The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-11-11
AN ECCENTRIC MONARCH.
STRANGE LIFE or muLM BAssAn.
SULTAN OF MOROCCO.

the 81. James dnHettey iubpcao OF To
manning shut up in his harein, like his
father and ancestors, commonly marches
himself at the head OF his troops. He IL
hardy and enterprising. an intrepid sol-
der, brilliant horseman, and is alto
gether a. fine a type Of q warlike sover-
eign as the end OF the nineteenth century
can show. And he Is always on the
march. II he is not hurrying from one TO
another OF his three capitals Fee, Mix
mar and Maraksh--he Is leading an expe-
dition to quefl rebellion or collect taxes
in some distant province. Indeed the
eDcampment Is the chief business OF the
Moorish Government, which does not
trouble to rule its subdued subjects, but
directs all its energies to warning inces-
sanity against rebel subjects who refuse
to acknowledge ita authority. The Sui
tan, 3 camp, therefore, II his true capital,
and his army IL his empire.
Whether on tine warpath or merely
journeyfng from one capital TO another,
the Sultan, who always travels In the
midst Of his army. invariably maintains
the same state. With that characteristics
love Of the sun which distinguishes al
the Moors, he marches all through the
heat Of the day. When he shifts his
camp, late in the morning. the tents are
Arst sent on ahead--as with our Indian
axmiss-that they may b ready for thsir
tGnants on their arrival ct the next en-.
eampmsnt. Then The troops spread out
over the country, forming IN immense
struggling line, II the centre Of which n
the Sultan, followed BY picked body Of
the elite Of HIS soldiers and By lev Of
the women Of his harem on mulsback
and carefully veiied. A. Z little distance
In front Of the Sultan rides the Kaid 81
Msshwsr, or Grand Master Of the Cere-
monies, 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 81
Fas, Or Master Of the Ratchet, whose duty
IL 10 70 clear away brentwood that
might Inconvenience the Sultan; the
Mul MahamaE, or Master Of the Spurs,
who carries the Sultanis spurs, which
His Majesty only requires whom he par
forms ieats Of horsemanship; the Null
Zarbia, or Master Of the Carpet, which 10
spread ON the ground when the Sultan
desires to sit down; the Mul 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 II he desires
. change from those he has on; the Null
81 Ma, who gives the Sultan water from Q
gasello skin when he II thirsty; tho Null
Atai, who prepares tea for his use; and
then, after an interval, comes two
mounted spearmen, behind whom, at
little distance, rides the Sultan, having ON
either side Null Iii, or ny flicker, and
behind his right stirrnp the Mul M'dul,
bearer Of tho Shersefn umbrella.
Picture the constant may gatloping to
and fro Of horsemen with gorgeous trap
pings and haiks floating wide in the
breeze; the fash and glitter of fantastic
weapons; the Kaleidoscope blending OF
rich colors; the laden mules and camels
and asses, casting huge weird shadows
across the plain; the slow moving fiooks
Of sheep and herds OF cattle; the innum-
cradle camp followers tho long, hating
gangs ofchained prisoners, and the thou
sands OF women, strangely attired, toll
ing painfully on in little groups OF ten or
q dozen, with couple of asses bearing
the baggage OF each party. In front, away
in the furthest distance, fleeing before
the pursuing horsemen, the dim form OF
hurrying villagers dot the sky line. Be-
hind rolls the white smoke OF burning
homesteads. And In the midst OF all, but
remote and isolated, solitary and mys-
terious, PAGES slowly the white-robed
figure OF the Sultan-the terrible lord of
life and death, from whose bare feet the
half clad slaves drive away the flies with
trembling hands.
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 q very large
space from every other tent. It is sur
rounded by sort OF spiral wall OF canvas,
which bounds q circular path leading to
the principal entrance. Without this
wall is smaller tent, which the sultan
uses as q mosque, and q pavilion, with
one side open to the sky, where His
Majesty gives audiences each morning. A
| quaint sight truly is a Moorish encamp-
ment-full OF strange contrasts and ex-
| tIavagant discords.
There are certain number Of tents for
| the whole army, not certain number OF
men to each tent. And the numerous
prisoners have no tents at all and little or
no food. The chain 10 the sale de police
OF Morocco, and men are constantly be-
1 ing put in the chain on the most trivial
lprovocation. They march, sleep, live, die
strung thus together, thirty or forty in q
| gang. III buG Iulueb Vi tbnO bGhtS Vi ING
soldierssare s-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 women
| bedecked with extravaganza ornaments,
daubed with paint, tattooed in fantastic
designs on face and limbs and breast,
clothed in extraordinary garments made
A from rags Of strange materials, once rich
and brightly colored. These wretched
women follow the army year after year,
sharing its fortunes and repulses-loath
some even in youth, faded, without tribe
or family or home, or even possessions
beyond their ragged finery and barbarie
! jeweiry, a khol pot, cook pot, cloak
may be and guitar.
n L. !.