32 A Glance at Tetuan. [JAN. 



for a few loaves of sugar, or a few pounds of tea or coffee. In this 

 respect he may be compared to. some strange beast kept for exhibition; 

 nor is his appearance likely to dispel the idea, being dreadfully afflicted 

 with the elephantiasis in both legs, so that he is confined to the range of 

 his own garden. 



It was, however, a pleasing disappointment to find, by his conversa- 

 tion, that he possessed a little more sentiment than his appearance would 

 establish credit for. In being conducted round his garden and orchard 

 of pomegranates, 1 observed, amidst a great deal of order and regularity, 

 a moss-covered fountain, which had ceased to play; the patch of ground 

 which environed it was uncultivated ; the shrubs and flowers grew in 

 wild contrast to the care observed in every other part. On noticing this 

 partial neglect, he explained " that the fountain had belonged to a 

 favourite wife, who had been accustomed to drink of its waters, and to 

 cultivate with her own hands the plot of ground now in such disorder, 

 but the fountain should never play again, and the garden might run 

 to waste, for she whom it pleased might take delight in it no more !"* 



The melancholy humour of his excellency had that day been increased 

 by a request he had received from the emperor to forward a large sum of 

 money to Morocco, which he could find no pretext to withhold much 

 longer. In this exigency, he sent for the elders of the Jews (that never- 

 failing philosopher's- stone), and politely requested to know if they 

 would furnish him with a small loan. The great financier the Roths- 

 child of Tetuan now stood boldly forward, and, with a courage worthy 

 of his rich London relation, told the bashaw " that his brethren could 

 not be expected to pay the deficiencies of his accounts with the sultan, 

 especially after his excellency had so often and so ungraciously inflicted 

 stripes on their backs, for which they had paid so dearly, both in coin 

 and flesh, that they had now scarcely any of either to call their own." 



Such extraordinary language was naturally ill-brooked, and, at any 

 other time, might have cost the offender a severe punishment ; but the 

 Jews, aware of the impending disgrace of the bashaw, determined on this 

 occasion to make a stand against his oppressions, and accelerate his fall 

 by refusing their assistance, which they calculated would get him imme- 

 diately removed from the bashalick. The governor was evidently 

 labouring under great uneasiness of mind, which the numerous changes 

 of his countenance betrayed ; nor could he help giving vent to his spleen 

 in sundry ejaculations, during a repast of coffee, biscuits, and conserve 

 of orange-flowers, which his kindness had provided for us. 



The town of Tetuan is extensive, and contains about 30,000 inhabi- 

 tants. From situation, it is the most advantageous spot in the empire of 

 Morocco for extending our commerce with Barbary ; but that perpetual 

 obstacle in these kingdoms the sand-bars at the mouths of the river 

 does not allow any vessel to enter that of Tetuan of above eighty tons 

 burthen. Tetuan is in the vicinity of the beautiful mountains of Rif, 



* Another observation which my friend, the bashaw, lately made, in conversing on the 

 fall of Algiers, will perhaps not be considered unamusing. . At first, hearing that this city 

 had surrendered, he declared it was nothing but " mala fama evil report ; that the 

 Moors were much superior to the French in point of valour." On the subsequent confirma- 

 tion of the news, and the dethronement of Charles the Tenth, he, however, exclaimed 

 " Al^ Dios es grande ! whilst the French took Algiers, Mahomet was asleep; but, on 

 awaking, he became angry at what had been done, and in revenge drove the king of 

 France from his kingdom." 



