The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-12
AMONG THE RIFFIANs.
Country and People Described by the
Shereefa OF Wazan.
from the New York Tribune.

The romantic story of the Shereefa, of
Wazan-the English governess who rose
TO almost supreme rank in the Moslem
world-was related in detail in a recent
assure of The Tribune. This remarkable
woman was the first European TO explore
the Riff, the land occupied by the RiAians,
a country which Phoenecians. Cartha-
ginians, Romans, Vandals, Arabs, Moers.
Spaniards and French, one after the
other, had vainly endeavored to explore
and subdue. Her journey was made a
few years ago, her religious authority
alone proving a valid passport among the
savage Berbers. But even she did not
venture to make any photographs, or
take any notes. Her memory, however,
served her well, and on her return to
Iangler she was able TO give an excellent
account of what she had seen to the cor
respondent of the London Globe. Her
narrative. in substance, was as follows
CATER four days, passing1through al
ternate level and hilly country. we arrived
at the Spanish settlement Of MClilla, a
fortified town, occupied by strong gar
rison. We pitched our tents outside the
town. and shortly afterward the Spanish
governor, accompanied by his staff, came
to our encampmenJ to visit the shcreef
During our stay, which lasted four days,
the troops were brought out and maneu-
vered, after which they marched past. /
was much struck with the appearance of
the men Their equipment was excellent
as was also the precision with which they
performed their military exercises
Among our encourage was one European,
member of the French Geographical So
ciety, who desired to explore the Riff couu-
try. Shortly, however, before our party
started from Meilla his progress was I'M
l4r fad A n6
from one of the mountain chiefs TO the
effect that the tribes could not allow the
Christian to pass through their territory.
He had been seen. it was said taking some
photographs of the country. and this
aroused the suspicion of the natives,
who are ever on the alert to prevent in
quisitive Europeans from getting in
formation regarding mines, etc, Leaving
Melilla, we'struck into a vast mountain
system, and were fairly in the land of the
Rifians From this time we travelled
each day, hating merely for the night.
saw nothing of the appearance of a road
during our entire journey, but we passed
along a narrow track, sometimes leading
over the top of majestic mountain ranges,
at others lying close to the seashore, the
slopes of the hills were in many cases
covered with dense brdshwood, in Others
there were abundance of olive groves,
and sometimes the hillsides are wooded
by by the arar tree, a species of pine
having strong but agreeable perfume,
and said to be well adapted for cabinet
work, though hardly known in Europe.
/ also noticed quantities of fig, walnut,
almond trees and vines. The scenery was
truly magnificent, as we wended our way
through the mountain passes, when 1
every mile seemed to present us with
landscapes more romantic and beautiful
than the preceding. The fertile val
leys were studded with Riffian ham
lets, surrounded by their gardens, rich in
the foliage and flora of North Africa,
while at times the track led over high
ground, from which to the right we had
extensive views of the deep blue Mediter-
ranean, lying calm and undisturbed by
ripple beneath us, and to our left were
grand mountain chains which, towering
up one behind the other, showed the most
lovely effect of light and shade, their
craggy SUBMITS standing out clear ana
distinct against the bright azure sky.
The lower slopes were sometimes wooded
with park-like trees, relieved by open
glades, which were covered with a profu-
sion of wild flowers, showing every diver
sitY of hue as a brilliantly variegated
carpet. On some occasions also the sun
sets were most beautiful when mingled
with snOw-capped peaks were packed
masses OF clouds showing the most ex-
quisite combinations of coor-blue, or
ange, gold and purple presenting an ef-
L
have never seen equaIed.
Judging from what have seen of the
inhabitants of the Riff, / should say their
social village life, though primitive is not
unhappy Pastoral pursuits and agri-
culture are their chief industries. while
living simply close to nature, in the fresh
air of their mountain homes, they have
become robust ana hardy race. The
Riftans are not nearly so dark as the in
ha &c Of "a nj 70;
hair ond blue eyes; the women also, | re-
marked. do not practice the same seclu-
sion as their sisters in other parts of
Morocco, and many are extremely pretty.
The men are invariably armed with long
knives and firearms necessary pre-
caution, for in the Riff tits a saying that
every mans gun is the law. Only a few
years ago the weaponf We're the autiquated
Moorish flint lock- by which the pea
Santry generally throughout the empire
were armed, but lately American rifles
have been introduced, and about four
fifths of the men l saw seemed to be
armed with them. During a recent tribal
dispute battle was fought only by men
on each side armed with the new weapons
Those who possessed nothing better than
the old-fashiOned guns, having carefully
got out OF the way of the line of fire, sat
down and looked on. saying their arms
were no use against the inventions of the
Christians. Along the Riftian coast at
different places are inlets. which it is
said might easily be converted into excel
lent harbors, Smuggling feluccas ply
their trade along the coast discharging
and taking in cargo at these points, and
it is thus the rifles are brought into the
country, some also being Struggled in
through the port OF Tangier There be-
ing no law recognized throughout the Riff,
except the will of their chief, and their
being no courts of justice of any kind,
their place is supplied by the observance
of a species of vendetta, or blood feud
Thus, should one man kill another, even
by accident, some relation, usually the
next of kin, is bound to murder the one
who occasiOned the death; but this mans
relations are in their turn bound to exact
vengeance, and so the feud is perpetu-
aJed for generations Young children
are taught from the time they can speak
that it is their duty, when they become
men, to cause the death of some particu-
lar man who is named to them, possibly
near neighbor. As a consequence of this
practice, murders are extremely com
mon, and l am told on good authority that
more than 80 per cent. of the male popu-
lation die by violent deaths. | have
reason to believe that rich mineral de-
pOsitS exist in different parle pf This die