of, and how any regularity could have
ensued as to payments 1t " as impossible to
imagine; yet porterage on the shore is a
lucrative business, the men sometimes
earning Is or IS day. When | could sum-
mon resolution to leave the window l rang
for early breakfast, after which we sailed
forth to inspect the town.
The sky was cloudess, but the wind was
bitterly cold, and when we turned into the
streets, which were in shade, we could have
November morning. Winter clothing
would have been thoroughly acceptable,
and we thought with regret Of the thick
coats and cloaks we had left behind, under
the mistaken impression that Tangier was
all warmth and glow. Picking our way
through tho steep, narrow streets, however,
left Us but little leisure to reflect even on
the cold. To keep ones feet and at the same
time to steer clear Of the mixed null
tude of men and animals that thronged the
way, husthng and jostling each other, and
coming with an inadverteht bump now and
then against ones self, occupied ones whole
attention. Wretched looking mules and
donkeys overladen with wood, stones, char
coal, grain, fruits, vegetables and every
sort of marketable produce met and passed
one continually, while tie constant cries of
'BahIak"-"fake caren-frorn both be-
hind and in front were perplexing in the
extreme
All up the main street, on either side the
way, handsome Moors, many Of them per-
feet Othelios, either already at work or ex-
hibiting their wares, sat cross-legged in
their little box-lize shops, whose snug pent
roofs sheltered them from the outside glare
the many-colored fabrics that were ex
posed for sale either piled in heaps right
and left or hanging In the doorway.
Leather work of all kinds abounded :;
shoemakers wege busy with brilliantly dyed
skins making gorgeous slippers-bright
yellow, arsenic green and crimson being the
favorite colors, and leather cushions, too, of
all hues were being deliberately EN- embroidered
with bright silks and gold and silver thread
in other shops Jewish tailors were braid
ing robes Of cloth and velvet, and
through the doors and windows of various
bazars the most casual glances revealed
Moorish ornaments in quaint and curious
design. In the midst of all thess eastern
surroundings, one suddenly experienced the
pleasurable sensation of ''one step nearer
home" by coming unexoectedly upon the
English postoffice, and few doors more
brought US to chemist, whose well-stocked
shop treasured one as to timely aid in case
OF need.
Provision shops and general stores pre-
sided over by Moors and Jews, were inter-
spersed among the native haberdashers, and
at the further end of the street, near a fine
old Moorish gately, were numbers of little
rlckety tables, 80 frail looking that it was a
marvel they were not continually over
turned, on which all manner Of awful-look-
ing sweetmeats, that none surely but a
heather could appreciate, were spread out
for sale.