29 f 
Having observed that the mosque had no water for 
drinking, I caused a large jar to be solidly fastened by 
masons to the side of the gate, with a vessel to drink 
with, attached to it; and I endowed this establishment 
with sufficient means to keep it supplied with water. 
In a room over the door of the mosque the cadi's 
son resides, who takes care of two large clocks and a 
small one, which are used to regulate the hours for 
prayer. But as this person had only a very rude sort 
of dial or instrument, to adapt their motions to that of the 
sun, he could never know the true hour precisely; it 
was always some minutes different. I was therefore 
obliged, during my stay at Tangier, to observe and set- 
tle the time, and the clocks of the mosque were regu- 
lated accordingly. Thus their hours of prayer, and the 
calls of their muezzin from their minaret, depended on 
my watch. 
The mosque is called in Arabic El-jamaa, or the 
place of meeting. At the bottom of the mosque there 
is a nich nearly fronting the spot where Mecca is be- 
lieved to be situated. In this place sits the imaum, or 
the person who directs the prayers. A sort of pulpit 
stands on the left hand side; it has a wooden staircase on 
which the imaum ascends every Friday before the noon 
prayer, and preaches a sermon to the people. In the 
great mosque there is a press usually kept locked, which 
contains some korans and other religious books. There 
are also two wooden chairs, on which the fakihs some- 
times sit to read before the people. At the top of the 
several arches a lustre and some lamps of bad green 
glass are suspended, but hanging without order or sym- 
metry. The greatest part of the floor is covered with 
mats. In the yard behind the mosque there is a well* 
from which water for the ablutions is taken; it is of si 
bad quality. 
