The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-01-27
A MIGHTY M0oR.
Annoorauoo and characteristics o4
the Sultan OF Morocco.
TAs Es&y.Dey Lac OF ualsy Hse1A
who 10 1T Present EDGA&ed N
. Wor1 1hro with Spanish
C0lonlots.

tan or chief OF Morocco. wields but
nominal authority over the Rim tribes
men now at war with the Spanish
colonial settlement at Me1ills, on the
northern Mediterranean coast OF Al
rica, he is nevertheless the sovereign
of that region, and he will be held by
Spain responsible for the consequences
of the present warfare.
Muley Hassan is hfty-flve years old.
His demeanor is grave and majestic, rs
becomes q man knowing the impor-
tance of his double character, as en-
peror and pontiff, and successor to
the prophet, of whom he is q descend
ant. His dark eyes are large and ex-
pressive. His Moorish physiognomy,
adorned with flowing black beard in
which are seen some white hairs, re-
veals that in his veins runs the blood
of the negro race united to that of the
Arabs. He shows at the same time in
his physical traits the evidence of an
extraordinary Hzmness, mixed with 2
certain shadow of melancholy and las
situde.
He receives foreign ministers and
shows himself in public with fastidious
solemnity, says the New York Trib-
une. One of the emperor's serv-
ants holds over his head large para
sol to screen him from the rays oi the
sun. Others are busy tanning him, in
order to chase away the flies so abun-
dant in that hot climate, and all look
at their lord as if he were q god rather
than their sovereign. Edmunde Ami
els, who saw Muley 1fassan 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 . high hood; the
feet are bare and incleseA In yellow
slippers. His horse is 4of high stature
and very white, with green reins and
gold stirrups. All this whfteneas and
the wide, floating vestments gave him
q sacerdotal appearance, . royal grace
fulness and amiable majesty. in accord
with the very gentle expression OF his
physiognomy."
On account of tho intolerance pre-
vailinE In the Moorish empire, the
function of . religious chief h tho
most important of those which belong
to the sultan. II he adid-not show abb
solutc respect for the Mussulsnan or
thodoxy of the doctrines of Mohammed.
. revolution would soon turn him from
the throne or gravely compromise his
sovereignty. Muley Hassan observes.
therefore, vigorously all religious prac-
tices of the Moslem liturgy. Like all
members of his court, he gets up at
three o'clock q. 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 Mussulman <heologian, who
IL, in the opinion of oil Moors, the best
religious authority after Mohsmmea.
The sultan and his ministers give
audiences between i've and six o'clock
q. M, and it is 1t such . matinal hour
thst he receives Europeans. The mid
die Of the day Ia. given to rest and sleep,
business being resumed only at four or
dve o'clock p. M, to stop ut the hour
Of the evening prayer.
When the sultan getsup' in Che morn
ing and when he has slept during the
"siesta" in the middle of the day his
women help him to dress. Their num-
Der Is very considerable. Some people
Eff1rm that there are two thousand of
them in each of the three capitals of
the empire, which are Fee, Mequinez
and Morocso. But among all these wives
the one who is reslly the favorite and
the hrstin the heart Of the emperor is
a acen 49, nd "a &vnA a..
ing beauty, who is thirty years old and
who has succeeded In dominating
Muley Hassan, thanks 10 her talents,
smartness and high culture. She has
q European education, speaks French
and Spanish. and aspires to make her
son Abdelaxis the successor Of the pres
en& emperor.