The Republican journal., 1901-12-26
GOODBYE TO AFRICA.
Perils of the Street in Tangier. A Glimpse
of Ceuta, Spain's Most Terrible Convict
Station, off the Coast of Morocco.

Especial Correspondence of The JOurnal.1
On THE MEDITERRANEAN, Novem-
Der IL, 1901. We have encountered many
escapes" in course of these African
edge-that came so near the chair
breadth" line as one which marked al
most our last moment on the dark con-
tinent. Already the steamer had signalled
that the time of departure was at hand,
and we were hurrying to the quay, con-
voyed through the winding lanes of
Tangier by a magnificent looking Moor.
who might have been Ali Bahia himself,
but was really hotel runner. Tall,
straight and imperturbably solemn,
with long, gray beard and piercing
black eyes, made blacker by contrast
with his immense white turban, green
morocco slippers, embroidered with gold
on his stockingless feet, and volumi-
nous draperies of snowy wooden girded
about the middle by crimson sash-he
looked altogether too imposing an indi-
vidual to be ordered about by "Christian
dogs" Evidently he entertained the
same opinion, for straight ahead he
stalked, without once looking back,
paying no more heed to his charges
than if he had not pocketed liberal
consideration for plotting us safe to
port. The wonder is that we did not
lose him in the crowds that surged the
labyrinthing alleys, with their uneX-
pected turns and cul de sacs. Doubt
less we should have done so, and might
still be hunting the port, had not the
rear of our little procession been brought
up by half dozen young Arabs, push
ing, pulling and prodding as many I'M
willing donkeys, each diminutive beast
laden from head to tail with our belong
ings. Again and again we were COM
PEELED to retreat hastily into doorways,
to allow strings of asses to pass, the
animals completely obliterated under
bullying loads of grass or straw, which
scraped the walls on either side; or huge
on their great spongy feet, snarling and
showing their teeth when cruelty prod
ded by the drivers, but obediently kneel
ing at Arabic command. Or we had to
make way for scurrying troop of the
Sultan's soldiers, who do not hesitate to
trample under the hoofs of their horses
whatever may be in the path; or COM
pany of mounted water peddlers with
dripping pig-skins of the precious fluid
carried before them on donkey-back; or
bevies of insolent slave-women return
ing from market, who delight to visit
upon the defenseless strangers some of
the abuses that is their own life long
heritage.
Our Escape was met near the jour
ney end, at the last turn of the street,
within sight of the landing. The mar
row space was packed with a shouting,
excited throng, through which we must
force passage or miss our steamer.
The central attraction was Santo, or
so-called Holy Man, in other words.
a Mobammedan lunatic, apparently of
the most dangerous type. In this land
of fanatics, you know, insane people,
however violent, are permitted to range
at will and indulge their widest
vagaries unhindered, because it is be-
lieved that Allah loves them above
other men. This ebony tiend might
have come direct from the internal re-
gions, if ''looks" count for anything
wild, rolling, blood-shot eyes; wide
open, foam flecked mouth, in which
yellow snags of teeth contrasted with
the blackness of his skin and thick,
why. curling beard. He wore no
clothes to speak of-only the remnant
of brown "gehab' that did not half
cover his nakedness, and a skull-cap,
studded with silver coins, from which
hung long wooden tassels ornamented
with similar pieces OF money. Yells
and blood-curdling laughter issued
from his throat as he danced about,
brandishing his bare arms aloft. In
one hand he clutched red flannel bag,
believed to contain charms and curses
of equal potency; and in the other he
grasped a huge snake, which writhed
and Kissed and thrust out it's tongue
and tried to strike with all its envonom-
ed power. The Santos face and arms
were SCARED with snake bites, but as
he leaped to and fro and around the
circle of spectators-which promptly
widened at his approach-he would
bring the snakes head to his own
mouth and thrust out his tongue till it
touched the serpent's fangs. The rep
tile seemed to bite the tongue repeated
ly, but with no effect upon the lunatic,
except that a few drops of blood
trickled down his breast. Suddenly the
horrid creature thrust his hand into
his breast and drew forth another and
larger snake-a notified fellow fully
seven feet long. He twisted the two
serpents together and leased them in
every way, until they became frantic
with rage, when he would thrust them