Evening journal., 1896-09-03
A MOORISH DINNER.
ACCOUNT or THE TABLE OF THE
GRAND WziER OF MARocco.

attendants, and we know that we nave
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
ior the entertainment OF her maiestys
minister Our horses and mules are ready
saddled and the bodyguard of soldiers
drawn up In line to salute and follow,
whilc the native servants in all the glory
OF their most gaudy clothes stand, lantern
in hand, ready TO escort us; then of
| through the dark streets, between the high
buttrcssed walls that crop up on all sides
in the southern capital OF MarQcco; 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 tortuousalleyways from which the high
| white houses, windowless and ghostlike,
rise on either hand.
At the doorway of the vizier's house we
| dismount, and passing through empty
halls and wide passages severe and austere
in their grim whiteness, we are ushered
| into one of those small and beautiful gar
| dcns 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 1tful
light of moon and many lanterns falls,
while the shadowy figures OF the membors
Of the sultan's court pass and repass. A
dark man, with a small beard and mus
tache, swathod In tho finest Of white wool
and silk garments, greets us. IT Is the
grand vizior
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 tileworki
in arabesques and inscriptions in lacelike
plaster, and with ceiling Of gorgeous
| painted wood, rising in arches and domes
Of intricate carving and delicate color.
Here puzzling geometrio design Of gilded
beams, and there falling In stalactites
to end in drops of gold or disappear into
the projecting designs Of tile or arabesquo.
Now, mt last, one cannot help thinking,
the land Of tho Arabian Nights is reach
ed In a domed recess in 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
den, among courtiers, soldiers and slaves,
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-92 huge covered dishes
of earthenware filed with all the dclicacics
that native cooks know so well how to pre-
pare. Within stands the edining table, loud
ed with fruit and flowers and sweotmeats,
with candelabra and dessert dishes and set
J In European fashion as strnngean anomaly
in so oriental scene as the furniture which
lies scattered about tho 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 II
= "buhl" to the most fashy of modern gil
= hideosities Clocks of many shapes ant
Q designs tick against the walls, while tn
= floors Of marble and tiles are strown will
I ! antique carpets of the country and Inoderi
= brussels Of suicidal hues; the candelabrI
on the table OF inferior pewter, the fork
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 divorso
, for next to her majesty s minister, in even
D | ing dress and decorations, sat q tall figure
I swathed In white wool and silk, whilo DO
+ hind a young officer in the mess kit Of the
e grcnadiors stood group Of Moorish serv
ants ia sonrlct and gold, black slaves ant
soldiers in their crimson fezes
The pcrplezity OF the English butle
who was shown close upon a hundrcs
dishes and told to serve dinner was "a fea
\ ture in the entertainment, but fortunatel.
I thore Is no routine in Moorish feasts, an,
one cats promiscuously of spicod meats
4 young pigeons richly stuffed, fowls roaste'
p with lemon peel, and "hooskoosoo, tn
national dish, 70 mention but a very fey
: Of tho many delicacies prepared. No wine
are ever given az those entertainments
9 and one falls back upon one S own supple
4 brought for tho purpose, for the Moors ar
< by religion and generally by practice
stanch tcetotalers Nor would those VIII
do imbibe in secret venture to do 50 at
public feast in the presence alike OF Euro
-, peaDs and their own compatriots.
: We did not do justice, IL must be cor
y fessed, TO even "a small proportion Of tn
repast prepared, excellent though th
dishes were. Nor is one expected 70 do SC
I, for the number Of cooked dishes Is "a sig
! Of honor and hospitality, and one taste
rarely Of those which ones servants thin
= most according TO their masters gOut, Oh
Z rest being carried away to the diheren
- apartinents in which the vizicr is ontoi
tanning his fellow members OF the mini'
try and the court I'm general for only tl
chancellor OF tho cxchequer ana two of tl
| undersecretaries OF state dincd with us
= table. A lull in the music in tho gardo
= without tells us that the musicians hay
- not been forgotten, but are feasting apac
Then back once more TO the rcceptio
- room TO seat ourselves upon a scmicirc
Il of chairs arranged nt equal distances, OF
from the other, where we arc sprinkle
with rose and orange water from lon
necked silver sprinklers and rcfrcshC
O. with the heavy scent Of incense. Trays
10 green tea in minute cups and tumble
n such as We would use for liqueur follow
10 tray after tray, until the three cups apiei
u prescribed by Moorish etiquette arc drunl
rs Then the musicians approach and sc.
themselves under the arcade without
long row Of men with inlaid guitars an
violins and strange instruments that ha'
O. no namo in English. But the proximii
20 is too great, and whot was music at di
c, fance becomes noise at close quarters. B
m yond them is the garden. aeon through Il
n arches half lost in shady gloom half n
parent in the bright moonlight and brigh
or flash Of numbers of lanterns Angl