The sea coast echo., 1907-08-24
THE REBEL kAID.
A Lady's Intellectual Interview With
Hamad Anfioos.

A Lady's Intellectual Interview With
Hamad Anfioos.
More than once l had seen the re-
doubtable chieftain, 'Kaid" Hamad
Antioos, while, mounted On superb
chestnut barb, he led his fierce Ber-
Der cavalry in the wild rush of a
powder ply" charge. These perform.
ances were part of carefully thought
out scheme for terrorizing the loyal
portion of Tangier, Morocco, and in
spring the mob, still wavering be-
tween loyalty and rebellion. Then
came the anti-Jewish riots, followed
by the expulsion of some 500 or more
Hebrews from their homes. The town
Governor, the Sultan's own nominee,
was powerless before the force at An
fioos's disposal, and had to obey the
Berber chieftain's dictates to the let
ter. Meanwhile, the wires were flash
ing Revolution in Morocco and the
French cruiser was on her way south
ward from Tangier to protect the Eu'
ropean population, and was, | am told,
to turn Anfloos out"
1t was at this critical moment that,
against the advice of more than one
old resident, l summoned UP courage
TO ask an audience of Kaid AnfiooS.
Ny native page returned with the
laconic message: Welcome, at 10 in
the morning" Accompanied by a
young French lady and the page, l
found my way along the narrow lane
known as Agadir street to the town
residence of his rebel lordship.
We were met in the arched doorway
by a singularly courteous Moor, robed
in flowing cream hued haik, who turn
ed out to be my lords lieutenant-goy-
ernor, or 'fkhalifa." Escorted by him,
We traversed a rather squalid, white
walled yard leading into the stables,
where seated on big ''fertalla' "a
cushion of grass mat, stuffed with
straw, lounged a thick set, heavy
man. seemingly more than half asleep.
At word from the Khalifa, the broad,
coarse face was slowly raised toward
us. Never in my life have l seen
such a combination of sullen pride,
fanatical reserve and self-satisfied an
imalism. But the eyes! The word
squint is wholly insufficient to describe
them. Instead of conVerging, they
each look outward in a different d1-
rection, their gaze imparting horrible
confirmation of the impression given
by the other features.
The great man deigned, without
otherwise moving, to offer his paw to
be shaken, Christian fashion, and was
kind enough to ask 'fLo bas aikum p
Care you well?) The vice-governor
then beckoned to us to be seated at
some distance-on European chairs,
actually borrowed in our honor-and
tea and cakes were handed around, of
which luxuries, by the by, his lord
ship abstained from partaking in In
fidel company.
Then, leaning heavily against the
wall, he went to sleep!
AS an INTERVIEW" this was dis
tinctly discouraging. wanted to take
my leave, but was begged by the po,
lite Khalifa to stay, as there was
present for us. So, chatting with this
most agreeable of officials, we waited
one mortal hour, learning incidentally
not a little of the political situation
and of Anfloos's oVerweening conf
dence in his mission as restorer OF
Islam. For years he has declared, and
his tribes have got to believe, that
there is no Sultan, and no Makhazen
or Government. For the moment am
Sultan" is his motto and his policy.
On awaking, he said word in Shil-
hah, the Berber tongue, whereupon
two slaves rushed in with a large
white cloth, which they carefully ad-
iusted around his bull neck, so as to
cover him to the knees. us dinner go
ing to be served?' 1 whispered to
Mile. j, under the impression that
we were to be feasted On the national
dish, "couscasoo"
Nothing of the sort. His lordship
was Oi1ly SolAS W Uc A~
barber came in and performed the op-
Grafton deftly, removing the hair under
the chin after the Moslem custom,
trimming the sides of the black beard
and clipping the mustache. Then, re.
moving the sweet creatures turban,
he shaved his head close.
Nor was the show yet over. Call
ing for scissors, he stolidly favored
us with an exhibition OF his skill not
only as a manicurist but as a pedi-
curist. All this without a word ad-
dressed to the infdel visitors.
Then, condescending for the second
time to gaze somewhere in our direc-
tion, he said: MAY Allah give you
peace-Allah Ihennikum! (which is
the Moorish equivalent for "You may
CO." And we went
Early the next morning the present
was brought to me. 1t turned out to
be remarkably fine cow. While we
were discussing suitable counter of
fering, the news was ringing through
the town, "Anfoos has gone!" So he
had, bag and baggage, about sunrise.
That same afternoon the French cruis-
er- steamed into the bay.-Pall Mall
Gazette.