Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-27
MoRocco's CAPITAL.
The City Of Fez-Quaint, Ancient and
Most Oriental Of Towns.
From the London Times.

From the London Times.
A long line of gray walls, broken hero
and there by battlemented towers and top
ped by the white buildings Of the sultan's
palace and q few minarets-such Ia tho
travellers first view Of Fee as he ap-
proaches the capital by the main caravan
road. 1t is an unattractive approach, for
the last eight or ten miles Of the 175 that
lie between Tangier and the largest and
most important city OF Morocco pass over
q plateau between level, unbroken stretches
Of corn-growing country, bounded on the
north by bare hills. and farther away. on
the south. by q range OF rugged mountains.
One sees little but its gray, monotonoas
walls appearing on the horizon. Yet It "
an Ideal site for city. and Mulai Idris, its
founder and patron saint, did not err In
fixing upon it for his capital when, early
In the ninth century A. D. he laid its foun-
Of the origin of its name; for Fas, as the
Moors call 1t, means hoe in Arabic. and
1t Is said that as Mulai Idris turned tho
first sod he cried, Here plant my hoe
q tradition almost Identical with the nam.
ing of Kairouan by the great Okba. The
main entrance to Fez the Bah Segma, Is
an unworthy gateway for such city, for
1t consists Of little more than an archway
cut In the wall, with no pretensions to size
or decoration.
There Is second gateway on the right,
in the wall that incircles the Palace Gar.
dens, through which on the great feast
days Of the year the sultan rides to pray
at the "Msala" near by. The "Msala"
itself IL q short, white crested wall. with
niche or mihrab facing the east. and Ii
situated only few hundred yards away
on the slope Of the hill. insignificant
enough in itself, 1t presents on state oc-
casions a marvellous picture.
Entering through the Bah Segma one
passes for q short distance along a street.
lined with Mttle shops. where dried figs and
raisins, walnuts and groceries are exposed
for sale. A sharp 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 end by great gateways. On the right
Is the facade and entrance to the arsenal,
a particularly hideous mixture Of bad or.
entail and worse European taste, while
straight in front Is the Gate Of the Liop,'
a fine archway In modern Moorish style,
which time is happily softenfng. 1t Is un.
der the shade Of lis heavy roof that one
Of the several governors OF Fec holds his
public court and deals out what he caas
justice. He sits cross-legged. attended by
secretaries, in deep niche in the gate
way, while in a semi-circle before him
squat his dozens OF whdte-robed and red
capped soldiers. Before him kneel the
plaintiff and defendant. both talking Vol.
ubly at the same time and each calling
God to witness that the other Is q 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 It Is from this second square that
the routes to old and new Fee respectively
divide. The latter consists OF TIE upper
and more modern town and contains the
palace the "Mellah," or Jews quarter, and
a district almost entirely official. but boasts
little Of interest.