The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-12-13
A MIGHTY MOOR
Appearances and Characteristics Of
the Sultan Of Morocco
Tns Ersry-D9y Life of HnleT Has1<n
Who l. at Present EpgaEed In
Warfare with Spanish
Colcu3sts.

Although Au46ys nd>s1-As t-lc SUI
tan o. chief Of Morocco. wields but 3
nominal authority over the Riff tyibes-
men now At war with the Spanish
colonial settlement at Aelillz. on tie
northern Mediterranean coast OF Al
riee. he Is nevertheless the sovereign
Of that region and he VIII be held By
spain responsible for the consequences
ot the present warfare
Muley Hassan Is ffty-fve years old
His demean0r Is grave and majestic, as
becomes a man knowing the impor-
tznee of his do1ble character, as en-
peror and pontuf, and successor to
the prophet. Of whom he IS descend
ant. His dark eyes are large and ex-
pressive- bis Moorish physiognony,
adorned with q flowing black beard. in
which are seen some white hairs. re-
vesls that in his veins rms the blood
of the negro race united 70 that Of the
Arabs. He shows at the same time in
his physical traits the evidence OF an
extraordinary frmness. mixed with q
certain shadow Of melancholy and las
sit1de-
shows himself in public with fastidious
soleunity, says the New York Trib-
une. One Of the emperor's serE-
ants holds over his head large para
So TO screen him from the rays of the
sun. Others are busy tanning him. in
order to chase away the flies so a5un-
dant IN that hot climate. and all look
1t their lord as Il he were god rather
than their sovereign Edmunde Amir
els. Who saw Muley Hassan during
reception OF the Italian embassy, de-
scribes him as follows.
a vestment as white as the snow
covers him from head to foot; the tur-
ban Is covered By q high hood; the
feet are bare and inclOsed in yellow
slippers His horse Is Of high stature
and very white, with green reins and
gold stirrupS All this whiteness and
the wide. floating vestments gave him
a sacerdotal appearance, a royal grace
fitness and smiable majesty, in accord
with the very gentle expression of his
phvsiognOmy-7
On account OF the intolerance pre-
raiiing IN the Moorish empire, the
function Of a religious chief Is the
most important OF those which belong
10 the sultan. II he did not show alb
sOlute respect for the Mussulman or
thodoxy Of the doctrines OF Mohammed,
a revolution would soon turn him from
the throne or gravely compromise his
sovereignty. Maley Hassan observes,
therefore. vigorously all religious prae-
tees Of the Moslem liturgy. Like all
members Of his court, he gets mp al
three o'clock a m. in winter as well as
in summer, to make the first prayers.
After that his chaplain reads him some
pages in the books OF Bokhari. the
famous Mussulmsn theologisn- who
Is. in the opinion Of all Moors. the best
religions authority after MohaHmed.
The sultan and his ministers give
audiences between five and six o'clock
a. m. and Il Is at such a matinal hour
that he receives Europeans. The mid
die OF the day Is given TO rest and sleep,
business being resumed only a. four or
I've O'Clock ?. n, 70 stop AZ the hour
Of the evening prayer
When the sultan gets up N the morn
ing and when he has slept during the
--sicsta- in the middle OF the day his
women help him 10 dress Their num-
her Is very considerable Some people
affirm that there are two thousand OF
them IN each Of the three capitals OF
the empire, which are Fez- Neqainez
and Morocco. Bet among all these wives
the enc who Is really the favorite and
the first in the heart Of the emperor is
Circassian Of marvellous and fascinat-
ing beauty, who is thirty years old and
who has succeeded in dominating
Muiey Hassan, thanks 10 her talents,
smaFtness and high culture. She has
a European education, speaks French
and Spanish and asPires 10 make her
son Abdelazis the successor Of the pres
eut emperor.