Its vast
extent. - Beautiful Palm-trees. - The Dates, a staple article of Food. -
Some Account of the Date-Palm. - Made of Culture. - Delicious Beverage. -
Tapping the Palm. - Meal formed from the Dates. - Baskets made of the
Branches of the Tree. - Poetry of the Palm. - Its Irrigation. -
Palm-Groves. - Collection of Tribute by the "Bey of the Camp."
CHAPTER IX.
Tour in the Jereed of Captain Balfour and Mr. Reade. - Sidi Mohammed. -
Plain of Manouba. - Tunis. - Tfeefleeah. - The Bastinado. - Turkish
Infantry. - Kairwan. - Sidi Amour Abeda. - Saints. - A French Spy -
Administration of Justice. - The Bey's presents. - The Hobara. - Ghafsa.
Hot streams containing Fish. - Snakes. - Incantation. - Moorish Village.
CHAPTER X.
Toser. - The Bey's Palace. - Blue Doves. - The town described. - Industry
of the People. - Sheikh Tahid imprisoned and punished. - Leghorn. - The
Boo-habeeba. - A Domestic Picture. - The Bey's Diversions. - The Bastinado. -
Concealed Treasure. - Nefta. - The Two Saints. - Departure of Santa Maria. -
Snake-charmers. - Wedyen. - Deer Stalking. - Splendid view of the Sahara. -
Revolting Acts. - Qhortabah. - Ghafsa. - Byrlafee. - Mortality among the
Camels - Aqueduct. - Remains of Udina. - Arrival at Tunis. - The Boab's
Wives. - Curiosities. - Tribute Collected. - Author takes leave of the
Governor of Mogador, and embarks for England. - Rough Weather. - Arrival
in London.
APPENDIX.
TRAVELS IN MOROCCO.
CHAPTER I.
The Mogador Jewesses. - Disputes between the Jew and the Moor. - Melancholy
Scenes. - The Jews of the Atlas. - Their Religion. - Beautiful Women. - The
Four Wives. - Statues discovered. - Discrepancy of age of married people. -
Young and frail fair ones. - Superstition respecting Salt. - White
Brandy. - Ludicrous Anecdote.
Notwithstanding the imbecile prejudices of the native Barbary Jews, such
of them who adopt European habits, or who mix with European merchants,
are tolerably good members of society, always endeavouring to restrain
their own peculiarities. The European Jewesses settled in Mogador, are
indeed the belles of society, and attend all the balls (such as they
are). The Jewess sooner forgets religious differences than the Jew, and
I was told by a Christian lady, it would be a dangerous matter for a
Christian gentleman to make an offer of marriage to a Mogador Jewess,
unless in downright earnest; as it would be sure to be accepted.
Monsieur Delaport, Consul of France, was the first official person who
brought prominently forward the native and other Jews into the European
society of this place, and since then, these Jews have improved in their
manners, and increased their respectability. The principal European Jews
are from London, Gibraltar, and Marseilles. Many native Jews have
attempted to wear European clothes; and a European hat, or coat, is now
the rage among native Jewesses, who all aspire to get a husband wearing
either. Such are elements of the progress of the Jewess population in
this part of the world, and there is no doubt their position has been
greatly ameliorated within the last half century, or since the time of
Ali Bey, who thus describes their wretched condition in his days.
"Continual disputes arise between the Jew and the Moor; when the Jew is
wrong, the Moor takes his own satisfaction, and if the Jew be right, he
lodges a complaint with the judge, who always decides in favour of the
Mussulman.
