Who Can Resist?" But
The Moor, Nevertheless, Can Clearly Discern That Wealth Is A Crime In
The Eyes Of Their Sovereign.
I am not surprised at the present governor
absolutely rejecting all presents, and making the people call him by the
_soubriquet_ of "the Governor of _no_ presents,"
A short time after his appointment, a merchant having left his
Excellency a present during his absence from home, was immediately
summoned before him, when the following dialogue ensued: -
_His Excellency._ - "Sir, how dare you leave a present at my house?"
_The Merchant._ - "Other governors before your Excellency have received
presents."
_His Excellency._ - "I am a governor of no presents! How much do you owe
the Sultan, my master?"
_The Merchant._ - "I - I - I - don't know," (hesitating and trembling)
_His Excellency._ - "Very well, when you owe the Sultan nothing, bring me
a present, and take this away, and make known to everybody, that Haj
El-Arby receives _no_ presents."
The fact is, the Governor knows what he is about. Were his Excellency to
receive 16,000 dollars per annum as presents from the merchants of
Mogador, the Sultan would demand of him 15,999; besides, there is not a
merchant who makes a present that does not demand its value, a _quid pro
quo_ in the remission of custom-duties. Sidi-El-Arby is also a thorough
diplomatist, so far as report goes; he promises anybody anything; he
keeps all on the tiptoe of most blessed expectation, and so makes
friends of everybody. "To his friend, Cohen," he says, "I'll take you
back to my country with me, and make you rich; we are of the same
country." To Phillips, "You shall have a ship of your own soon." To the
merchants, "The Sultan shall lend you money whenever you want it." To
the Moors in general, "You shall have your taxes reduced." In this way,
his Excellency promises and flatters all, but takes very good care to
compromise himself with none.
The frequented as well as the unfrequented spots are centres of
superstition. In the Sahara, by a lonely well, in the midst of boundless
sterility, where the curse on earth seems to have burnt blackest, a
camel passes every night groaning piteously, and wandering about in
search of its murdered master, so the tale was told me. Now, about two
day's journey from Mogador, there is also a well, containing within its
dank and dark hollow a perpetual apparition. At its bottom is seen the
motionless statue of a negress, with a variety of wearing materials
placed beside her, all made of fine burnished gold, and so bright, that
the dreary cavern of the deep well is illuminated. Whoever presumes to
look down the well at her, and covets her shining property, is
instantaneously seized with thirst and fever; and, if he does not expire
at once, he never recovers from the fatal effects of his combined
curiosity and avarice. People draw water daily from this well, but no
one dare look down it.
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