Evening journal., 1896-10-31
A MOORISH DINNER.
ACCOUNT OF THE TABLE OF THE
GRAND VlzlER OF MARocco.

Along the dark avenue Of our palace In
Marakesh appears chamberlain and his
attendants, and we know that we have
been sent for TO attend the great dinner
party the grand vizier of Nlarocco has been
so busy FOR the hist few days in preparing
for the entertainment Of her maiesty's
minister. Our horses and mules arc ready
saddled and the bodyguard of soldiers
drawn up in line 60 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 q wide open space deserted but for
the dogs or some late wayfarer, lantern in
hand, and here again through a labyrinth
of tortuous alleyways, from which the high
white houses, windowless and ghostlike,
rise on either hand.
At the doorway Of the vizier's house we
dlsmount, and passing through empty
halls and wide passages, severe and austere
IN their grim whitcness 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
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 a small beard and mus
tache swathed In the finest of white wool
and silk garments, greets u.s. 1t is she
grand vizier.
A minute later and we are onsconced 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 lacelike
plaster and with a ceiling of gorgeous
painted wood, rising in arches and domes
of intricate carving and delicate color.
Here puzzling geometric design Of gildcd
beams and there falling in stalactites
to END in drops Of gold or disappear into
the projecting designs Of tile or arabesque.
Now, at last, one cannot help thinking,
the land of the " Arabian Nights" is reach
ed. In a domed recess in the garden, lit
with fantastic lanterns, arc the musicians,
their voices and music at this distance ris-
ing and falling in weird harmonious ca
dcnces.
Dinner Is announced, and, led by the
vizier we pass down the length Of the gar
den, among courtiers, soldiers and slaves,
and find ourselves entering second and
we had just left Under the arcade Of
arches that gives entrance 10 this room
stood our dinner-92 huge covered dishes
of earthenware filed 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 sweetments
with candelabra and dessert dishes and set
in European fashion as strange an anomaly
In so oriental "a scene as the furniture which
lies scattered about the room. At either
extremity of the large apartment stand
four posted bedsteads of French empire dc
sign, in ebony and walnut respectively,
sign, from handsome construction in
"buhl" to tho most nashy 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 minister, in even
ing dress and decorations, sat tall figure
swathed in white wool and silk, while be-
hind young officer in the mess kit of the
grenadiers stood "a group of Moorish serv-
ants in scarlet and gold, black slaves and
soldiers in their crimson fezos
The perplexity of the English butler
who was shown close upon n hundred
dishes and told to serve dinner was 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
81
national DISH to mention but a 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 a
public feast in the presence alike of Euro
peaDs and their own compatriots.
We did not do justice it must be con-
fessed, to even a 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 q sign
of honor and hospitality, and one tastes
rarely of those which ones servants think
most according TO their masters gout. 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 lul 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 a semicircle
OF chairs arranged at equal distances, one
trom 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
Ihen the musicians approach and seat
themselves under the arcade without, a
long row of mon with inlaid guitars and
Violins and strange instruments that have
no name in English. But the proximity
Is TOO great, and wh0t was music at a dis
tance becomes noise at close quarters. Be
yond them is the garden, seen through the
arches half lost in shady gloom, half ap-
parent IN the bright moonlight and bright
pr flash Of r,f4rrt howe - 1nrto,.pe Arr,fr,