TRAVELS IN BARBA11Y. 
pearance rather handsome, and possessed of a quick 
comprehension. Ali Bey saw him first in his camp, 
which he makes his constant residence, neglecting 
the palaces of Morocco and Mequinez, and despis- 
ing all the pomp with which his ancestors were ac- 
customed to surround themselves. Like his pre- 
decessors, he pretends to high eminence as a doc- 
tor and expounder of the Mahometan faith ; but 
is exempt from the cruelty so characteristic of 
Moorish sovereigns. He viewed with great in- 
terest the philosophical apparatus, and particularly 
the electrical machine in the possession of Ali Bey, 
and made curious inquiries into their structure and 
use. That traveller was much surprised when he 
received a present wrapped up in a cloth, which, 
on opening, proved to be merely two black loaves j 
but he was assured that this was the highest testis 
mony of regard which the Sultan could bestow, and 
amounted to declaring him his brother. 
Fez was supposed by Ali Bey to contain one 
hundred thousand inhabitants. It exhibits a sin- 
gular mixture of splendour and ruin. The walls 
to the street are built of earth, and in many places 
cracked and tumbling down. All the magnificence, 
as usual in Mahometan countries, is spent upon 
the interior. Here are found spacious courts ; and 
the apartments are painted, adorned with ara- 
besques, and often decorated with gold and silver. 
The markets of Fez are immensely crowded, an 
