June 5 was a day of some anxiety in Mogador, and the news which we received at breakfast brought full confirmation of Mr. Carstensen’s apprehensions as to the disturbed state of the country. We had already noticed that the camel-drivers arriving from Marocco, or other places in the interior, are used, after discharging their goods in the town, to litter their camels outside the wall at a place close to the eastern gate. We now heard that during the preceding night a party of marauders from Haha had pushed their audacity so far as to attack and kill a camel-driver sleeping at the foot of the city wall, and drive off seven camels that were in his charge. Whether the guard at the gate close at hand slept soundly through the scene, or had their own reasons for non-interference, we failed to learn.
This was one of a series of incidents that was not completed until after our return to England; but as we were so directly concerned in the results of the disturbances in Haha, and as we learned the particulars in an authentic way from Mr. Carstensen, who had daily intercourse with eye-witnesses and actors in the drama, it is as well here to give the story as we learned it.
The Governor of Haha, the largest and most important province in the empire, which long maintained its independence of the Sultan, had hereditary claims to the government of the twelve cognate Shelluh tribes who make up the population. Although miserably fallen away from its ancient prosperity—in the time of Leo Africanus there were six or seven populous towns and several fortified places, where there is now nothing better than a village— the province still furnishes much agricultural produce and live stock, and sends hides, grain, oil, and other merchandise for exportation to the port of Mogador. The Governor, at the time of our visit, had long held his office; by liberal contributions to the Imperial treasury, he had kept himself in the favour of the Sultan, while amassing for himself vast wealth; and, according to the testimony of the French naturalist, M. Balansa, confirmed by the consuls who had visited him, he showed an appreciation of the advantages of civilised life, and a desire to maintain friendly relations with Europeans.
Thus wealthy, powerful, and feared, this man might have maintained his authority unbroken, but that by a continuous course of oppression and cruelty he at length stirred up the spirit of resistance amongst his own people. Vengeance, however atrocious, for acts of revolt is so fully an admitted right of men in authority in Marocco that it did not seem to count for much in the indictment against him that on one occasion he inflicted on several hundred—some said a thousand—insurgent prisoners the horrible punishment of the ‘leather glove.’ A lump of quicklime is placed in the victim’s open palm, the hand is closed over it, and bound fast with a piece of raw hide. The other hand is fastened with a chain behind the back, while the bound fist is plunged into water. When, on the ninth day, the wretched man has the remaining hand set free, it is to find himself a mutilated object for life, unless mortification has set in, and death relieves him from further suffering. But, in addition to such acts as these, the Kaïd of Haha was accused of capricious deeds of ferocity that revolted the consciences of his people. Among other stories of the kind, we were told that on some occasion when he was having a wall made round his garden, he happened to see a young man jump over the low unfinished fence. Feeling in some way annoyed at this, he had the unfortunate boy’s right foot struck off, as a lesson not to repeat the experiment.
In such a country, where the danger of revolt is so terrible, the discontent among the people of Haha might long have slumbered, but for the occasion given by the war with the neighbouring province of Mtouga. The spirit of resistance spread rapidly, and it soon become apparent that the position of the old Kaïd was becoming untenable. At last he resolved upon flight, after previously securing the aid and protection of his neighbour, the Governor of Shedma. Departing at night, with a train of women and slaves, and with twenty-two mules laden with treasure, he reached by daylight the borders of Shedma, just in time to forestall pursuit from his outraged subjects. He escaped unharmed—although a bullet intended for him by the pursuers struck in the hand his protector, the Governor of Shedma—and continued his journey to the city of Marocco. On reaching the capital, he at once placed himself under the protection of the Viceroy,[3] and judiciously sacrificed half of his wealth as an offering to the imperial treasury. He was received with favour; a handsome house was assigned to him as a residence; and for anything we know to the contrary, he may be still enjoying, what is seldom granted to a high functionary in Marocco, a tranquil old age.
When the flight of the Governor was noised abroad in Haha, the people of the country proceeded, according to custom, to pillage and destroy the castle of their oppressor. Among other things brought to light were two skeletons built into the wall of one of the inner chambers. The Kaïd had two nephews, who were, or might have become, dangerous rivals, and it was in this way that he had disposed of them.
Among the stores found in the kasbah were several large earthen jars of butter, and others of honey, and these furnished forth a feast for the unbidden guests. The Kaïd was a thoughtful man, and even in the hurry of his departure he had not forgotten his disobedient subjects. The feast was not well over when the effects began to be apparent, and a large number of those who partook of it died in agony. The Kaïd had mixed a large quantity of arsenic with the delicacies which he had been forced to leave behind him.
Meanwhile, as we had seen, the relations between the people of Mogador and their neighbours had become very unsatisfactory. Indignant at the outrage committed before our departure, the Governor of Mogador thought it necessary to show his strength and enforce respect. He accordingly despatched 200 men, under the command of our old friend Kaïd el Hadj, to demand satisfaction for what had happened, and security for better conduct in the future. The result was exactly what might have been expected from the pious, but decidedly unwarlike, character of the leader. The Haha people explained to El Hadj that they were more than a match for him and his men, and that his wisest course was to return by the shortest road to Mogador. The mind of the commander was always open to prudent counsel, and he professed himself convinced; and to save him and his men from trouble by the way they were escorted to the gates of Mogador by ten men from Haha.
Policy, however, soon effected what valour had failed to achieve. A virtual blockade was established, and all communication with Haha suspended. This may have been inconvenient to the Mogador people; but, at the worst, they could always obtain supplies from Shedma by the road which we had followed from Aïn el Hadjar. To the Haha people it soon became intolerable. Mogador is their chief market. There they sell their provisions, and it is the Mogador merchants who purchase their oil and hides and other exports. An envoy was sent to re-establish friendly relations, and to entreat the foreign Consuls to mediate in their favour. In token of entire submission, they proposed that 2,000 men from the province should come to make a peace-offering. The Governor judiciously thought that number excessive—there was no knowing what these wild hill people might do, if they fancied themselves masters of the town—and agreed to receive a deputation of 200 representatives of the Haha tribes. On the appointed day they came, driving before them several bullocks; and, on arriving before the Sultan’s palace, proceeded to hamstring and slaughter them as a propitiatory offering to the sovereign authority, whereupon friendly relations were at once re-established.
While these events were undeveloped, the thoughts of the Mogador people, European as well as native, were fully exercised, although they felt secure from positive danger. A part of the day was occupied by us in taking leave of our escort and attendants, and in distributing among them presents and rewards, well earned by some, and which could not be refused even to the less deserving. A great change had come over the appearance of many of our men since their return. Ambak and Hamed, who had made the journey on foot, with none but the scantiest and the poorest clothing, now appeared fresh from the bath and dressed in their best: Hamed looking especially dignified in a snow-white turban, and formidable-looking dagger stuck in his girdle. All seemed pleased and satisfied with the very moderate sums awarded them—to which in the case of the more deserving were added knives and other articles of English cutlery. The soldiers who had travelled all the way from Mogador received eight dollars (40 francs) each, while to the Marocco men were given five dollars each.