SERAGLIO Of THE EMPEROR Of MOROCCO. 
49 
and some slaves. Upon their observing the unusual ligure of an 
European, the whole multitude in a body surrounded me, and express- 
ed the utmost astonishment at mj dress and appearance, some stood 
motionless, with their hands lifted up, their eyes fixed, and their 
mouths open, in wonder and surprise. Some burst into fits of laugh- 
ter; while others, with uncommon attention, eyed me from head to 
foot. The parts of my dress which seemed most to attract their notice, 
were my buckles, buttons, and stockings ; for neither men nor women 
in this country wear any thingof thekind. With respect totheclubofmy 
hair, they seemed utterly at a loss in what view to consider it; but 
the powder they conceived to be employed for destroying vermin. 
Most of the children, when they saw me, ran away in consternation ; 
and I appeared as singular an animal, and I dare say that I had the 
honour of exciting as much curiosity and attention, as a lion or a 
man-tiger just imported from abroad, and introduced into a country 
town on a market-day. Every time 1 visited the harem, I was sur- 
rounded and laughed at by thisr curious mob, w'ho, on my entering 
the gate, followed me close to the very chamber to which I was pro- 
ceeding, and, on my return, universally escorted me out. The greatest 
part of the women were uncommonly fat and unwieldy ; had black 
and full eyes, round faces, with small noses. They w^ere of different 
complexions; some very fair, some sallow, and others again perfect 
negresses. 
*•' One of my new patients being ready to receive me, I was desired to 
Vi'alk within her room ; where, to my great surprise, I saw nothing but 
a curtain drawn quite across the apartment, similar to that of a theatre, 
which separates the stage from the audience. A female domestic 
brought a very low stool, placed it near the curtain, and told me I w'as 
to sit down there, and feel her mistress’s pulse. The lady, who had 
by this time summoned up courage to speak, introduced her hand from 
the bottom of the curtain, and desired me to inform her of all her 
complaints, which she conceived I might perfectly do by merely feel- 
ing the pulse. It was in vain to ask her where her pain was seated ; 
the only answer I could procure was, a request to feel the pulse of 
the other hand. I w as under the necessity of informing her, in positive 
terms, that to understand the disease, it was absolutely necessary to 
see the tongue, as w^ell as to feel the pulse ; and that without it, I could 
do nothing for her. My eloquence, or that of my Jewish interpreter, 
was, however, long exerted in vain, and she would have dismissed me 
without any further inquiry, had not her invention supplied her with 
a happy expedient. She contrived to cut a hole in the curtain, through 
which she extended her tongue, and thus complied with my injunction, 
but most effectually disappointed my curiosity, I was afterwards 
ordered to look at another of the prince’s wives, who was aft'ected 
with a scrofulous swelling in her neck. This lady was, in the same 
manner as the other, at first excluded from my sight ; but as she was 
obliged to shew me her complaint, I had an opportunity of seeing 
her face, and observed it to be verv handsome.’^ 
It IS curious to observe the childish notions of persons who have 
been totally secluded from the w'orld. All the ladies of the harem 
expected that our author Should have instantly discovered their com- 
G 
