The following are some of them.
Ostrich feathers. - These are of three qualities; the first of which pays
three dollars per pound, the second quality one and a half dollars, and
the third, three-quarters of a dollar. Many feather merchants are now in
Mogador visiting at the feasts of the Jews, who reside in Sous and
Wadnoun, and have communications with all the districts of the Sahara.
Elephants' teeth. - Ivory pays an export duty of ten per cent. During
late years, both ivory and ostrich feathers have lost much of their
value as articles of commerce.
Gums. - Gum-arabic pays two dollars per quintal export duty, and gum
sudanic an ad valorem duty of ten per cent. But now-a-days only the very
best gum will sell in English markets; the inferior qualities, as of all
other Barbary produce, are shipped to Marseilles. One looks with extreme
interest at the beautiful pellucid drops of Sudanic gum, knowing that
the Arabs bring some of it from the neighbourhood of Timbuctoo.
Almonds. - Both the sweet and the bitter, in the shell, or the oil of
almonds, pay three dollars per quintal. Ship-loads at once are exported
from Mogador direct for Soudan.
Red woollen sashes are exported at five dollars per dozen. The Spaniards
take a great quantity. Tanned skins, especially the red, or Morocco, are
exported at ten per cent, _ad valorem_. Slippers pay a dollar the
hundred. The haik or barracan is exported in great numbers to the Levant
by the pilgrims. The vessels, also, that carry pilgrims from Morocco,
return laden with these and other native manufactures. Barbary dried
peas are exported principally to Spain, paying a dollar the quintal. Fez
flour pays one dollar and a half per fanega; dates pay five dollars the
quintal; fowls and eggs, the former two dollars per dozen, the latter
two dollars per thousand; oranges and lemons pay a dollar the thousand.
Gold is brought from Soudan over the Desert, and is sometimes exported.
I have no account of it, and never heard it mentioned in Morocco as an
article of any importance.
Olive-oil is exported from the north, but not in great quantities. The
amount exported in a recent year was about the value of L6,000 sterling.
The olive is not so much cultivated in Morocco as in Tunis and Tripoli.
Besides the articles above mentioned, antimony, euphorbium, horns, hemp,
linseed, rice, maize, and dra, orchella weed, orris-root, pomegranate
peel, sarsaparilla, snuff, sponges, walnuts, garbanyos, gasoul, and
mineral soap, gingelane, and commin seeds, &c., are exported in various
quantities. [22]
It was reported in the mercantile circles, that representations would be
made to the Emperor to place the trade of the country upon a regular,
and more stable footing. All nations, indeed, would benefit by a change
which could not but be for the better. But I question whether his
Imperial Highness will give up his old and darling system of being the
sovereign-merchant of the Empire.
