In Order Therefore To Dissipate The Fears Of
This Gallant Soldier, I Made The Muleteer And The Other Swear, By
Their Prophet, To Keep The Transaction A Secret.
After this we
travelled on merrily, without further disputes, and arrived here on
the third day.
I waited immediately upon, and delivered my letter to
the Governor, who commanded one of his officers to conduct me to the
house of the Vice-consul, where I now remain, in expectation of some
vessel to convey me to Gibraltar.
LETTER VI.
_Ill Usage of a Lieutenant of the Swiftsure - Disaffection of the
Moorish Governor towards Great Britain_.
Gibraltar, March 1806
His Majesty's ship the Swiftsure having arrived at Tetuan, to take in
fresh water, I went on board. The watering-place is about eighteen
miles from Tetuan, and six from the customhouse, at which last place
is a tower, guarded by a strong detachment, and commanded by a
Captain. When the ship had completed her water, signals were made to
strike the tent, and every one to repair on board.
It has always been customary for English men of war going to water
there, to make the commanding officer a present of a cartridge of
powder, which compliment was duly paid by the second Lieutenant of the
Swiftsure; but the Moorish Captain, not contented with one cartridge,
insisted upon having two. The Lieutenant refused to comply with this
new and extraordinary demand; upon which he was immediately seized by
a party of soldiers, who, after knocking him down, pinioned him, and
in this degrading manner marched him up to Tetuan, under a strong
escort.
Captain Rutherford (who commands the Swiftsure), on hearing of this
daring outrage, could with difficulty refrain from making instant
reprisals: but unwilling to embroil the two nations, he sailed without
delay, and arrived in the course of a few hours in this bay. Two days
after Mr. Wickes, the Lieutenant, joined the Swiftsure. He reports,
that, after a most painful march, he was taken before Governor
Ash-Ash, who released him, immediately, and promised to punish the
Captain of the fort for the insult; a promise which, I am pretty
confident, he never performed.
Such an act will naturally inspire you with horror, and induce you to
consider the Moors as a ferocious, barbarous set of people: but,
believe me, it could only have been perpetrated under the government
of _Ash-Ash_. At any other port of Barbary, a British officer will
meet with a most kind and hospitable reception, and every mark of
respect due to him. The Emperor has given Ash-Ash positive orders to
respect the English, and not to take the part of the French, directly
or indirectly; but, as I observed in a former letter, I conceive this
Moor to be completely under French influence.
I am extremely busy in making the necessary preparations for my next
trip; and as you are kind enough to say you are gratified with the
account I have already sent you of the empire of Morocco, and wish me
to continue my remarks, I shall most probably trouble you with a
letter, whenever I meet with any thing that may serve to interest or
amuse you.
LETTER VII.
_Sail for Tetuan - Appearance of the Coast - Enter the Boosega
River - Curious Towers of Defence - Custom-house-Female Dress - Enter
Tetuan over a Road of unlevelled Rock - Disagreeable Streets - Well
received by the Governor - Public Markets - Socco - An Auction Market._
Tetuan; March 14th, 1806
One of His Majesty's brigs having been appointed to convey me either
to Tangiers or Tetuan, the wind blowing due west, we sailed for this
port. As the ship drew near the shore, I had a full view of this wild
coast. The tops of the lofty mountains are prodigious barren rocks,
while their base is interspersed with broom and box. The hills and
dales are covered with myrtles of various kinds, assuming different
shades of lovely green. The towers and castles, which are of a
delicate whiteness, rising in the midst of these groves of myrtles,
render the scene interesting. The plaster made use of in the erection
of these towers is, of itself, extremely white; but the Moors are not
satisfied with this, and they add a whitewash of lime.
The towers are harmless as fortifications, since, for want of skill in
the manufacture of gunpowder, the Moors are very deficient in that
necessary article. No present therefore is more acceptable to them
than a few cartridges of it.
After firing two or three guns by way of signal to the Vice-consul,
announcing my arrival, as the Captain had directions only to put me on
shore, and to proceed to sea immediately to join Lord Collingwood's
fleet, my baggage was put into a large Moorish boat, and I entered the
river _Boosega_ (commonly called St. Martin) in the Captain's barge.
This river is defended by a castle of singular construction, the
entrance to which is by means of a ladder to a door in the upper
story, and which ladder is occasionally drawn up. The four angles of
the building are finished with small turrets, capped with clumsy
domes, and having several ports for cannon. Near this place many of
the Emperor's gallies anchor, and winter.
Having proceeded a considerable way up the river, we landed at another
castle, called the Custom-house. On my landing, I was received by the
Vice-consul (an opulent Jew, and a native of Barbary), accompanied by
the commanding officer and his troop. They conducted me to the
Custom-house, which is built of stone, and whitewashed, arid, at a
distance, appears to very great advantage. We entered this public
building by an arched gateway, and proceeded through a winding passage
into a quadrangle, in the centre of which is a well of excellent
water. Near the well was an arcade, shaded by a grape-vine, to which I
was conducted, and there placed in an old arm-chair.
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