The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-23

f'N~ NiAAhitilN WIN Nv tAihe
ate without repeated salaams, kissing the
hem Of their rulers burnoose and other
confessions Of humiliation and degrada-
ton. They are nearly all dressed similar
to the Arabs, with long. flowing white
robes, turbaned heads, richly embroidered
waists and sashcs, ample trousers caught
with jeweled bands below the knees, blue
silk stockings and low sandals upon thelr
feet. 4 few have the red tarboosh with
blue and black %tasscl, betokening that the
wearers are Tunisian jews.
The women in their company gavean ex.
ccllent example not only Of the beauty OF
the female members OF this race as they are
found near and in the orient, but also Of
the costumes of the better class of these In
Tangier Long. straight gowns, without
drapery and Of the richest silk, green,
orange or purple, encircled at the waist by
cords Of silk, gold and silk, or chains Of
nure gold. constitute the sole outer gar
ment. strikingly different from the Arab
voman's. Their feet are incased in colored
nointed slippers. Each woman wears a
black silk scarf. bound tightly across the
forehead, gathered closely over the head,
falling I'm delicate folds behind. held in
place at the back by great gold or jeweled
ornaments. This. with "A plain band OF
s~potless white linen drawn tightly across
the chin. and a magnificent India shawl
carried upon the arm OF thrown carelessly
across the shoulders completes the costume
OF these the most stately and beautiful
women Of Tangier.
Besides these there will troop by you
hundreds Of the Biskris-the scavengeTs,
water carriers and men of all work Of Tan
gier-bare and shaven headed. fine featured
and with splendid form and muscular de
velopment. Impish little bootblacks Of
mongrel race, who who will perform any
diGblcric, from backing and shining their
own faces 20 Pumping an eye out and into
its socket, for but one copper t1e for each
exhibition, are dancing about you. Snake
charmers, with hideous cobra de capellos
wound about their filthy bodies. will pass
you.
Necromancers who really eat fire are as
common in the streets as are those who
do not at our summer resorts and nickel
shocker museums. Moorish soldiers, bare
legged and barefooted, and ever on the
trOt, skurry past you. Half grown negroes
from the SOudan, with scam breechcloths
Of Unframed hides for raiment, are there.
Venerable Rifans, apathetic as opium eat
ers and withered as mummies, pass trem.
blingly by; while genuine Bedouins, or
skinny stecds magnifcently caparisoned,
each humping beneath a wondrous bur
moose, dash recklessly through the crowds.
And still there are trains Of donkeys and
of camels laden with merchandise for fan
Berber villages and farther GASES OF the
desert; women with servants in whose bas-
kets are fowls for beheading at the revolt
ing "Negress Sacrifices" hundreds OF kha'
byles with leather aprons and shaver
heads, their strong wives, unveiled, with
long chemises reaching 10 their feet and
girdled at the waist with bright sashes,
who work with their husbands everywhere
and anywhere, provide an ample study OF
African hill men; while thousands of the
native Arab and Moorish men and women
sweep by with swish OF robes and juggling
Jewels and anklets, like weird and softly
musical wraiths in white. Some Of these
are plOdding toward khOuba or marabout
TO mourn beside their dead or are gliding
from home or shop TO shadowy mosque to
pray.
All architectural beauty is found in
carved Moresque %archways, among which
are many magnificent specimens; in bases
and capitals Of spiral stone pillars sup
porting arches, %vaulting over which super
structures often shut out the sky, and these
are in the pure Arab style of 1000 years
ago; about the facades and fonts Of mum
berless fountains set in cool %alcOves, pro
jecting unexpectedly from blank walls OF
built upright from the center OF tiny
squares, the only places in all this ancient
city where sunlight ever reaches the earth;
and behind the massive walls In interiors,
whose structural grace and exquisite or
namentatiOn are an endless feast OF artistic
delight.
The shops of Tangier are all merely tiny
inches in the walls. The Moorish merchant
enters his little black den through a trap
door. lowers the shutter which falls often
in steps to the street and sits in the center
of his possessions, which are all within
reach, voiceless and grave the day long like
a forsaken Punch in a pantomime. Every
manner Of "A shop is just like his. In some
workmen are embrOidering the white
burnoose. utilizing their great toes TO hold
tight the disengaged thread. In others
greasy fritters are fried in a solemn and
stately manner while one waits. Some dis
play ostrich eggs and native ornaments.
Here and there is a%seller of herbs and vege-
tables. Again white robed and bearded
men are surrounded 10y crates of charcoal
and tiny bundles Of fagots. Ia Others
almost priceless oriental draperies are
packed and punched around a merchant
who smokes and dreams as if no thought
Of traffic ever entered his head.
The ancient and venerable letter z
scroll writer has his niche or chair at arch
way side, and waits with that stole patience
only an Indian or a Moslem can command,
to indite epistle or trace sacred passage
from the Koran upon eggshell, or on rib
bon for some devout ones amulet. Shoe
makers squat cross legged, sewing and
hammering upon slippers and sandals
only. Bread sellers crouch against walls
and d~oorways. Groups of swarthy kha-
byles with their copper ewers are ever be
fore the gurgling old fountains. Yelled
women wriggle and mince TO and from
market or khouba or mosque. Stately
Arabs appear and disappear, their flowing
robes shutting out the vistas OF the mar
row streets. Cloth vendors higgle Maggie
at the cracks Of massive doors barely agar.
Funeral cOrteges pass on the run, Tor the
dead MOslem arrives in paradise that much
more speedily. Girls with dough covered
boards ready for the bakeries are as fleet
as the funerals. Tiny dOnkeys loaded with
street garbage force you against the walls.
Other donkeys with panniers packed with