The Meeker herald., 1923-01-20
Courtyard Moroccan Inn.

rot even an animal. much less vehi.
Gle, could squeeze through them.
II one looks down upon Fec from
an airplane. as flyers now do. It would
seem to be a streetless city. Many
Of the narrow aisle-like streets are
iatticed over to protect the hooded.
ehost.like pedestrians from the sun.
Oti5ars burrow under great estates by
tunnels, a. does the famous Oin
Walk at Newport under several Of the
gardens Of summer homes there.
Funerals Ars oay eight
Perhaps the gayest sight Of . Mo-
rcccan city Il funeral. The wife
who has been cioistered in life IL paid
every honor In death. She 10 borne
eloft In q great carved box Of many
colors, and behind her sing choral
societies organised to follow funerals.
A mere man IL swathed In cloth and
bound to q board. He has no box.
The more pretentious homes Of Fez
nre built around courtyard. with
tiny rooms opening out upon the
court, resembling the setting Of q
room In some little theater. The
guest In a Moroccan home passes
through the court with Its inevitable
fountain, lays of his shoes before the
dining room compartment. as he would
upon entering Chinese temple, and
sits down upon cushion opposite his
host. The host would commit . re
rious breach Of etiquette II he touched
any food before the guest had finished
his meal. After the guest has con-
cluded the host partakes Of leisurely
repast, and not until he II through y
the food he leaves sent to the wives,
concealed, but audible, on the upper
door.
The Moroccan wife has somewhat
less freedom Of movement TINA an
American domestic. Friday afternoon
IL the 'wivss' day out" but they may
only 90 to the cemetery then, from
which men are excluded for the after.
noon. Tho cemetery u not at all
sruesome. to the Moroccan way Of
thinking. Markets are held there. and
In various ways the cities Of the dead
do duty for public parks.
Water wheels are a. numerous IN
Fez a. wlndmiils In Holland. Tho city
Is netted with tiny streams 10 that It
10 almost literally true that every
house has \ waterway beneath 1t. IL
lom contributes to this abundant
water supply for the MOhammedaD
must wash before he enters mosque
to pray. And he prays. though NOT
always In a mosque. nve times day.
Fez touches the average American
lin a very literal senscby virtue OF
his pocketbook. In Feg Moroccan
leather IL cured. One Of the most In.
teresting industrial sights Of the city
is the followed out rocks, resembling
the cross section of a honeycomb, in
which leather Is dipped In a solution
Of lime by natives who, strangely
enough, stand In the mixture up to
their waists without Injury to their
skins.
Tnvelers In French Morocco pay
special tribute to the efficiency Of
French administration there. In SOUTH
ern Morocco lived Glacui who, next to
Rsisuli, was, the most daring Of Mo-
rOccan bandits. He was made ad-
ministrator Of the region he formerly
had pluhdered; and. visitors say, there
Is not kindlier, more courteous, and
more agreeable gentleman in those
parts. Nor has there been any trouble
with bandItry since he became an
official.
Country Has -Four Capitals.
Theoretically Morocco has four capi-
tals-Fex, Tafilelt. Marakesh and Ra-
bat. But the chief French officials re-
side at Isabat on the Atlantic coast,
and like MacGregor's seat at the table.
that Is the real head. The sultan still
maintains his palace in the three other
cities and visits them from time to
time.
Perhaps the most interesting city in
Morocco. next to Fee, ID Marrakesh,
the old southern capital. There the
country Is drier and hotter and camels
are the characteristic beasts Of bur
den and draft as tiny donkeys are in
the north. Both the buildings and
walls Of Marrakesh are Of red mud.
which gives the city an aspect in
striking contrast 70 the brilliant white
city Of Fee. These mud walls are 500
years old, but due to the dryness Of the
climate are wen preserved
Marrakesh 10 q contrast to Tes also
in that It Is q roomy city. Its walls
were built to enclose city Of mil.
lion Inhabitants, but have never shel.
tered more than q quarter Of that
number. And today the city's popula.
tion is only abodt 10000. AZ . re.
suit there IL much unused land within
the walls, much Of which i used fol
gardens