The herald., 1922-07-13

u'GtAA vi hldOss
In these narrow streets the little box
like shops, waist high, give the proper
oriental setting to the whole. In them
we see the owner reclining and sedate-
ly reading, seemingly obliviOus to the
stirring scenes around him, until he is
disturbed" by a 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 paradise.
Around the city were splendid gardens
OF rarest fruits. The soil, watered by
a thousand streams, was of eXtraOr-
binary fertility. Its numerous schools
and Libraries and its famous univer-
sly attracted students even from Eu-
rope. The climate, its fruits and flow
ers, its fountains and wells, its YER
dure and beauty, caused the city to
enjoy a reputation unique in Islam. Its
glories have departed, but it stin
boasts of one 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 its teeming
streets, bazars and markets. Weeks
can be spent in this interesting city,
ard yet new and strange scenes be
met with at almost any moment
Snake-charmers, medicine-men, story
tellers, with their gaping crowds, ar
tisans and tradesmen of every descrip-
tion, 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
strikingly unattractive. One can scarce
ly believe that he is being taken to call
on enc of the wealthiest Moors of the
city, when he stops in a narrow street.
barely five feet wide, inclOSed by high,
prisOn-like windOwlesS walls. These
walls are the houses themselves. A mas
sive, iron-studded door will be opened.
and in semi-darkneSs one will be con-
Quoted along tOrtuOus, dingy pas
sage, through several doors, to suddenly
emerge into one Of those inner courts
which are the masterpieces of oriental
architecture with Ire
fountains. colonnadeS or light Sara
Genie arches supporting a second gal
lery above, all covered with a profu-
sion of cOlOred and gilded arabesques
and pendentives.
Almost rivaling these inner courts
In popularity, especially with the wOm-
en-, the fiat roofs of the houses eust
be mentioned. Here during certgi.
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, the
great contemporary of Louis NV. who
even dared sue for the hand of a
daughter of the gPat French king.
His mania for building is everywhere
in evidence. For miles along the road
leading to the quarries to the north
great blocks of stone can still be seen
lying, just as they fell from the hand.
of the slaves when they heard that
their tyrant sovereign was dead. But
a melancholy interest is attached TO
these great buildings, for it must he
remembered that hundreds OF Chris
tan slaves toiled and died on these
gloomy walls.