PLOTTING FOR PEACE
“Towards the end of 1915,” announced Raisuli, fingering a Spanish map,
“Silvestre occupied a line through Questa Colorada, Kesiba, Mulai Bu
Salam and Tarkutz, to Al Kasr.” He pointed out the places with an
unerring finger. “I think that the last big battle was fought near
Megaret. Silvestre was anxious to push forward into the mountains, for
he knew he had little time before peace would be signed. On that
occasion I was fighting with my people, and we were hard-pressed. I rode
on to a little rise, from where I commanded the enemy, and I sat there
firing steadily till they noticed me. There was a shout of ‘The Sherif
is here!’ My people raised their war-cry, but the Spaniards were
determined to capture me. A party crept forward to surround my hillock,
and, as I turned to find another post of vantage, my horse was shot
under me. He fell like a stone, and I could hear the shouting of the
enemy. A tribesman offered his horse, but, as I mounted, the servant
holding my stirrup was killed, and the stallion, terrified, reared up
before I was in the saddle. My slippers fell off as I struggled with
him, and then, suddenly, all round us were foreigners, and I shouted,
‘Salli en Nebbi, Rasul Ullah!’[65] and we charged them. Allah alone
knows why we did not fall headlong as we crashed down the hill, but we
went through them and away before the main body came up.”
“That is one of the occasions on which the Sherif was invisible,” added
the Kaid gravely, “but his shoes were found by a rebel, who brought them
to the Spaniards. It is said that Dris er Riffi, when he recognised them
because of their size, bent and kissed them, though they were muddy and
covered with the blood of the servant.” I suppose I looked surprised,
for Raisuli explained, “In the most treacherous heart there must be some
shame. The cloth which had covered my saddle, and which was very
beautifully embroidered, was sent to Spain to the King. I was glad of
this, for I have much admiration for him. He is a strong man, and, if we
two could meet, there would be no difficulties between us. When I was in
Tangier, Zugasti almost persuaded me to go to Madrid to see him, but my
friends were afraid and, when the boat was in the harbour, they
prevailed on me. If I had gone, perhaps there would have been no war.
Recently I have written three times to the King to arrange a treaty that
shall be permanent.
“After the affair near Megaret, I had to go back quickly to the high
mountains, for I heard that Beni Ahmas and the Guezauia were fighting
among themselves, and who knows how the feud would have ended? In our
country a battle may begin with ten men and end with 500. In the morning
a few men fight because there is blood between their houses. Shots are
heard by their neighbours, and each man seizes his rifle and rushes to
join one side or the other. After all, man is born for war, and woman
for his relaxation and comfort. When a tribesman has nothing to do, he
will always fight if there is a chance of loot. So by noon the encounter
has swelled, and after that, perhaps, the Kaid comes along with his
followers, to see what is happening; but his finger itches on the
trigger, and he soon joins the party which is nearest to him. By sunset
there is a great battle, and nobody knows for what reason. So it was
with the Ahmas and Gezuia.
“I sent news ahead that I was coming, but I found them still fighting,
so I left my men at a distance and I rode between them on my big horse.
They saw me coming down the Wadi alone, and they were surprised. There
were still some who fired, and the bullets went over me and round me,
but they did not touch me, and the sound of the rifles died away
quietly. After that I made peace between the two parties and swore them
to keep it, for it was a small matter that had begun the feud—a few
goats which had gone astray, and, believing they were stolen, their
owner had burned a farm for vengeance. For this thirty men had died in
battle and many been wounded.
“When I returned to Tazrut, I had learned the extent of the famine which
was oppressing the country, for some of the tribesmen were like shadows,
so thin that their clothes would hold two of them. I saw dead children
and women who had no milk for their babes. The hunger was terrible, for
there was no harvest of any kind, and the people ate fungus and insects.
“Abd ul Melek wrote to me, saying, ‘If you make terms with Germany, you
will have money enough to feed the whole people, for the Germans are
very generous. It is certain that they are going to win the war, and
they will make you Kalipha over all Morocco, as far south as Mogador.’ I
remembered that the German Minister had promised me grain, but, so far,
he had sent only rifles. I spoke to my nephews, Mulai Ali and Mulai
Mustapha, who were with me in Tazrut, and it was decided to communicate
with the Germans, but to make no agreement with them.
“I wrote also to the tribesmen, encouraging them and assuring them that
Allah would give victory to the Faithful, reminding them that those who
die fighting the infidel live for ever in the highest paradise.
“At the same time, Marina sent Zugasti and Cerdeira, who is called by
the Arabs ‘Abderrahman, the nephew of Raisuli,’ to see me. I said to
them, ‘There will be no peace while Silvestre is in Morocco,’ and I told
them the terms I desired, of which the most important was that the
mountains should be left to the Arabs and not be entered without my
permission. ‘Take all the towns,’ I said, ‘and when there is agreement
between us, I will help you to occupy them, but leave me to keep peace
in the mountains, and I will be responsible to you for their security.’
“Even while we were talking, Silvestre was occupying Sahel Haman, and
his captain, Rueda, by means of the police, who were always my enemies
since I stopped their depredations, was spreading propaganda against me
in Jebel Habib. Rueda himself visited Sheikh Tazi and much of their
conversation was reported to me. Sidi Abselam Tazi feared for his farms,
and preferred the sound of threshing to the music of rifles, but he
feared me more, so he tried, by vague promises, to make friends with the
Spaniard. He alleged that he had rendered many services to Spain, but he
asked, ‘What are your intentions towards the Sherif? It is said that you
will make him Kalipha of all the country, and will pay all his armies
for him. He has the Germans with him already, and they say there are
many French deserters in his camp.’ So my propaganda was, after all,
better than Rueda’s! Tazi wished to detach from me Ayashi Zellal, who
had the whole of Beni Mesauer behind him, for he knew, if that tribe and
Wadi Ras went against me, I should be cut off from Tangier, where
Menebbhe[66] was my friend and served as my eyes and my ears. Now Zellal
has always been my ally, and his word is the best thing in this country,
so that he would not listen to Tazi, but I think some of Sidi Abselam’s
men were with Silvestre when he took Rogaia on the road to Tangier. This
was in the winter (Nov. 1915), and, from this post, it is a very little
way to Zinat. If your eyes are good, you can see the windows of the
houses and the hedges which surround them.
“I realised that, at last, peace was necessary, and I sent my secretary,
Sidi Ali Alkali, to Tangier to speak of these matters to my friends.
Already Silvestre saw himself in the eagle’s eyrie, but Marina opposed
his march to Zinat. Then Dris er Riffi made his last effort against me.
The Kaid and Badr ed Din both saw it. They will tell you, for, by Allah,
I remember only noise!”
“We were both very frightened,” began the secretary, “for we thought the
Sherif had been killed. Some strangers had come amongst us, saying that
the Spaniards had driven them out of their village, and we talked to
them and offered them hospitality, but they did not see the Sherif. He
was with Mulai Sadiq in a small house, and we had been ordered not to
disturb their conversation. Suddenly, as we sat under some trees at a
little distance, there was a great roar, and the house fell to pieces in
front of us. It was as if the earth was sick and vomited destruction. We
ran forward, shrieking, for no man could live after the explosion, and
dragged away the roof, which had fallen in a heap with the walls. All
was destroyed except two beams, which, propped one against the other,
made a tent among the rubbish. Under this sat the Sherif and Mulai
Sadiq, talking quietly as if nothing had happened. Ullah! I have never
been so frightened in all my life!
“When the villagers heard what had happened they crowded to kiss the
robes of the Sherif and the earth where he sat, and each one cut a
fragment from the beams, using it as an amulet. Certainly their
protection was assured!”
Raisuli made a gesture of distaste. “There was much treachery in those
days, but the worst has not yet been told you. I was now anxious to
prepare the way for peace, and, being afraid that the Spaniards would
begin to treat separately with the different tribes, I called a great
meeting in Jebel Habib, in order to assure a unity of front against the
foreigners. Representatives came from the Guezauia, Sumata, Beni Aros,
Beni Mesauer, Beni Issef, Ahl Serif and Kholot, Jebel Habib, and I spoke
to them of the famine that decimated their villages, and of the
necessity of giving way a little, in order to obtain much. Some of the
Sheikhs asked me, ‘What of the Germans?’ I answered, ‘The war in Europe
is not yet won, and it seems to me that the Germans will not help us
unless we agree to raid the French borders. Consider, is this the
cheapest way of feeding your families?’ and they were silent, for all
knew the strength of France. I continued my speech, saying, ‘It may be
well to hand over the towns, where the Spaniards will build hospitals
and schools, in order to save the mountains, which have no need of these
things.’
“One answered, ‘The Spaniards will not leave us alone—they wish to
Christianise all the Arabs.’ But I argued with them and said, ‘They can
do nothing against us if we are united. It is a shameful thing that
Moslems should quarrel among themselves when the foreigners are at our
doors. From this day let it be known that each Moslem who disputes with
his fellow is firing a shot for the Christians.’ Then it was agreed that
a proclamation should be sent to all the villages and cried aloud in the
Suqs, saying that Raisuli pardoned all who had fought against him, on
condition that they would now join him. Each village was asked to supply
five armed men, who would be paid 1 peseta 50 a day, and the Kaids were
invited to come to Jebel Habib for the feast of Mailud, in order to
settle the form of the new government.[67]
“The meeting took place in the open, for there was no house large enough
to hold us, and sentries were posted that we should not be disturbed. It
was very cold, and each man had his jellaba muffled over his face, so
that only his eyes could be seen. It was a strange council, for our
seats were the rocks and the tea cooled before it reached our lips.
There were men present from the Tuagena, Bu Maisa, Beni Mesare, Ulad
Ali, Erhama, Guezauia, Beni Zecar, Beni Serual, Ahl Serif, Beni Aros,
Beni Mesauer, Ben Ider, Jebel Habib, Beni Said, and the Riffs of Gomara,
Beni Hasan and Sumata. Each man held his rifle across his knees and, one
by one, with his finger on the trigger, swore the oath of allegiance, ‘I
will be with thee in the name of Allah and our religion until the day of
my death.’ Then we stood up and said the Fatha together, with our hands
raised to heaven, and the Wakils of the new Government were appointed,
one who was treasurer, one for the feeding of the people, one for
propaganda among the villages; but the direction of war I kept in my own
hands, for I thought I saw its ending.
“Of the great tribes, only Anjera sent no delegate to this meeting, and
they had 6,000 rifles behind them. They have never been loyal to me, for
they are near the coast and much in contact with foreigners.” The Sherif
made a gesture of counting money. “It is like that with them. Gold is
pleasanter in the sight of their youths than the first bride when she
opens her haik. Many times Spain thought she had the whole of Anjera
with her, but her money was taken by small men who had no influence.
They promised great things, but they had no power to carry them out.
“The best weapon of my enemies was certainly Dris er Riffi, for he was
known to have been my servant, and, when he visited the tribes to make
propaganda against me, the Kaids would say to him, ‘You were once in the
house of Raisuli. How is it that you fight against him?’ and er Riffi
would answer, ‘I grew tired of his cruelties and extortions, as you
would have done. Let your hearts speak freely, for the Spaniards are
generous and help all who come to them.’ Often the Kaid would protest,
‘Germany is stronger than Spain, and it is said that she is with the
Sherif. What is the news from Europe? Are the Turks winning?’ Dris er
Riffi had his answer ready. ‘This I tell you between your ear and my
mouth, for you are worthy of confidence. The war in this country is only
a pretence, though it costs you so many lives. Haven’t you observed how
Marina stays his armies? How every week he writes to the Sherif? Raisuli
is deceiving you. At this moment he receives 20,000 douros from Spain,
and is meditating how he can hand you all over to the foreigners.’
‘Ullah if that is the case,’ would exclaim the indignant Sheikh, ‘I
would rather make peace with them on my own!’ ‘It is well said. I will
arrange an opportunity,’ asseverated er Riffi.
“The native police officers were also very active against me, so I
forbade the loyal mountaineers to have any communications with them,
and, out of this, sprang the incident of Beni Aros. A policeman arrived
late one night at a village where lived some of his kinsmen. He rested
and ate at their farm, and they saw him on his way in safety, but before
he was outside the limits of the village, he was shot by one who was
most zealous in obeying my orders. The flash betrayed the sniper’s
hiding place, and he was set upon by the friends of the policeman, who
burned his house, while his women took refuge on the hillside, making
the night noisy with their cries. When I heard of the affair, I sent a
party to enquire into it, but, by this time, there was war in Beni Aros,
some upholding my authority, others protecting the family whose guest
had been shot before the taste of their meat was out of his mouth. My
men were ambushed as they approached the village, and there was fierce
fighting. Two were killed, and three taken prisoners, but the latter
were well treated, for it was known that my hand would be heavy on the
village. Next day, reinforced by many loyalists, my people returned to
the attack, but none fired on them till they reached the Suq. Then shots
came from the windows and the roofs, and a Kaid was killed. There might
have been a great battle after this, but one of my men, who was skilled
in speech, picked up a spent bullet and, in the midst of the fighting,
called out to the villagers, ‘Who wasted this cartridge? By Allah, he
has saved a Christian life!’
“The men stopped fighting to listen to him, and he got up on a high
place and addressed them. ‘Each bullet that we have spent should have
accounted for the life of a foreigner! This is how the Christians
conquer us, for we spend ourselves in quarrels which have no purpose,
while the enemy takes our country.’ His eloquence was so great that all
men put away their rifles and the women stole down from the hillside to
wash the dead. The same night he led the chief among them to Jebel Alan
and made them climb to the sanctuary which is on its highest point.
Throughout the centuries Sidi Abd es Salaam had heard many vows. The
Beni Aros swore that no man’s rifle should be turned against his
neighbours, until the Christians had been driven out of the country, and
he who broke his oath was to forfeit his possessions to the village.
“By this time I had made two journeys to meet Zugasti, who always urged
me to make peace, but I insisted in my demands—‘The mountains for the
Arab,’—and Marina hesitated. Almost Zugasti persuaded me, for he was
honest and he told me of the opinion in the towns, where there was no
trade, and in the Western plain, where the farmers were ruined and
eating the mules which should have threshed their corn. Zugasti had an
English mother, and sometimes, when people pressed him to some action
which was unpleasing to him, he would say, ‘Leave me alone. Don’t make a
fuss. At these times I remember I am half English!’ Certainly it was
impossible to embarrass him, for, like Zellal, he spoke nothing but the
truth. His words made me think, and I sent for el Mudden and told him to
bring me news from the coast.
“He went down to Larache with his men. Hiding their rifles in a suitable
place, they dressed themselves in ragged shirts, took sticks in their
hands and waited till the herdsmen slept in the heat of noon. Then they
stole 80 cows from their pasture outside the walls, and the animals
belonged to the Maghsen. They took also some beasts which were the
property of a sergeant and, in order to confuse the wits of the
pursuers, they broke up the herd which remained, and drove them in all
directions, two here and three there. When the herdsmen awoke, they were
obliged to chase their cattle from the sea-shore to the hills, and it
was a long time before they discovered how many were lost. El Mudden
brought most of the cattle to Jebel Habib, and, for a little while, the
tribesmen grew fat on their flesh, but the ‘wild one’ brought me no
news. So I decided to capture a merchant, a portly man of a certain age,
who would know all that was happening in the towns and who would be able
to pay well for my hospitality. Such a one was Abselam Bulifa, a protégé
of Spain, and his piety was unfortunately his downfall, for he went in
the evening to say his prayers at a sanctuary outside the town, and he
never came back. In spite of his years, his struggles were so violent
that my men had to tie him up and put him in a sack. In this way he
looked like a calf kicking, for he did not cease to protest till he was
brought into my presence.
[Illustration: Tazrut—Tomb on left, where Raisuli’s ancestors are
buried]
[Illustration: Mosque at Tazrut]
“I said to him, ‘Salaam aleikum, O Sheikh, but it is not right that one
of your honour should oppose the will of Allah. I had meant to ask 3,000
douros for your entertainment, but perhaps your spirit will be less
rebellious if I double the sum.’ He said, ‘The Sherif is joking. I have
not so much money, not even if I sell all my possessions.’ Upon which I
answered, ‘The money is of little account. Pay it as you like, but show
not so much avarice in your speech.’ At first he was evasive, and would
tell me nothing, but the food at Tazrut was poor at the time and, when
his face began to shrink, there was more room for his tongue. I learned
from him that the disagreement between Silvestre and Marina was at its
height, and that it was whispered the Colonel would disobey orders and
occupy Zinat. ‘If he does that,’ said el Bulifa, ‘the Anjera tribe will
join him—for a long time they have wanted to see your house in
flames—and the whole army will advance to Ain Yerida. It will then be
too late for Marina to interfere.’
“I thought a great deal over this news, and I sent a message hastily to
Zugasti, saying, ‘My mind was inclined to make peace with you, but now I
hear that Silvestre is preparing such and such things. If this is the
case, how can I control the tribes and persuade them to treat with you?’
I ordered the messengers not to pause even to drink water at a stream,
and to deliver the letter into Zugasti’s own hands. Then I sent for Ali
Alkali, who was still in Tangier, saying to him, ‘Come quickly, for I
have decided to sign the peace, and you must go to Tetuan on my behalf.’
“I spoke to you of treachery. Listen now how it happened. Sidi Ali was
known everywhere as my agent, and he had a pass, signed by Marina,
permitting him to go to and fro through the lines as he would. He was
not a fighter and carried arms only to protect himself against robbers.
It was the same thing with Zugasti and Cerdeira. They had papers,
bearing my signature, and they could go through the country as they
chose. I sent escorts with them when they desired it, and no man raised
his rifle against them. As soon as Alkali received my letter, he started
from Tangier with his servant Hamed.[68] He arrived at Questa Colorada
towards evening and was well received by the commandant, who exchanged
news with him and begged him not to go till morning, as it was the hour
when the Spanish police were withdrawn from the roads, and it was no
longer safe for travellers. Sidi Ali insisted that he must be in Tazrut
before morning, so the commandant rode a little way with him, as he
himself was going to Larache, but, at the next post, the officer was
less amiable.
“In spite of the passport, which he declared to be a forgery, the
captain detained the travellers, and for two days they were in prison,
unable to communicate with me. When the commandant of Questa Colorada
heard this, he was very angry and ordered the immediate release of my
agent. More than this, he went to meet Sidi Ali on the road, apologised
for the mistake and offered him an escort. Alkali replied that much time
had been wasted, and that he must ride faster than the horses of the
escort would permit. It was then nearly sunset;[69] and the next thing
that was heard of the travellers was that their horses had been seen in
Zerska, but that Alkali had returned to Tangier. This I did not believe,
and I sent my own men to enquire secretly what had happened. Zellal also
sent men from Beni Mesauer, but, for three days, there was no news. Then
a fisherman on the banks of Sidi Hakhes announced that he had seen the
body of a man floating near the estuary. The commandant of Questa
Colorada sent his people to search in the river, but my spies were also
there, and everything was reported to me.
“At first only a mutilated trunk was found, which nobody could
recognise, for all but the drawers had been stripped from it. Then, when
they dragged the bottom of the wadi, they brought up a sack made of a
haik and filled with stones. In it was a body, headless and wearing a
shirt which was supposed to be that of the servant Hamed. The corpses,
which had been cut and disfigured to prevent recognition, were taken to
Sidi Hamed and handed over to the family of Alkali, but the heads were
not found. I sent privately, offering many douros for the head of my
friend, for this would have brought comfort to his house, but it was
useless.
“Many stories were told about the death of Sidi Ali—may Allah give him
peace, which is his right, since he was murdered by Christians. They
said that men of Beni Mesauer and Wadi Ras had lain in wait for him,
believing that he carried letters from the Spanish Government which
would force peace upon them. It was also said that a woman had caused
him to be killed, because he had taken her husband and sent him as a
prisoner to Tazrut; but these were empty words. Zellal held Beni Mesauer
in his hands, and, as for the woman, it was a lie invented by the police
to save themselves. Other rumours came to me that the assassination was
arranged by the French, who had no wish for peace between Spain and el
Raisuli.
“At last men whispered that Silvestre had investigated the murder, in
order to make a breach which even Zugasti could not span. This story was
generally believed, for it was known that the Colonel would do anything
to prevent an agreement being signed at the moment when his success
seemed to be assured. For a while I, too, wondered if this were
possible, but I have known Silvestre, and he was brave. When his blood
was hot, he might have attacked with his sword or with his bare hands,
but he was incapable of planning a murder for others to commit.
“It was not long before the truth was revealed . . . Sidi Ali and his
servant had ridden swiftly till they came within sight of a Spanish
post. Then, the place being suitable, for there was no fear of robbers,
they dismounted for the evening prayers. The officer of the post, who
was called Sota, saw them and sent messengers asking them to come in and
drink tea with him, for he had been warned of their coming by Rueda.
Allah alone knows why my friend accepted!—perhaps to rest his horse,
perhaps to get information about the country. In any case, he entered
the house and drank with his host, who begged him to stay the night,
saying the country was not safe. Alkali refused, but Sota would not let
him go without an escort. He said that he was responsible for the safety
of travellers, and he kept his guest talking till it was very late. Then
he came to the door and saw him mount. A dozen policemen were waiting,
and they ranged their horses round Sidi Ali and his servant. ‘You will
doubtless go quickly,’ said Sota, ‘but I myself will follow you for a
little way, as I am anxious about your security. Do not wait for me.’
And he wished him ‘Ma salaama’ (With safety)!
“My friend had ridden only a little way when he noticed the demeanour of
the police, who kept looking back as if they expected some signal.
Alkali asked what was the matter, but the answers were evasive. At last,
when the road was deserted, a shot was heard from a distance, and the
police flung themselves off their horses and seized the bridles of the
men they were supposed to protect. ‘We are going to be attacked! We must
hide!’ they cried, and pulled Sidi Ali and Hamed from their saddles, in
spite of their protests. Two stayed to hold the horses. The others
dropped all pretence and, hitting their prisoners on the heads and
shoulders to stop their cries, they dragged them a little way from the
road and strangled them.
“By this time the Lieutenant Sota had come up and ordered the heads to
be cut off and the bodies mutilated, for fear of recognition. This was
done, and the remnants tied up in native garments, which had been
brought specially so that the blame would fall on Arabs. When the police
rode back, they carried with them strange bundles tied to their saddles,
and these were taken to the river and sunk in it with stones. One man
was sent on with the horses, and he loosed them far away, leaving their
saddles and bridles, which was a mistake, for by these they were
recognised. So the story was told to me by one who had known the truth
for some time, and I believe it is exact.”
The official version of the tragedy was sent by wire from Commandant
Orgaz of Questa Colorada to General Marina, who had been telegraphing
daily to insist on a thorough investigation. The message ran thus: “The
death of Ali Alkali was effected by the Moors, Benbihas, El Metagui and
Koroan, in the presence of Lieutenant Sota y Morales, ordered by Capt.
Rueda, and the assassination was inspired by the Pasha of Azeila.”
General Marina lost no time in ordering the arrest of the accused
Spanish officers and the suspension of Dris er Riffi, but he saw in this
murder the ruin of all his hopes for a peaceful settlement. Though he
made no secret of his intention of punishing his fellow-countrymen with
the utmost severity of the law, he felt that Raisuli would neither
forgive the outrage nor place any further confidence in the word of
Spain. He set out immediately for Questa Colorada, and requested
Silvestre to join him there. The meeting must have been dramatic. “We
have failed!” exclaimed the High Commissioner, ignoring the other’s
greeting. “I do not consider I have failed,” retorted Silvestre. “I have
always stuck to the same policy.” But General Marina would not be
comforted. Overwhelmed by the treachery for which he held himself
responsible, since he represented Spain, he insisted on his colleague’s
resignation, and sent in his own at the same time.
Dris er Riffi and the two Spanish officers were imprisoned, the Moors
were executed, and, as Raisuli said, “There was but one lion left in the
forest.”