174 RAPACITY OF OUR ESCORT. ch. vn. 



or less overt resistance which we encountered here and 

 elsewhere in South Marocco, was altogether due to a 

 fanatical dislike to Christian strangers ; but we after- 

 wards doubted whether that feeling, undoubtedly prevalent 

 among the Moors, is equally general among the Shelluh 

 population ; and as we came to know more of the prac- 

 tical results of our visits to these remote valleys, the 

 less surprised we were to know that they were unwelcome 

 to the inhabitants. The Sultan's order, as we learned 

 from El Grraoui, had gone forth that we were not to be 

 put to any expense for the living of ourselves and our 

 attendants during our journey. So far as our personal 

 consumption went that was but trifling, as we largely re- 

 lied on the provisions we had carried with us. Our 

 attendants no doubt consumed an ample share of food at 

 the one serious meal of the day, usually after nightfall, 

 and were ready to set to again in the middle of the night 

 when a good opportunity was ofifered ; but it was the rapa- 

 city of our soldier escort that made our visit a calamity 

 in a poor district. Not satisfied with gorging themselves 

 with meat, cakes, and fruit, they demanded luxuries such 

 as green tea and white sugar, and in such quantities that, 

 as we afterwards learned, Kaid el Hasbi used to send from 

 each valley in which we halted a mule laden with provi- 

 sions to his family in Marocco. An altercation which we 

 heard this night, and which was repeated more than once 

 on subsequent nights, arose from our usually pacific Mo- 

 gador Kaid, who revolted at seeing the lion's share of the 

 spoil taken possession of by his colleague from Marocco. 

 On this occasion the quarrel threatened to become serious, 

 and the long guns were actually drawn out of the red 

 cloth cases ; but it seemed that on one or both sides dis- 

 cretion overcame valour, as peace was ultimately restored. 

 Our interpreter, Abraham, as a prudent man, wished not 

 to embroil himself in these disputes, and it was only 

 gradually that we got to learn the real mischiefs and 

 hardships of which we were the involuntary occasion. 



