Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-09-06

greatly modernized; railroads and
the the conveniences of civilization
have been introduced until the town
OF Algiers has been called 'Little
Paris;" but Morocco under the des-
potlc rule of the sultan still holds to
its barbaric customs.
Not wheeled vehicle is allowed
within the dominions of the ''Father of
the Faithful" and all merchandise
must be transported upon the backs
OF camels, mules or men. The country
IS rough and unbroken; bridle-paths
lead from one settlement to another.
and the natives have such fanatical
prejudice against foreigners and inno-
Vatlons, that progress under the cir
cumstances is an impossibility. The
Moors are intense fatalists, holding
that what is good enough for their
fathers. must suffice for themselves
Indicative of the aversion of the
Arabs to any Improvement presented
by foreigners, is the following Incl
dent: The promoters of a British cable
company, upon the failure of repeated
attempts to gain consent to establish n
terminal for their line in Tangiers, be-
thought them of novel idea. One
OF their repair steamers being pro-
vlded with numerous electrical appli-
ances, such as motors, fans and minia-
ture railroads, anchored in the bay op-
poslte the city. The sultan was given
banquet on board, and the contriv-
ances pleasing him, the whole lot was
presented to him, delighting him so
much that he straightway gave the
company the desired permission. The
cable was laid and all trouble believed
to be at an end; but the orthodox
Moor not having been subsidized rs
had been his royal master, conceived
that both his feelings and his religion
had been outraged by the Christian
dogs" Accordingly, one dark night
he went down to the beach and cut the
cable with an AK. The line was re-
paired, but whenever any Arab had
grievance against the hated foreigner.
he Immediately applied his efforts to
destroy the cable. 1t was repaired
three times, when the company re-
solved upon this expedient. One dark
night the cable was taken up and car
rled underground to the office, and
dummy cable was laid in plain sight
Tor few hundred feet. The device
was successful, and although Mr..
Moor often took occasion to chop the
dummy to pieces, for long time the
whereabouts of the true cable was un-
known
The international lighthouse on
Cape Spartel, at the entrance to Gibral-
tar Straits, is one one of the points of
interest in this neighborhood. 1t is
supported by the maritime Nations of
OF the world, marking point very
dangerous to navigators, and is stu
ated opposite the old Spanish town of
Tarifa, whence we derive our word
tariff, this town being the first place
where such duty was levied.
One morning, accompanied by two
English acquaintances and an inter
prefer and guide, Spanish Jew, the
writer set forth to visit this celebrated |
light. Mounted upon mules with high |
Arab saddlesp we started, the path |
now winding over cliffs skirting the |
blue Mediterranean, and again plunged |
IN the businesses of a deep woodland. |
Turning in our saddles, we could see
Gibraltar, Il crouching lion, over
shadowed by the snowy ranges of the
Sierra Nevada in Spain.
After two hours of rough riding, We
drew up at the lighthouse terrace,
where the keeper, pleasant old Ger
man, furnished refreshments for man
and beast. We then spent an hour or
two inspecting the lighthouse and
looking through the big telescope by
which all vessels are signaled.
One of my English friends had
heard of some wonderful caves stu
ated upon the Atlantic side, and much
against the advice of our host and the
guide, we resolved to visit them and
return to Tangiers by a roundabout
way. 1t was urged that this way be-
iDg much longer, we should not reach