Travels in Morocco, Volume 1.

heir ideas on soldiers and payme

enriches himself by the quarrels of his subjects.-Message from the Emperor respecting the Anti-Slavery Address.-Difficulties of travelling through or residing in the I

ety and comparative comfort. These tales must have been invented to please the Tangier diplomatists. The contrary is the fact, for, whilst the Moors of Tangier consist of camel drivers and soldiers, there are a good number of very respectable native merchants in Mogador; nevertheless, a large po

an the foreigner do against them? Morocco is one camp,

e have fewer than France, and many other countries; but our soldiers

ow wonderful! the French must

our principal country is an island;

pay has the Gover

out 20,000 dol

ey, to send the Emperor, at a day's notice, 20, or 30,000 dollars! or if he doe

or treats other governors. He politely hinted this to the Emperor when he accepted office; since then, he has resolutely refused all presents from the merchants, so that the Emperor has no excuse whatever for bleeding him under

present state of the Empire. I prefer, indeed, giving the opinion of various residents or natives of the country to our own. Mr. Cohen's ideas will be found to differ exceedingly from that of the (Imperial) merchants, who, in point of fact, are not free men, and cannot be trustwo

ions; that is to say, of the few things which still remain in their hands." Mr. Cohen goes so far as to say-that, were a strong European power to be established on the

issed with great demonstrations of friendship. He arrived at Morocco, and the governor of that city immediately informed him that he was his prisoner, the Sultan having a claim agai

sees that he does not commit himself, or is not detected, he does what he likes with his own and other people's likewise, to the fullest extent of his power. But on any mishap befalling him, Muley Abd

but, instead of receiving gratefully this imperial mercy, the troops broke out afresh in rebellion, which, with great difficulty, was

rtheless, Ben Dris still remained vizier, and continued so till his death. Bastinadoing a minister in Morocco is, however, much the same as a forced

he probability seems rather, that he took all the credit of the good acts of his advisers, and flung on them t

leged by Mr. Cohen, its verification is of great imp

resist the progress of nations any more than China, especially since she has got the most restless people in the world for her neighbours. Besides, during the last thirty years, many of the Maroquines have visited Europe, and their eyes are becoming opened, the film

sed to him, touching my visit to the Emperor. He writes that he had "already received orders from His Imperial Majesty respecting the ob

a portion of the south-western Atlas, and strike down into the sea at Santa Cruz. There seems to be no other reason for those frequent obstinate hostilities on both sides, except the nature of the country. It is lame

ame down upon them and slaughtered them, and, whilst in the sacred and inviolable act of devotion, entered the mosques and pillaged their houses. This produced implacable hatred between th

lamism, that many of the most treacherous and sanguinary actions of Mahometans have been committed within the sacred enclosures of the mosques, and at the hour of prayer. One of

lso borderers, and fight with the a

y and serenely. When the two parties are exhausted, or have had enough of it for the present; his Imperial Highness then interferes, and punishes both by fine. Indeed, it pays him better to pursue this course; for, instead of spending money in

al decided that both parties ought to be removed, and the French Government recalled their vice-consul. The Sultan, promised, but did not dismiss his Governor, or rather the Governor himself would not be dismissed. The French reiterated their complaints, which were supported by a small squadron sent down to Mogador. The Governor was now cashiered, and was besides obliged to pay the Emperor a fine of thirteen thousand dollars, upon the pretext of appeasing the offended Majesty of his royal master. So the Sultan always makes money by the misadventures of his subjects. To indemnify the poor Governor for his fine, h

h Morocco; and of residing in the inl

capital, a watch-maker, a European and a Christian, asked permission of the Minister to dwell in t

." Such a reply from the Minister, and whilst the merchants were protected by the presence of the

or Europeans, who, whilst there waiting on the Emperor, are obliged constantly to ride about to preserve their health, or they would die of the suffocating stench in the Jew's

urnouse, dragging it away. He was only prevented riding after and cutting he

e so savage at seeing an infidel mounted upon so splendid an an

in broad daylight at Fez. Not so much from the hostility of the populace, as from their indecent and vehement curiosity. However, in these cases, I am obliged to give the testimony of others. Mr. Cohen

advice-"Never to stay more than one night at any place." "Mr. Davidson," he says, "stopped so long at Wadnoun, that

three who were murdered might have been as prudent and as skilful as the three who were successful. The Maroquine Government often shew a perfect Chinese jealousy of Europeans travelling in the interior. When Doctor Willshire, brother of the Consul, returned from Morocco, the Government gave orders th

ewish quarter has them. The Jew of Barbary can use them with less scruple than the orthodox Tory Moor, who sets his face like flint against all changes, because his European brethren adopt them. Many innovations of this domestic sort are introduced from Europe into North Africa throug

lt edges. These, after use, are always kept locked up, as objects of most precious value. The sugar is put in the tea-pot, and the Moors and Jews usually drink their tea so sweet that it may be c

of their property when it consists of houses. Almost every distinguished Moor in the interior has built, or is building himself a spacious house. This

o visit Morocco once a year, on account of its neighbourhood to Mogador, his much loved, and beautiful commercial city. The Emperor himself, before his accession to the throne, was the administrator of the customhouse of this city, where he has acquired his commercial tastes and habits of business, which he has cultivated from the very commencement of his reign. When the Emperor resides in the South, he receives visits from the merchants of Mogador. These

ee of whom are Englishmen, Messrs. Willshire, Elton,

ies accumulate till they are years and years in arrear. And when these arrears have gone on increasing till there is no chance of payment, the Emperor, in order to keep up his firms of enslaved merchants, will rather remit half or more of the debt, in consideration of a handsome present, than encourage mer

asan Joseph (Jews) 10,000 dollars in hard cash, which, to my knowledge, were paid to them out of the coffers of the Mogador custom-house. This was certainly an instance of magnanimous generosity

was always accustomed to say to the collector of the returns of the monthly payment of instalments: "Now, go first to Mrs. Elton; she will be sure to have the money ready for you. And we must have money to-day from som

hich the merchants stop from Mogado

urs from Mcgador, where are som

A?n

Seesh

Wad E

is through plains and an open country. On the second day, after leaving Mogador, you obtain a distinct view of the great Atlas range at the ba

as that suppo

ttention of the traveller. As he gazes on the giant mountain, which seems to support with its huge rocky arms the frame-work of the skies, its head covered with everlasting

be drunk by animals, in obedience to the solemn Testament of the Saint who dug it. The poor horses and mules were tied close up to the well, looking wistfully at the water when drawn for the biped animals, and snuffing the scent; but

steeds. The accommodation on the way, and at the capital is very bad, even the waiting-room near the palace, appropriated to the Christians, is but an old dilapidated shed, with one of its sides knocked out, or never f

ews' quarter, and obliged to subsist on victuals cooked by these people, which mad

le, looking extremely fierce. Passing these bearded warriors, they were conducted into a large square lined with buildings, where, after waiting about five minutes, the gate of the palace was suddenly

ere presented, and finally the Jewish merchants. The latter were introduced by the Governor of Mogador, the Jews taking off their shoes as they passed before the Emperor. One passed at a time,

the Governor, for the articles on their delivery are not exposed before the eyes of the Sulta

rney, which I got from the merchants themselves. Mr. Willshire, being a consul and great customer of his Imperial Highness, also received a gift of a horse in exchange. The united value of the presents to the Emperor, on this occasion, was fifty thousand dollars, which amply indemnifies him for his money-lending, and the credit that he gives. They c

o consular returns. Let us estimate the population of Morocco at its general compensation of eight millions, and suppose that each spends a dollar per annum in the purchase of European manufactures. This will raise the value of imports at once to e

onsul, appalled at the number of interrogatories, immediately replied, "That he had his own business to attend to; he could not sit down to compose consular retu

on of their want of education, for such an employment. It is, therefore, hopeless to attempt to give any accurate a

lasses settled in Spain. The merchants, the artists, the operatives, and agriculturists unfortunately have left behind them few inheriting their habits of perseverance. Little, indeed, can be expected in Spain, w

e house or shed on the beach of Mogador, or Tangier, is a sufficient custom-house for the Moors. There are no great deposits of goods on the coast, for as so

ther nations of Europe; but of this third, I should think France has one half. The port of Mogador has usually some half-a-dozen vessels lying in it, but from twenty to thirty have been seen there. They are usually sixty days discharging and taking in cargo. Each vessel pays forty dollars port-dues, which must press very heavily upon small vessels, but it is seldom that a vessel of less than one hundred tons is seen

er and Gibraltar. The Fez merchants have resident agents in Gibraltar. Curious stories are told of Maroquine adventurers leaving Tangier and Fez as camel-drivers and town-porters, and then assuming the char

The merchant-emperor found it necessary to put a stop to this, and promulgated a decree to the effect, that "he

ad it published in the Gibraltar Gazette while I was staying in that city. Up to this time, the Emperor,

pigeons, grain and flour, &c., are daily shipped from Tangier to Gibraltar. The garrison and population

for itself, as those of tobacco, sulphur, and cochineal. All the high functionaries engage in commerce, and this occupation of trade and barter is considered the most honourable in the empire, sanctioned as it is b

hich the Emperor sells, either to his own e

de in leeches was set on foot by Mr. Frenerry; it brought, at first, but a few dollars per annum, and now the mon

to the markets of Tangier and El-Araish. It sold, w

ncipally of the mountainous region of Rif. It

dangerous privilege to be exercised; for, should the alloy be not of a quality which pleases the Emperor, or the particular governor of the city, the un

Tangier is sold for five hundred dollars. The price

f to supply our garrison of Gibraltar with 2,000 head of cattle per annum, 1,500 of which must be shipped from Tangier, the rest from other parts of the Gharb, or north-west. British contractors pay five dollars per head export duty, the ordinary tax is ten. It is estimated, howeve

vely of them. Leeches pay an export duty of 2s. 9d. the thousand; wax pays an ad valorem du

l character, and requiring a special permission from the Sultan, such as grains

ort of pledge for the return of their husbands, brothers or fathers, in the event of their leaving for commercial or other purposes. Slaves are not exported from Morocco. Besides the payment of special impost on exportation, wool pays a duty of three dollars per quintal, and two pounds of powder when dirty, and double when washed.

ened the frontier of Portugal, the English Government found it necessary to come to the aid of the latter country

debate, it was unanimously decided that so large a number of horses could not be sold to the Christians w

prohibition, many of the boasted beasts not being worth twenty dollars. A mule pays forty, and an ass five dollars. Mules

ultan for four camels, and his Imperial Highness h

monopolies. These are principally from t

e and a half dollars, and the third, three-quarters of a dollar. Many feather merchants are now in Mogador visiting at

cent. During late years, both ivory and ostrich feather

best gum will sell in English markets; the inferior qualities, as of all other Barbary produce, are shipped to Marseilles. One looks with

the oil of almonds, pay three dollars per quintal. Ship-l

can is exported in great numbers to the Levant by the pilgrims. The vessels, also, that carry pilgrims from Morocco, return laden with these and other native manufactures. Barbary dried peas are exported principally to Spain, paying a d

times exported. I have no account of it, and never heard

amount exported in a recent year was about the value of ￡6,000 sterling

dra, orchella weed, orris-root, pomegranate peel, sarsaparilla, snuff, sponges, walnuts, garbanyos,

ve always to look at Gibraltar. But it would be desirable if Christian merchants could be found to undertake the duty, to have all the vice-consuls of the coast Christians, in preference to Jews. By having Jewish consuls, we place ourselves in a false position with the Emperor, who is obliged to submit to the prejudices of his people against Hebrews. British merchants ought to be allowed to visit their own vessels whilst in port, to superintend,

sess regarding commerce. A French writer asserts, that the tithes upon land assigned by the Koran and the capitation tax on the Jews,

arch in Africa, nay in all Europe. It is positively stated that Muley Ismail left this amount, or one hundred millions of ducats in the imperial treasury, which Sidi Mahommed reduced to two millions. It may have been the great object of the lif

decides as to the riches and poverty of his count

e cities and towns, hereafter to be enumerated, we may approximate to an idea of the resources of

cence of the glorious Atlas can reconcile such a prospect to the imagination. But, unhappily, Morocco does not constitute a very striking exception to the progress of civilization along the shores and in the isles of the Mediterranean. Many countries in Southern Europe are in a state little superior, and the Moorish civilization is almost on a par with that of the Grecian, Sicilian, or Maltese, and quite equal to Turkish advancement in the arts and sciences of the nineteenth century. The only real advantage of the