The people, conscious of their secret
practice, are always on the scent for concealed treasures.
One Friday, some Jews asked the governor of the custom-house to grant
them their clearance-papers, because they were, early on the Sunday
following, to depart for Gibraltar. The governor said, "Come to-morrow."
"No," replied the Jews, "we cannot, it's our feast." "Well," returned
the governor, "you Jews have your feasts, the Christians have theirs,
and we Mussulmen will have ours. I'll not go down to the custom-house to
day, for it is my feast." These three Sundays or feasts, prevalent
through North Africa, are very inconvenient for business, and often make
men rebels to their religious persuasions.
The following is a Frenchman's account of Morocco [10] up to the time of
its bombardments.
"The question of Algeria cannot be confined within the limits of the
French possessions. It embraces Morocco, a country possessing a vast and
varied population. Leo gave a marvellous description of Fez, as the
second city of Islamism in his time. Travellers who have sought to
explore Africa, rarely or never took the route via Morocco. Formerly,
monks were stationed in the interior to purchase captives; but, since
piracy has ceased, these have left the country. Very few persons go into
the interior, for Maroquine merchants come out of their country to
trade. Tangier and Tetuan are not fair specimens of Morocco; they form a
transition from Europe to Africa, being neither Spain nor Morocco. The
ambassador, or merchant, who now-a-days gets an audience with the
Sultan, is allowed to see little of the country, arising from the
jealousy of the government or native merchants. Davidson was probably
murdered by the jealousy of the Fez merchants.
"All the larger cities of Morocco are situate upon the coast, excepting
three capitals of the interior - Fez, Miknas, and Morocco, to which
El-Kesar-Kebir may be added. The other interior places are mostly large
villages, where the tribes of the country collect together. The
inhabitants of the cities make gain their only business, and debauchery
their only pleasure. As to their learning, there is an immense
difference between a Turkish ulema and a Moorish doctor.
"From the fall of Carthage and Rome, until the fourteenth century, the
people of North Africa have had relations with Europe. The independence
of the kingdoms of Fez and Morocco fell by internal dissensions like the
Mussulman power in Spain. After expelling the Mahometans from Spain, the
Christians (Spaniards and Portuguese) pursued them to Morocco, and built
a line of forts on its coasts. Those have all now been abandoned except
four, held by Spain. England destroyed the fortifications and abandoned
Tangier, which she had obtained through Portugal. To blockade Tangier at
the present time, would do more harm to England than Morocco, by cutting
off the supply of provisions for Gibraltar.
"The navy of Morocco was never very great. It was the audacity and
cruelty of its pirates which frightened Christendom.
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