The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-11-18
THE ROWING MONARCH.
STRANGE LIFE OF THE SULTAN
OF MOROCCO.
Surrounded by His Army This Eccentric
Sovereign Is Constantly on the
March - Picturesque
Professions.


Sultan Mulai Hassan. instead of re-
naming shut up in his harem, like
his father and ancestors. commonly
marches himself at the head of his
troops. He is hardy and enterprising.
an intrepid soldier. a brilliant horse
man. and is altogether as fine a type
o. a warlike sovereign as the end Of
the nineteenth century can show.
And he is always on the march
If he is not hurrying from one to an
other of his three capitals--fez XIX
naz and Maraksh-he is leading an
expedition to quell rebellion or col
lect taxes in some distant province.
Whether on the warpath or merely
journeying from one capital to an
other the sultan, who always travels
in the midst Of his army invariably
maintains the same state. With that
characteristic love Of the sun which
distinguishes all the Moors. he
marches all through the heat OF the
day. When he shifts his camp late
in the morning. the tents are first
sent on ahead as with our indian
armies-that they may be ready for
their tenants on their arrival at the
next encampment. Then the troops
spread out over the country. forming
an immense struggling line. in the
centre of which is the sultan. followed
by picked body of the elite of his
soldiers and by few women of his
harem on muleback and carefully
yelled. At a little distance in front
Of the sultan rides the Kaid ell
Meshwar. or Grand Master Of
Ceremonies followed by group OF
favored attendants each of whom
carries some object necessary for the
sultan's progress or likely to add to
his comfort.
For this purpose there are the Null
ell Fas or Master of the Hatchet
whose duty il is to clear away brush
wood that might inconvenience the
sultan; the Null Mahamaz, or Master
Of the Spurs who carries the sultan's
spurs which his majesty only re-
quires when ne performs feats of
Craftsmanship; the Null Zarbia, or
Master of the Carpet which is spread
on the ground when the sultan de-
sires to sit down; the Null Strombia
or Master OF the Cushions on which
the sultan reclines; the Null Belgian.
or Master of the Slippers, ready to
provide the sultan with fresh pair
if he desires change from those he
has on the Null ell Ma, who gives the
sultan water from a gazelle skin
when he is thirsty; the Null Atai
who prepares tea for his use; and
then after an interval come two
mounted spearman. behind whom. at
a little distance rides the sultan,
having on either side a Null Zif or
fly flicker and behind his right STIR
rup the Null Mdul. bearer of the
thereedan umbrella
The rate of advance of this cere-
monious procession is naturally not
great and it would be difficult to con-
ceive any thing more violently OPP
posed to European conceptions of an
army en- route than the appearance
presented by the Moorish soldiery and
their sultan when on the march.
What they lack. however in military
discipline and martial array is amply
replaced by wild barbaric splendor
a rich. fantastic picturesqueness of
aspect that could be seen in no other
quarter of the world. 1t is not the
advance of military expedition
rather is it the migration of an entire
people of warriors with their dread
lord. their yelled religious chieftain,
in their midst.
At the new encampment the
sultan's tent is always in readiness
for him. 1t is vast structure
placed in the middle of the camp,
but separated by very large space
from every other tent It is sur
rounded by a sort Of spiral wall of
canvass, which bounds a circular
path leading to the principal en-
trance. Without this wall is a
smaller tent which the sultan uses as
a mosque and a pavilion. with one
side open TO the sky. where his
majesty gives audience each morn.
ing. A quaint sight truly is a
Moorish encampment-ful of strange
contrasts and extravagant discords.
The sedate and dignifed calm and
splendor of the tents OF the great
men is thrown into high relief by the
hideous squalor of hordes of ragged
soldiers. armed with impossible
weapons. 1t is camp where tether-
ed horses and mules cannon,
baggage. loot gunpowder ammuni-
tion. clothing provisions are all to be
seen scattered pele mele in utter
discord and confusion. A cannon
lies on a heap OF manure. bale OF
clothing in the dust. cook pots and
cartridges guns of antique form
strange musical instruments are
piled in indiscrimlnate mounds.
There are a certain number of tents
for the whole army not a certain
numbero of men to each tent And
the numerous prisoners have no tents
at all. and little or no food. The
chain is the sale de police of Moroc-
CO. and men are constantly being put
in the chain on the most trivial provo
cation. They march sleep live. die
strung together thirty or forty. in a
gang. In the midst OF the tents of
the soldiers are others-multiform
made of rags or shreds OF clothing. OF
branches of bundles Of fern and
brushwood,
In these dwell the camp followers.
among them thousands OF wild
L - a. l. =