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] Graeberg 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.
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