CHAPTER VII.

Interview with the Governor of Mogador, on the Address of the

Anti-Slavery Society.--Day and night side of the Mission

Adventure.--Phillips' application to be allowed to stand with his "shoes

on" before the Shereefian presence.--Case of the French Israelite,

Dannon, who was killed by the Government.--Order of the Government

against Europeans smoking in the streets.--Character of Haj Mousa,

Governor of Mazagran.--Talmudical of a Sousee Jew.--False weights

amongst the Mogador Merchants.--Rumours of war from the North, and levy

of troops.--Bragadocio of the Governor.--Mr. Authoris's opinion on the

state of the Country.--Moorish opinions on English Abolition.--European

Slavery in Southern Morocco.--Spanish Captives and the London

Ironmongers Company.--Sentiments of Barbary Jews on Slavery.

I had an interview by special appointment with His Excellency the

Governor of Mogador regarding the address to be presented to the

Shereefian population from the Anti-Slavery Society. I may at once

premise that from what I heard of Mr. Hay's diplomatic powers and

influence with the Sultan, as well as the peculiar situation in which

Mr. Willshire was placed, encumbered with great liabilities to his

Highness' custom-house, I already abandoned all hopes of success, and

even thought myself fortunate in being able to obtain an interview with

the Governor of this commercial city. To have expected anything more,

would have been extremely unreasonable on my part, under such

circumstances.

It will be as well if I give the address in this place. [24] Friday was

appointed, being a quiet day, and the Mussulman Sabbath, when His

Excellency had little business on hand. The Moors usually devote the

morning of their sabbath to prayer, and afternoon to business and

amusement. Our party consisted of myself, Mr. Willshire, the British

Vice-Consul, and Mr. Cohen as interpreter.

About four o'clock P.M. we found the Governor quite alone, telling his

rosary of jet beads, squatting on his hams upon the floor of a little

dirty shop, not more than eight feet by six in dimensions, with a

ceiling of deep hanging cobwebs which had not been brushed away for a

century.

A piece of coarse matting was spread over the ground floor, and a

sheepskin lay on it for his Excellency to repose upon, but no furniture

was to be seen. There was indeed an affectation of nakedness and

desolation. Pen and ink were placed by his side, and a number of

official papers were strewn about, with some letters bearing the seal of

the Emperor. This shop (or reception room) was situate in an immense

gloomy square; it was the only one open, and here were the only signs of

life.

The Governor had forbidden any of his subjects to be present at the

audience, unwilling and afraid lest any should hear a whisper of the

question of abolition in the orthodox States of his Imperial Master.

Sidi Hay Elarby was an elderly man, with a placid and intelligent

countenance. His manners throughout the interview were those of a

perfect Moorish gentleman. The Governor could not be distinguished from

the people by his dress. He wore a plain white turban, plain burnouse

and a pair of common slippers. In such state, we found the the highest

functionary of this important city.

His Excellency began by asking me how I was, and welcoming me to his

country. I then handed a written speech to the interpreter, who, being a

Jew, pulled off his shoes, and crouching down before the Governor, read

to him paragraph by paragraph. Each passage was further discussed and

replied to by the Governor with energy, nay with vehemence. The

interview lasted till dark--nearly two hours.

The following is a copy of the written speech, which was read for the

purpose of introducing the Address, and supplying topics of

conversation.

"May it please Your Excellency, the mission with which I am charged to

this country is to persuade his Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of

Morocco, to co-operate in any way which his Imperial Majesty may deem

proper, with the people of England for the abolition of slavery. I am

sent to the Court of Morocco by a Society of English gentlemen, whose

object is to persuade all men, in all parts of the world, to abolish the

traffic in human beings, as a traffic contrary to the rights of men and

the laws of God.

"In undertaking this mission, these gentlemen applied to the government

of our Sovereign Queen to furnish me with letters of recommendation to

the British Consuls of this country, the representatives of her Majesty

the Queen of England. Copies of these letters are in the possession of

Mr. Willshire. Those letters express strong sympathy for the objects of

the mission, and require the Consuls to give me their fullest

protection; and so far, our gracious Queen, the government, and the

English people, are all agreed that it is a good thing to address his

Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Morocco, to co-operate with and to

assist them in putting down the traffic in slavery in every part of the

world.

"If the government of the Queen had thought that they should recommend

to your Excellency and your royal master anything contrary to your

religion, they could not have given me letters of introduction to their

consuls in this country. Rest assured that the English people believe it

to be agreeable to the doctrines and precepts of all religions to

abolish the traffic in human flesh and blood.

"I pray, therefore, your Excellency to receive the petition, of which I

am the bearer, from the Society of English gentlemen. Our Government

have already spent three hundred millions of dollars, the money of the

people of England, to destroy the traffic in human beings; every day our

government continues to spend vast sums, adding to this enormous amount

for the same object of humanity. I am sure that, if your Imperial Master

value the friendship of England and the British government, if it be a

politic and good thing for Morocco to be allied with the most powerful

Christian nation in the world, the most certain way to conciliate and

found this alliance on a durable basis, is to cooperate with the people

of England for the abolition of the traffic in slaves, and graciously to

receive this address from the Society of Abolitionists in London.

"We come not to your Excellency with force of arms--this could not be

just; we use only moral persuasion. Our religion disapproves of

compulsion in all such affairs. But I can assure your Excellency that

the English people will never cease, though all nations be against them,

as long as God Almighty holds them up as a people, to endeavour in every

possible way, to persuade and convince the world that the traffic in

human beings is a great crime."

The Governor replied in these terms: "Your mission is against our

religion, I cannot entertain it or think of it, in any way whatever. If,

in other countries, the traffic in slaves is contrary to the religion of

those countries, in this it is not; here it is lawful for us to buy and

sell slaves. Mahomet, our Prophet, has authorized us to do this; but, at

the same time, our slaves must be fed and clothed like ourselves. If you

wish a proof of this, you can go and look at my slaves," (pointing to

his house). "To be holders of slaves, is a merit with us.

"Your address ought to come directly from your Government, from your

Queen to our Sultan. It is not enough that it is recommended by your

Government. The European sovereigns are accustomed to act by the advice

of their counsellors and ministers; but the Sultan of Morocco always

acts without advice or councils. [25] If the address had come from the

Queen, it would have been received, and an answer would have been

returned accordingly. Then if your Government had been offended at the

answer of my master not agreeing with their opinion, they could have

taken their own satisfaction in any way they might have thought proper

(or have made war on us).

"The money which you say the people of England have spent for the

suppression of the Slave Trade, has been, according to our opinion and

religion, misspent, and employed to destroy a system of which we

approve, and consider lawful. Still, I hope God will give your country

more money to spend, and in abundance.

"The English people and the people of Morocco have been, from time

immemorial, great friends, proofs of which I can give you. The guns that

we get from other Christian nations, are never so good as those we get

from England. Besides, we always give the English whatever they ask for.

When the French were at war with Spain and wished to take Ceutra from

her, the English demanded from our Sultan, a small island near Ceutra,

to prevent the French from landing and seizing Ceutra. To this request,

my Sultan acceded; and to show you that the English are our particular

friends, the English gave the island back to us when the war was at an

end."

Mr. Willshire now endeavoured to present the Address of the Anti-Slavery

Society, praying his Excellency to accept it.

On which, the Governor continued with his usual vivacity, "No; I am

sorry I cannot accept it; if I do, the Sultan must also, for now I act

as the Sultan. Indeed, I dare not receive the address, nor write to our

Lord [26] about it. Nor can I look at it, for in case the Sultan asks me

about it, I must swear that I have not touched nor seen the Address. If

I look at it, and then say I did not look at it, the Sultan will order

my tongue to be cut off from the roof of my mouth.

"And further, O Consul! O Stranger! were our Lord to agree with your

Society, and abolish the traffic in slaves throughout his dominions, all

the people would rise up against him in revolt, and the Sultan would be

the first to have his head cut off.

"Therefore, as a good and wise man, O Stranger--which you must be, or

you would not be entrusted with this mission--comply with the orders of

the Sultan's message, given to you by me and your Consul.

"Any thing which you want for yourself or your private use, I will give

it you, even to the whole of this city of Mogador. But for myself I

cannot comply with the prayers of the address, or receive it from your

own or the Consul's hands."

The message of the Sultan alluded to, was in substance to give up the

attempt of abolishing slavery in Morocco, and not to think of going to

the South, but to return at once to England.

The Governor was greatly pleased with the sound of his own voice, and

the skill of his argumentations, and has the character of being a

loquacious and reasoning diplomatist.

This was the public or day side of the mission; there was also the night

side; for where the curiosity of the Moor is excited, it must be

gratified, by fair or other means. It was not surprising, therefore,

that the wily Shereef should wish to know what this Address of an

English Society was, or could be; and if possible to obtain a copy,

although for the sake of the people it was found necessary to repudiate

altogether its acceptance. Accordingly, the next day, Cohen told me a

friend of the Emperor's was anxious to have some conversation with me,

and he begged me to take with me the Address.

It was past ten at night, when alone, with my Moorish guide, I found

myself treading the long narrow streets of Mogador.

The wind howled and the watch-dogs barked; it was so dark that we could

scarcely grope our way, no human being was about; we went up one street

and down another, stealing along our way; as if on some house-breaking

expedition; and I began to feel suspicious, fearing a trap might be laid

for me. Still, I had confidence in the honour of the Moors, I said to my

guide.

"When shall we reach your master's?"

_Guide_.--"God knows; be quiet!"

We continued going through street after street. It was now bitter cold,

and a few drops of rain fell from the cutting wing of the north wind.

To my Guide again.

"Where is the house?"

_Guide_.--"Follow me, don't talk!" After we had passed other streets,

"Is this the street?"

_Guide_.--"Eskut! (hold your tongue)."

We now entered a low dilapidated gateway, with a broken panelled door,

groaning on its hinges.

Again I questioned my guide. "Who lives here?"

_Guide_.--"Mahboul Ingleez (mad Englishman) hold your tongue! Do you

think we Mussulmans will eat you?"

We passed through several court-yards, by the aid of a lantern, which

the guide found in a corner, and then entered a corridor. Here he

grasped me by the arm, in such wise as made me believe I was about to

have my head thrust through a bowstring. I ejaculated; "Allah Akbar!

Mercy upon us!" blending Arabic and English in my fright, and

struggling, fell with the guide against the door at the end of the

passage with a considerable crash. A voice was heard from within.

"_Ashbeek_ (what's the matter?)" My guide returned, "_Hale_ (open)."

A huge negro now laid hold of me, and pulled me up a pair of narrow

stairs which led to a species of loft, in a detached portion of the

house. The case containing the Address fell out of my hands, and was

picked up by the guide. Another apartment within the loft was now

opened, shewing, through a dim and indistinct light, a venerable old

Moor, sitting in the midst of heaps of papers and books, like a midnight

astrologer, or a secret magician. On our entrance, the solitary Moor

raised his eyes, quietly, and said faintly, "Where is it?" My guide now

rushed in, began talking volubly, and made this harangue, thinking,

however, I could not understand him from the rapidity with which he

declaimed.

"Sidi," he said, "this Christian is a frightened fool--and a _baheen_

(ass)--I had the greatest trouble to get him here--he was frightened out

of himself--and now Allah! Allah! I have to take him back again."

I received the compliment in silence, and endeavoured to recover my

tranquillity. But I could not help remarking the contrast between my

noisy and agitated guide, and the grave manner and immoveable quietness

of the recluse. The guide then handed him "the Address," and the Cid

opened the box or case with extreme caution, as if it had contained some

mysterious spell. The Cid now looked up for a moment at the big negro,

who decamped instantly and returned with a teapot and two cups. The two

cups were then filled with tea, one of which was presented to me, but I

had some hesitation about drinking it. The Cid, looked up at me with a

quiet smile, and gently muttered "_Eshrub_! (drink,") I drank the tea

and then waited anxiously to know what was coming next. The Cid

continued to unroll the Address. When this was done, he rolled it up and

again unrolled it, and stared at its Roman characters. He eyed the seal

and ejaculated, "_Haram_!" to himself! alluding, I suppose, to the

figure of the slave in chains, it being prohibited to make figures. The

Cid now paused a moment, then looked at me again, and finally turning to

the Guide said, "_Imshee El-Ghudwah_ (go to-morrow, I'll see.)"

The guide now grasped me again by the hand, scarcely allowing me to bow

a good night to the Cid, and led me back to my lodgings, where I arrived

at midnight. When I awoke in the morning, I really imagined I had been

dreaming an ugly dream, until one of the English Jews called, and said

he was making a translation of the Address to be dispatched to the

Emperor at Morocco, and afterwards he would bring the Address back. The

Address was returned to me about a week afterwards, but whether an

Arabic translation was ever sent to the Sultan, I know no more than the

reader.

Mr. Phillips has applied to the British Vice-consul to know whether, in

case of his going up to Morocco to carry a present for the Belgium

merchants, here, Phillips, being a Jew, will be obliged to pull off his

shoes, which would be depriving him of the rights of British-born

subjects, who stand with their shoes on in the Shereefian presence. The

Consul says he cannot answer the question, and must send a dispatch to

Mr. Hay. Mr. Willshire complimented Phillips: "Ah Phillips, you are

always proposing to me some knotty question. You profoundly perplex the

mind of Mr. Consul-general Hay."

This leads me to notice the affecting case of the Israelite, Darmon, at

one time the French Vice-consul at Mazagran. This young Darmon was fond

of Moorish women, and always intriguing with them. Hay Mousa, Governor

of Mazagran, reported him to the Emperor, and his Highness sent orders

to have him decapitated. It was said afterwards by the Maroquine

Government, that "The order was merely to bring him to Morocco, and

that, when being conveyed as prisoner, and after attempting to run away,

the soldiers of his escort shot him." The Moorish Government also

pretend that Darmon attempted first to shoot the guards who shot him, in

self-defence.

With regard to his being a French Consul, it is said by the French

Government, that he was not their consul at the time, having resigned.

It appears besides that members of his family are French, and others

Moorish subjects. Indeed, these Mauro-European Jews give great troubles

to the consuls; the various persons of a single family being often under

the protection of three or four consuls. It will thus be seen how full

of difficulties was this Darmon affair, and what a door it opened to

tedious Moorish diplomacy. The French Government arranged ultimately

with the Sultan a compromise, a sum of money being paid to the murdered

man's family, and the Governor of Mazagran was dismissed.

When young Darmon fell into disgrace, his father, one of the Imperial

merchants, was at Morocco. The father inquired of the Minister whether

the Sultan would receive his present now his son had fallen into

disgrace. The cruelly avaricious tyrant deigned to accept it of the

father it is said, at the very moment when the order to decapitate his

son had been sent to Mazagran. No doubt it was a barbarous action, but

the extreme imprudence of the young man provoked the government to

extremities. The court was so irritated at the time, that it even issued

an order to place all Jews, natives, foreigners, or Europeans upon the

same level of exposure to Moorish insult and oppression. Speaking to Mr.

Willshire about this order, he smilingly observed: "Say nothing, it will

soon be forgotten." The government never intended to carry it out. Years

ago, the Emperor gave orders that Jews coming from European countries

should be placed on the same footing as native Jews, but the Imperial

edicts were unnoticed.

A curious order was given about smoking some time ago in this city. It

was represented to the Governor that during Ramadan, Kafer-Nazarenes

went about smoking, occasioning the Faithful to sniff up the smoke, and

so break the Holy Fast. The Christians were likewise accused of going

near the mosques to fill them with filthy smoke.

The Governor, in a circular, begged of the Consuls to prohibit their

countrymen, or "subjects," from smoking in the streets. The French

Consul considering this a police regulation, summoned together the

French subjects, and begged of them to comply with the non-smoking

order. Mr. Willshire took no notice of the affair, knowing it would soon

pass over.

Mr, Willshire is a veteran in Morocco, and understands the genius of its

government. He considers the _laissez faire_ system the very best, and

this is all very well, provided the Sultan respects the heads of Her

Majesty's subjects.

Haj Mousa, Governor of Mazagran, who was mixed up with the Darmon

affair, deserves notice from his brutal ferocity towards Europeans. With

great difficulty and damage to their lives, Europeans reside in

Mazagran, and it is not therefore surprising that the imprudent Darmon

fell into the clutches of this provincial tyrant, who probably ensnared

him as a prey. Up to the time of this affair, Haj Mousa had been an

irremoveable governor. The Sultan himself never attempted to displace

him, although he had committed, from time to time, the greatest

enormities. Other governors had been bled, fleeced, and impaled over and

over again; but the caitiff, Haj, always remained in possession of the

fruits of his tyranny.

The reason for this tolerant conduct of the Emperor towards him is, that

when Muley Abd Errahman was in difficulties and obliged to fly for his

life, in the convulsions previous to his reign, Haj Mousa sent the young

prince a mule and thirty ducats; with this, the prince was enabled to

escape, and he saved his life to be afterwards proclaimed

Meer-el-Moumeneen. On receiving the mule and money, he exclaimed in a

transport of gratitude to the Governor of Mazagran, "I will never forget

you!" It is unfortunate the good faith of the Emperor's word has been so

deplorably abused by this tyrant, for it is considered certain, that

though temporarily removed from Mazagran, he will return, or be made

governor of another city.

A Sous Jew called upon me one day, who is well acquainted with the

Shelouh or, Berber of the South. On asking if he would make a

translation of the book of Genesis from Hebrew into Shelouh, he replied:

"No, I cannot. In the first place, the Emperor would cut off my head for

doing such a thing; and, again, it would be a sin to convert the Holy

Hebrew character into such a language of Infidels."

We continued our discussion on a more practical subject.

_Traveller_ (to the Jew)--"I am told that among you, Jews of Morocco, it

is a merit to rob us Christians and the Moors. Your young children are

even praised by their mothers if they commit a theft without being found

out: [27] is this right?"

_The Jew_.--"You are all _Goyeem_ [28] (Gentiles), but it is not true

that we rob you, Christians. If we rob Mussulmen, it's because they rob

us first."

The case really is, the Jews are literally being robbed every day by the

Moors one way or the other, and, if the people do not rob them, the

constituted authorities continue to make exactions under every pretence.

I am inclined, nevertheless, to think, without prejudice, that it is a

received maxim with _all native_ Barbary Jews, "to rob unbelievers,

Moors and Christians, when you can do so _safely_." This was the opinion

which a very respectable European Jew, resident in Tunis, entertained of

his brethren. At the same time, Ihere are numerous exceptions.

Many of the lower classes of Moors likewise, think there is little or no

harm in robbing Jews and Blacks, that is, all who are Infidels and

Christians.

I may mention, in connection with the above, the system of

False-Weights, which is an enormous scandal to this great commercial

city. It appears that almost every tradesman, and every imperial

merchant have two sets of weights, one to buy and another to sell with.

A merchant once had the impudence to cry out to his clerk when weighing,

"Oh, you are wrong, these are my _selling_ weights; bring me my _buying_

weights. Am I not buying?"

A Jew, once purchasing oil from a poor Arab, carried his villainy so far

as actually to make his tare and tret weigh more than the skin-bag when

full of oil, and coolly told the amazed Arab he had no money to give him

for the value received. "Give me back my oil!" cried the Arab. At this

the audacious Jew retorted, "There is none!" A European merchant

interfered, and saved the Jew from the bastinado he so richly deserved.

A Kady hearing of these abominations, took upon himself to begin a

reform, and went about examining weights. For his honest pains, and, in

the midst of his work of reform, the officious functionary received an

order from the Sultan, enjoining him to cease his interference, and

condemning him, as a punishment for his over-righteousness, "_to teach

twelve little boys to read every day, and not to sit at his own door for

the space of one year_." So unthankful, so odious is the task of

reforming in Morocco and many other countries.

This account of the abominable system of two kinds of weights, I derived

from most unquestionable authority, otherwise I could not have given

credit to the statement.

There were incessant rumours of war from the North. The Emperor had got

himself into difficulties with Spain and France. Orders had been sent

down to reinforce this garrison and that of Aghadir. The day before, the

Governor, calling his troops before him, did not shew his usual good

sense and prudence. He thus harangued them:--"Now, let those who want

new arms come and take them, and bring back the old ones. Let all have

courage, and fear not the Christians; fear not, women and children!"

The movement of troops was part of a general measure, extending to all

the coasts, and was, in fact, a review _en masse_ of the disposable

forces throughout the empire. Eighty thousand men were expected in this

city or the suburbs. The Sultan was reported to be on the march towards

the North with an army of 200,000 men.

The Sultan did not expect to make use of his new levies, but the policy

of the thing was good. His Highness is evidently a pacific ruler, he has

but few regular troops, and he pays them badly. His predecessor had a

large army and paid them well.

Great discontent prevailed among the soldiers, and the Emperor never

feels himself secure on his throne.

This apparent crusade against the Infidels has no doubt tended to make

him popular, and to consolidate his power. True, it excited the tribes

of the interior against the Christians, but it was better to inflame

them against the Christians than to lose his own throne.

The French Consul waited upon the Governor for explanations about the

movements of the troops. His Excellency observed, "I am ordered by my

Sultan to defend this city against all assailants, and I shall do so

till I am buried beneath its ruins. Though all the coast-cities were

captured, Mogador should never be surrendered."

Some of the credulous Moors said, "The Shereefs will come from Tafilet,

led on by our Lord Mahomet, and destroy all the cursed Nazarenes. The

Sheerefs will fire against the French leaden balls, and silver balls."

Another observed to me, "If a fleet should come here, it will be

immediately sunk, because our Sultan has ordered every ball to hit, and

none to miss."

This is not unlike what a Turk of Tripoli once said to me about the

Grand Signor and his late reforms. "The Turks will soon be civilized,

because the Sultan has given an order for all the Turks to be

civilized." The large guns of the forts were practised, and the guns of

the grand battery loaded. The infantry continued to practise on the

beach of the port: their manoeuvres were very uncouth and disorderly,

they merely moved backwards and forwards in lines of two deep. The

French Consul, Monsieur Jorelle, discontinued his usual promenade, to

prevent his being insulted, and so to avoid the the painful necessity of

demanding satisfaction.

Mr. Willshire, being well known to the Mogador population, had not so

much to fear. Here is the advantage of a long residence in a country.

The French Government lose by the frequent changing of their consuls.

Still, M. Jorelle was right in not exposing himself to the mob, or the

wild levies who had come from their mountains. The fault of the Governor

was, in exciting the warlike fanaticism of the tribes of the interior

against the Christians, which he ought to have known the city

authorities might have extreme difficulty in keeping within bounds. No

European could pass the gates of the city without being spat upon, and

cursed by the barbarous Berbers.

I paid a visit to M. Authoris, the Belgium merchant, and the only

European trader carrying on business independently of the Emperor. He

represented the commerce of the country to be in a most deplorable

condition. "There is now nothing to buy or sell on which there is a gain

of one per cent. The improvidence of the people is so great that, should

one harvest fail, inevitable famine would be the result, there not being

a single bushel of grain more in the country than is required for daily

consumption. Nor will the people avail themselves of any opportunity of

purchasing a thing cheap when it is cheap; they simply provide for their

hourly wants. They act in the literal sense of 'Take no thought for the

morrow, but let the morrow take care of itself.' As to the Jews, they

feast one day and fast the next." With regard to the excitement then

existing, M. Authoris observed. "This Government, on hearing rumours of

Spanish and French expeditions against the country, must naturally make

use of what power it has, the Holy War power, to excite the people in

their own defence. The Moors cannot discriminate Gazette intelligence.

When a worthless newspaper mentions an expedition being fitted out

against Morocco, the Emperor immediately sees a fleet of ships within

sight of his ports, and hears the reports of bombarding cannon." The raw

levies of Shedmah and Hhaha continued to enter the town, but only a

small number at a time, lest they should alarm the inhabitants. They

went about, peeping into houses, and wherever a door was open they would

walk in, staring with a wild curiosity.

I had some conversation with my Moorish friends respecting the abolition

of slavery. An old doctor observed, "The English are not more humane

than other nations, but God has decreed that they should destroy the

slave-trade among the Christians. This, however, is no praise to them,

for they could not resist acting according to the will and mind of God.

As for the Mussulmen, what they do is for the benefit of slaves,

especially females, who, one and all, are doomed to death; [29] but,

when purchased by the slave-dealers, their lives are spared, and they

are made True Believers. Still, the Mussulmen would assist the English

in destroying the ships which carry slaves;" (as if the Moors had any

fleet).

The number of slaves in this city is from eight hundred to one thousand.

It is difficult to ascertain any thing like the exact number, the

opulent Moors having many negress slaves, with whom they live in a state

of concubinage. Young, rich, and fashionable Moors, I was told for the

first time in a Mahommedan country, have become disgusted with the old

habit of managing and taking a wife early, and adopt the immoral

practice of buying female slaves, by which they avoid, as they say, the

trouble and expense of marrying females of their own rank in Moorish

society. A good Mussulman must however, marry once in his life. Slaves

are imported viâ Wadnoun from Timbuctoo and Soudan, and even from the

western coast. Negroes of the Timbuctoo market are more esteemed than

those of Guinea, being a stronger and more laborious race. The common

price of a slave in Mogador is from 60 to 90 ducats; one day a beautiful

African girl, freshly exported from the interior, was sold for 160

ducats, or about £20 sterling. This is considered an extraordinary high

price.

Slaves are sold by criers about the streets in Morocco, and most towns,

and not in bazaars, as in the East. But the most remarkable feature of

slavery in this part of the world, is the Christian or European slavery

carried further south, in the regions extending on the line of coast

below Wadnoun, and the adjacent Sahara. Something like a regular system

of Christian slavery is there going on, whilst its head-quarters are not

more than five or six days' journey from this residence of the European

Consuls. This white slavery consists in seizing shipwrecked sailors,

numbers being fishermen from the Canary Islands. We know little about

these poor captives, although we are so near Wadnoun, and are

continually trading with Sous and this country. Mr. Davidson casually

mentions them in his journal.

It is a settled and religious practice of merchants to keep Europeans

ignorant of the south and the Desert; we only hear of these captives now

and then, when one escapes, and after being bought and sold by a hundred

different masters, is fortunate enough to be redeemed; of his companions

in shipwreck, the escaped captive rarely knows anything. They are gone:

they are either drowned near the coast, plundered and massacred, or

carried far away into the Desert, and perhaps for ever. Formerly vessels

navigated through the channel (if it may be so called) of the Canary

Islands and the Wadnoun coast, by which they often got on shoal water,

and were cast away; in this manner, whites were enslaved. Happily now,

masters of vessels have become acquainted with this dangerous coast.

They pass to the east of the Canaries, and fewer vessels are shipwrecked

hereabouts.

The Spanish fishermen of the Canaries are chiefly now made captives.

These poor people are either seized when becalmed near the coast, or

captured on being cast on shore by the furious trade-winds, which sweep

these desolate shores (often nine months out of twelve) and carry utter

destruction with them. The wild and wandering Bedouins in bad weather,

with the true storm scent of the wrecker, patiently watch the coasts,

pouncing on their prey, with the voracity of the vulture, as it is

thrown up from the deep, along the inhospitable shore. Having got the

shipwrecked men in their possession, they act with the cunning and

avarice of slave-dealers, and are aided by the still craftier Jews, who

always render it very difficult for the consular agents to redeem these

unhappy captives. For although a Jew, by the Mahometan law, cannot

purchase slaves, yet by buying them-through Mussulmen, who share in the

profits, from the Arabs who first seized the captives, the slaves are

frequently kept back months in the Desert, being parted from one another

before they can be ransomed.

Sometimes the Arabs alluringly question their captives to see if they

understand any mechanical arts, which are greatly esteemed, being very

useful in these almost tenantless regions; and should they discover that

they do, they carry them away into hopeless captivity, through the wilds

of the Desert, refusing to sell them at any price or offer of ransom.

But those who cannot, or will not make themselves useful, are generally

redeemed by the Mogador Consuls, should they escape being massacred in

the quarrels of the Arabs for the booty when they are first captured.

There is, at the present time, a Spanish fisherman near Wadnoun, waiting

to be redeemed. The Arab Sheikh who holds him, demands two hundred

dollars for his redemption. Mr. Wiltshire objects to the price, as being

too much. Besides this, he is afraid to advance any money for a Spanish

captive's release, lest it should never be refunded. The Spanish

Government, representing a people so chivalrous in bygone times, and so

proud of their ancient exploits over the Moors of this very country, are

not now-a-days over zealous in redeeming their countrymen held in

bondage by these people. Mr. Willshire ransomed a Spanish boy, and

waited several years before he could get this imbecile Government to

refund the money. Espartero at last, however, interfered authoritatively

for the repayment to our generous consul.

In the present case of the poor fisherman, the captive Spaniard lingers

between hope and fear, his only protection being the avarice of his

master, who, like all slave-dealers, is willing to take care of him as

he takes care of his horse. He is one out of four, the other three

having been massacred by the Arabs, or perished on the coast. But, at

present, we know nothing certain of this, although but a few days'

journey from the scene where the disaster took place--so miserable are

our means of information for enabling us to put an end to this system of

Christian slavery. Certainly some representations should be made to the

Emperor, who pretends to have jurisdiction over Wadnoun, and the

adjacent countries, that these captives may be delivered up to the

Consuls of Mogador. A fair remuneration might be given to the persons

bringing them safely to this town.

I am told, the Ironmongers' Company of London have at their disposal

funds for the liberation of such British captives as are enslaved in

Southern Morocco. This money was left by a merchant who himself was made

a slave there; and since that time, owing to the few British captives

redeemed, it has increased to an enormous amount. Not knowing what to do

with the money, the Company, it is said, are about to petition

Parliament to build a school with a portion; but I should suggest that

it would be more in accordance with the original object, and declared

intention of the benevolent, donor, were this large surplus fund devoted

to the redemption of all other Christian captives, of whatever nation or

country. Because two hundred dollars are not forthcoming which could

easily be supplied from the Ironmongers' Company's funds, a poor

Spaniard is condemned to a cruel and hopeless slavery, wandering in the

wilds of the great African wilderness. It is impossible to tell the

number of Christian slaves who perish in the South of Morocco. Many of

the Consular agents of this city are as ignorant of the country as

persons residing in London. This subject absolutely demands the

attention of the governments of Europe. Our humanity and civilization

are in question.

The opinions of the Jews here, are the same as those of American

slave-holders, with this slight difference, that they consider it right

to make slaves of white men and Europeans, as well as of black men,

negroes, and Africans, in which idea they are more consistent than their

Yankee men-selling brethren.

As there are many Barbary Jews at Mogador, more or less under British

protection, I took the liberty of reminding them of their liabilities as

British subjects, by circulating among them copies of Lord Brougham's

Act.

I had some conversation with Rabbi-El Melek and other Jews about the

question of abolition,

_Traveller_.--"What is the opinion of the Jews of this country on the

matter of slavery?"

_Rabbi-El-Melek._--"I will show you," (taking the Hebrew Bible he read)

"'Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his

brethren.'"

_Traveller._--"Admitting the curse pronounced here was right, that Ham

and Canaan were the progenitors of the African negroes, and that the

curse was to be extended to all generations of Africa--are these reasons

why the all-Merciful Deity will hold man guiltless who enslaves and

maltreats poor Africans? Now, the Jews have been dispersed all over the

world, and maltreated, if not enslaved, by both Christians and

Mahometans (as now) according to prophecy, but will God hold us

guiltless for persecuting or maltreating you, Jews?"

_The Rabbi_.--"But we are the slaves of God, not of you Christians, and

besides, we are commanded to treat well our slaves in the Scriptures."

Here he quoted many passages from the Pentateuch.

Then followed a desultory conversation, some asserting "that inasmuch as

the slavery of the whites was permitted by God, how much more right had

they to enslave blacks who were the servants of servants!" Others even

added, "If we were Sovereigns of Morocco, we should make slaves of both

Mahometans and Christians." This indeed is the genuine feeling of

Barbary Jews; oppression begets oppression, and wrong begets revenge.

Another observed, "If you ask me what I think as a British subject, and

not as a Jew, I will give you my opinion against slavery."

Such distinctions in morals are not easily admissable, but the Jews

there are acute enough to make them, and are as good Jesuits as those of

Rome. Some cited the cavtivity of Joseph us, as a reason for carrying on

the slave-trade.

On another occasion, I had a conversation with Hassan Yousef, the High

Priest, or Archbishop, as Captain Phillips calls him. The Chief Priest

acknowledged that he who stole a man, whether white or black, was

condemned to death, according to the fair interpretation of the Mosaic

law. He and all Jews were much astonished at the tenor of Lord

Brougham's Act, and got not a little frightened; for all the merchants

of Mogador, Christians and Jews, more or less aid and abet the

slave-trade, all having connections with slave-dealers. At length, our

Jewish Archbishop opined. "Well, well, it is better now, since the

Christians have put down slavery in most of their countries, that we

Jews should follow their example."

It would be useful, and might subserve the cause of civilization, were

the Jews of Europe to take some means of enlightening their brethren of

North Africa on the question of slavery. The Israelites, who have

suffered so much from slavery and oppression, after becoming free

themselves, should endeavour to emancipate those who are still in the

chains of bondage.

The Hhaha levies were about to return to their country; the disposable

force of this province is about 70,000. The troops from Shedma were to

come in after the departure of those of Hhaha. Government were afraid to

bring both together, lest they should fight among themselves. Alluding

to the quarrel of their Sultan with the French, these hostile tribes

mutter to each other, "We must kill our own French first;" that is to

say their own "hereditary enemies."

I went out to see the two levies. These tribes had a singularly wild and

savage aspect, with only a blanket to cover them, which they wrap round

and round their bodies, having neither caps on their heads, nor shoes on

their feet. They were greatly excited against the Christians, owing to

the foolish conduct of the Moorish authorities. The lawless bands spat

at me, and every European passing by them, screaming with threatening

gestures, "God curse you! Infidels." These semi-savages, called out for

the defence of the Empire, were merely armed with a bad gun or

matchlock; some had only knives and clubs. Such levies are certainly

more fit to pillage the Emperor's coast-towns than to defend his

territory against the foreign enemy.

These poor tribes bring their own provisions, a little barley meal, and

olive or argan-oil, or liquid butter; on this being exhausted, they

could stay no longer, for Government supplies them with nothing but bad

matchlocks.

They were loud in their complaint on not receiving any nations, and

threatened to join the French Nazarenes when they arrived. His

Excellency the Governor was very anxious to get rid of them, which was

not at all surprising. So avaricious is the Emperor, that when he can,

he makes the rich Moors supply arms for their poorer brethren, instead

of furnishing them from government depôts. And this he insists upon as a

point of religion. The Governor called upon rich Moors to supply the

poor with arms.

A friend of mine who understands Shelouh as well as Arabic, overheard a

characteristic quarrel between a Shedma man and a Hhaha man. The Shedma

people, or inhabitants of the plains, mostly speak Arabic, those of the

mountains, Shelouh, which difference of language embitters their

quarrels, and alienates them from one another.

Shedma man.--"Dog! you have put your hands of the devil into my bag of

barley."

Hhaha man.--"Dog and Jew, you lie!"

Shedma man.--"Jew and Frenchman! there's some one now in your wife's

tent."

Hhaha man.--"Religion of the Frenchman! your mother has been

dishonoured a thousand times."

The maternal honour is the dearest of things amongst these

semi-barbarians. At the mention of this libel on his mother, the Shedma

fellow rushed at the Hhaha man, seizing him by the throat, and

unsheathed a dirk to plunge into his bowels. The scuffle fortunately

excited the instant attention of a group of Arabs close by, who,

securing both, carried them before the Shiekh; who, without hearing the

subject of the quarrel, bastinadoed them both with his own hand. But he

was the Hhaha Sheikh, and the Shedma Sheikh complained to the Governor

of his man having been bastinadoed by the other Sheikh. The Governor

dismissed them, each threatening the other with due vengeance.

It is time to give some account of Mogador. We sometimes spell the name

with an e, Mogadore, the inhabitants call their town _Shweerah_. Square,

[30] in allusion to its beauty, for it is the only town constructed

altogether on geometrical principles throughout Morocco. Its form,

however, is really a triangle. Mogador is a modern city, having been

built in the year 1760 of our era, by the Sultan Sidi Mohammed, under

the direction of a French engineer of the name of Cornut, who was

assisted by Spanish renegades.

The object of Sidi Mahommed was to found a central emporium of the

commerce of the Empire, and a port for the southern capital (Morocco).

This town belongs to the province of Hhaha, whose Berber tribes are its

natural defenders.

The site is a sandy beach with a rocky foundation or a base on the sea,

forming a peninsula, and is supposed to be the ancient Erythraea. The

houses are regularly built, with streets in direct lines, extremely

convenient though somewhat narrow. The residences of the consuls and

European merchants are elegant and spacious. There is a large

market-place, which, on days when the market is not held, furnishes a

splendid parade, or "corso" for exercising cavalry.

The city is divided into two parts; one division contains the citadel,

the public offices, the residence of the governor, and several houses

occupied by European consuls and merchants, which are all the property

of the Sultan; and the other is the space occupied by the houses of the

Moors and Jews.

The Jews have a quarter or _willah_ to themselves, which is locked up

during the night, the key being kept by the police. Nevertheless,

several Jews, especially Imperial traders, are allowed to occupy houses

in the Moorish quarter or citadel portion of Mogador, with the Christian

merchants.

Both quarters are surrounded by walls, not very thick or high, but which

are a sufficient protection, against the depredations of the

mountaineers, or Arabs of the plain. The port is formed by a curve in

the land and the isle of Mogador, which is about two miles from the

mainland.

This isle, on the verge of the ocean, contains some little forts and a

mosque, and its marabout shrines sparkle in the sun. It is a place of

exile for political offenders. When the French landed, at the

bombardment of Mogador, they released fifty or sixty state prisoners,

some of whom had been Bashaws, or ministers of this and former reigns.

The isle, however, is finely situate off the Atlantic, fanned and swept

by healthy gales, and the prisoners suffer only seclusion from the

Continent. The exiles never attempt to escape, but quietly submit to

their destiny.

In the port, there are only ten or twelve feet of water at ebb tide, so

that large vessels cannot enter, but must lie at anchor a mile and a

half off the Western battery, which extends along the north-western side

of the port. Such vessels do not lie there except in the summer months,

and then with extreme caution, being, as they are, right off in the

Atlantic, on one of its most dangerous coasts. There are some tolerable

batteries, but they cannot long resist a European bombardment, which was

demonstrated by the French.

Colonel Keating says, "As far as parapets, ramparts, embrasures,

cavaliers, batteries, and casemates constitute a fortress, this town is

one; but the walls are flimsy, the cavaliers do not command, the

batteries do not flash, and the casemates are not bomb-proof. The

embrasures are so close that not one in three upon the ramparts could be

worked, if they were mounted, which they are not. All their guns, which

have been only twelve months here, are already in very bad order, from

exposure to the climate and surf. The casemates are so damp, that their

interior is covered constantly with a thick nitrous incrustation."

Nevertheless, the Moors have such a superstitious veneration for

fortifications built by a parcel of renegades, that they will not permit

Christians to walk on these ramparts. But what is most unfortunate for

the defence of Mogador, the water could be instantly cut off by

destroying its aqueduct.

The population is between thirteen and fifteen thousand souls, including

four thousand Jews, and fifty Christians, who carry on an important

commerce, principally with London and Marseilles. Excepting Tangier, it

is now the only port which carries on uninterrupted commercial relations

with Europe.

Mogador is situate in the midst of shifting sand-hills, that separate it

from the cultivated parts of the country, which are distant from four to

tweleve miles. These sands have an extraordinary appearance on returning

from the interior; they look like huge pyramidal batteries raised round

the suburbs of the city for its defence. The inhabitants are supplied

with water by means of an aqueduct, fed by the little river, or rill of

Wai Elghored, two miles distant south. The climate hereabouts is

extremely salubrious, the rocky sandy site of the city being removed

from all marshes or low lands, which produce pestiferous miasma or

fever-exhaling vegetation. Rarely does it rain, but the whole tract of

the adjoining country, between the Atlas and the sea, is tempered on the

one side by the loftiest ranges of that mountain, and on the other, by

the north-east trade winds, blowing continually. Mogador is in Lat. 31°

32' 40" N., and Long. 9° 35' 30" W.

The environs offer nothing but desolate sands, except some gardens for

growing a few vegetables, and a sprinkling of flowers, which, by dint of

perseverance, have been planted in the sand of the sea-shore. This is a

remarkable instance of human culture turning the most hopelessly sterile

portions of the world to account. These sands of Mogador are only a

portion of a vast and almost interminable link, which girdles the

north-western coast of the African continent, and is only broken in upon

at short intervals, from Morocco to Senegal, like a shifting, heaving,

and ever-varying rampart against the aggressions of the ocean. Both wind

and sea have probably equally contributed to the formation of this vast

belt of shifting sands.

The distance from Tangier to Mogador, by ordinary courier, is twelve

days, but no traveller could be expected to perform the journey in less

than twenty days.

Other courier distances are as follows:

Tangier to Rabat 4 days

Rabat to Fez 2 days

Fez to Mickas 12 hours

Rabat to Morocco 8 days

Mogador to Morocco 2½ days

Mogador to Santa Cruz 3 days

Mogador to Wadnoun 8 days

Santa Cruz to Teradant 1½ days

A notice of the interesting, though now abandoned part of Aghadir, may

not be out place here. Aghadir, (called also Agheer and by the

Portuguese, Santa Cruz) means in Berber "walls." It is the Gurt Luessem

of Leo Africanus. The town is small, but strong, and well fortified, and

is situate upon the top of a high and abrupt rock, not far from the

promontory of Gheer, which is the western termination of the Atlas, and

where it dips into or strikes the ocean.

On the south, close by, is the river Sous, and formerly Aghadir was the

capital of this province.

Aghadir has a spacious and most secure port, which is the last port

southwards on the Atlantic. Indeed, this bay is the finest roadstead in

the whole empire. Mr. Jackson says, that during his residence at Aghadir

of three years, not a single ship was lost or injured. The principal

battery of Aghadir, a place equally strong by nature and art, is half

way down the western declivity of the mountain, and was originally

intended to protect a fine spring of water close to the sea. This fort

also commands the approaches to the town, both from the north and the

south, and the shipping in the bay.

Santa Cruz was converted from a fisherman's settlement into a city, and

was fortified by the Portuguese in 1503. Muley Hamed el-Hassan besieged

it in 1536 with an army of fifty thousand men, and owing to the accident

of a powder-magazine blowing up and making a breach, the Sultan forced

an entrance, to the astonishment of the Portuguese, who were all

slaughtered.

In the reign of Muley Ismail, Santa Cruz was the centre of an extensive

commerce carried on between Europe and the remotest regions of Africa,

which obtained for it the name of Bab-el-Soudan, (Gate of Soudan.) The

inhabitants became rich and powerful, and, as a consequence which so

frequently happens to both the civilized and the barbarian, insolent and

rebellious. In 1773, Sidi Mohammed was obliged to march out against the

town to crush a rebellion; and this done with great slaughter, he

ordered all the European merchants to quit the place and establish

themselves at Mogador. The father of this prince had sworn vengeance

against the haughty city, but died without accomplishing his sanguinary

threats. The son, however, did the work of blood, so faithful to vows of

evil and violence is man. Since that period, Aghadir has dwindled down

to nothing, six hundred inhabitants, and others say only one hundred and

fifty. The greater part of these are Jews, who have the finest women in

all the country. Mr. Davidson says the population of Aghadir is

forty-seven Mohammedans, and sixty-two Jews. At Fonte, the port, are

about two hundred Moors. Were any European power to conquer Morocco,

Aghadir would certainy be re-established as the centre of the commerce

in the south. To a maritime nation like England, the repair and

re-opening of its fine port would be the 6rst consideration, and

doubtless a lucrative and extensive commerce could be established

between Aghadir and Timbuctoo. The city is seven leagues south of Cape

Gheer, in latitude 30° 35'.

I shall now give some further details illustrative of the state of negro

slavery. The Fniperor has an entire quarter of the city of Morocco

appropriated for his own slaves, the number of whom, in different parts

of the empire, amounts to upwards of sixty thousand. This is his, the

lion's share. His Imperial Highness, who was accepting presents from

various governors, lately received five hundred slaves from the Sheikh

of Taradant. The trading Moors, believing me to be sent by the British

Government to purchase and liberate all their slaves, have calculated

the whole of the slaves in Morocco to be worth twenty-seven millions of

dollars.

A Moor observed, "I hope to see any calamity befall the country rather

than that of the slaves being liberated," He observed: "God shews his

approbation of slavery by not permitting slaves to rise against their

masters, or the free negroes to invade Morocco, who are infinitely more

numerous. The reason why the English abolished slavery is because the

Queen of England has a good heart, but Mussulmen treat their slaves

well, and do not fear the anger of God." When I mentioned that the Bey

of Tunis and the Imaum of Muscat had entered into treaties for the

suppression of Slavery, the traders observed, "Amongst the Mohammetans

are four sects, but the only orthodox sect is that of Morocco."

There is, however, one class of abolitionists in this country--the

women, or Mooresses. The rumour that a Christian had come to purchase

all the slaves of Mogador soon penetrated the harems. The wife of one of

the most distinguished Moors of Mogador informed a Jewess of her

acquaintance, that she was very happy to hear a Christian was come to

purchase all her husband's slaves, for she was tired of her life with

them. The truth is, respectable Moorish females detest this system of

domestic slavery, and wish to see it abolished, notwithstanding that

they are bred in it, and are themselves little better than slaves. They

see themselves gradually abandoned by the husbands of their youth for

the most ignorant and degraded negress slaves, whom their husbands

purchase one after another as their caprice or passion excites them,

until their houses are filled with these slaves.

The artful negress absorbs all the affection of her master, whilst the

legitimate wife is left as a widow, and is obliged to wait upon these

pampered slaves, whose insolence knows no bounds. The negress slaves

besides, when they bear sons, are treated with great respect; their

children are free by the law, and cannot be disposed of, although the

Moors do sell them when hard pressed for money. Yet even these negresses

are beginning to chatter and clatter about the Anti-Slavery mission,

expressing their satisfaction to our Jewish neighbours. A negress slave

on hearing that a person had come from England to liberate all the

slaves, jumped up and called on God to bless the English nation.

This excitement in the domestic circles of Mogador raises the bile of

the slave-dealers. A fellow of this sort beckoned me to come to him as I

was passing in the street, and thus began: "Christian, if you dare

attempt to go to the south, we shall cut you up into ten thousand little

pieces."

Traveller.--"You will not lay a finger upon me, nor throw a handful of

sand in my face unless it please God."

Slave-dealer.--(Taken aback at this reply, he drew in his horns), "Well,

how much will you give us apiece for our slaves."

_Traveller_.--"I shall give you nothing; you have no right to sell a

man, a brother, like yourself."

_Slave-dealer_.--"It's our religion."

_Traveller_.--"It's not your religion to sell Mussulman; you sell the

children of your own slaves, born in your houses, and who are

Mussulmen?" The slave-dealer, puzzled and angry, was silent a few

minutes, and then said, "Ah, well, all's right, all's from God."

I received a visit from a Hajee under peculiar circumstances. Passing

through Tunis on his return from Mecca last year, his slave, hearing

that all the slaves were liberated in the country, ran away. In vain his

master attempted to catch him. There were no Christians in the country

of the Mecca impostor, who kept _manhunting hounds_. This is the

peculiar glory of Christian lands. Tunis is not so "go a-head" as Yankee

freedom-land. The consequence was the pilgrim left without his slave. He

then, strange to say, applied to me to procure him back his slave.

Thinking this a good opportunity to agitate the authorities here OR the

question, I recommended him to apply to the Governor, who should write

to the Emperor, and also to the Bey of Tunis, and so forth. I had

visitors daily who asked me when I should be ready to purchase the

slaves and liberate them. Arabs from the remotest districts came to me;

and I was told that there is not a town or district of the empire, but

has heard of the English going to liberate all the slaves of Morocco.

I have studiously avoided giving details of the cruelties and hard

bondage of slavery in and around Morocco. On the contrary, I have stated

it to be the opinion of the Europeans and Consuls in Tangier, that

slaves are well treated in this country. Such an opinion ought to weigh

with all. [31] At the same time, in self-defence, as an abolitionist,

and occupied with a mission for the extinction of slavery in this

country, I must partly uplift the veil, however disgusting it may be to

my readers. A portion of the dark side of the picture must be exhibited.

Of the march of slave-caravans over the Sahara, I shall say

nothing--that is fully reported in my previous publication. When the

slaves arrive in Morocco, they are inarched about in different

directions of the country for sale. During their passage through a

populous district like this, where the females are exposed to the brutal

violence of ten thousand casual visitors, or agents of police and

government, it is the ordinary and revolting practice to adopt means one

cannot describe for the purpose of preserving their honour. Private

punishments are frequent; to my certain knowledge, a female slave was

tied up by the heela, head downwards, and, after being cruelly

flagellated, was left for dead by her, pitiless master. She was at last

cut down at the intercession of her mistress whose humanity got the

better of her hatred and jealousy. While I was at Mogador, a negress had

two of her children torn away from her to be sold at Morocco, to pay the

debts of her master, who was a Moor. The children were sons of the man

who sold them into bondage! The mother was inconsolable, ran about

distracted, and probably will never recover from the blow. These facts

are enough, and with any human man they will out-weigh all other

instances, however numerous, of alleged good treatment on the part of

Moorish slave masters. [32]

I took a ride with Mr. Elton on the sandy beach. There is a fort in

ruins, at about half an hour's distance, illustrating most emphatically

the parable of the man who built his house upon the sands.

This fort, which was to command the southern entrance of the harbour, is

supposed to be of Spanish construction, and built about the same time as

the city.

It was once of considerable size and height, but is now a fallen and

ruined mass, its foundations "upon the sands" having given way. Storms

along this shore are often terribly destructive, we passed a portion of

the hulk of a vessel completely buried in the sand. [33]

Notwithstanding the sober and taciturn character of the Moor, he can

sometimes indulge himself in pleasantry and caricature. The Moors have

made caricatures of the three last emperors, assisted by some Spanish

renegade artist: these Princes are Yezid, Suleiman, and Abd Errahman.

Yezid is represented as throwing away money with one hand, and cutting

off heads with the other, depicting his ferocity in destroying his

enemies, and his generosity in heaping favours on his friends. Suleiman

is represented as reading the Koran, in the character of a devout and

good man. The present Sultan is hit off capitally, with one hand holding

a bag of money behind him, and with the other stretched out before him,

begging for more.

H B could not have better caricatured the three Shereefian Sultans. The

Moors affirmed that Muley Abd Errahman will keep faith with no one where

his avarice is concerned, and, when he can, he will sell a monopoly

twice or thrice, receiving money from each party. Of his meanness and

avarice, I adduce two anecdotes. Four years ago, Muley-Abd Errahman

ordered some blond for his Harem from Mr. Willshire. Just when I was

leaving Mogador, his Imperial Highness graciously returned it to our

merchant with the message--"It's too dear." Not long before, a man was

murdered upon the neutral land of two adjacent provinces, and a thousand

dollars were taken from his baggage. In such cases, the Governor of the

district is mulcted both for the murder and robbery. The Emperor claimed

two thousand dollars from one of the provinces, for the father of the

murdered man. This province escaped upon the plea that the murder had

not been committed within its territory. The other province refused to

satisfy the demand for the same reason. His Imperial Highness then made

both provinces pay 2,000 dollars each, keeping one two thousand for

himself, for the trouble he had of enforcing payment.

The people of Sous not long ago had a quarrel, which the Emperor

fomented. Its Sheikhs fought; his Imperial Highness sent troops to turn

the balance of the fray, and to pacify the country. Then, he made the

belligerents pay each 40,000 dollars, as pacification-money, the value

of which he levied on slaves. In this politic way, the Imperial miser

replenishes his coffers, and "eats up" his loving subjects.

I made the acquaintance of Mr. Treppass, the Austrian consul, and

Chancellor of the French consulate. Mr. Treppass has been upwards of

twenty years in this country, and was himself once an Imperial merchant,

but sold his business, preferring a small stipend and his liberty, to

being a vassal of the Emperor, fed in luxury and lodged in a fine house.

We had a long conversation upon the various topics connected with this

country.

Mr. Treppass says, the present system of the court is resistance to all

innovation, to all strangers. But the pressure of the French on the

Algerine frontier is agitating the internal state of this country.

Money, which in other countries goes a long way, will almost do every

thing with the Government of Morocco. It will also effect much with the

people. Some fifty years ago, a Geneose merchant, resident in Mogador,

had the two provinces of Hhaha and Shedma under his control, and could

have made himself Sultan over them; this he effected solely by the

distribution of money. The Sultan of the time was in open war with a

pretender; his Imperial Highness begged for the assistance of the

all-powerful merchant. The merchant bought the affections and allegiance

of the people, and firmly established the Sultan on his throne.

The influence of the merchant was now prodigious, and the Sultan himself

became alarmed. Not being able to rest, and being in hourly dread of the

Genoese, the Sultan ordered his officers to seize the merchant secretly,

and put him on board a vessel then weighing anchor for Europe. When the

merchant was placed on board, this message was delivered to him--"Our

Sultan is extremely obliged to you, sir, for the great services you

rendered him, by establishing him on his throne! but our Sultan says,

'If you could place him on the throne, you could also pull him off

again.' Therefore you must leave our country. Our Sultan graciously

gives you a portion of your wealth to carry away with you!" The officers

then shipped several chests of money, jewels, and other valuables to be

placed to the account of the merchant, and the Sultan-making Genoese

quitted Morocco for ever.

The Moors reported to me that the French were building some factories,

with a fort, upon some unclaimed land along the coast, equidistant

between Aghadir and Wadnoun. It is probably near Fort Hillsboro of the

maps, and which Mr. Davidson calls Isgueder. A Moor was accused by the

authorities of Mogador of being mixed up with the transaction, and

immediately sent to the south, where he has not been heard of since.

Another report is that the French are only building a factory. The spot

of land has near it a small port and a good spring of water; quantities

of bricks and lime have been deposited there; French vessels of war from

the Senegal have been coasting and surveying up and down, touching at

the place.

The new port is called Yedoueesai. I inquired particularly respecting

this project; but Mr. Treppass stated positively, that the French had

wholly abandoned the idea of establishing commercial relations with the

Sheikh of Wadnoun, or any tribes thereabouts, whatever might have been

their original intentions. Vessels of war have frequently visited the

coast of Wadnoun, finding it the worst in all Africa. They, however, now

maintain friendly relations with the Sheikh, in the event of shipwrecks

or other disasters, happening to French vessels.

Nevertheless, it was at the particular request of the French Consul of

Mogador, that his Government broke off all communications with the

Sheikh, the Emperor having repeatedly complained to the Consul against

this intercourse assuming a commercial or diplomatic character. [34] The

whole coast, from the port of Mogador to the river Senegal, has been,

within the last few years, surveyed by the French vessels of war,

particularly by Captain E. Bouet; and there is sufficient evidence in

the reports of the people, and the remonstrances of the Maroquine

Government, to prove that the French did attempt a settlement on the

part of the coast above stated, but that it failed.

The French took the idea of the undertaking from Davidson, who proposed

to Lord Palmerston to enter into communication with the Sheikh of

Wadnoun, and establish a factory on the coast, somewhere about the river

Noun, just below Cape Noun. A British vessel of war was sent down with

presents for the Sheikh, and to ascertain the whereabout of the fine

harbour reported to exist there by the Sheikh and his people. This

attempt of our government was as fruitless as that of the French

afterwards. Indeed, at the very time an English brig of war was

searching about for this port, and seeking an interview with the Sheikh

of Wadnoun on the coast, Davidson was murdered on the southern frontier

just as he was penetrating the Sahara.

It is not improbable, however, that the knowledge of this recommendation

of Davidson, which, from the Sheikh's people themselves, would naturally

reach the court of Morocco, might have excited that jealous court to

compass in some way his death, or at any rate thwart his expedition to

Timbuctoo, for the Emperor is exceedingly jealous of any European

holding communication with the south. The Sheikh Barook is, in spite of

all this, very anxious to begin an intercourse with Europeans; and not

long ago, a messenger arrived with a bag of money for the Jew, Cohen,

telling him to take some out of it, and to go to the Sheikh who wished

to see him. But Cohen would not expose himself to the displeasure of the

Emperor, although he has English protection.

Wadnoun is a quasi-independent Sheikhdom of the empire. The Sheikh of

Wadnoun pays no tithes nor other imposts, and only sends an annual

present as a mark of vassal-homage to the Emperor. Sous, which adjoins

this province, is more immediately under the power of the Sultan of the

Shereefs, but the tithes are not so easily collected in the south as in

the north. Much depends on the ability of the governor, who rules the

whole of the district in the name of the Emperor. The imperial authority

is maintained principally by prompting disunion amongst the Sheikhs;

Sous being divided into numerous districts, each district having an

independent Sheikh.

By confusion and divisions among themselves, the Emperor rules all as

paramount-lord. When will people learn to be united, so that by union

they may win their freedom and independence? Alas! never. Wadnoun is

treated, however, very tenderly; for if the Emperor were to attempt the

subjugation of this country, the malcontents of Sous would join the

Sheikh, and his authority would probably be overthrown in all the south.

Sous is the richest of these provinces, and equal to any other of the

northern districts. Its trade in dates, ostrich feathers, wax, wool, and

hides, particularly in gums, almonds, and slaves, is very great. All the

Saharan caravans must pass through this country, except those proceeding

_viâ_ Tafilett to Fez. Teroudant, its capital, is a very ancient city,

and was built by the ancient Berbers. It has a circumference of walls

capable of containing eighty thousand people, but the actual population

does not exceed twenty thousand. Its inhabitants are very industrious,

and the Moors excel in the art of dyeing.

Noun, or Wadnoun, as this country and its capital are sometimes called,

Mr, Davidson briefly describes as a large district, having many clusters

of inhabitants. The town where the Sheikh resides, is of good size, and

has a millah, or Jew's quarter, besides a good market. It stands on the

river (such as it is) distant twenty two miles from the sea.

The river Noun rises in the mountains above Souk Aisa or Assa, and is

there called Wad-el-Aisa; and, passing through the district of Wadnoun,

it takes the name of Assaka. The ancient name of this river was Daradus.

The territory around is not very fertile on account of the neighbourhood

of the Desert, but produces gum, wax, and ostrich feathers in abundance.

The inhabitants are mostly Arabs with a sprinkling of Shelouh, estimated

by Gräberg [35] at 2,000. The population is somewhat thickly scattered;

there are at least twenty villages between the district of Stuka and

Wadnoun.

The annexed is a sketch of Wadnoun after the design left by Mr.

Davidson.

[Illustration]

Wadnoun is an important rendezvous of caravans. Many Timbuctoo caravans

break up here, and some Saharan. Several Saharan merchants come no

further north, disposing of their slaves and goods to Maroquine

merchants, who meet them in this place.

It is safe travelling through these countries, provided no extraordinary

plot be laid for taking away a traveller's life, as in the case of

European explorers attempting to penetrate the interior. Mr. Treppass

thinks that, notwithstanding the ill-will of the Moorish Government,

Davidson could have succeeded in his attempted journey to Timbuctoo had

he been more circumspect. He gave out to all persons whom he met that he

was going to Timbuctoo. This insured his being stopped and murdered _en

route_ by some party or other, more especially as he at last abandonod

the idea of protecting himself by a caravan-party, and started alone.

But I am not altogether of this opinion. Too much publicity is certainly

injurious to a journey of discovery, and far and near awakens attention

and suspicion; but a too sudden and unexpected appearance in the towns

of the Desert, equally excites distrust and suspicion, if not hostile

feelings.

Mr. Robertson, whilst at Morocco, heard one of the numerous versions of

the death of Mr. Davidson. He is said to have been killed by the mere

freak of a young Arab, who wished to have the pleasure of killing a

Christian, and who called out to his companions, "Come, let us go and

have a shot at the Christian." The party of Arabs to whom this

mischievous young man belonged, was afterwards extremely grieved at what

had been done. One of the Arabs, in plundering the baggage, lost his

hand by breaking a bottle containing aqua fortis. The glass cut a large

gash, and the aqua fortis entering immediately, consumed the hand. The

people cried out, "The devils of the Christian are in the water!" From

all I have heard, the great fault of Davidson appears to have been his

wishing to travel as like "a fine gentleman." This prejudiced all his

travelling-companions against him, and could not fail to render him

unpopular wherever he went.

It is of no use for a man to cry out in the Desert, "I am an

Englishman!" he must exclaim, "I am an Arab, and will do and suffer like

an Arab." If any one were to ask me, "What would carry a roan to

Timbuctoo through the Desert? is it courage, or money, or prudence?" I

would reply, "The first thing is suffering, the second is suffering, and

the last is suffering." [36] I consulted an old man on this journey to

Timbuctoo. He could not undertake a voyage being too old. He mentioned

names of places _en route_, and said they travelled by the stars, which

star-travelling is all stuff. He recommended going by sea as much

nearer. Very little satisfactory information can be obtained from

Maroquine Moors, who would rather mislead than direct you.

I endeavoured to open a correspondence with the South on the

Anti-Slavery question. At first, I thought of going to Wadnoun on

receiving an invitation from the Sheikh, but when I proposed this to Mr.

Wiltshire, he insisted on my relinquishing such a project, inasmuch as

having placed myself at the direction of the Consul-General, as

recommended by the Earl of Aberdeen, I was not at liberty to differ from

the advice, which Mr. Hay and himself might tender me. I saw there was

some reason in this, and submitted though with great reluctance.

However, I wrote two letters to Sheikh Barook of Wadnoun, stating the

views and objects of the Anti-Slavery Society.

I had some difficulty in finding a courier, who would undertake the

delicate mission of conveying the letters. But Mr. Treppass and the

French Consul, M. Jorelle, felt themselves more at liberty in the matter

than our Consul, and determined to assist me, M. Jorelle very justly

observing, "We will sow the seeds of liberty, if we can do nothing

more." Indeed, I am greatly obliged to that gentleman for the interest

he took in my mission, and the assistance he rendered me on this and

other occasions. After my return to England, I received two letters from

the Sheikh in answer to those I had written to him. The Sheikh, afraid

lest his letter might fall into the hands of Government, after many

compliments, begs me to get the Emperor first to move in the question,

adding, "what he makes free, we will make free;" for he says in another

place, "We act as he acts, according to the _treek_ (ordinance) of God

and his Prophet."

Sheikh Barook also protests that he has but little power in these

matters, living as he does in the Desert. As I did not seek for any

thing beyond an answer to my letters, and was only anxious that he

should know the sentiments of the Anti-Slavery Society, I was not all

disappointed. I knew too much of the pro-slavery feeling once existing

in a strong party in England, and the mighty struggles which we had

passed through to obtain British Abolition, to expect anything more than

a respectful answer to antislavery letters from a Prince of the Desert,

whose revenues were raised chiefly from the duties levied upon

slave-caravans passing through his territory. I only attempted to

scatter the seeds of liberty over the slave-tracks of the Desert,

leaving the budding forth and the growth to the irrigating influences of

that merciful and wise God, who has made all men of one flesh and blood.

I visited the families of Jewish merchants during the Passover, in

company with Mr. and Mrs. Elton. Christians here visit the Jews twice a

year, at the feast of the Passover and Tabernacles. In return, Jews

visit Christians on New Year's day. This laudable practice promotes

social harmony between the Jews and Christians.

In the house of one of our Jewish friends (Mr. Levi's) I assisted at the

celebration of the evening of the Passover. There is nothing very

particular in this ceremony, except a great deal of reading. The

drinking of the four cups [37] of wine, and the eating of the bitter

herbs, emblems of the joys and the sorrows attending the deliverance

from Egyptian bondage, are the more difficult parts of the ceremony. The

children naturally feel most the disagreeableness of eating the bitter

herbs, and several times, as soon as they put them into their mouths,

they spat them out again under the table. The drinking of an excessive

quantity of wine, is also attended with not a little inconvenience, and

one would think Bacchus was the deity worshipped, and not the God of the

Jews and Christians. When will mankind learn that violation of the

physical economy of their nature can never be acceptable to the Great

Creator?

I do not say that European Israelites indulge so much in these excesses

as Barbary Jews, but I imagine that the germ of the debauch is found in

the Talmudical religion of both classes. But, since I should be very

sorry were a Jew to hold up to me the mummeries of Popery or of the

Greek Church, as the mirror of my own religion, I am not disposed to

animadvert upon the generally decorous worship of European Israelites.

It requires three full days to get through this business of visiting. In

truth, it is a very serious affair, for we were obliged to eat cake, and

sip sherbet, or white brandy, at every house we went to, otherwise we

should confer an affront upon our friends. At all times, a great

quantity of white brandy, which the Jews distil themselves, is drunk,

but especially on these occasions.

The Governor of Mogador gave orders, not long ago, that no Mussulman

should enter the Jewish quarter, to prevent the faithful from being

seduced into drinking this insidious spirit. I shall just mention what a

Christian is obliged to conform to, whilst visiting the Barbary Jews on

these high days and holidays.

1st. You must eat a piece of cake, at least of _one_ sort, if not of

several kinds, and drink a little brandy, wine somets, or boiled juice

of the grape, or sherbet. In many of the houses, they give nothing but

brandy, which is tastefully placed out on small round tables, as at a

pastrycook's shop.

2nd. You must admire the new dresses of the ladies, who are radiantly

and sumptuously attired "in flaming purple and refulgent gold," their

ornaments likewise of gold, silver, and all manner of precious stones;

for the daughters of Israel are, as on bridal days, all begemmed,

bejewelled, and diamonded, stuck over with gems as thick as stars "seen

in the galaxy or milky-way." On these festivals, it is absolutely a

matter of orthodox observance that the Jews and Jewesses should wear

something new. Some have entirely new dresses.

3rd. Any thing new or remarkable in the house, or household furniture,

must be noticed or admired.

4th. You must carry with you in your memorandum-book, or at the tip of

your tongue, a good assortment of first-rate compliments of the season.

If these are spiced with a little scandal of your neighbours, or the

party you have just left, so much the better; they are more relished.

Now you are obliged to visit twenty or thirty families per diem; and you

are literally passing through doors, square-courts, and corridors,

crossing patios and quadrangles, walking up and down stairs, getting up

and sitting down from morning to night, during these three mortal days.

It will be seen then, that these Passover and Tabernacle visits are

tremendous affairs, and require Herculean strength to get through their

polite duties. They may be days of jovial festivity to Jews, but

certainly they are days of labour and annoyance to Gentiles.

But I must now give an account of one or two remarkable personages whom

we visited. The first was Madame Bousac, a Jewess of this country. Her

father was a grandee at Court in the days of former emperors, and the

greatest merchant of his time, and she represented as an aristocrat

among her people, a modern Esther, standing and pleading between the

Sultan and her nation. This lady is the only native woman in the

country, Mooress or Jewess, who has tact or courage enough to go and

speak to the Emperor, and state her request with an unfaltering voice

beneath the awful shadow of the Shereefian presence! Madame Bousac

accompanied the merchants to Morocco, to pay her respects to the

Emperor. Among other modest or confidential demands which the lady made

on the Imperial benevolence, was that of an advance to her husband of

ten thousand dollars. His Imperial Highness was immediately obliged to

give a formal assent before his court.

She then visited the Harem, and felt herself quite at home. All the

ladies, wives or concubines of the Emperor, waited upon her; and served

her with tea and bread, and butter.

The presentation of bread and butter and cups of tea, is said to be the

highest honour conferred on visitors, but why or wherefore I have not

heard.

Madame Bousac gave us some account of the Morocco harem, which we may

suppose is like that of Fez and Miknas. The number of these ladies was

some two hundred. They are all attired alike, except the four wives, who

dress a little more in the style of Sultanas. I am sorry to be obliged

to disabuse the reader of the romance and oriental colouring attached to

our ideas of the harem, by giving Madame Bousac's simile of those

angelic houries. This lady said, "they are like a string of

charity-school girls going to church on a Sunday morning."

Their penurious lord keeps down their pin-money to the lowest point, and

is not more liberal to his ladies than to his other subjects. Former

sultans were accustomed to allow their ladies half a dollar a day, but

these have but twopence, or at least fourpence. Muley Abd Errahman even

traffics in his beauties, and will now and then make a present of one to

a governor, in consideration of receiving an adequate return of money,

or presents. Sometimes, the Moors pay their Shereefian Sultan a similar

compliment, by presenting him with slaves from their harem. [38]

Madame Bousac is, of course, a perfect lady according to Moorish ideas,

but her fascinations on the mind of the Emperor, arise more from her wit

and ability than her feminine grace and delicacy. She is anything but a

beauty, according to our ideas, being of a dark complexion, of middle

height, of large and powerful muscular proportions, very upright, as if

bending backwards, and with a hoarse and masculine voice. Like most

women in this part of the world, she is married to a man old enough to

be her father, or even grandfather, being even more than double her age.

She herself may be about thirty, at which age the beauty of Barbary

women is gone for ever. Such is the court-dame who has courage enough to

speak to the Emperor of Morocco in public. She conversed with us about

her affairs, telling us the Emperor had not yet advanced to her husband

the loan of 10,000 dollars as promised, nor did she expect it, for she

knew his avarice. "Rather would he sell one of his Sultanas." But he had

sent her a present of four haiks, which she shewed us; they were

extremely fine and white. "These," she observed, "are the ten thousand

dollars paid in private, but which the Sultan could not refuse me in

public."

Another character whom we visited, was the distinguished Rabbi,

Coriante. The priest entertained us with dissertations upon various

subjects. First of slavery. "It is unlawful to steal blacks, the Mosaic

law denouncing such theft with the punishment of death. Nevertheless, if

the Jews of this country had the power, they would enslave the

Mussulman, and well castigate them."

This latter remark, Coriante uttered with an emphasis, denoting the

revenge which his countrymen would inflict upon their Mahometan

oppressors, who had kept them in chains for a series of ages. He

remarked, however, that the Sultan might give way on the question of

negro slavery, after the first shock to his prejudices.

The Rabbi treated us with wine, but one of us, moved by curiosity,

having touched the bottle, he remarked to his daughter in an under-tone;

"It's all gone," (the rest of the wine is spoiled). Among these

extremely superstitious Barbary rabbies, it is a pollution to their wine

if a Christian touch even the bottle containing the juice of the grape,

and they will not drink it afterwards.

We asked the reason of his not being able to drink, and found it was,

first, because women work in the vineyards, and the second, because the

Pope pronounces his blessing upon the vintage. After these Jews have

eaten meat, they are obliged to wait some time before they can eat

butter, or drink milk; in fact, their superstitions are numberless. The

Rabbi read to us portions of the proverbs of Solomon, and told us

Solomon was well acquainted with steam engines and railways, "Only they

were of no use in the Holy Land when God was always with his people." He

then gave us his blessing, and me this solemn warning. "Take care the

Emperor does not cut off your head, as he has cut off the head of our

young Darmon." [39]

END OF VOL. I.

[1] According to Xavier Darrieu.

[2] It has always been the policy of Mahometan States to send their

troublesome subjects, such as were not considered rebel enough to

decapitate or to imprison, on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Instead of

expiating the sins of a buoyant patriotism at the galleys or the

Bermudas, they are sent to slake their patriotic ardour at the holy

wells of El-Kaaba.

[3] The late Emperor of Morocco.

[4] "Our Lord Jesus," the name by which the Moors, always mention Our

Saviour.

[5] Moors entertain the lowest opinion possible of Spaniards. In an

intercepted correspondence of the Emperor of Morocco, found at the

Battle of Isly, Spaniards are called, "The most degraded of the human

race."

[6] The climate of North Africa is remarkable for rusting everything

which can contract rust. This may be the reason of the Moors

representing Spain and other European countries as free from rust,

because there it is not so soon contracted.

[7] Lord Palmerston proceeded in the same determined way with the Schah

of Persia (See Parliamentary Papers on the Slave Trade, class D,

presented 1848). But Colonel Shiel was fortunate in obtaining several

opinions of Mahomet that--"The worst of men is the seller of men"--was a

powerful auxiliary. The perseverance of the Minister and his agents in

Persia has been crowned with complete success; the Schah has issued a

firman prohibiting the Slave Trade in his territories. This firman will

complete our command over the Persian Gulf and the Arabian seas, and

enable our cruisers to intercept the slavers from the eastern shore of

Africa.

[8] No people understand better than the Moors the noble feeling of

gratitude, contained in the words "Non nobis, Domine," &c.

[9] Although _Sultana_, i.e., "Sultanness or Princess," is a frequent

name for a woman in this country, I hare never heard of a man being

called Sultan; and, indeed, I imagine the jealousy of the reigning

sovereign would never permit the use of such a name. But even in this

country, where women are treated as so many household chattels, Moorish

gallantry is sufficient to overlook these trivial or serious

pretensions.

[10] "Souvenir d'un Voyage du Maroc," par M. Rey, Paris.

[11] The value of this ducat is about half-a-crown English money.

[12] Count Qrabert gives the following account of Maroquine Blacks: "The

Blacks who form a very numerous part of the population are most of them

slaves, and as it is customary in barbarous countries, become an object

of trade, though not to be compared with that carried on in other parts

of Barbary. The Black is generally of a soft and kind disposition, bears

fatigue with patience, and shows a serene and lively temper, totally

different in that respect from the Moor, who is taciturn and sullen.

Some of them have become men of prosperity and note, after having

recovered their liberty. They are renowned for their fidelity, and form

the most numerous part of the body-guards of the Sultan; that body-guard

makes about the half of the army, which on an average compose a total of

ten thousand men. The greater part of those Blacks comes from

Senegambia, Guinea, and the dominions of the Fellah or Fellani."

(_Specchio geografico e Statistico dell' Impero di Marocco. Geneva._)

[13] Some time since, when the French Government were anxious to get

supplies of grain from the Levant, for the north of France, they sent

steamers to the Straits, to be ready to tow the vessels through, an

example worthy of imitation, in other times besides seasons of famine.

[14] This conduct of Roman Catholic sailors has often been noticed.

Mahometans do the same, and resign themselves to fate, _i.e._, make no

effort to save themselves; the only difference is, they are less noisy,

and more sullen in their spiritless resignation.

[15] The entrance to the port of Mogador, however, is difficult to all

seamen. We were besides in the depth of winter. The Prince de Joinville

describes his mishaps during the height of summer, or in August, when

placing his vessels in position before the town. He says in his report

of the bombardment: "New difficulties, and of more than one kind awaited

us. For four days, the violence of the wind and the roughness of the sea

prevented us from communicating with one another. Anchored upon a rocky

bottom, our anchors and cables broke, and the loss of them deprived us

of resources which were indispensable in order to obtain our object.

Some vessels had only one chain and one anchor. We could not think of

maintaining ourselves before Mogador under sail. The violence of the

currents and of the gale, would probably have carried us too far, and we

should have lost the opportunity of acting. Besides, in causing the

steamers to get to proceed with us, they would have consumed their fuel,

and in leaving them by themselves they would be exposed to run short of

provisions and water. It was therefore necessary to remain at anchor. At

last, the wind abated, and there remained of the hurricane of the

preceding days, a considerable swell from N.N.W. Then the vessels were

tormented by the swell, and became ungovernable."

[16] The Ancient Numidians rode without saddle or bridle They were

celebrated as the "reinless" Numidians--

"Numidæ infraeni."--(Ænaid, iv., 41.)

We are aware that another meaning to _infraeni_ has been given, that of

"indomitable;" but the peculiarity of these horsemen riding without

reins is the usual rendering. But ordinarily, the modern Moorish cavalry

is very comfortably mounted. Their saddles, with high backs, are as

commodious as a chair. The large, broad, shovel-stirrups enable the

rider to stand upright as on terra firma, whilst the sharp iron edges of

the stirrups goring the ribs of the poor animal, serve as spurs. These

lacerating stirrups are tied up short to the saddle, and the knees of

the rider are bent forwards in a very ungainly manner. Nevertheless, the

barb delights in the "powder play" as much as his master, and--

"Each generous steed to meet the play aspires,

And seconds, with his own, his master's fires;

He neighs, he foams, he paws the ground beneath,

And smoke and flame his swelling nostrils breathe."

[17] The fire of the Barbary horse is generally known, but few reflect

upon the power of endurance which this animal possesses. I have known

them to go without water for two or three days when crossing the Desert,

during which time they will only receive a small measure of corn or a

few dates. On the coast, they are driven hard a long day, sweating, and

covered with foam, their sides bleeding from the huge sharp-edged

stirrups. Without the slightest covering, they are left out the whole

night, and their only evening meal is a little chopped barley-straw.

Our European horses would perish under such circumstances, and the

French have lost the greater part of the horses they imported from

France for the cavalry. But this hard fare keeps down the fiery spirit

of these stallion barbs, otherwise they would be unmanageable. When

turned out to grass, they soon become wild. Crossing a field one day,

mounted, I was set upon by a troop of these wild, grazing horses, and

was instantly knocked to the ground, where I lay stunned. A cavalry

officer, who was riding with me, had only just time to escape, and saved

himself by dismounting, and letting his horse go.

It was some hours before we could rescue the horses of our party from

their wild mates, sporting and bounding furiously over the plains. The

barb horses being all stallions (for the Moors consider it a crime to

geld so noble an animal), the fiercest and most terrific battles ensue

on a stud breaking loose from their pickets. These battles are always

between strangers, for the barb is the most affectionate of horses, and

if he is known to another, and become his mate, he will, as the Arabs

say, "die to be with him."

[18] These trained bands of negroes call themselves _Abeed-Sidi-Bokhari_,

from the patron saint whom they adopted on settling in Morocco, the

celebrated Sidi-Bokhari, commentator on the Koran, and a native of

Bokhara, as his name implies. His commentary is almost as much venerated

as the Koran itself.

[19] The _lex talion_ is frequently enforced in North Africa.

[20] Maroquine Moors drench you with tea! they guzzle sweet tea all day

long, as the Affghans gulp down their tea, with butter in it, from

morning to night.

[21] Native Jews manage most of the business of the interior, and farm

the greater part of the monopolies. But the Emperor must have some

European merchants connected with these Jews to maintain the commercial

relations of his country with Europe. The Jewish High Priest of Mogador

is a merchant, it being considered no interference with his sacred

functions.

[22] See Appendix at end of Vol. II.

[23] Muley Abd Errahman is averse to treating his governors with extreme

rigour. Mr. Hay gives an appalling account of private individuals

arrested on suspicion of possessing great wealth--"The most horrible

tortures are freely resorted to for forcing confessions of hidden

wealth. The victim is put in a slow oven, or kept standing for weeks in

a wooden dress; splinters are forced between the flesh and the nail of

the fingers; two fierce cats are put alive into his wide trousers, and

the breasts of his women are twisted with pincers. Young children have

sometimes been squeezed to death under the arms of a powerful man,

before the eyes of their parents."

A wealthy merchant at Tangier, whose _auri sacra fames_ had led him to

resist for a long time the cruel tortures that had been, employed

against him, yielded at length to the following trial. "He was placed in

a corner of the room, wherein a hungry lion was chained in such a manner

as to be able to reach him with his claws, unless he held himself in a

most unnatural position." This reads very much like a description of the

torments of the Inquisition. The Moors may have imported this system of

torture from Spain. Similar barbarities were said to have been inflicted

by King Otho on prisoners in Greece, even on British Ionian subjects! I

recollect particularly the sewing up of fierce cats in the petticoats of

women. My experience in Morocco does not permit me to authenticate Mr.

Hay's horrible picture.

[24] "To his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Morocco, Sidi Muley Abd

Errahman.

"May it please your Majesty,

"A Society in England, having for its object the Abolition of Slavery

and the Slave Trade throughout the world, and denominated the British

and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, being informed of the pacific

intentions and friendly disposition of your Majesty towards our

Sovereign Queen and Government, and being informed likewise, that your

Majesty, in diplomatic relations with other Foreign Princes and States,

has universally manifested the greatest desire to preserve peace amongst

nations, and, of necessary consequence, the happiness of the human race,

are encouraged to approach your Majesty, and to plead on behalf of a

numerous and important class of your subjects, the negro and other black

slaves.

"These are a people always faithful to their friends and protectors (a

most conspicuous and immediate proof of which is seen in your Majesty's

Imperial Guard, formed principally of this class of your faithful

subjects,) and exhibiting under suffering and oppression the greatest

patience and fortitude, yet, during the long course of bygone centuries,

they have been subjected to horrid cruelties and barbarities, in order

to pander to the vices and to satiate the avarice of their oppressors.

"Now we, the Society in England aforesaid, address your Majesty for the

succour and protection of this cruelly oppressed portion of the human

race, and in order that you may be graciously pleased to remove the

chain of bondage from off these unfortunate victims of the violence and

cupidity of wicked men, who, in defiance of all justice and mercy, claim

them as their property, and buy and sell them as cattle.

"We further entreat that your Majesty would be graciously pleased to

place the slaves in your Imperial dominions upon a footing of equality

with the rest of your faithful subjects, and to make them free men,

having the rightful possession of their own persons, and being at

liberty to travel whithersoever they will.

"For your Majesty rightly understands and knows as well as we do, that

God the Almighty Maker of us and you, has made all men equal, and has

not permitted man to have property in his fellow man, which reduces them

to the level of brutes; therefore, to make slaves of our fellows, our

brothers and sisters, is to sin against the will and mind of God, and to

provoke his wrath and indignation against us, and against our children

after us.

"Consequently, we, the Society in England, aforesaid, in common with

some of your own Mussulman sovereigns and people, hold Slavery, and the

Slave Trade in extreme abhorrence, because it kills and destroys our

brothers whom we ought to love and cherish, because it makes them like

brutes, whom we ought to esteem as reasonable beings, because it hardens

our own hearts and makes us cruel towards our fellows, whom we ought to

treat with kindness and compassion, and because it deforms God's

creatures, in whom we ought to revere his spiritual likeness, man being

made after the likeness of God, in possessing a spiritual reasoning

soul; these evils, however, are the direct and inevitable consequences

of the accursed Slave Trade, and for such reasons we, the people of

England in general, abhor it, and seek, in every legitimate and

righteous way, to persuade men of every nation in the world to abandon

this inhuman and wicked traffic.

"Finally, we implore your Majesty to be pleased to follow out that great

act of confidence which you have exercised towards the negro race, in

appointing them the life-guards of your Imperial person, by graciously

liberating them from the cruel yoke of slavery. From our hearts we

believe that your Majesty will find such a spontaneous act of compassion

towards the desolate African Slaves to be the wisest worldly policy, and

most agreeable to the will of the Eternal Creator of us all. Your loyal

subjects will love the goodness of your heart the more, and serve you

the better, while all Africa, of which the immense dominions of your

Majesty form so large a part, will catch new life and vigour, under the

blessing of the Almighty, and grow happy and prosperous in the ages to

come.

"Signed and sealed on behalf of the Society in England for abolishing

Slavery and the Slave Trade throughout the world.

"(Signed) THOMAS CLARKSON. (L.S.)"

[25] This is not exact. The vizier is often the author of certain lines

of policy.

[26] All the Moorish Sultans are spoken of by the people as _Seedna_,

"Our Lord," and departed Saints are addressed by the same title.

[27] It is curious to see the Spartan principle of theft developing

itself under such different circumstances.

[28] [Transcriber's Note: In our print copy, the text of this footnote

is missing.]

[29] This is the old story of the abettors of the slave-trade in all

parts of the world; I very much doubt if there be any truth in it. None

of the slave-dealers of the Desert whom I conversed with, had ever seen

or heard of prisoners of war being put to death.

[30] The European name of Mogador, is supposed to be derived from

Mugdul, or Modogul, a Moorish Saiut.

[31] The Governor of Mogador told me to go to look at his slaves, and

see that they were well fed and well clothed. But every rich man's

horses and dogs are well-fed and well-housed.

[32] Mr. Davidson did not visit Morocco as an abolitionist. Head what

impression this Maroquine slavery made upon his mind. "My heart sickens

at the sight of this horrid picture. In another lot of these unfortunate

beings were six women, one of whom had given birth to a child on the

road, which was thrown into the bargain. There was an old wretch who had

come from Saweirah to purchase female slaves; his examination was

carried on in the most disgusting manner, I could not refrain from

calling down the curse of Heaven on these inhuman wretches. In many, but

little feeling is shewn for the poor blacks; and they seemed to think

less of their own fate than I did, who was merely a looker-on. One poor

creature, however, who was a finer woman, and less black than the rest,

shed tears. I could have given her my dagger to have plunged it in the

breast of the villain who was examining her. And yet these people pray

four times a day, and think themselves superior to all God's creatures!

More than ever do I wish to get away from, this den of hell-hounds. Each

of the grown persons was in the prime of life, and had once a home, and

was more to be pitied than the children, who had never known the liberty

of thought and act. To each of the ten slaves was given a lunch of bread;

while both the inhuman buyers and sellers, after chuckling over their

bargains, went to offer up their prayers to Heaven, before they took

their daily meal. Can such unhallowed doings be permitted to endure

longer! Oh, Spirit of Civilization, hither turn your eyes, and punish

the purchasers who ought to know better, for thus only will the sale be

stopped."

[33] I asked a Moor, "Who built this castle on the sands?" He replied

pertly, "Iskander!" Whenever the Moors see anything marvellous or

ancient, they ascribe it to Alexander the Great, to Pharaoh, to Solomon,

or even to Nimrod, as caprice leads them, believing that these three or

four personages created all the wondrous and monstrous things in the

world. But we have an instance here, how soon through ignorance, or the

want of records, a modern thing may become ancient in the minds of the

vulgar. This fort was built after Mogador, which town is not yet a

century old.

[34] Certainly, to establish relations with the Southern provinces of

Morocco, that is, Sous and Wadnoun, would greatly injure the trade of

Mogador, and, therefore, the Consuls, as well as the Moorish

Authorities, set their faces against any direct intercourse being opened

with the South.

[35] Gräberg says Noun means the "river of eels," Davidson derives the

name from a Portuguese queen called Nounah; but his editor says the name

is properly Nul, was so written when the Arabs possessed Portugal, and

that Queen Nunah is a modern invention.

[36] Whatever may have been Mr. Davidson's faults, I scarcely doubt that

the first impressions of Mr. Consul-General Hay were correct. He says,

"I _fear, however, that I am not to expect much assistance from him_,"

(Mr. Hay); and hints, in other parts of his Journal, that Mr. Hay was

rather disposed to throw difficulties in his way, than to render him

efficient aid. Mr. Hay's son (which is very natural) attempts to

exculpate his father in an appendix to his "Western Barbary," and some

will, perhaps, think he has done so successfully. My experience of the

diplomatic skill of the late Consul, does not permit me to coincide with

this favourable opinion. The greater probability is, that if Mr.

Davidson had been left to his own "inspirations," and allowed complete

liberty of action, he would have succeeded in reaching Timbuctoo; but

his health doss not appear to have been sufficiently robust, or himself

acclimated, to have brought him back from his perilous adventure.

[37] These cups hold at least a pint each, and every adult male is

expected to empty four, if not six. Of course, they get beastly

intoxicated, and suffer a day or two of illness afterwards, a very just

punishment.

[38] But I do not think it reaches the point of complaisance, noticed by

Monsieur Chenier, when he was French Consul in 1767. He says, "The

veneration of the Moors is so great for this Prince, that they deem

themselves happy whenever one; of their daughters is admitted to share

his couch." On the other hand, many of the beauties presented by the

Sultan to his ministers, although brought out of his harems, are

virgins. The poor ladies in the royal harems are only so much stock,

from which their Lord and tyrant picks and chooses.

[39] Friend Phillips is always wrestling with these prejudices of

Barbary Jews. When his wife was delivered of a daughter, he was

determined to have as much "fuss" made of the child as if it had been a

son, to spite the prejudices of his brethren. So, when he went out for a

walk with his wife, he would walk always arm-in-arm with her, although

she was a Jewess of this country, which caused great annoyance to his

woman-oppressing brethren.

[Transcriber's Notes: In this electronic edition, footnotes have been

numbered and relocated to the end of the work. In footnote 35, the

spellings Nouna and Nunah both occur. In chapter 6, the word "convey"

was corrected to "conveying."]

End of Project Gutenberg's Travels in Morocco, Vol. 1., by James Richardson