The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-27
HE SCENES WITH THE YOUNG SULTAN or MOROCCO
Favors Christian Ways, and Ia
Losing Caste With His
People.
The Sultan's Harern.
especlally objected to his coronation

Moor's home lie Ia not supposed to ba
known outside OF his immediate family,
and no European has ever seen tho Sui
tan's haren. J. doubt whether any Mo-
hamnlcdan man except his own eunuchs
has ever crossed It's threshold, and 1t
would be very improper to ask His Males
ty as to the health OF the multtudinous
ladies' Of his household. Nevertheless. COS
sip gets out In one way or another, and 1
am able to give you some pictures of
Mulai's harem.
BY the Mohammedan religion he has the
right to four wives, and no end of concur
bines His palaces are iar9e 4nd tile SUI
tan himself lives on the first floor, in a
suite Of big rooms. at the four corners OF
which his wives have their apartments.
Each wife has her own establishment,
but all are subject to the rule of certain
slave women called arifas negro concu-
bines who were especially favored by
Mulai Hassan. this Sultan's father.
The Sultans real wives must be chosen
from the different branches of tho royal
family, so that the Sultan Is forced to
marry his cousins. This is not so bad as
is the case In Siam. where the King mar
ries his sisters.
The Sultan's Secondary Wives.
The customs of this country as regards
the monarch are much the same as thosa
of several municipalities of the Ear East.
The King of Siam can call any woman in
the country to serve in his palace, no mat
ter II she be wife, mother or daughter;
and the Emperor Of China selects his
wives from the daughters of the Manchu
mobiles, who are sent into the palace to be
picked over.
/ was present in Picking when the pre-
sent Emperor married three wives. the
old Empress Dowager making the select
ion. The Sultan Of Morocco is frequently
presented with secondary wives or concu-
blnes by his tribal chiefs. The girls are
often sent up for his approval, and espec-
tally at Bairam, and he can select such
for his household establishment as may
take his fancy. In addition to this he
has large number of coal black negress-
es who have been purchased from time to
time In the local slave markets, and also
other women imported from the Orient.
I Inside the Palace.
The Sultan has many palaces. He has
quarters In nearly every town In his dos
minion and the governors establishment
here in Tangier belongs to him. He has
three different capitals, one In Southern
Morocco. one in Central Morocco and an
other at Fee. The latter Is the largest,
and everything there is managed on q
vast scale. The palace Is surrounded by
walls. 1t is IN the Dar-el-MaKEzen, WHeTo
all the government officials live. The builds
ings contain no end of bedrooms and 1iv-i
ing-rooms. as well as large kitchen and
dairy They swarm with servants, both
male and female. The Kitchens are man
aged by negro cooks and among the other
mon servants are the men OF the bath, =
linen of the tea and men of the water"
There are also men of the bed" and
j men of the mat The bath men have
| to do with the imperial chamber The tea
men make the imperial tea. using the best
of the green leaves and seeming them
with mint. The bed men have charge of
the Sultans tent when he camps, and he
mat men bring his prayer rug and spread
1t out for him when his times for prayer
como. In addition TO these there are
negro men slaves who take charge of the
Sultan's horses and mules; there are others
who walk behind him when he goes out
for an airing. to flick off the flies, and a
third set who carry the imperial parasol
to shut out the rays of the SUM-.
Waited Upon by Women.
In the harem itself, or rather in his own
private apartments. the Sultan is attended
by women only His servants are concu-
bines and slaves. Like the men servants,
they are organized into classes and each
slave has her special job. ~
| copyrighted 1907, by Frank G.. Carr
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