The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-19
In A MOORISH HAREM.
BUT LITTLE OF TIE LUXURY 70
NANCE GIVES IT.

made Of coarse material, bare-headed, bare
footed and bsre-legged; swarthy Bedouins
from the deserts Of the interior, and members
of the warhke tribes from the Atlas mountains;
men everywhere in diverse costumes, repre- =
sentinR all races; and as l was passing along
slowly, riding on my little, sleepy donkey,
l almost despaired Of meeting feminine FIG
ure.
The few women 1 met afterward passed
stealthily by the dirty, windowless houses with
their faces so covered with thick white cloth
that only their large, melancholy black eyes
were visible. while they wore large wooden san
dals on their naked feet. These evidently be-
longed to the poorer classes.
Now and then we were surprised by the ap-
pearance Of odd looking beings with uncovered
faces. but painted witha fiery red, surmOunted
by eyelashes and eyebrows dyed in the deepest
black
They were dressed in variegated garments,
and their necks and arms sparkled with silver
ornaments and coins. My dragoman, Mus
tapha informed me that they were Jewesses,
who were as numerous in Tanger as in other
parts of Morocco. Hone but Jewish women are
permitted to go through the streets with IN
yelled faces.
Near the large Moorish gate Of the fort we
were approached by little girl dressed in
ALL THE coLoRs OF TIE RAINBOW,
apparently or years old. Her little face was
not yelled but was covered with bright rouKe
and she had painted her hands so skillfully
with henna that it appeared as If she wore
orange. colored gloves.
Sac smiled pleasantly to Mustapha as we
passed, who told me that it was his little sister.
who was married two months ago. A wife s
years old.
Shortly afterwArd we halted before a massive
gate, the arch of which spanned the narrow
street. Here was one of the Darems which we
had proposed to visit. A Jewess, arrayed in a
loud dress of oriental pattern, adorned also
with cheap iewelTy, received US at the door and
invited us to enter.
The gentlemen of the company were, Of
course, anxious TO be with us, but their attempt
to enter acted upon the little band of soldiers
who were reclining on the stone benches near
the gate lie an electric shock, whose cries OF
"Harem! haremw warned my inquistive
friends away.
Ny maid Sophie. and followed the Jewess
through long, dark corridor, which led into
the patio, the square court to be found In al
oriental dwellings A splashing fountain spread
an agreeable GOODNESS over the surrounding
galleries.
Marble pillars supported the lower gallery,
and between these pillars were the large doors
that lei into uninviting, murky little rooms.
The whole possessed me with singular and mys-
FERROUS impressions.
had found houses Of similar architecture in
Andausa, but there the walls had windows,
the courts we're filed with flowers, palm and
banana trees, and between the massive columns
constant songs of the birds delighted the
visitors.
But this was all missing here while the bare
walls were damp and dirty, aud everything bore
the marks Of
NEGLECT AND INCIDENCE.
assembled the damp stone stairs and was
ushered into an oblong room, where, upon a
floor inlsyed with azueyos glazed tilesJ, six
homely old women sat on a rug. They seen ed
to have just partaken OF their afternoon tea, as
-. . @N
the empty cups
It's remarkable that here in Morocco, the
most Mohammedan of countries, the national
drink is not coffee but tea. Neither the ladies
of the harem nor the large cat that was also
stretched on the rug appeared to be much dis
turbed by our visit; they greeted us simply
with slight nodding of the head, 81 pressive OF
extreme indifference. showing that we were not
welcome.
1t was a dreary apartment, devoid Of furni
ture; not a chair or divan was to be seen in
this most inhospitable place Our ciceront
answered my questions only with mOnosyliabiC
incomprehensibilities as she could speak only
in Arabic and understood but little Spanish.
Nevertheless, the very sight of these Rpa
thetic old women was of great interest to me
Here, crouched together In tho middle of 6
large, damp apartment, devoid of everything
that makes home comfortable. they spend the
greater part OF the day for weeks and month.
and years. with no diversion of pleasant out
Jugs to change the miserable monotoDy of theu
existence.
1t is true that their bodies are bedecked with
costly silks aud satins and precious Jewels gold
embroidered garments. diamond studded brace
let's, necklaces and brooches. But can we con
ceive of female happiness without lookins
glasses. pc,ures and portraits tables, tete- q
tetes, rockers, wardrooes and the thousand anC
one articles and knick-knacks OF European anC
American homesl
WHAT CARE THESE
about their households? All the work is don,
by female slaves. They neither sew nor kni
nor crochet, and they can neither read moi
write, Their master Is their only male visitor
and looking at these specimens of my sex
could not help plying the lord Of the harem.
begged the attendant to show me the bed
rooms Of the ladies. She led the way across the
patio to large dreary dormitory ia which she
aid they all slept.
Not window in tho room, all the sunlight
that ever ppnetrates there comes through the
open door, which was Theoretically closed al
night. This room was also bare OF furniture
except that behind several portieres we behelC
a few Moorish mattresses with plain calico
COVERINGS. These wers the beds.
They know nothing OF liLen sheets pillows
quilts and hlan eets. looked in vain for mirror.
and toileT articles
They evidently keep all these things tout OF
sight" for Judging from the appearance Of
their hair they devote much time to theil
couture and their painted faces. eye brows and
hands, and although not artistcally finished
yet denote that much care is bestowed on them
They perform their ablutions in common al
the fountain in the patio in summer and winter
another reason why strange men were pro-
hibitei from visiting the harelns.
A drenchinR rain. which threatened to last al
day, was not happy omen for the visit on the
following day. which we had purposed to pay tC
a baren OF much greater distinction,
The house before which we halted belonged
to one OF the most distinguished officials in Tan
ger, but
IT DIFFERED IN EowIsE
from the poor, windowless structures OF the
neiyhboraood.
The subjects OF his desDotic majesty, who
rules over their life and death, family and DOS
sessions, are IN constant fear OF being robbed
of their property By this tyrant, so they darC
not display any luxury or wealth.
But although l knew this was chagrinec
when. passing through the long corridor, came
in the petlo.
VILE. ia the Moorish palaces of Spain, had
seen the extravaganza and architectural
splendor which the aac stors of the Tangierans
had introduces there, so l hoped TO see some
sign Of this former glory In this Moorish
dwelling.
IL is true that the patio was surrounded by
large columns of beautiful marble but they
were IN bad repair; of the glass dome overhead
most Of the panes were broken, SO that the ra
dropped down on our faces as we walked about
inspecting the galleries.
Here again we we're received by a Jewess
Sh. had been ms ructe1 to bid us welcome and
TO conduct US through the harem. AS We
reached the first gallery we were IN t by lady
with very refined features, who accosted Us
with a friendly mien.
| learned that she represented the whole
kareu all by herself. that she was the only wife
Of Abi'el salem Reschid. and here portrayed
III ..NEk -