The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-07-29
MOROCcO'S CAPITAL
The City of FeZ-Quaint, Ancient and
Most Oriental of Towns.

A long line of gray walls, broker
here and there by battlemented towers
and topped by the white buildings of
the Sultan's palace and 4 few minarets
such is the travellers first view of
Fez as he approaches the capital by
the main caravan road. 1t is an un.
attractive approach. for the last eight
or ten miles OF the 175 that lie between
Tangier and the largest and i'm,
portant city of Morocco pass oveI
plateau between level. unbroker
stretches of corn-growing country
bounded on the north by bare hills
and, further away. on the south, by o
range of rugged mountains.
One sees little but its gray. monot
onous walls appearing ON the horizon.
Yet it is an ideal site for a city. and
Mulal Idris. its founder and patron
saint, did not err in fixing upon it fol
his capital when. early in the ninth
century A. ID. he laid its foundations
There Is picturesque story told OF
the origin of it's name; for Fas, as the
Moors call it. means a 'hoe" In Arabic
the first sod he cried, Here I plant
my hoe'-a tradition almost identica,
with the naming of Kairouan by the
great Okba. The main entrance tc
Fez, the Bah Segma. is an unworthy
gateway for such city, for 1t consist.
of little more than an archway cut IT.
the wall. with no pretentions to size
| or decoration.
There is second gateway on the
right, in the wall that encircles the
palace gardens. through which on the
great feast days of the year the Sultar
| rides to pray at the "Msala" near by
The "Msala" itself is short, white
crested wall, with niche or mihrat
facing the east. and is situated only e
few hundred yards away ON the slope
OF the hill. Insignificant enough il
itself, 1t presents on state occasions Q
marvellous picture.
Entering through Rab Segma one
passes for q short distance along 4
street lined with little shops, wher,
dried figs and raisins. walnuts an6
groceries are exposed for sale. A sharI
turn to the right leads one into the
outermost of the public squares of the
palace. an oblong inclosure, surrounded
by high walls. and pierced at each enc
by great gateways. On the right is
facade and entrance to the arsenal
particularly hideous mixture of bad
Oriental and worse European taste
while straight in front is the Gate OF
the Lion" fine archway in modern
Moorish style. somewhat spoiled by
its gaudy coloring, which time is hap
PLY softening. 1t is under the shade
of its heavy roof that one of the sew,
eral governors Of the Fez holds his pub
lie court and deals out what he calls
justice. He sits cross-legged. attended
by secretaries, in a deep niche in the
gateway, while in a semicircle before
him squat his dozens of white-robec
and red-capped soldiers. Before him
kneel the plaintiff and defendant. both
talking volubly at the same time, and
each calling God TO witness that the
other is a liar, which is probably
true.
A second public square lies beyond
this archway, on to which open the
gates of the private precincts of the
Sultan's palace, with their guard OF
soldiers, probably fast asleep. 1t is
from this second square that the routes
to old and new Fez respectively divide
The latter consists OF the upper and
more modern town. and contains tho
palace, the "Mellah," or Jews quarter
and district almost entirely official
but boasts little of interest.-LondoD
Times. -..s,.p--. =.