Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-08-27
A MOORISH DINNER.
tCCOUNT OF THE TABLE OF THE
GRAND vlzIER OF MARoCco.
The Unique Decorations-No Routine of
Courses-No Wines-The Guests sprin-
Killed. With Rose and Orange water-Es-
corts to and From the Feast.


Along the dark avenue of our palace In
harakesh appears "a chamberlain and his
attendants, and we know that we have
been sent for To attend the great dinner
party the grand vizier of Marocco has been
so busy for the last few days in preparing
for the entertainment of her majesty's
minister. Our horses and mules are ready
saddled and the bodyguard of soldiers
drawn up In line To salute and follow,
while the native servants in all the glory
OF their most gaudy clothes stand, lantern
In hand, ready to escort us; then off
through the dark streets, between the high
buttressed walls that crop up on all sides
In the southern capital of Marocco here
across a wide open space, deserted but for
the dogs or some late wayfarer, lantern in
hand, and here again through IA labyrinth
Of tortuous alleyways, from which the high
white houses, windowless and ghostlike,
rise on either hand.
At the doorway Of the yizier's house we
dismount, and passing through empty
halls and wide passages severe and austere
In their grim Wilderness, we are ushered
into one of those small and beautiful gar
dens which the Moors love so much and
know SO well how To render attractive.
Between the dark cypress trees and the
trellis work that line the paths the fitful
light of moon and many lanterns falls,
while the shadowy figures of the members
OF the sultan S court pass and repass. A
dark man, with small beard and mus
tache, swathed in the finest of white wool
and silk garments, greets us. 1t Is the
grand vizier.
A minute later and we are ensconced in
the reception room, leading from the gar
den by an arcade of horseshoe arches an
apartment rich In delicate inlaid tilework,
in arabesques and inscriptions in lacelke
plaster and with u ceiling of gorgeous
painted wood, rising in arches and domes
OF intricate carving and delicate color
Here puzzling geometric design of gilded
beams, and there falling in stalactites
to end in drops of gold or disappear into
the projecting designs of tile or arabesque
Now, ut last, one cannot help thinking,
the land Of the Arabian Nights is reach
ed. In domed recess i'm the garden, lit
with fantastic lanterns, are the musicians,
their voices and music at this distance ris-
ing and falling in weird harmonious ca
dences.
Dinner Is announced, and, led by the
vizier, we pass down the length of the gar
and find ourselves entering "A second and
even more gorgeous apartment than that
we had just left. Under the arcade of
arches that gives entrance to this room
stood our dinner-02 huge covered dishes
of earthenware filled with all the delicacies
that native cooks know so well how to pre-
pare. Within stands the dining table, load
ed with fruit and flowers and sweetmeats,
with candelabra and dessert dishes and set
In European fashion rs strange an anomaly
in so oriental scene rs the furniture which
lies scattered about the room. At either
extremity Of the large apartment stand
four posted bedsteads of French empire de-
sign, in ebony and walnut respectively,
and mirrors of every shape, form and de-
sign, from handsome construction in
"buhl' 10 the most flashy Of modern gilt
hideosities Clocks of many shapes and
designs tick against the walls, while the
floors of marble and tiles are strewn with
antique carpets of the country and modern
brussels of suicidal hues; the candelabra
on the table Of inferior pewter, the forks
and spoons Of handsome silver gilt-every-
where the same strange mixture Of orien-
talism and civilization, of wealth and shod
diness. Nor was the company less diverse,
for next to her majesty's minister, in even
ing dress and decorations, sat "a tall figure
swathed in white wool and silk, while be-
hind a young officer in the mess kit of the
grenadiers stood II group of Moorish serv-
ants in scarlet and gold, black slaves and
soldiers in their crimson feZcs.
The perplexity of the English butler
who was shown close upon a hundred
dishes and told to serve dinner was n fca
ture in the entertainment, but fortunately
there Is no routine in Moorish feasts, and
one eats promiscuously of spiced meats,
young pigeons richly stuffed, fowls roasted
with lemon peel and "kooskoosoo, the
national dish, to mention but very few
of the many delicacies prepared. No wines
are ever given at these entertainments,
and one falls back upon one S own supplies
brought for the purpose, for the Moors are
by religion, and generally by practice,
stanch teetotalers. Nor would those who
do imbibe in secret venture to do SO at u
public feast in the presence alike of Euro
peans and their own compatriots.
We did not do justice, 1t must be con-
fessed, to even n small proportion of the
repast prepared, excellent though the
dishes were. Nor is one expected to do so,
for the number of cooked dishes is a sign
OF honor and hospitality, and one tastes
most according to their masters govt, the
rest being carried away to the different
apartments in which the viZier is enter
tanning his fellow members of the minis
try and the court In general, for only the
chancellor Of the exchequer and two of the
undersecretaries of state dined with us at
table. A lull In the music in the garden
without tells us that the musicians have
not been forgotten, but are feasting apace
Then back once more to the reception
room, to seat ourselves upon n semicircle
Of chairs arranged at equal distances, one
from the other, where we are sprinkled
with rose and orange water from long
necked silver sprinklers and refreshed
with the heavy scent of incense. Trays of
green tea In minute cups and tumblers
such as we would use for liqueur follow,
tray after tray, until the three cups apiece
prescribed by Moorish etiquette are drunk.
Then the musicians approach and seat
themselves under the arcade without, q
long row OF men with inlaid guitars and
yiolins and strange instruments that have
no name In English But the proximity
Is too great, and what was music at dis
lance becomes noise at close quarters Be
yond them is the garden seen through the
arches, half lost in shady gloom, half APP
parent in the bright moonlight and bright