The Republican journal., 1901-10-31
ON MuLE-BAcK IN NORTHERN AFRICA,
Tangier's Interesting Environs. A Trip to
Tetuan. Riff Pirates by no Means Past and

TANGIER, Morocco, Sept. %, 1901.
The uncertain laws of this land of Mo-
hammed have established what is
known as SANITARY Council" whose
rule extends three miles beyond the
walls of Tangier. Farther than that
Europeans are not allowed to 60, either
singly or in companies, without one or
more Moorish soldiers as escort. Now
and then fool-hardy tourist tries it:
but seldom returns to tell the tale of
his adventures. Not long ago a Span
lard was murdered in this way. His
government secured money payment
from the Sultan, but the murderers
were never punished, nor any effort
made to discover who they were. There
IS little doubt that the soldiers themsel-
yes,-the alleged protectors of the peo-
pie i'll their capacity of mounted police
were at the bottom of the affair. if
not the actual murderers. Conditions
here are akin to those we found in
Cuba during Weylers regime, when
spanish soldiers had things all their
own way with the defenSeless islanders,
before Uncle Samuel came to their res
cue. Shortly after the Maine was
exploded, a Red Cross party, of which
the writer was member, had occasion
to go from Guanabacoa to the next vii
lage, three miles distant on foot as
there was M otbar V-ay arvtbiDr
was quiet as the grave, and we started
blithely enough down the laurel-shaded
Toad-to be immediately ordered back
by the Captain of the Spanish forces
that guarded the town. to wait for mill
tary escort. In vain we protested that
ours was a neutral mission, to benefit
the suffering of either side and that
we were not afraid to make the short
Journey, at midday, on an apparently
deserted highway, especially as the
Red Cross of Geneva protects its wear
ers, even in wartime, in every part of
the world. Said the Captain: ''You
would surely be killed before you had
gone ten rods. Hungry soldiers with
guns in their hands and such an oppor
tunity for loot before them care nothing
for your Cruz Roja.' All along the
road are guard houses, with soldiers in
them, who would shoot you without
parley the instant you got within range
Of the loop-holes: and on every hilltop
are hidden sentinels posted by General
WeyIer to keep spies and reconcentra-
dos from passing. Who could tell
whence the bullets came that killed
you? If | allowed you to 60 without
the escort, | alone would be held re-
sponslble for your murder" So there
was no help for it, and to the village
we went in the midst of a troop of rag
ged soldiers, every one of whom looked
like an assassin in disguise
Piracy is also an occasional pleasantly
Of Moorish life. Recently the Pros
per CORN, a vessel Engaged in the
French-Spanish trade, was looted on
the Mediterranean by Reetian pirates.
The foreign ministers went in body,
accompanied by their dragomans, to
demand restitution on behalf of France
and Spain from Mohammed Ell Torres,
the Sbereefian minister of State. They
will get it some day,-but never so long
as the Sultan can find excuse for delay.
only the other day, a few miles off the
coast of Morocco and almost within
range of the guns of Gibraltar
British felucca was drifting placidly,o on
the tide in a dead calm when eight
long boats, filled with swarthy MooYs,
pulled out from the shore with vigor-
Gus sweeps of their oars. 1t was the Riff
pirates again-descendants of that IA
nous band of water rats" which swept
these seas in the Middle Ages and de-
spoiled every vessel they could put their
claws on. A felucca is only small craft
whose full complement is nine sailors.
Therefore resistance was useless, and
the Riffs in the long boats were masters
of the situation. They did not kill-as
their ancestors would have done, mere
ly for the fun of the thing-this piracy
being too easy In the twinkling of an
eye they stripped the little ship, taking
away the entire cargo, all the spare
canvas, the captains belongings and
about thousand dollars in silver coin;
then, turning their attention to the
crew, they tore the clothing from their
backs and even slipped off their shoes,
while the victims, afraid of their lives,
submitted without a murmur. When
there was no more to steal, the follow
ers of Captain Kidd sent few parting
shots at the ship, hourished their long,
sharp knives menacingly and pulled
back to shore. Nothing has yet been
done about the outrage; but England
never let's her sons 60 unredressed of
foreign wrongs and it is probable that
before long there will be music in the
air about the Sultans ears. In this case
the Sultan was not to blame. He has
many times marched troops against the
Riffs, but all in vain; and now he has
set large price on every pirates head.
1t is another case of first catch your