The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-09-29
THE CHARMS OF MOROCCO.
A Ride IN That Country a Source Of
Delight.
(London standard

Few countries have more delights for
| the traveller than Morocco. There are
neither roads nor bridges 10 embarrass
! his choice The customs and manners or
the people are as in the days of Abra-
ham. Rivers and swamps create Difficult
/ ties 10 overcome which is a pleasant eX-
| ercise while the fanaticism and aloofness
of the hill tribes and of some OF the
cities IN the interior give a spice OF ad-
venture without any real danger. / have
| breathed the afr of the Arabian and At
| rican deserts, and of the high veldt. and
have tasted the wild freedom OF the Aus
/ tralian bush; but no experience surpasses
ride IN Morocco.
Reused at dawn by the movement of
| the camp, you turn out Of your tent to see
/ the horses fed and saddled and to chair
or scold the muleteer into making prepar-
ations for the march. No child can DE
more maynard and no mule more OBJ
stinate than a Moor, Yet no one Is more
easily managed by little firmness and
good temper. A joke will stem tie tor
Trent OF tumuituOus protest and turn IL 10
| laughter. A cigarette or pinch OF snuff
will melt the heart OF hadja who has
| done the pilgrimage 20 Mecca, ana the
/ present of a kiite or a pair OF cheap
| scissors will give you whole village for
| friend.
Tents and equipments are packed on the
mules and at last the caravan AZ in mo-
/ ton. You have breakfasted on eggs and
/ chicken and dates. with which the coun-
mile ride. The land Is full OF the charm
/ OF variety. In DAYS journey you may
/ cross a wide plain covered with palmetto,
I or dwarf palm. and pass by groves OF
/ olive and fig and walnut and orange and
! argan trees. The cool shade of a LOTUS,
/ a juniper or even prickly pear Will
/ tempt you 10 lunch and repose in the heat
| OF the day upon the bank Of some purling
1 stream. You ride through mile after
mile of wheat and barley and maize and
\ mlllet for Morocco might be the granary
! of western Europe. But most beautiful
/ Of all are the wild flowers and herbs.
Not even Palestine. which blossoms as
/ a garden under the rains OF early spring,
/ can compare with the lands of the Moors.
| The earth Is clothed with rainboWs. and
gariands of brilliant flowers are spread
! at your feet. Your horse tr1ads on wild
] mint and purnle aromatic thyme, and the
air is filled with their fragrance. 4 rich
purple carpet of Yipers' bugloss has
4 heavy border Of pimpernel, scarlet and
rose. Bluebells lie like an imperial man
] tie fringed with the azure of borage and
broidered with the pink white blooms OF
anemone. Scattered among the grass are
l ladies' smocks, all silver white. with gold
/ en- sprigs OF musk balsam, and blue and
/ pink immOrtelles. Moon daisies with
/ large golden bosses set in white bow be-
I fore the breeze, and cOnvolvuii Of every
| tint, from white TO lilac and deep rose.
/ open their delicate bells TO the sun.
] BY the side of the bride path arc NAL
] lows OF many Suduc5f ptdulAlui 10 luoA
upon and sweet 10 breathe in the cool Of
! the evening-musk maiiows with large
/ rose blossoms. dwarf mallOWs with pale
/ lilac flowers. and many another species
/ larger and more graceful than any that
adOrn our lanes and fields The cranes
4 bill. or poor robin. puts on his robe of
pure white or richest crimson, and the
] speedwell's tiny flower of brilliant blue
J sparkles like a gem In the bright grass
/ Vetches purple and blue. stocks both pink
and white, stately irises, lUpins, foxglove,
! peoples, horehound with dim purple bloom
J "a wealth of wild flowers gladdens the
! eve and makes radiant the landscape.
Now and then you come suddenly upon
| some caravan OF camels clothed with all
the mysteries OF the desert moving In
1 long sWaying line. with an escort OF Arabs
} armed with strange rifles. They are
! laden with dates from the oasis OF Tablet,
! or convey prisoners in chains. IL may be
| that they have toiled slowly from the
! Desert OF Sahara with slaves. or across
( the mountains that help the~warlike Sus
| TO guard his country from European adj
I venture From the fertile plains yoh
/ climb rugged hllls and cliffs Of mari
J bleached by the sun and worn by winter
/ torrents, whence your eyes wander with
intense longing 10 the snow-crested Atlas
! range. whose mysteries Few travellers have
/ explored.