New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-13
CARRYING NEWS IN MOROCCO
Primitive Methods Of Communication
The Rakass. a Native Messenger.

Stating aside the bazaar rumor, that mys-
FERROUS telegraph OF the East, whose
CELEBRITY Is equalled only by its inaccuracy'
the means whereby news travels in Mo
rocco are these: The mounted courier, the
rekass or native letter carrier, the mer-
chant caravan. And Of these, since IL Is
upon him that Europeans rely for the
transmission of news, the rekass is by
far the most important, writes Alan Ostler'
in The London Express
For the mounted courier is used almost
as rarely as the Kings messenger. In six
troubled months in Morocco, during the
rebellion that won Hafd his throne, ! saw
but one special courier-a wild-eyed horse
man. armed with seven-foot Riff gun
who spurred his foam-covered stallion
headlong through crowd OF courtiers IN
the Palace Gardens. and reinod in at the
foot Of the throne itself, to shout into the
very face OF the Mulai Hafd tne news mat
Tangier had proclaimed him sultan.
AS for the merchant caravan, its pace IS
slow, and the growth OF such news as II
collects is little. short OF marvellous. ~
A caravan of camels and mules iaaen
with Rabat carpets Will start from fez 10
Mequnez Leaving Fez it VIII perhaps
see something of scuffie between TWO or
three hillmen and the Medina rapole M y
nang about the merchants ooothS. me
tlOlDle may ne "a ulspllt tDOul 'l4N P'iN'
salt or charcoal or cartridges, and may emo
as Oriental quarrels 50 often DO, In hotn-
ing worse than harmless ralNo OF shols
as the hillmen salop out OF the town gaze;
But by the time the caravan has reached
its first camping place II Will be teiiihs
stories OF an organized raid on the market
place by score Of wild kabyles Az the
next camp the tale will have grown again.
Hundreds-nay, thousands-of raiders nave
made breach in the walls OF Fec ana
carried of Allah knows how much booty.
And. finally, arrived at Mequinez. me
bearded camel drivers will swear by the
faith OF their fathers that the tribes have
risen. that Fee is sacked and that all un-
believers have been massacred.
Hence one is slow 10 credit caravan
borne news. And It Is upon the more OF
less trusty rekass that one relies.
For the rekass Ia really trustworthy
fellow as rule. II ne be not killed or
robbed. or IL he do not lose his way or
grow weary OF carrying his walletful OF
letters and throw It down we'll or over
o cactus hedge, he can be fairly relied on
| to carry "a letter fifty miles In day and
| to bring back reply by the third day:
He travels afoot. and, knowing all short
cuts and by-paths. impenetrable TO horse
| men. he will often leave mounted mes
| seneer far behind Hour after hour he goes
| along at swift. shutting trot stopping
| only TO eat-whicn lie does sparingly-or ia
sleep. with a smouldering piece or rope tied
| to his wrist. lest he should slumber over
| long. Ills letters and parcels are In a
| leathern wallet slung across his shoulders
| and in his hand he carries a fye-foot stan
| Ills clothing is Of the scantiest and he
! goes barefoot, az a rule. His slippers. II
| he has any. he will carry in the hood OF his
| jellab or bound by cord upon his back
II is the rekass who Will carry letter
| addressed TO Fee from Tangier TO its final
destina ion. Daily a the British postoffic.
| in Tangler you may see the lean, dusty
runners waiting FOR the burdens that they
are to carry 20 AlcaZar and FeZ, and still
more distant Moorish cities. The capital Is
some two hundred miles from Tangier, and
/ the roads are bad. There are stony plains
| hot as copper plates in the sunlight. bleak
! scrub-coVered mountains. swift rivers, and
always the fear OF robber tribesmen. But
! should FeZ fall rekass would cover those
/ TWO hundred miles I'm three days. perhaps
in four. al most. And he would bring the
| truth.
Rumor would inevitably precede him. The
| marketplace would have buzzed for a
| couple OF DAYS with horrid stories OF mas
sacre and pilage. But not until the lean
through the Bab-el-Fas and down the one
real street Of Tangier could any faith be
placed i'm news OF FeZ.