The Washington herald., 1907-10-13


Arabian Nights" but I doubt if any one
Of them is half so strange as the story of
that prince Of the blood royal whom the
Times dubbed tine brigand Raisouli. "
No teller of stories in the Sok could i'm
agil- anything so wonderful-nay, not
even .e career of FL Menhebbi son Of
the Keeper Of COWS, is half so faseinat-
ing or half so improbable Mulai Hum
met may smile, as the headlines Of the
newspaper articles concerning him are
translated by his scribe But ! doubt II
his enemies would enjoy that smile-even
while they know him outlawed and with
a price upon his handsome head-because
Mulai Hummet has been Outlawed be
fore, and he did not forget friend or
enemy. his kaiifa, in a moment of tenn
porary oblivion of the past, betrayed his
master. and his bones lie in a shallow
grave above the Sok-another of his Of
acials, Ali. has taken service under the
new governor; but he shivers In the sun
betimes. for he remembers much. and
Mulai 'HUmmet forgets nothing.
Much talk is being made of his treach-
cry in taking Kaid Maclean; but he is
in Morocco, where men meet treachery
with treachery; and that is what Mulai
'Hummet imagines himself TO have done.
The Sultan sent Kaid Sir Harry Msclean
TO him with a pardon and an invitation
TO Fez, there 10 be recOnciled 20 his ruler
and kinsman. But Mulai Hammet' ;
nephew had been TO Fez, and brought
news in addition to this. True. he was
70 be pardoned, and TO be reconciled to
the Sultan. but be was Immediately aft
erward to be cast into prison. and there
would be small chance of ever seeing the
light again. Mere gossip, as Ike as not,
and in any case Sir Harry would not
have been party 10 it, but, with this in
his mind, he lured the kaid TO his fastness
in the hills and took him prisoner. Sir
Harry was a winning card in the game;
he had played it before, and knew.
He VIII Not Go TO Fez.
Only those who have lived in Morocco
can believe the incredible duplicity that
permeates all political dealings. Accord
ing to the SuItan's tenets, this plan, if it
be true. was a perfectly legitimate one.
According TO Raisouli's mind, his is a
perfectly legitimate move also. In Mo
rocco a mans word has 10 value, his
bond does not bind longer than he so
wishes it. The dealings between Raisouli
and his lord would make the most shame
less Englishman blush, but neither Raj
soul nor the Emperor see anything TO
be ashamed of in them.
Once the rebel was safe within the cren-
ellated walls Of Fez he would rebel no
more. Abd-el-Aziz would see TO that.
Now that Raisouli has in his hands the
Sultans most valued friend and adviser,
only God knoweth,'' as the MOors say.
But Raisouh viii not go to Fez.
He has been in prison before. When
the hoors sit talking In the SOk they Oft
en- recall that fact. He would never have
come out had he been other than himself
Such men as RaisOuli are not common in
Morocco. He is of royal blood, handsome,
young Che is not yet forty, I think.
splendidly resoureeful, and courageous.
a fervent and orthodox Mohammedan,
and possessing an impressive and mag
neuc personality Irresistible to the Moor
isl mine. in him are cCiab.ael two things
the Moor loyes-religion and romance.
They do not forget that if his turn came
he is entitled by birth to sit under the
parasol and rule Morocco.
His has been a long game with my
lord the Sultan-Or, let US say, rather,
with those who govern him-for in his
heart the Sultan has, I understand,
great admiration for his irrepresSible
kinsman. II began many years ago when
Raisouh was kaid of A'Brieze, opposite
the Akbar Hamra. The mahala, the Sui
tan's army. camped before it, and did
great wrong on his people. They out
ragged the women, looted the houses, stole
the cattle, killed the sheep, and stole all
other things they could lay hands on.
finally atroci0usly numbering an uncle
OF Raisouli's not far from his dwelling.
In vain did the kaid peudon the govern
ment against his army-those who ad-
vised the Sultan probably saw to it that
no voice ever reached him from ABrieze:
RaisoUH cried out into void-and no an
swer ever came.
The Moorish Ideal.
This was. humiliation incredible to the
naughty Moorish prince. He had a right
10 be heard-was he not royal himself?
And his people were dear to him-their
sufferings dove him mad. Perhaps the
bitterness of death was already over In
this mans mind when all the injustices
he had endured at length became intol-
erable, and he went out in rebellion
against his lord. was OUtlawed, and took
10 the heather with a price on his head;
and instantly was "a hero in the eyes Of
the MoOTs, and almost a saint. Was he
not fighting for The people, for justice
against expressions and the tax-gath therer
with his exorbitant demands, for wrongs
to women and men; and against a lord
f.~ a1r l. .
carriages that went by magic djinn that
spoke from great trumpets. who made
images Of his household by the assist
ance of satan, and who wrung great sums
from the country to waste them on Naz-
rini, who taucNt him evil, on dancing
women, anG strange music that no man
could understand made by devils in
great box? RaisOuH was orthodox; he.
at least. would have no dealings with
Satan the Stoned.
RaisouI had the air and port Of some
ancient Roman prince. and he has also
the keen wit the intellect of the ancient
Roman, together with his tactiturnity
and reticence. Had fortune placed him
on the throne he would have ruled 10
the entire satisfaction of his nation. and
been a dignified. impressive. and Just
sovereign. He is. in fact. the Moorish
ideal. and that is why he is alive at this
day 10 further trouble the SuItan's ad-
Visers
He set his brains TO work, and thought
out plan whereby he could command
the Sultan's attention 10 his wrongs. and
those Of his people, and found il. He de-
scended on the mountain one night. and
carried away an American citizen He
took one whom he blamed for all Then
be no longer pleaded; ne made demands.
Tie was 70 be pardoned the governor of
FeZ, his enemy, was to be dismissed from
his office, and he RaisOuli. set in his
place His house and village were TO be
rebuilt and a large sum of money sent
wherewith TO compensate the ruined vii