He Was Greeted With Huzzas In The Moorish
Style By The Populace, And Received At All The Gates And Avenues Of
The Town With A General Discharge Of Artillery And Small Arms, The
People Falling Upon Their Knees In The Dust As He Passed.
The streets
were covered with mats, and the road, as far as the plain where the
troops were drawn out, was strewed with all kinds of flowers.
The army was formed into a regular street of three deep on each side,
each corps distinguished by a standard; it extended to a great length,
through the immense plain of Fez, and presented a grand military
spectacle. There were not less than eighty thousand cavalry. This
review was finished in six hours, and His Imperial Majesty was so much
pleased with the steady, orderly, and soldierlike appearance of his
troops, that he commanded a horse to be given to each of the officers,
and an additional suit of clothes and six ducats more than is
customary to the men. No other exercise was performed on this
occasion, than charging, firing off their pieces, and priming and
loading at full gallop, by alternate divisions. Thus an incessant
fire was kept up during the day.
The ground being perfectly level and good, no accident occurred. The
dress of the Moorish army differs very little from that of the
people. The officers are distinguished by their turbans, from the
privates, who wear red caps. They are considered most excellent
horsemen, and appeared to be supplied with very fine young horses, and
well appointed.
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