It would be useful, and might subserve the cause of civilization, were
the Jews of Europe to take some means of enlightening their brethren of
North Africa on the question of slavery. The Israelites, who have
suffered so much from slavery and oppression, after becoming free
themselves, should endeavour to emancipate those who are still in the
chains of bondage.
The Hhaha levies were about to return to their country; the disposable
force of this province is about 70,000. The troops from Shedma were to
come in after the departure of those of Hhaha. Government were afraid to
bring both together, lest they should fight among themselves. Alluding
to the quarrel of their Sultan with the French, these hostile tribes
mutter to each other, "We must kill our own French first;" that is to
say their own "hereditary enemies."
I went out to see the two levies. These tribes had a singularly wild and
savage aspect, with only a blanket to cover them, which they wrap round
and round their bodies, having neither caps on their heads, nor shoes on
their feet. They were greatly excited against the Christians, owing to
the foolish conduct of the Moorish authorities. The lawless bands spat
at me, and every European passing by them, screaming with threatening
gestures, "God curse you! Infidels." These semi-savages, called out for
the defence of the Empire, were merely armed with a bad gun or
matchlock; some had only knives and clubs. Such levies are certainly
more fit to pillage the Emperor's coast-towns than to defend his
territory against the foreign enemy.
These poor tribes bring their own provisions, a little barley meal, and
olive or argan-oil, or liquid butter; on this being exhausted, they
could stay no longer, for Government supplies them with nothing but bad
matchlocks.
They were loud in their complaint on not receiving any nations, and
threatened to join the French Nazarenes when they arrived. His
Excellency the Governor was very anxious to get rid of them, which was
not at all surprising. So avaricious is the Emperor, that when he can,
he makes the rich Moors supply arms for their poorer brethren, instead
of furnishing them from government depots. And this he insists upon as a
point of religion. The Governor called upon rich Moors to supply the
poor with arms.
A friend of mine who understands Shelouh as well as Arabic, overheard a
characteristic quarrel between a Shedma man and a Hhaha man. The Shedma
people, or inhabitants of the plains, mostly speak Arabic, those of the
mountains, Shelouh, which difference of language embitters their
quarrels, and alienates them from one another.
Shedma man. - "Dog! you have put your hands of the devil into my bag of
barley."
Hhaha man. - "Dog and Jew, you lie!"
Shedma man. - "Jew and Frenchman! there's some one now in your wife's
tent."
Hhaha man. - "Religion of the Frenchman! your mother has been
dishonoured a thousand times."
The maternal honour is the dearest of things amongst these
semi-barbarians. At the mention of this libel on his mother, the Shedma
fellow rushed at the Hhaha man, seizing him by the throat, and
unsheathed a dirk to plunge into his bowels. The scuffle fortunately
excited the instant attention of a group of Arabs close by, who,
securing both, carried them before the Shiekh; who, without hearing the
subject of the quarrel, bastinadoed them both with his own hand. But he
was the Hhaha Sheikh, and the Shedma Sheikh complained to the Governor
of his man having been bastinadoed by the other Sheikh. The Governor
dismissed them, each threatening the other with due vengeance.
It is time to give some account of Mogador. We sometimes spell the name
with an e, Mogadore, the inhabitants call their town _Shweerah_. Square,
[30] in allusion to its beauty, for it is the only town constructed
altogether on geometrical principles throughout Morocco. Its form,
however, is really a triangle. Mogador is a modern city, having been
built in the year 1760 of our era, by the Sultan Sidi Mohammed, under
the direction of a French engineer of the name of Cornut, who was
assisted by Spanish renegades.
The object of Sidi Mahommed was to found a central emporium of the
commerce of the Empire, and a port for the southern capital (Morocco).
This town belongs to the province of Hhaha, whose Berber tribes are its
natural defenders.
The site is a sandy beach with a rocky foundation or a base on the sea,
forming a peninsula, and is supposed to be the ancient Erythraea. The
houses are regularly built, with streets in direct lines, extremely
convenient though somewhat narrow. The residences of the consuls and
European merchants are elegant and spacious. There is a large
market-place, which, on days when the market is not held, furnishes a
splendid parade, or "corso" for exercising cavalry.
The city is divided into two parts; one division contains the citadel,
the public offices, the residence of the governor, and several houses
occupied by European consuls and merchants, which are all the property
of the Sultan; and the other is the space occupied by the houses of the
Moors and Jews.
The Jews have a quarter or _willah_ to themselves, which is locked up
during the night, the key being kept by the police. Nevertheless,
several Jews, especially Imperial traders, are allowed to occupy houses
in the Moorish quarter or citadel portion of Mogador, with the Christian
merchants.
Both quarters are surrounded by walls, not very thick or high, but which
are a sufficient protection, against the depredations of the
mountaineers, or Arabs of the plain. The port is formed by a curve in
the land and the isle of Mogador, which is about two miles from the
mainland.
This isle, on the verge of the ocean, contains some little forts and a
mosque, and its marabout shrines sparkle in the sun.
