The Red Cloud chief., 1922-06-15

In order to let donkeys, mules and
horses, with their spreading burdens,
pass by.
Camels have to be unloaded on the
'soko." or market-place, outside the
walls. Things too heavy to be car
rled by a single animal must be trans
ported by men, and 1t is no unusual
sight to see great stones five and six
feet long slung on poles and borne by
II dozen or more half-naked Arabs.
In these narrow streets the little box
like shops, waist high, give the proper
oriental setting to the whole. In them
we sec the wner reclining and sedate-
ly reading, seemingly oblivious to the
stirring cenes around him, until he Is
disturbed" by Il purchaser for his
goods, all of which are within arms
reach.
Fee Once a Paradise.
Inland Fee Is, of course, different
from Tangier. The golden days of
Fee began in the Ninth century and
continued till about the Thirteenth. 1t
was then celebrated as II paradise.
Around the city were splendid gardens
of rarest fruits. The soil, watered by
Il thousand streams, was of eXtraor-
binary fertility. Its numerous schools
and libraries and its famous univer-
sity ATTRACTED students ever from Eu-
rope. The climate, its fruits and flow
ers, its fountains and wells, its ver-
dure and beauty, caused the city to
enjoy II reputation unique in Islam. Its
glories have departed, but it still
boasts of n of the most sacred
mosques Of the Mohammedan world,
that of Mulai Idress, "the Younger"
the founder Of the kingdom.
The sights of Fee are It's teeming
streets, baZars and markets. Weeks
can be spent in this interesting city,
and yet new and strange scenes be
met with at almost any moment.
Snakc-charners, medlcine-men, story
tellers, with their gaping crowds, ar
tisans and tradesmcn Of every descrip-
ton, costumes from the four quarters
of Morocco and beyond interest the
traveller at every turn. But all Is not
poetry In Fee. Revolving are the hor-
rible diseases to be seen on every
hand.
The residence portion of the city Is
striklngly unattractive. one can scarce
~ believe that he Is being taken to call
on one of the wealthiest Moors OF the
city, when he stops in n narrow street,
barely five feet wide, inclosed by high,
prison-like windowless walls. These
walls are the houses themselves. A mas
sive, reconstructed door will be opened,
and in semi-darkness one will be con
Quoted along II tortuous, dingy pas
sage, through several doors, to suddenly
emerge into II Of those inner courts
which are the masterpieces OF oriental
architecture, with its mosalcs, tiles,
fountains, colonnades or light Sara
Genie arches supporting II second gal.
lery above, all covered with II profu-
sion Of colored and gilded a~rabesQues
and ~pendentives.
Almost rlyaling these inner courts
in popularity, especially with the WON
en-, the fiat roofs of the houses must
De menllOueu. mere uuTlup certain
hours the men are never expected to
appear, for they are then sacred to
the women of the families, who resort
to them unveiled to enjoy the cooling
breezes from the Atlas mountains.
The city of Mekinez might be called
the monument of Mouley Ismael, tho
great contemporary of Louis NV, whC
even dared sue for the hand of 4
daughter Of the great French king
His mania for building is everywhere
In evidence. For miles along the roat
leading to the quarries to the nortl
great blocks Of stone can still be seer
lying, just as they fell from the hand!
OF the slaves when they heard tina
their tyrant sovereign was dead. Blu
a melancholy interest Is attached I,
these great buildings, for 1t must b.
remembered that hundreds of Chris
tian slaves tOlled and died on thes
gloomy walls.