116 
They are still considered as the most illustrious family 
of the country, under the name of sherifs of Mulei Ed- 
ris. The chief of this family takes the title of El-Em- 
kaddem^QT the Ancient. He is charged with the admin- 
istration of the funds, which are placed in the boxes es- 
tablished at the side of the sepulchre of the saint; as 
also with the alms in grain, cattle, and other effects,, 
which, under the name of tribute, are put at his dispo- 
sal by the inhabitants. He makes a distribution of all 
these objects amongst the sherifs of the tribe, who are 
mostly maintained by these funds, though some of them 
are rich from their own possessions, or from the trade 
which they carry on, as well as the Emkaddem himself, 
The veneration of the inhabitants for Muley Edris is 
so great, that in all the situations of life, and in all their 
spontaneous emotions they invoke Muley Edris instead 
of the Almighty. 
On my road from Mequinez to Fez, I had an officer 
of the sultan sent before me, with an order from this 
monarch to Hadj Edris, to have a lodging prepared for 
me, and to serve and assist me in everything I should 
want. I was therefore lodged with him on my arrival at 
Fez; but he was so very old that he could hardly walk 
or attend to his own affairs. His eldest son Hadj-Edris 
Rami* took, therefore, care of me and my affairs. 
Hence whenever in future I mention Hadj Edris, I mean 
the son, unless I add some expression to mark his father. 
They live both with their families in the same house. 
Hadj Edris Rami is of my age; his respectable charac- 
ter, the uprightness of his principles, and his fidelity, of- 
ten proved, have made him my best of friends. May 
he be as happy as I wish him to be, and may his years 
* The same who, in the year 1808, was at Paris as extraordina* 
ry ambassador of the Emperor of Morocco. 
