The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1912-11-23


ner of Africa, where the sun
beats dowL hot and fierce. lies
~ the little country of Morocco.
blinking insolently across the
Straits of Gibraltar at Spain and re-
garding with equal contempt the rest Of
the civilized world For civilization
has touched Morocco but lightly and
at heart its white-robed inhabitants
are as savage as were their ancestors
who, fighting beneath the Crescent.
tried to conquer Europe for Moham-
med twelve hundred years ago.
Those warriors Of the prophet failed.
but their descendants still show the
same savage spirit now and then, and
when they do 1t Is a good time for
those OF other faiths to barricade the
doors and windows of their houses IL
they cannot fee Only few weeks ago
there was bloody massacre In Fee.
the capital of Morocco. In which hun
dreds of Jews. their wives and their
daughters. were slain
But the power of Morocco is gone.
and Spain today is liz no danger from
the fierce little country that clings
TO the northern edge of the Sahara.
The Moors may look across to Gibral-
tar and reflect that 1t and all the coun-
try to the north OF 1t once was theirs.
but there is little danger that the flag
Of the prophet ever will be unfurled
again on Spanish soil z
cAnnA~A Is n-;..iI~z> nj
II was early in the eighth century
that the Moors streamed across the
straits and into Spain. All Northern
Africa was afiame with the new re-
ligion of the prophet From Arabia
the followers of Mohammed had come
with fire and sword, converting by
force OF arms and counting it a priv
Iege to die fighting for the advance of
lslamism. Northern Africa, whose
only religion was a decadent Chris
danity. had not been long in taking the
new faith up. though there was some
stubborn fighting against the Arab
invaders. The Berbers, who were the
principal inhabitants of Morocco, had
at first resisted, then taken up
Mohammedanism with a rush And
then. led by the Arab priests and gen.
erals and aided by two or three
treacherous grandees Of Spain, they
had sailed across the narrow strip OF
water which separated them from
Europe and started out conquering
Spain. The Gothic kingdom which
%
Many OF the sturdiest of the Christian
inhabitants of the land fed to the
mountains and upland country rather
than submit to Moor Jurisdiction.
Many who remained professed their
conversion to Accommodation, while
others were allowed to remain
Christians. although under many
hampering restrictions. Gradually
little Christian kingdoms were built
up in the north of Spain, and these
made war against the Moors. who
were regarded as the incarnation oil
all that was evil. AS a matter OF fact
they seem to have been Industrious
skillful and capable Of achievements
in architecture and general culture
which were considerably in advance
Of anything the Spaniards themselves
had accomplished.
Left Some Wonderful Buildings.
The relics Of their civilization which
exist today. principally In the form
OF old buildings. palaces and archways
are among the most beautiful thing.
In Spain. The Alhambra, where tn.
Moorish kings OF Granada lived. ia I
wonderful labyrinth Of walls and bal
comics and terraced gardens.
Perhaps time has cast something o
glamour over those ancient Mocrs
but certainly they seem to have beef
foemen OF finer sort than the swarth,
cut.throats who make up the popula
ton OF present day Morocco. AL
though their skins were dark from
long residence In a tropical climate
the Moors were not negroea Thei
features were fine and regular, thei
Intelligence above the ordinary, an,
we even read of Moorish knights light
| ing tournaments against fair-haire,
warriors and being treated ~ honor
able enemies Othello was Moo,
! and in The Merchant Of Venice
! Shakespeare has the prince Of Morocco
coming ~ suitor for the hand q
| Portia, and losing very gamely.
But for al that. Noors we're n
garded a. natural enemies n 0paax
ana. Although thoy hung On 6ce nlmoG