A Ride in Petticoats and Slippers

Preface

. To say that the following pages were written with a view to publication, and were not published at the earnest request of my numerous friends, is such an outrage of all established rules for prefaces to books of travel that nothing but my love of truth could induce me to make such a statement. " Truth," however, " will prevail," and I alone am responsible for this addition to the already rather numerous collection of books on Marocco. My only excuse, if excuse it be, lies in the fact that the greater part of VI Preface. the journey ' described in this book lay through a tract which, to the best of my belief, has not hitherto been described, and which, as will be gathered from Appendix A, I believe to be of some importance to England. I am painfully aware of the meagreness of my description ; but, believing that any information, however scanty, about an un known region is of some value, always pro vided that it is accurate, I have thought it better to write the little I know than not to write at all, and far better to write the little I have than to gain bulk at the expense of accuracy.

Having no great belief in the possibility 1 Dr. Leared says that Fez is 161 miles from Tangier. According to my computation, Oudjda is 223 miles from Fez. Preface. VII of combining amusement with instruction, I have as far as possible confined the body of the book to a general description of my journey and of such incidents as are con stantly occurring in strange lands, and which, although they have generally a humorous side, are absolutely valueless to the seeker after information. On the other hand, I have attempted to compress into the appendices such facts as I believe to be of value, but which to the seeker after amusement would simply be a cause of irritation if placed in the body of the book. With regard to the spelling of Moorish words and names. As the primary object of an English book of travel and an English map is to help Englishmen to find their way through the countries they de scribe, I have thought it better, at the risk Preface. of givingsome of the words a rather bar barous look, to spell them phonetically, according to the vulgar pronunciation of the country.

The town of Thesa (as it is usually written), for instance, I have spelt Tsarsa. Any Englishman inquiring of an intelligent Moor about that place would get some information, but he might make inquiries from one end of Marocco to the other about Thesa (Theesa he would call it), and not a soul would know what he was talking about. I cannot finish my preface without a word of thanks to my many Moorish friends, by whom I was received with such genuine kindness and hospitality. Should these pages meet the eye of any subject of his Shereefian Majesty, I must beg him to take them .in the spirit in which Preface. IX they are written, and to bear in mind that if the infidel has dared every now and then to laugh at the Moslems of Marocco he is as ready to laugh at the Christians of his own country ; if he has occasionally found fault with the institutions of El Ghrarb, it is because he loves its people, and because he longs to see the day when a change of laws shall have made them capable of rivalling their grand old ancestors, the men who made Marocco at once the terror and the light of Europe.

Aldershot, May 24th, 18S0. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY. A jolly party — First news of Oudjda — " II faut raser la tete " — Mogador and home — Conditions of Moorish travel — England and France — Preparations — Intelligence department — Mogrebbin- Cidy Mohammed el Gebbas — A wonderful performance — Outfit — A blow — Off at last. . Pages i — 15

Chapter I

Outward voyage — A case of mistaken identity — A distinguished baby — Gibraltar — L'Africaine — Queer purchases — A careful family — Tangier — A sudden change — Boatmen and their ways — Baruel's disappointment — Martin's weakness — A Moorish story-teller — Petticoats versus Trousers — Pursued by Guides — Interview with Sir John — Boomgrais — His little peculiarity — Pidgin English Pages 16 — Contents. XII chapter II. Aid el kebeer — Its effects — Casting an augury — Tebel and Rheeta — Recollections of the Ramadan— Moorish prisons — Moorish punishments — A persevering thief — An awkward mistake — Pleasant predictions — The Grand Shereef — Disillusioned — Story of the Shereef's nomination — Travelling "like one Bashadore" — The points of a mule — Too much money — A Moorish dwelling — A surprise — Lively companions — Armed to the teeth Pages 3 1 — 46

Chapter III

Good advice — Start for Fez — A recruit — Our party — Hadj Abd Salam' s uniform — A clever horse — A newly-married man — Moorish roads — Ain Dhallia — Halt at Sigildar — Coffee — Home — Ornamental bedsteads — A good example — Arkabits el Hammera — Ladies' men ...... Pages 47 — 62

Chapter IV

, El Oosted— A weather watch— The cut-throat's well— Wild boar — The wood of Sahel — Wed Koos— A useful harbour lost — Difficulties of transport — Moorish ferry — Conservatives — El Araish — Keef, not so black as it is painted — A n'zalla — Juggling, native and foreign — Cork forest — Heavy rain — Protean artists — The Haik — Lalla Maiooma — Weeklymarkets- -An accomplished swindler — A shocking sight Pages 63 — Contents. XIII

Chapter V

Habeeshy — Berber and Arab dwellings — The Travelling tent — Change in country — A welcome fire — Use of a sextant — Arbar Cidy Aisa — Habbassy — Moorish warfare — A good fight — Tit for tat — The kaid's harem — A. makes tea — Obstinate dust — An unpleasant drink — " You more ten khraleefa" — A great man — Arab character — A humane Englishman — Curious combination . . . Pages 82 — 104

Chapter VI

A queer trio — Crossing the S'boo — Primitive navigation — A use for prisoners — A wonderful invention — A village harem — Cidy Geddar — Ague or indigestion — The owl's gate — Strange dwellings — A village on the move — Kaid embark — France, Spain and England — An instrument of torture— Arrival at Fez — My house — Welcome Pages 105 — 123

Chapter VII

A magnificent mona — The grand Wizeer — Goose step — Moorish officials — Hard work — Poor pay — Hints on etiquette — Sultan's letter — Change of quarters — A glorious view — Descriptions of Fez — Difference of opinion — Narrow streets — Effect on the inhabitants — Periodical " wash up" — Mulay Edrees — An injured ghost — The power of faith — The evil eye — A remarkable soldier Pages 124 — 148

Chapter VIII

Shocking want of propriety — Sketching under difficulties — Cidy Zaiaan el Erarkay — A Moorish dinner party — The Metassib — Moorish ladies — Their peculiarities — Fez by night Contents. XIV — Cook-shops — The Moorish army — Drill — Askary and Emrhazny — Punishments — M. Erkmann — A.'s dress — Diffi culty in choosing it — The Jews — Their miserable condition — A deputation — An unfortunate musician — Careful parents Pages 149—174

Chapter IX

The Sultan's gardener — A Sultan's gratitude — Target practice — Dentistry — A promising youth — "Serve her right " — Mulay Yakob — The Wizeer's ladies — His disappointment — His toilet — A wonderful sight — Arsenic — Poisoning — Ready for a start — Fever — A tabeeb — Moorish remedies — The Wizeer's theory — Missionaries — An enthusiast . . Pages 175 — 196

Chapter X

Off at last — Our party — Curious colouring — The Camel's Neck mountain — Curses and their uses — Kassbar of Kaid Jellally — A music lesson — The Moorish dress— Its advantages — Its disadvantages — Marakshy cursed as a Christian — Our escort — Lhab el barod — Ain el Geddar. . Pages 197 — 212

Chapter XI

Kassbar of Kaid Mohammed bel Kadour — The effects of mona — "Plenty cross"— Great demand for Seidlitz— My experience as a Mohammedan — A treat — Frost — El Haddood — Legend of the Black Rock— A fertile valley — A bad road — A mishap — Kassbar of Kaid Haddy — A horse-stealer — Kaid Haddy's trouble — Moorish harness — Kassbar of Kaid Mourchtar — Further effects of mona . . Pages 213 Contents. XV

Chapter XII

Kaid Mohammed bel Fildeel — Raid of the Ghraiatsa — Use of a wife — Meknessa, of the Wed Haddar — " He speaks Arabic ! " — Art critics — A fight — Good fellowship between classes — K'skessoo — " Like brothers "—A good shot— Village dogs — Report of the scouts — Meknessa of the Wed Errbar — An armed population — Amazons — A cruel spur — Kassbar del Amry — Boomgraisese — Algerian refugees . Pages 229 — 247

Chapter XIII

Cidy Moojarrhed — Tsarsa — Rholf's description of it — " Is he a Christian ? " — A native hut — Unpleasant curiosity — " Curious old " — A spy's fate — A domestic horse — Friends or foes ? — Kassbar M'zoon — Gimbeeb and his ways — A modest request — The plain of Hooarah — An amateur detective — Mulay Semaiem — His supernatural assistants Pages 248 — 262

Chapter XIV

The Hooarah Arabs — A mosque tent— A cold reception — A mistake — A Moor's opinion of the French — A hero — The Moolooeea — Cidy Mohammed bel Hoosaien — Boostar keeps his hand in— Kassbar Zaar— Colony of Jews— My value— Metamors — Man-cowlies — Beniboozgoozoo — Traces of the Sultan's camp— Bashyroomsod — Story of his capture — The Sultan' s expedition Pages 263— 2S0 Contents. XVI

Chapter XV

Ioun Cidy Mellook — Signs of civilisation — Boomgrais' "little woman " — A fearful phenomena — Boostar's exorcisms — An experiment and a failure — A narrow escape — The battle of the Wed Isly — Two stories — Moorish warfare — " Oudjda el hamdoo billah " — Cidy Hadj Boobker — A slight unpleasantness — Loss of muleteers — Mistaken for a saint — Nemours — Antipathy of races — Ride to Tlemcen — Ain elkebeera — Oran — Algiers — England Pages 281 — 301 APPENDICES. Appendix A Pages 303 — 315 Appendix B Pages 316 — 319 Appendix C Pages 320 — 326 Appendix D Pages 327 — A RID E IN PETTICOATS and SLIPPERS. INTRODUCTORY. A jolly party — First news of Oudjda — "II faut raserla tete" — Mogador and home — Conditions of Moorish travel — England and France — Preparations — Intelligence department — Mogrebbin — Cidy Mohammed el Gebbas — ■ A wonderful performance — Outfit — A blow — Off at last.

One fine evening in the autumn of 1877 I found myself the centre of a very jolly party just outside the walls of Fez. I was on my way, as I then thought, to the Atlas, in search of the African ibex. I had wandered into Fez without any proper introduction, and had in consequence been received with some cold- B ness by the basha. These good people, require the Nazarene to come with a great flourish of trumpets in order to make them treat him with civility. The basha in question had just politely hinted to me that he considered a house in the filthy Mellah1 quite good enough for a nameless Christian dog like myself. I, not caring for the companionship of the sons of Israel, and not being allowed that of the faithful, had shaken the dust of Fez off my feet and pitched my tent outside its walls.

It so happened that the place I chose was one in which it was very likely for a traveller to get his throat cut. Now had this occurred, the basha would have been responsible for any loss of coin which might have accompanied the proceeding, and this so increased my importance in his eyes that six emrhazneea 1 Mellah, the Jews' quarter. 2 Plural of emrhazny, a government soldier (see p. 160). were not thought too many to watch over my precious life. At first these worthies sat in a wide circle round my tent, armed to the teeth, and apparently the incarnation of vigi lance. As the evening wore on, and the savoury k'skessoo * disappeared down the throats of my retainers, I fancied that the coughs of the guard (they all had coughs) grew nearer and nearer. When k'skessoo was followed by tea, there was no doubt that the circle had contracted considerably, and when tea was followed by keef,2 voices from the darkness began to inquire how we were get ting on.

The natural answer was that they had better come and see. The teapot was re-filled, the sibsy3 passed round, and, as I remarked before, I found myself the centre of a very jolly party. 1 The standard dish of Marocco (see p. 26). a The stem of the Indian hemp, universally smoked by the lower classes. 3 Small pipe for smoking keef. B The conversation naturally turned on my plans. Where had I come from ? Tanjar. Where was I going to ? The mountains beyond Marakish. "Oollah!"1 What for? To shoot. " Yeer larteef ! " (What a pity) said the kaid of the party. If the Sultan had only been at Fez, I might have gone two days' journey to the eastward and found more game than there was in all the country between Fez and Soos. " Yes," said Simon Baruel, my in terpreter, an Algerian Jew, " then you might go on to Algeria."

It was " un voyage que personne n'a jamais fait." I had heard too much of lions, tigers, rhinoceri, hippopotami, and such like strange beasts, abounding in Marocco to pay much attention to stories . * By God. This and similar expressions are not used by the Moors as they are by us ; on the contrary, they are a sign of piety, and a man who fails to interlard his conversation with " Oollah ! " " El hamdoo billah ! " (Praise to God), "Eenshallah !" (Please God),"Saboorkoollah !"(ThankGod), and such like, is considered little better than an atheist. about game, but when I heard of an unex plored country within twelve days' journey of London, I pricked up my ears. The British traveller is so ubiquitous that I could hardly believe that any tract so near his home could have escaped him. However, it was worth inquiring into.

" What route would one have to take," I asked the kaid, ''to reach the country of the Frenchmen?" " By Tsarsa and Meknessa," he said, " and so to Oudjda." I remembered that Tsarsa was the farthest point reached by Rohlfs/ who travelled as a Mohammedan, and I began to think that there might be some truth in their story after all. " Why could I not go now without permission ? " I asked. Because no Christian had ever been there ; because in that country there were " serak bizaff" (plenty of robbers) ; and because no one would dare to go with me. Once an Englishman had 1 Adventures in Alorocco. bribed a Moor to take him to Agadeer. When they arrived there, after a three days march from Suira (Mogador), the Englishman was detained outside the town, while the guide was flogged by order of the basha, and they were both sent about their business.1 If I wanted to get across without the Sultan's per mission, whispered Baruel, " II faut raser la tete."

Now shaving the head, according to Baruel's idea, included performing all the other rites of Mohammedanism, besides renouncing Christi anity and learning Arabic. I was hardly prepared to carry out such an extensive pro gramme at a few days' notice, but " when found make a note of," says Captain Cuttle, and, having found this Cookless tract, I carefully registered it in the tablets of my mind for future use. A few days afterwards I continued my journey, visiting Mekenes and the seaport towns, This is a distorted version of Mr. Paget's adventure. and finally arrived at Marakish. After a vexa tious week of waiting in that city for the ful filment of promises which were always intended to be broken, I made my way to Mogador. There I found that the letter which would have procured me the permission I wanted, had crossed me on the road.

My leave being up, it was too late to turn back, so I had to bid farewell to Marocco for the time. My journey had been an unsuccessful one, it is true, but still I had enjoyed myself thoroughly, and had learnt many things which would be useful for a future expedition ; not the least of these was the necessity of carrying good letters of introduction. The conditions of travel in Marocco are probably different to those in any other part of the world. In civilised countries one can of course come and go as one likes. In wholly barbarous ones the traveller must trust to the strength of his party or the goodwill of the tribes through which he passes. The fanatical and semi-barbarous lands of Asia which have little connection with Europe can only be visited in the garb of Mohammedanism. In Marocco, though of course this last method is equally applicable, a surer and safer plan is to obtain a written permission from the Sultan.

The Sultan is omnipotent and infal lible, and at his word even fanaticism bows its head. The more I thought of it the more the idea of the journey to Oudjda took my fancy. In the first place, there was the pleasure of ex ploring a region which had never been crossed by a Christian, for I had ascertained that my Fez information was correct on that point. Secondly, my journey through Marocco had opened my eyes considerably to the inten tions of the French with regard to that country. I was convinced that any information concerning the valley of Moolooeea and the surrounding districts, must be of the greatest value to England. As the natural protector of Marocco, it is in these districts that she will have to contest the advance of the French, an advance which is only being delayed by more pressing considerations in Europe.

To make sure that such is the case, it is only necessary to stay a few weeks in Algeria, and keep one's ears open. As to the necessity of England preventing it, it is simply a question of whether it is desirable to keep Gibraltar or not. With Tangier in the hands of the enemy, Gibraltar would be untenable. This was the opinion of Nelson, and if it was true in his time, it is doubly so now. Having made up my mind to make the journey, one of my first steps on reaching Eneland was to begin learning; the Moorish dialect of Arabic ; to be ready, in case of need, to shave the head in a Baruelian sense. In the autumn of the following year I was ready for a start, but unfortunately the cholera and famine then raging in the country made it useless to attempt the journey. Apart from the danger and inconvenience of travelling at such a time, the Moorish government were far too full of their own affairs to be able to trouble their heads about the whims and wants of a wandering Englishman.

In the meantime I had rather complicated matters by taking unto myself a wife. Even if I could have passed muster as a Moor, which was more than doubtful, there was no doubt that she would never have convinced the least intelligent Mooress of her sisterhood. This being the case, I had to fall back on diplomacy, and to cast about for some means of coercing the Moorish government through our Foreign Office. As a soldier, my first thought was the intelligence department, and to it I accordingly applied. Although fully admitting the desirability of obtaining intelligence about the country I proposed to visit, the officials seemed to think that the risk was too great. In other words, they would not be parties to my risking my life officially. If I chose to do so on my own account, and brought back any information of value, of course it would be very nice, but " our government is so afraid of getting its men into trouble."

The intelligence department having failed, I had again to think seriously of trying my luck as a mussulman. About this time I had the good fortune to make the acquaintance of Mr. Farache, a Hebrew gentleman of Moorish birth, residing in Houndsditch, and under his guidance worked at Mogrebbin with a will. My wife also picked up some scraps of Arabic second hand by hearing me repeat my lessons. I had also the pleasure of becoming acquainted with Cidy Mohammed el Gebbas, a Moorish officer, who, together with Cidy Zobeer and Cidy Drees, was studying at Chatham. The performance of these gentlemen is a striking instance of what the Moorish mind is capable of when properly developed. In the short space of two years they had not only learnt English, but had also studied drill, surveying, photography, chemistry, mineral ogy, and had gone deep into mathematics, in the English language.

They finally passed an examination in these subjects which would have been considered a difficult one by nine English officers out of ten. It may be imagined that the conversation of these gentlemen was most useful and instructive. The average Moor, although possessed of great latent intelligence, is so uneducated that it is almost impossible to extract information from him. With Cidy Mohammed el Gebbas, it was totally different. I was able to learn more about the geography of Marocco in a quarter of an hour's conversation with him than I could have gained by a day's laborious pumping of any other Moor I ever met. Besides this, he gave me a letter of introduction to his father in Fez, which was afterwards of the greatest use to me. With the exception of the Arabic lessons, I had but few preparations to make.

I was already possessed of a pocket sextant, an arti ficial horizon, an aneroid, a compass, a revolver, a big knife, and a small medicine chest, which, together with guns, drawing materials, &c, is practically all that a traveller requires, besides his tents and the clothes on his back. As I was going to travel with a lady, I indulged in a few luxuries, such as Brand's beef-tea, Kopf's concentrated pea-soup (both of them excellent preparations), a few pots of marmalade and anchovy paste to counteract the taste of bad butter ; also an extra revolver and a pair of Deringers for my wife, a pocket filter, four enamelled iron plates and two cups of the same material, and a small spirit lamp and saucepan. Besides my own medicine chest, which con tained castor-oil, laudanum, quinine, and Sir J. Oliffe's anticholera mixture, I took a plentiful supply of Seidlitz powders for the natives.

The presents also were a large item. These consisted of one carriage clock, six silver hunting watches, one dozen penknives, and one dozen large bag purses with gilt mountings. Tents, and such simple cooking apparatus as I required, I trusted to getting at Tangier. Beds and mattresses I made up my mind to do without, as, however necessary they may be in other countries, I look upon them as useless incumbrances in Marocco. I had just got everything ready for a start and fixed the day, when a note from my adjutant informed me that in six weeks' time I should be wanted at Windsor for duty. This was apparently the death-blow to my plans. A true Mohammedan in such an emergency would have said, " M'ktsoob Allah " (It is written by God) ; and resigned himself to fate. As I happened to know that it was only written by the adjutant, and as I was still in a Christian country, I did not think this course necessary.

Eventually, by the kindness of my colonel and a brother officer, I found myself free, but not until I had wasted five weeks of my leave. As it happened, this delay probably caused my journey to be successful, for, just as I was starting, chance put me in the way of getting the much desired letters from the Foreign Office. Without these letters my journey would probably have ended at Fez.

Chapter I

Outward voyage — A case of mistaken identity — A distinguished baby — Gibraltar — L'Africaine — Queer purchases — A careful family — Tangier — A sudden change — Boatmen and their ways — Baruel's disappointment — Martin's weakness — A Moorish story-teller — Petticoats versus Trousers — Pursued by Guides — Interview with Sir John — Boomgrais — His little peculiarity — Pidgin English. On the 20th of November 1879, A. and I sailed from Southampton in the P. & O. S.S. Cathay, bound for Gibraltar. We had a singularly calm and uneventful passage, our only excitement being caused by the light of Cape Spartel being mistaken for that of Trafalgar, and a consequent attempt to sail across the province of Tangier instead of through the Straits. Petticoats and Slippers, i 7 Among other distinguished passengers was the baby Orang Outang whose portrait appeared in the Graphic some time ago.

He was a charming young gentleman, but rather serious for his years or rather months. In appearance he reminded me strongly of W. S. Gilbert's " Precocious Baby," who became an " enfeebled old dotard at five." The poor little man felt the cold dreadfully, in spite of some baby's underclothing which a kind lady had given him. On the morning of Tuesday, the 25th, we steamed into Gibraltar. I heard that the French steamer L'Africaine was to leave for Tangier at nine ; so I settled to go by her. This barely gave me time to do a little shopping in the town, and gave no chance of showing; A. the sights. Of course the steamer did not leave at nine, nor at eleven either for that matter. However, we whiled away the time very pleasantly by consuming c an excellent breakfast, such as only a French man can cook, and which seemed perfectly heavenly after the garbage of the P. & O. Then I strolled on deck, and amused myself watching the arrival of the strange people who were to be our fellow-passengers : Moors who had come over for a day's shopping, laden with all the most unlikely things for Moors to buy, such as brass bedsteads and painted birdcages ; Jews, also encumbered with startling purchases, to be retailed at cent per cent profit to their Moorish masters.

Spaniards of the lowest class, and a French farrtily, " Monsieur, Madame et Bebe," who, in spite of a glassy sea and a broiling sun, thought it necessary to arm themselves with greatcoats, comforters, and basins. I fancy this boat must have been conducted on much the same principle as those merry go-rounds at fairs and races, which only start when all the seats are full, and the money paid up. Quite irrespective of her fixed time for starting, passengers kept rowing leisurely on board by twos and threes, until the boat was fairly full ; then the captain shouted, the anchor was weighed, and off we steamed. A theatrical change of scene could hardly be more sudden or more startling than that brought about by the short run across the Straits. Gibraltar with its mixed crowd of soldiers, Moors, and Spaniards, can hardly be taken as a typical European town.

Tangier is the most Christian of Moorish cities. Yet one's first exclamation on returning to Gibraltar from the African shore is, " How clean, how civilised, how thoroughly European;" one's first thought on landing at Tangier from the North, " Here we are in the midst of barbarism at last." I said one's first thought on landing, but one has hardly to wait as long as that to be reminded that one has bid good-bye to Europe c and European ways. Even if one fails to be struck by the quaint old-world walls, the tall mosque towers, and the confused mass of white flat-roofed houses piled against the hillside, one is soon brought to a sense of the situation by the inhabitants. These worthies, rushing upon the deck of the steamer, simply clear everything; before them, like a flock of locusts. There was no question of "Is this yours?"

"Does that belong to you ?" Everything was seized, and everything packed into one boat. This struck me as a very curious feature of the performance. Although there were some twenty boats round the steamer, and although all the boatmen had assisted in the seizure of our baggage, only one boat was employed to take it ashore. I naturally followed the fortunes of my chattels, and as all the other passengers did the same, the result was a boatload which, had there been the slightest breath of wind, must inevitably have caused a swamp. However, as long as my pocket does not suffer, I always make it a rule to submit to the customs of the country. The passengers were landed at the jetty, but for some inscrutable reason not so the luggage. Although it would have been per fectly easy to take it out at once at the pier steps, it was rowed towards the beach and carried on shore by a number of Jew boys, who had to wade up to their middles to reach the boat.