The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-15
A QUEER AFRICAN CITY.
WHAT A COLLEGE PRESIDENT SAW
IN TANGIER.

Of the Old Testament and the Ara
bian Nights.
From, The Baltimore San.
TAxGIER, Morocco, Jan. 5.--What is
there TO see in Tangier, and why do Ameri-
can tourists after the run through Spain"
think it quite essential to visit the Barbary
coastl 1 can answer for one party. A
ssracious friend who recently went from
the Straits of Gibraltar to the Bosphorus
said TO us tefore we left home: ''You will
see nothing more purely oriental than Tan
ger in all your proposed journey" Ger
tainly we have found the place so completely
foreign to all our ideas that only the old
fashioned word "outlandishn seems ade-
ouate 10 describe it. Here is the
most western of all the seaports
of Northern Africa lying within sight
of the coast of Spain and the rock of
Gibraltar, a place of 10000 inhabitants,
upon whose ways of life and thought Eu-
ropean christian civilization has scarcely
made an impression. Yet more than
800 wears ago this city for a short
period belonged to the English crown. It
is now the residence of those foreign minis
ters who are accredited to the Sultan of
Morocco. 1t is in almost daily communica-
ton with France, Spain, and Gibraltar, and
both England and Spain maintaining post
offices, with separate bureaus, stamps and
mail bags. There are newspapers published
here in English and Spanish. The Hotel
Continental is SO good that there is a
current mot to the effect that the
best hoJel in Europe may be found
in Africa. The English come here at
certain seasons ''for SPORT the par
ticular attraction being the chase OF wild
boars, for the which a manual of 'hog-
sticking" has been deliberately set forth.
Yet, notwithstanding all this the Moors and
the Jews go on in their old-fashioDed ways
as if they were living in the fifteenth CEN
fury. Indeed, it is easy to believe that we
see in Tangier much Of the same sort of life
which prevailed in Southern Spain 400 years
ago-before the conquest of Granada-with
one important qualification: Tangier has
nothing which suggests the learning, the
science, the arts, or even the sacredness of
the great cities of Andalusia when Moorish
sway was dominant. The Arabic or
Mohammedan dominion, without the Ara
bic enlightenment, loses all the charm
which is suggested by what is even now to
be seen in Cordova, Granada, and Seville.
he transit to Tangier is easily made in
eight hours from Cadiz, in four hours from
Gibraltar, in twelve hours from Malaga,
and the traveller may have his choice
dulOnS many COluDcblLiS SJtdulSIS Vi I'LL
ferent sizes and disdifferent advantages
The transit over, a landing must be
made. The beach Slopes so gradually that
large vessels cannot come near the shore,
and people, cattle, baggage, and goods must
all be transferred to lighters and rowboats
and thus brought to land. In rough
weather the steamer will sometimes lie for
hours without being able to disembark her
cargo, and one company Of travellers whom
W. mat ratsIrnnH IN ST1ain Ivithnt1f
foot upon the shore of Africa. When it is
rough, but not SO rough, passengers are
carried ashore in the arms of stalwart
Moors, OF perhaps ride papoose fashion
Fortunately these descendants of the pirates
who used to infest the Morocco coasts.
are capital boatmen, with strong arms
and legs, so that they may be safely
trusted. -
New perplexities arise when the shores
are reached. In all Tangier do not think
there is a wheeled vehicle-not a gig,
dray, or even wheelbarrow. So a gang
of pOrters seizss the travellers trunks, hand
BAGS, shawl straps, and umbrellas, and
transports them up the narrow and sinuous
lanes which lead to the hotel
As | looked from the rowboat to the top
OF the landing stairs I noticed in the crowd,
which was dressed in all the coIors of the
rainbow and in all the varieties Of eastern
fabrics, a tall, dark-faced Moor, with a
capaciouS turban, a broad. blue flowing
robe and a stout staff, ending in pastoral
crook. 81 am Mohammed," he called out.
pointing to his heart either to confirm his
Identity or his veracity, 1 cannot say
which. 1.-The man am looking
for" was my answer. From that
hour until our departure Mohammed
took charge of us. We did not en-
gage him, but he engaged us. His tread
was as dignified and steady as that of Sal
VIM when he personates "Otbello." His
shoulders were broad enough for Samson.
His voice was deep, rich, and musical, like
that Of Carl FOrmes. When be was
upon his favorite mule, leading
our cavalcade through the market place, or
halting before the snake charmer, or climb
ing 1.-THE mountain" where foreigners have
their houses, he was quite magnificent. We
might think him sheik or a pasha or any
other dignity. Indeed his aspect was
far more impressive than that
of the Cherif of Wasan, whom we
met on one of our rides coming into
town attended by four guards. Mohammed
had his stories to tell of his fathers four
journeys to Mecca, of his correspondence
With gentleman in Baltimore, of the
promises received from one of the Roths- |
cbllds respecting the education of his son,
Of his domestic life, and Of the customs Of |
the mixed tribes who inhabit Taugier. He
'Feao ISS6FNeu NuSn no was (lleSLLOnSQ ABOUT
the Mohammedan religion, but outspoken
when questioned about his wives. 81 have |
had 49," he declared to an American, but
strongly suspect that when Mohammed said |
this the digital finger of his right hand was |
pointed over his left shoulder.
The architecture of Tangier is much more |
Impressive when seen in mass than when in |
detail. Looking toward the city from the |
steamer in the early dawn the view was |
beautiful. Terrace above terrace rise |
white, fiat-roofed houses, over which tower |
the minarets of two or three mosques The |
city is divided into two parts, through |
which runs the principal street leading |
from the "water gate" to the market |
gate" Upon the western or highest accliv- |
lty is the karbat or citadel-a combination |
OF residence. fortress, court of justice, and |
prlson-a forlorn and unattractive Alham- |
bra. The shops. the bazars, the dwelling |
houses are interesting because SO completely |
different from those to which Europeans |
are wonted. So is the boys school that |
was kept" just opposite the door of the |
hotel Continental. Twenty bright-eyed |
little fellows, seated on the ground, were |
Taught by an old man in turban and spec |
tacles to repeat over and over again verses |
from the Koran in a sing-song tone, while !
cards with the words in Arabic were held !
IN their hands, Solomon's precepts respect |
ing the utility OF the rod were not forgotten |
by the turbared pedagogue. He piled the |
SUCK gently but firmly on the backs of the |