CHARACTERS. 



787 



him, and boldly to explain the na- 

 ture of his case; and although his 

 person is considered as sacred, and 

 established custom obliges the sub- 

 ject to prostrate himself, and to 

 pay him rather adoration than re- 

 spect, yet every complainant may 

 tell his story without the least he- 

 sitation or timidity ; indeed, if 

 any one is abashed, or appears 

 diffident, his cause is weakened in 

 proportion. Judgment is alwa)'s 

 prompt, decisive, plausible, and 

 generally correct. 



In places remote from the em- 

 peror's court the (kalif) vice-re- 

 gent, or bashaw, has his M'shoire, 

 where he administers justice, some- 

 times according to the laws of the 

 Koran, and at others as his caprice 

 dictates ; for the same imperious 

 despotism which the emperor too 

 frequently exercises over his ba- 

 shaws and alkaids is exercised by 

 them over those who fall under 

 their government ; and the same is 

 done again by their subalterns, 

 wheti they have it in their power ; 

 thus tyranny proceeds progressively 

 from the prince to the lowest of 

 his officers ; these petty tyrants 

 are dispersed over the whole em- 

 pire, and often give sanction to 

 their extortions by effecting them 

 in the name of their master : the 

 accumulation of wealth is the grand 

 object of all their desires . When 

 they learn from their emissaries, or 

 spies, that an individual has ac- 

 quired considerable property, they 

 contrive to find out some cause of 

 accusation against him, and by that 

 means extort money from him. It 

 often happens, however, that those 

 who amass the greatest sums in 

 this way, enjoy them but a very 

 short time ; some unexpected order 

 from the emperor, accusing them 



of crimes or misdemeanors, is made 

 a pretext for depriving them in 

 their turn, of their ill-gotten 

 wealth, which his majesty never 

 fails to inform them can be of no 

 use to them, bemg more than suf- 

 ficient to procure the necessaries 

 of life, and ought, therefore, to 

 belong to the (biet el mel el 

 Mooselmin) Mohammedan treasu- 

 ry, into which it is accordingly 

 delivered, never more to return 

 to its former possessor ! 



The influence of this mode of 

 government upon the people, is 

 such as might naturally be expect- 

 ed ; they are suspicious, deceitful, 

 and cruel ; they have no respect 

 for their neighbours, but will 

 plunder one another whenever it 

 is in their power ; they are stran- 

 gers to every social tie and affec- 

 tion ; for their hearts are scarcely 

 susceptible of one tender impres- 

 sion ; the father fears the son, the 

 son the father ; and this lamenta- 

 ble mistrust and want of confidence 

 diffuses itself throughout the whole 

 community. 



The pride and arrogance of the 

 Moors is unparalleled ; for though 

 they live in the most deplorable 

 state of ignorance, slavery, and 

 barbarism, yet they consider them- 

 selves the first people in the world, 

 and contemptuously term all others 

 barbarians. Their sensuality knows 

 no bounds : by the laws of the 

 Koran, they are allowed four 

 wives, and as many concubines as 

 they are able to support, but such 

 is their wretched depravity, that 

 they indulge in the most unnatural 

 and abominable propensities ; in 

 short, every vice that is disgrace- 

 ful and degrading to human nature, 

 is to be found amongst them. 



It must be confessed, however, 



3 E 2 that 



