The Vice-Consul
And The Moorish Commandant Seated Themselves Cross-Legged, Upon Mats
Spread Upon The Floor, And Dinner, Consisting Of Roasted Fowls And
Fried Sardinias, Was Immediately Served.
After dinner my baggage was put upon mules, and a saddle-horse was
brought for me.
This animal was perfectly white, and loaded with an
enormous saddle, which had a large peak before and behind, covered
with a scarlet cloth, and furnished with a pair of stirrups of a
curious form, much resembling a coal-scuttle; but, _outre_ as
this appeared, I assure you, I found myself very comfortably seated,
and perfectly secure from falling. Thus equipped, we set forward for
Tetuan, accompanied by a Moorish officer and twelve horsemen.
Whips are not in fashion in this country, and their place is supplied
by two long ends of the bridle, cut to a point; but the horses, though
very spirited, are perfectly under command, and need neither whip nor
spur.
The town of Tetuan is seen at a great distance, from being built, like
Tangiers, on the declivity of a high hill, and the houses being
whitewashed. The road from the Custom-house is abominably bad; it lies
across a wearisome, barren plain, surrounded by craggy mountains. Here
and there, indeed, may be seen a small fertile spot, covered with
cattle, sheep, and goats, and occasionally a well, encompassed by a
wall of broad flat stones, capable of affording a seat to a dozen
people. On approaching the city, however, the country appears more
cultivated, luxuriant, and rich.
The figures of some common women, apparently employed in agricultural
occupations, struck me with surprise, as their dress was quite
different from any I had seen when in this country before. On their
head they wore a straw hat, of an enormous circumference; under this
was a piece of white cloth extending over the forehead to the eyes;
and immediately below this another, which reached as far down as the
chin; their eyes peeping through the intermediate space. Their bodies
were enveloped in a coarse haik, a species of serge of their own
manufacture.
Upon entering the city gate, one of my guards took hold of my bridle,
and conducted me over innumerable rocks, to the Jewish town. The
surface of the ground being an uneven rock, which every where remains
unlevelled, the streets consist of abrupt ascents and descents, even
worse than those of Larache; they are also extremely narrow and dirty;
and as the houses have no windows towards the streets, you in fact
pass along between two dead walls, almost suffocated by a hot and
fetid atmosphere.
When we reached the house of the Vice-consul, I was presented with a
glass of _aguardiente_, for refreshment. After having passed the
evening in the company of a numerous party of Barbary Jews, I retired
to bed; and in the morning I waited on the Governor, to pay my
respects to him. On our way thither, I was not a little surprised to
see our Vice-consul pull off his slippers as we passed the mosques,
and walk bare-footed. I soon learned, that the Jews are compelled to
pay this tribute of respect, from which Christians are exempt,
although they do not escape very frequent insults when walking through
the city.
We found His Excellency sitting cross-legged on a tiger-skin, smoking
his pipe, under a niche in one of the courts of his mansion. He
received me with great politeness, and assured me that every thing
should be arranged to render my journey to Larache safe and
agreeable. Both, the Governor and his secretary asked me numberless
questions respecting the laws and manners of the English; to all of
which I gave short and general answers.
As we returned from the castle we passed through a street of unusual
breadth, on each side of which were the shops of the merchants. I
thence proceeded to take a general survey of the city; examining the
different places allotted to people engaged in various branches of
trade, and the manufactories of silk, carpets, and mats; and
afterwards went to the public markets for meat, poultry, vegetables,
cattle, sheep, horses, and mules. They are in spacious squares, and
are exceedingly well stocked. I next went to see the _Socco_, which is
a place appointed for the sale of several articles of wearing apparel
as well as all sorts of goods, by public auction. The auctioneer walks
backwards and forwards, exhibiting the commodities for sale, and
bawling out the different prices offered. We returned, through several
intricate streets, to the Jews' quarters, much fatigued, and worried
with the impertinence and curiosity of the inhabitants.
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._
Tetuan, - - 1806.
There is little that is remarkable in this town, beside what I
mentioned in my last. It is distant twenty miles from _Ceuta_, a
Spanish fortress, and twelve from the Mediterranean, and is nearly
opposite to the rock of Gibraltar. It has a good trade, and contains
about eighty thousand inhabitants, twenty thousand of which are Jews,
said to be very rich. The Jews are tolerably civilized in their
manners, but are dreadfully oppressed by the Moors. Seldom a day
passes but some gross outrage or violence is offered to the Jewish
women, the generality of whom are very handsome, though their dress is
by no means calculated to set off, but rather to detract from, their
beauty.
Men, women, and children, still preserve the same costume as in the
time of Moses. You cannot conceive any thing more ridiculous than the
_tout ensemble_ of a Barbary Jewess in full dress. Every part of her
apparel is rich, but is so heavy, that, to an European, nothing can
appear more awkward and unbecoming. The Jewish ladies wear immense
ear-rings. I have observed several full twelve inches in
circumference, and of a proportionate thickness; and a few ornaments
being affixed to the ear-ring, I leave you to judge what materials
their ears must be made of, to bear such a weighty appendage.
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