Travels through the Empire of Morocco | Page 2

principal Minister, to return to that country, I have hitherto been obliged to delay answering, that I might not, on the one hand, insult, by evasive or false replies, a government from which I had experienced such friendship and respect; or, on the other hand, be compelled, by a true statement, to compromise my own.
The principal design of publishing this account of my journey to the Barbary States, is to shew the good policy, on the part of this country, of keeping upon terms of strict amity with the government of Morocco. The neglect, which, on this occasion, has been evinced of the Emperor's letter, I cannot but consider, in a public point of view, as extremely reprehensible, independently of the private injury it has occasioned to myself. Whether this neglect arose from the misrepresentations of the Army Medical Board, or from those of any other persons, I will not pretend to determine; but in any case, a most censurable disregard, even of the forms of civility, towards a Prince, who, however we may affect to despise his influence in the great political scale, has it always in his power materially to promote or to impede the interests of this country in the Levant, must attach to some quarter or other.
[*] As the members of that body are expected shortly to be dismissed from their situations, I think it right, lest at any future period injustice should be done to innocent individuals, by confounding them with the guilty, here to state that Sir Lucas Pepys, Bart. Mr. Thomas Keate, and Mr. Francis Knight, Apothecaries, at present compose the body illegally calling themselves the Army Medical Board, whose conduct for a great many years has brought disgrace and disaster on that important department. For a detail of their conduct, see "An Analytical View of the Medical Department of the British Army, by Charles Maclean, M.D." 8vo. published by Stockdale, Pall Mall.

CONTENTS.
LETTER I.
Inducement for the Journey--Arrive at Tangiers--Its History-- Situation--Inhabitants--Military--Governor--Fortifications-- Subterraneous Passage--Socco, or Market--Adjacent Villas--Invited to Larache.
LETTER II.
Sketch of the History of Morocco--Road from Tangiers--Simplicity of the Peasants--Moors hospitable--Arrive at a Village--The ancient Zelis--Public Accommodations--Much infested with Vermin--Arzilla, a ruinous walled Town--Arrive at Larache.
LETTER III.
Conducted to the Governor--Medical Hint from his Secretary--Governor recovers--Larache--Its Harbour, Shipping, and Inhabitants.
LETTER IV.
Excursion to Mamora, and thence lo Salee--Friendly Reception by the Governor of the latter--Rabat--Tower of Hassen--Shella--Mansooria-- Alcasser--Quiber--Its Socco, or Market-place.
LETTER V.
Leave Larache with an Escort--Curious Custom on returning from Mecca--Arrive at Tetuan.
LETTER VI.
Ill Usage of a Lieutenant of the Swiftsure--Disaffection of the Moorish Governor towards Great Britain.
LETTER VII.
Sail for Tetuan--Appearance of the Coast--Enter the Boosega River--Curious Towers of Defence--Custom-house--Female Dress--Enter Tetuan over a Road of unlevelled Rock--Disagreeable Streets--Well received by the Governor--Public Markets--Socco--An Auction Market.
LETTER VIII.
Tetuan--The Jews much oppressed there--particularly the Females--Costume--Singularity of the Streets in the Jewish Town--Ceuta--Would be invaluable to England--Melilla--Summoned to visit the Emperor.
LETTER IX.
Journey to Larache--Annual Socco of St. Martin--No Christian permitted to witness it--Express Order for that Purpose in the Author's Favour--Specimen of native medical Skill--Reception at Larache--Complain of the Impositions of Governor Ash-Ash--Comparative Tariff--Effect the Renewal of the old Tariff with increasing Advantages.
LETTER X.
Depart from Larache with a little Army--Moorish military Salute--Numerous Villages--Customary Procession of the Inhabitants--Judicial Arrangements--River Beth resembles the Po--Herds of Camels--Arrive at Mequinez--French Falsehood again put down--Excellent Road from Mequinez--Fertility and Luxuriance of the adjacent Country--Procession to the Sanctuary of Sidy Edris--Multiplicity of Saints--Ceremony demonstrative of the Emperor's Favour--Take possession of my new Residence.
LETTER XI.
Imperial Review of eighty thousand Cavalry--The Palace--Introduction to the Emperor--Visit the Seraglio--Beauty of the Sultana--Her Indisposition--Her Influence over the Emperor--His Person described.
LETTER XII.
Succession of the Sovereigns from their Founder to the present Emperor.
LETTER XIII.
Responsibility of the Governors--Empire beautiful and productive--Humane Efforts of the Emperor--Blind Submission to his Will--Great Number of Negroes naturalized--The Moors might be truly formidable--Emperor's Brother--Fez divided into two Parts--Magnificent Mosques--Commercial Privileges--Indignities which Christians undergo--Singular Supply of Water--The Imperial Gardens--Propensity to defraud--Factories--Exports--Costume--Character---Manner of Living--Domestic Vermin.
LETTER XIV.
Fez--Debility of the Moors--Mosques--Antiquities, Roman, Carthaginian, and Saracen--Storks held in great Veneration--Baths--Bazars-- Inhabitants--Residence--Menagerie--Marvellous Preservation of a Jew--Lions-- Tigers--Leopards--Hyenas.
LETTER XV.
Sudden Departure from Fez--Arrive at Mequinez--Attend the Emperor--Melancholy Catastrophe--Expedition against wild Beasts--Extensive Palaces--Seraglio--Visit a Haram--Founders of the City--A fortified Town--Inhabitants--Jewish Town--Rich Attire of the higher Orders--Numerous Market-places--Furniture--Saints Houses--Imperial Field Sports--Pack of Greyhounds--Abundance of Game.
LETTER XVI.
Courtship--Marriage--Funerals--Sabbath.
LETTER XVII.
Depart from Morocco--Roads dreadfully infested by Robbers--A Tribe of aboriginal Freebooters--Description of Morocco--Filth of the common People--Tobacco disallowed--Justice of the Emperor.
LETTER XVIII.
Moorish Character--Form of Devotion--Meals--Revenue--Poll-tax on the Jews--Royal Carriages--Ostrich-riding--Public Schools--Watch-dogs.
LETTER XIX.
Face and Produce of the Empire, natural and artificial.
LETTER XX.
Practice of Physic--Astrology--Poetry--Entertainment given by the Author to the Moors--Their Astonishment at the Effects of Electricity.
LETTER XXI.
Prevalent Diseases--Abuse of Stimulants--Medicinal Well--Sorcery--Hydrophobia.
LETTER XXII.
Depart for Gibraltar--Oppressive Heat--Robbers--Arrive at Larache--Affray of some English Sailors--Letter from the Governor to Lord Collingwood.
LETTER XXIII.
Embark for Gibraltar--Precautionary Hints.
APPENDIX.
No. I.--Letter from J. Turnbull, Esq. General Chairman of the Merchants trading to the Mediterranean, recommending Dr. Buffa for a civil medical Appointment