The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-09-19


ful. The city is on a great plain,
fanked at the north and part of the
way on the east and west sides by luxu-
.Idtds. woods of date-palms. Gardens,
fields and distant mountains fill in the
remainder and the southern boundary.
The northern part of the place contains
the sanctuary of Sidi Bel Abbes and
many remnants of old walls built of
''tabia.' At a distance the city has a
solid, compact appearance. The houses
of the better classes are built with a CEN
trail court, surrounded by long, narrow
rooms. Oneserves for q kitchen, where
the cooking is done by charcoal fires.
/ The other apartments are for general
family use.
/ Near the entrance door a narrow
staircase leads to the first floor. This
is called the d0ueria, and here it is that
the master of the house receives his
friends. Each house has a we'll which
supplies water for the laundry, and for
ordinary use, but drinking water is
obtained from the public fountains. In
some instances the horses of the owner
divide with the ladies the occupa ion
of the ground floor; in other words, one
room is used as a stable. The narrow
ness of the apartments in the best
houses of this country can not fail to
attract the attention Of strangers.
They are, generally speaking, OF good
height, but are very long in proportion
to their breadth. This arises from the
difficulty experienced in obtaining
native wood of sufficient length for the
| floors. The width of the room in con-
sequence seldom exceeds ten or twelve
feet The tower of the Katoubia is the
| only building of stone in the city, there
being a great scarcity of this material
in its vicinity.
A feature of Morocco is the public
baths, there being over twenty. The
bath is similar to what is known as the
Turkish, with men admitted from sun
rise up to noon, and women IN the after
noon and evening. The price for bath
is about one cent. There are three
prisons, with the prisoners fed by their
friends or left without food, none being
supplied by the Government. All pris-
oners have irons riveted about their
legs and connected by chains with an
iron band about the neck.
The palace of the Sultan is outside
the city, surrounded by high walls. 1t
covers space of / 800 yards long by 600
wide; and this is divided into gardens.
attached to which are pavilions. There
are two large courts, mchOuar, or places
j of audience, around which are arranged
apartments for ministers, secretaries
and guards. The treasury, containing,
it is said, large amount Of specie, adj
joins the house inhabited by the Sultan
whenever he visits his capital city.
! The southern part of the city is occu-
pied by the Jews. A section nearly two
miles in circuit is inclosed in high walls.
It is called ''El Melah," meaning tho
"salted place." and referred to in deris-
ion as eel Messous," the 'place with
out salt"
! Tangier is next to Morocco in impor-
lance, and as having more Christian res
idents than any other town in the EN-
pire, is perhaps more interesting to
/ Americans. There are two Roman Cath
, Ollie churches, a largo monastery and a
school, the first being allowed the use
of bells. Protestant worship is conduct
ed at tho British Embassy. The jews
are allowed to have public synagoGues,
but they are unpretentious buildings.
There are several Moslem schools for
boys.
The foreign officials at Tangier are
numerous enough to form society
among themselves. These consist Of
three Ministers Plenipotentiary, name