The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1893-02-03
EVER READY FOR WAR.
The Rowing Lie OF Muiai Hassau, the
Moorish sultan.

father and ancestors comm only marches
himself at the head of his troops. Heis
hardy and enterprising, an intrepid
soldier, brilliant horseman, and Is
altogether as fine type of warlikc
sovereign 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
FeZ, Nillnaz and Marakah-he IS lead
ing an expedition to quell q rebellion
or collect taxes in some distant province.
Indeed the cncampment is the chief
business of the Moorish government.
which does not trouble to rule its sub
dued subjects. but directs all its encr-
gies to warning incessantly against
rebel subjects who refuse TO acknowl-
edge its authority. The sdltan's camp,
therefore. is his true capital and his
army is his empire.
Whether on the warpath or merely
journeying from one capital to another,
the sultan, who always travels IN the
midst of his army, invariably maintains
the same state With that character
istic love of the sun which distinguishes
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 cen
ter of which is the sultan. followed by
a picked body of the elite OF his sol
harem on mulebacl and carefully
yelled. At little distance in front OF
the sultan rides the kaidel Meshwar,
or grand master Of the ceremonies, fol-
lowed by group Of favored attendants,
each of whom carries some object nee
essary for the sultan's progress or like
~ TO add to his comfort.
For this purpose there are the Mul ell
Fas, or master of the hatchet, whose
duty it is to clear away brushwood that
might Inconvenience the sultan; the
Mul Mahamaz, or master OF the spurs,
who carries the sultan's spurs, which
his majesty only requires when he
performs feats of orsemanship: the
Mul Zarbia, or master of the carpet,
which is spread on the ground when
the sultan desires to sit down; the Mul
Stronbia, or master of the cushions. on
which the sultan reclines; the Mul Bel
ghah, or master of the slippers, ready
to provide the sultan with fresh pair
if he desires change from those he has
on; the Mul ell Ma, who gives the sui
tan water from a gazelle skin when he
is thirsty; the Mul Atai, who prepares
tea for his use, and then, after an in
terval, come two mounted spearmen,
behind whom, at little distance, rides
the sultan, having on either side Alul
Zif, or fly flicker, and behind his right
stirrup the Mul M'dul, bearer of the
Shereefian umbrella.
The rate of advance of this ceremoni-
Gus procession is naturally not great,
and it would be difficult to conceive
anything more violently opposed 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 mar
tial array is amply replaced by a wild.
barbaric splendor, rich, fantastic pict
uresqueness of aspect that could be seen
in no otl.er quarter of the world. 1t is
not the advance of a military expedition
rather is it the migration of an entire
people of warriors, with their dread
lord, their yelled religious chieftain, in
their midst. Such a picture-less al
ways the cannon and muskets-might
the children of Israel have presented on
their journeyings through the wilder
ness. Imagine this immense concourse
of marauders-th;sl locust flight of plum
derers and brigands. spread out thickly
over a vast campaign in all directions
as far as the eye can see.
Picture the constant may galloping
TO and fro of horsemen with gorgeous
trappings and halks floating wide in the
breeze: the flash 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 slowmoving flocks
of sheep and herds of cattle; the innu-
mcrable camp followers; the long. halt
ing gangs Of chained prisoners, and the
thousands of women, strangely attired.
toiling painfully on in little groups of
ten or dozen, with couple of asses
bearing the baggage of each party. In
front, always in the furthest distance,
fleeing before the pursuing horsemen,
the dim forms of hurrying villagers dot
the sky line Behind rolls the white
smoke of burning homesteads. And in
the midst OF all, but remote and iso-
a aA.a..s .ss,aN-
slowly the white-robed fiyure Of the
sultan-the terrible lord of life and
death. from whose bare feet the half
Lid slaras Il rive awnu the Ni.As with