He decided on undertaking his long-deferred visit to the Moorish Court in the following spring, with a view of bringing his personal influence to bear on the Sultan and stimulating him to attempt some measure of reform. He was not, however, sanguine of success. In February, 1880, he writes:—

Rain has fallen in abundance, crops look well, and Moors are holding up their heads again, though the Government at Fas is as bad as bad can be, the new Uzir having been selected because he is a relative of the Sultan, and not for his fitness. I expect to have very uphill work at the Court. A clever rascal is better than an ignorant, corrupt dolt, which latter, I fear, is Uzir Mokhta.

And again in March:—

‘I have faint hope of doing much good when I have to deal with an ignorant fanatic, and shall endeavour to treat direct with the Sultan, who is intelligent but stupidly avaricious. I say stupidly, for the system is pursued of killing the goose to get the golden eggs.’

‘I am overwhelmed with work,’ he writes on March 27, on the eve of his departure, ‘as we are off on the 3rd. Sultan has sent us handsome tents, led horses and mules, fifty escort and forty baggage animals. We shall be at Fas, I suppose, on 13th or 14th. Some of our party will return by the end of the month. I fear I shall be detained till the middle of May. Moors, like all Orientals, try to wear out a negotiation by dilatoriness, in the hope that one will accept half, merely to get rid of the business one may take in hand.

‘This is an Augean stable. I have long flourished my broom on the threshold, but with little hope of clearing away the muck which has accumulated in centuries. There is now a dawn of hope that the civilised world will take better interest in the destiny of this fine country and people, who for centuries in Spain were in the van of science, literature, and art.

‘Entre nous, I brought about the Conference at Madrid. I fear, however, so many interests will clash that we shall not be able to get rid of all the foreign vultures which prey upon Morocco, and that no measures will be adopted for urging the Sultan to abolish a system which is equivalent to preying on his own vitals.

‘The French are very active about the railway to the Sudan. As the road will pass near, or even I believe through, a part of Morocco, we may expect to hear of troubles which it is to be apprehended will bring about a conflict. Of course Morocco will be crushed, though I do not suppose either Great Britain, or other countries having interests in the Mediterranean, will ever allow the Straits to be held by France or any other Power. It is a disgrace, however, to the civilised world if this wretched Government is allowed to drag on. Sultan must be required to introduce reforms. I shall preach and try to rouse him; but I shall have a nest of hornets about me both at Fas and Tangier.

‘N.B.—No cups of coffee to be drunk that have not been tasted by my host first, or you will hear of a belly-ache!’

The Mission started on April 2, and on the 25th Sir John writes from Fas:—