The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-11-10
A CITY OF GUARDED HAREms-

~ situated al the head Of a funnei-sha ped
valley, formed by low hills whose slopes
are covered with orchards ana orange
groves and whose tops are crowned by
the ruins OF ancient Notifications. the
distant view is wonderful The town is
still surrounded by old tuFreted and bat
tiemented walls, so lofty that nothing
within them Is visible from outside but
the tops of the tallest houses and the
slender minarets CT countless MOSQUES.
shining against the cloudless blue OF the
African sky like the spears OF an advanc-
ing army Through the valley winds the
Wcd-el-Jubsi. a branch OF the Sehu
River. which il joins a few miles north
of the town. and all along IT'S banks are
ruined odinces Of every descripticn-
broken columns and stone aqueducts OF
Roman times, cells Of hermiJs. dervishes
and other religious fanatics OF later date.
dome-like tombs and dilap.dated forts
During the Middle Ages Fez was one OF
the largest and most magnificent cities
OF the Mohammedan world renowned for
its schools and scientific instiStions. its
splendid public buildings. seven hundred
mosques, and the finest library then in
existence. After the removal OF the
court Of Morocco this city gradually de-
clined. But IN the eyes OF Western Arabs
II IS stnl "A place Of paramount import
anCe. being considered holy 0H account
of innumeratle tombs and relics.
Entering the town through narrow slit
in one OF the lofty towers that flank the
walls. YOU viii find that the latter are
what NNesterner's call "a blun. being not
nearly as formidable as they appear but
fast falling 10 decay. Before this point is
reached IN your travels you have become
accustomed TO the strange people of
Northern Africa. clothed and unclothed.
and stately Moors. ragged Jews. naked
negroes. Berbers. Bsdouins. lspers. snake
charmers Arab steeds and dromedaries
Of the desert. no longer astonish You.
The thing that strikes YOU AT first in
Fee. and strikes with staggering force.
is the appalling smell. which seems 10
have come down from TIE DAYS OF Muley
Edris. who founded ,he place \. j. S0S.
and % have been gaining in strength and
visCr ever since. Like all Morocco towns.
Fez possesses a system of drainage and
an abundent water slpply-nearly every
house having a fountain ~ its courtyard
by which the drains are constantly flushed
But all this waste water has no connect
ion with the sewerage. or rather the lack
of it, and the closet Of each house is plac-
Cd just inside the street entrance, and
needs no sienbOari to locate T.
Next YOU are struck BY the extreme
uarrowncss Of the streets. many OF which
are mere foot paths in which TWO per-
soFs could not possibly walk abreast
Though Fee is nowadays the commercial
emporium OF the desert. its principal
businss streets are barely nine feet wide
Considerable trade is carried on by means
caravans with adjoining countries TO the
south and east. and so far as Timbuctoo
and on the other side 10 the sea and TO
Europe. by way of Tangier hence the
narrow WAYS are packed. not only with
people OF every race and color. but with
many beasts of burden, including the
vicious camels that snarl and strike out
with their heels at passers-by and occas-
ionally half-tamed lions and leOpards In
charge Of their keepers. These monarchs
of the desert are i'm great demand IN No
rocco for household pets by those who
can afford to pay the price. Il is said
that che Sultan has seven enormous lions
not tanned al all They are kept securely
chaned by day. but at night they are let
loose and permitted TO range the court
yard I'm order to guard the royal harem.
\ standing army could not be better pro-
lection. for no lover is likely 10 brave
those beasts. nor any frai Fatima TO run
away.
How can one describe a place when
there is nothing with which To compare
it2 The houses are an hat-roofed and
generally three stored with blank walls
toward the street. High mp in each-too
high for eyes 10 see into-small wooden
gratings are set. To admit the air
Each immense dwelling. when is prac-
tically "a prison for its female inmates.
has only one narrow door. of heavy wood.
strong enough to withstand a siege. and
always securely barred. When one wishes
10 enter he pounds upon it with the hilt
OF his dagger. a stone. or any convenient
missile: until. by and by. a leisurely
eunuch shows his face az the little slid
ing panel and enquiries what is wanted.
And then a hundred 20 ore the applicant
is not admlt,ed-never unless the master
of the house is present and receives him
in person The street door opens into
long narrow. stone-paved hall. from which
other barred doors lead 10 the inner court
yardt Here all is bloom and beauty. the
music OF birds and the FLASHING Of foun-
tains. a wide corridor tiled and column
ed. surrounds the court. Into il all the
rooms open wide. and here the lights of
the harem spend their DAYS. eating sweet
meats and twa1gilg guitars on the fat
top of each house is shade roof. treilis-
cd and covered with vines. Here carpets
are spread in the cool Of the day. the
ladies of the family congregate and their
lord ascends 10 enjoy their company his
long pipe and the antics Of dancing girls.
story-tellers OF jugglers.
Owing % the narrow streets. the height
OF the houses and the habit Of stretching
trellises. covered with vines. across from
side N side. the sun never touches the
ground iu Fee. except in g few isolated
Races- The consequence is that its nat
irallv dark-skinued citizens. being rarely
exposed 20 the full light Of DAY. have com
plexious that remind YOU OF partially de-
COMPOSED potato sprouts FIR q dark cellar
For miles YOU walk under the dense shade
Of these arbors. au canopied with dust
ana cob-Webs The so-called streets ru1
in straight lines. the entire length of the
town and all are paved with round stones
the size Of a cocoauut worn smooth hv
the tread az generations - slippered feet
As these lanes are never SWEPT ard every
householder throws his Stops and refuse
out of doors one must pick his WaE with
exceeding care. The Wed-ei-Jubai C.River
1f Pearis) divides the citv into two parts.
thc New and the Old The latter. called
1y the Arabs Fas = bali. lies on the right
side IF the stream, Fas q djadid. the
newer portion. on the left Bv the way.
as Won vaiue your iife drink no water
while IN this HoIv CIV, The River ~
Pearls is fordalie in eyer part. the RE-
beast I'm the place. 30 resolves aH the
drainage n the city and = the general F.
source IF the drinking water supply
The population ~ Fez i7 talav r-1' h'r
1ot far from 10000 tholgh f. ~ difficult .
.1 say With certainty. as TO census has
-rer ree1 takou. Centuries aEo IL 81 Gil
Do have bad more thar haf miI.en
itlze1s. hundred thousand houses end .
~ ru1s.1r.es The at1rs are mere rr.'s 4
elevated ahart fa1r feet above the eru- .
ana So arranged f11t 40 merchant SIZE
ae sU day lonr wlth - esH clri-d rr-
ser him. can reach anything ir bis FtacF
rithout gst-irE lr- AZ uaF 30 lrsari-