Show r t x r jr T k J M Mt n t 4 nry w wr r ww F 1 R w r f ie Street Scene in Fez Morocco Prepared by National Geographic Society Washington D C C. C Service F RABAT is the brain of Morocco Morocco Morocco Mo Mo- IF rocco Fez Is Its heart A Almost Almost Al Al- most equidistant nt from the Atlantic and the Mediterranean nean and rind nearly a hundred miles from either cither is this storied city still the political and religious center of Morocco From a hillside one looks down in wonder and admiration on the tree tree shaded shaded valley in which lies turbulent once-turbulent exotic always-exotic now- now pea peaceful Fez It Is a chessboard checkered in countless tiny squares which are the flat roofs of its myriad myriad myriad myri myri- ad houses the edge of the board being the lofty city walls Rather there are two chessboards chessboards chessboards chess chess- boards Fez El Bali Fez the Old and higher along the Ule steep slope is Fez Fez the New It was new in A. A D D. D 1276 Like chessmen left scattered aimlessly about the board stand the slender minarets of the many mosques On every side rise the hills hills' crowned with forts old and new v forts torts built by long dead sultans sultans sultans sul sul- sul- sul tans to cow their rebellious subjects subjects subjects sub sub- within the city others erected by the French to defend Fez against the Berber tribes outside the walls Beyond the rounded hills away to the south are higher mountains covered with snow in winter Butin Butin But in summer the arid steppes are waist-high waist in flowers Fez appears now as It did through the long centuries of Moslem Moslem Moslem Mos Mos- lem domination since Arab invaders ers built It somewhere about A. A D D. D as it was before ever the infidels entered it except as slaves or as missions of Christian states humbly seeking to propitiate the Sultan It remains as It was when still the home of the Sheridan rulers the re real l capital the enlightened artistic magnificent city second to none In all Islam when In the Twelfth century it boasted mosques Inns and private private private vate houses But hark A humming drone fills the air and high over the venerable city flies an airplane France rules the sky above and the soil beneath the Sultan is a shadow in Rabat Is Yet Being only recently opened to the outer world Fez is as yet and of deep interest to the traveler Its size surprises From cne end to the other of the twin cities it measures measures four miles milas Its population population population tion today Is about including including including ing fewer than Israelites who are herded together r in the Jewish quarter of Fez The European inhabitants to be found mostly in La Ville Nouvelle number about principally French with a sprinkling of Spaniards Spaniards Spaniards Span Span- and Italians Of the three parts of Fez old Fez old new and newest unquestionably the most interesting Is the first El Bali Ball To see it one must enter on foot or In the saddle for vehicles cannot pass through its steep and narrow lanes From Bab Hadid The Iron Gate a carriage road runs Inside the walls wall s around the edge of the city to the new gate of Bou ou where Fez touches the older town Along It modern civilization civilization civilization tion fringes the ancient city for tor it passes by the Auvert hospital a French post office the British consulate consulate con con- the bureau of mw municipal cipal services a military club and a museum housed in separate parts of an old palace the Dar Batha and by the lovely gardens of Dar Beida another Imperial palace now used only to shelter the resident general when he visits Fez None of the Arab buildings converted converted converted con con- to modern modem uses has been Europeanized in outward appearance appearance appearance appear appear- ance and so they do not detract from the native aspect of the city Leaving them one plunges down steep lanes dreary and desolate between the blank walls of tall houses almost windowless on the street side some as high as a five- five story London dwelling They shut shutout shutout shutout out the sky in the winding alleys Dismal as Is their outward appearance appearance appearance ap ap- many are the residences of ot rich and noble Moors and the interiors' interiors are arc light and luxurious The privacy of ot their pleasant gardens gardens gardens gar gar- dens is guarded by eunuchs There the fair fai occupants of the harem may cast aside their veils and ugly shrouding garments and shine in all the splendor of massive jewelry and the bright hues of silken dresses that Arab and Berber ladies wear Seated on the ground with their backs against the walls of ot these houses are beggars singly or in groups mostly mostly blind Here three men squat side by y side companions in misery They are silent their chins on their chests In a sudden movement the three heads are lifted simultaneously simultaneously simul simul- the haggard faces aces and sightless eyes upturned t th three h r e e hands thrust out begging bowls and three voices chorus in perfect time a long-drawn long appeal for alms A Street of Misery In the name of Allah give us of your charity You who have riches pity the poor You who have eyes be merciful to the blind God will requite ye Alms In Inthe Inthe Inthe the name of the Prophet give us i alms I The three voices cease together the three bowls are swiftly withdrawn withdrawn withdrawn with with- drawn the three heads are lowered lowered lowered low low- ered chin to chest again all again all in perfect unison A bell rings clear and sweet and up the steep lane hobbles a ragged man hugging under his left arm a wet and bloated hairy thing like the swollen carcass of a drowned dog It is a goatskin water bag with the hair left on The bearer is selling the liquid and clangs the bright brass bell inI In his right hand to attract attention I Before Belore the French protectorate over Morocco was established the British gov government once sent a mission to the Sultan In Fez with letters and presents Attached to it was a Scots Guards subaltern he he is a peer and a general today He had visited the country o oc oa leave several times so he was chosen to go with the mission When it rode in state into Fez he was mounted on a big mule and clad cladIn cladin In the full-dress full scarlet and gold of his regiment with the bearskin the the hairy hat as admiring Dublin street urchins call it on it-on on his head Tall and harp handsome some he presented presented presented pre pre- a striking figure in his gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous gor gor- uniform and appealed to the crowds lining the route to the tile Imperial Imperial Im Ira- penal pal palace ce But the bearskin busby puzzled them What is that he has on his head cried a wondering citizen citizen citi ciU- zen In the front rank of the spec spec- A newspaper correspondent In Morocco riding In the procession had lived many years in fn the country country country coun coun- try try- and spoke Arabic fluently He turned in In his saddle and answered the enquirer loudly In the verna verna- cular That Is a water bag His sultan sultan sultan sul sul- tan has allowed him to wear it ita ita ita a a- a aa a mark of honor for tor putting out outa a fire in his town The lane narrows Into an alley barely nine feet teet wide covered over with a work trellis-work of long dried reeds on which lie withering the tho leaves of a spreading vine which in summer gives a welcome shade Street of Shops The alley Is lined with booths for tor it is the beginning of ot the fa famous famous ta- ta Souk Sonk means a market market market mar mar- ket but here as In Tunis it designates designates designates nates a street of shops and In eastern cities the shops that sell the same tl things ings are grouped to to- gether Thus the Souk El EI Is the street of the perfume sellers who vend besides scents the large brightly decorated candles candles candles can can- to be burned before shrines In the Souk Sonk El tailors' tailors street the knights of the needle ply their trade and burnooses je- je labs sleeved short-sleeved woolen cloaks baggy breeches and other garments garments garments gar gar- ments are sold When night comes the shopkeepers ers put up and lock the shutters on their establishments They go oil oft to their evening meal at a native restaurant or to drink a cup of sweetened coffee at a Moorish cafe before returning to their sleeping mats In a room like a rabbit warren |