The Republican journal., 1901-11-28

mlnt Is 1nCrOduc6d-a horrible 0ecOc-
ton; then an infusion of tea and iron
wood, bitter as gall. Then tea favored
strongly with lemon, or verbena; then
combined with citron, or some other
fruit; and, more rarely-as a most ex-
pensive luxury, too costly for every day
"a little ambergris is scraped into the
tea and can be seen floating upon the
surface like greasy green paint. While
drinking the tea, you are expected to
make a loud smacking of the lips, to
indicate your appreciation of the lux
ury; to omit which custom, or to be
faint-hearted in it, would sorely grieve,
if not insult, your entertainers. Each
course of tea is taken separately-that
is, without any kind of food; and the
effect upon the nerves of fashionable
banquet at which are eight or ten
courses of strong decoctions of tea
can be better imagined that described.
The household snake is liable to be as
many times multiplied as though you
had been indulging in Carolina tangle-
foot.
Another odd thing in the City of
Morocco is the superstition of the peo-
pie. Moors, Arabs, Jews, and Negroes
appear to be equally afflicted by it,
nothing but charms and amulets galore
affording them any comfort or safety.
Among thousand dark beliefs in the
power of evil, mysterious in their orr
gin and senseless as those entertained
by the lowest African tribes, they
ascribe fatal power to the numbers 8
and 5-as some of us fear the number
10. Even in the heat of bargaining,
Moor will never say Give; he gets
around the dangerous word by say
ing -four and one" He shrinks also
from saying anything about death in
conversation, but uses fioWery substi-
tutes, such as ''Allah hath withdrawn
his soul into paradise" If he wishes
to give his neighbor mortal offence, he
paints the semblance of five fingers
over his door: and however rudely the
symbol may be drawn it is regarded
with staring eyeballs and chattering
teeth, as sure and awful hoodoo.
Every Jewish house in the City of Mo-
rocco has charm against scorpions,
affixed to it's door post, without which,
it is believed, they would be over-run
by those presidential insects. The
by a Rabbi, at con-
siderable expense to the recipient, is
bitof paper on which is more or less
correct representation of two or three
scorpions, done in charcoal.
Above them, in Hebrew characters, is
an array of mystical words, which re-
mind YOU of the once-famed abraca-
dabra; and below is inscribed a solemn
imprecatlon. To be effective, it must
be written under certain conditions.
The Rabbi must do it only on the first
night of Swan, near Pentacost; he must
previously immerse himself three times
in bath, and also cut his nails. When
translated, the cabalistic inscription
reads: ''Oh scorpion, daughter Of
scorpion, be thou accused by the
strength of every power that exists.
From the mouth of the Prophet Joshua,
the son of Nun; from the mouth of the
High Priest Judah Bar Ezekiel; so that
you may not pass the threshold of this
door, nor hurt any Israelite. or son of
an Isrealite, now and forevermore.
This is by command of the High Priest,
Simon Bar Yuli, Amen. They shall
not hurt nor destroy in all my holy
mountain; for the earth shall be full of
the knowledge of the Lord, as the wa
tiers cover the sea. "
1t must be that in these parts the alb
horred reptiles can read, because it is
frequently asserted that scorpions have
been seen advancing to the door of
room, and then, seeing the blessed pla-
card-(or rather the reverse of blessed
to them suddenly stopping as if para
lyzed, and either dying on the spot, or
turning tail for some other house not
thus powerfully protected.
D