The ‘Mul Meshwa’ or chief Usher of the Court acted on such occasions as executioner, and bearing a cup of coffee, would visit the victim and say, ‘Our Lord and Master sends you this,’ adding peremptorily, should the unfortunate man hesitate, ‘Drink: it is our Lord’s order. You are in the hands of God. What is written is written.’
During the time that Abd-el-Kader carried on hostilities against the French in Algeria, Sultan Mulai Abderahman had given strict orders to his Ministers and Governors not to hold any communication with this active and daring chief, as H.M. feared the French might find some pretext for a quarrel with Morocco.
Sid Mohammed Ben Dris, a very clever man, was at that time chief Uzir, and was suspected of being in communication with Abd-el-Kader, and even of having suggested to him that (as he thought it most probable Abd-el-Kader would succeed in turning the French out of Algeria) he should enter Morocco, upset the Sultan, and usurp the throne.
There is little doubt that, had Abd-el-Kader listened to these suggestions, he might have succeeded in such an enterprise.
A courier, who had been dispatched secretly by the Uzir to Abd-el-Kader, was arrested by the Governor of ‘Hiazna’: his letters seized and sent direct to the Sultan. Amongst them, the Sultan found a letter from Ben Dris to Abd-el-Kader with treasonable propositions. Ben Dris was summoned to the presence of the Sultan, who exhibited to him his letters asking, ‘Whose handwriting is this?’ Ben Dris threw himself at the feet of the Sultan, crying out, ‘Amán (mercy)! It is mine.’ ‘You are a vile traitor,’ said H.M. ‘Approach; put out that tongue with which you solemnly swore, only the other day, you had never written, and would never write, to Abd-el-Kader.’
The Uzir put out his tongue, of which the Sultan took hold and, with one wrench, tore[5] it from its socket, leaving the tongue paralysed and useless. ‘Go,’ said the Sultan; ‘your tongue can no longer lie.’
The Uzir withdrew, his tongue swelled in a frightful manner, and he died shortly afterwards in great agonies; but few persons at the time knew the cause of his disgrace and death.
French journals, and Frenchmen in general, accused the British Government and their Representative in Morocco of being in communication with Abd-el-Kader, and even of sending emissaries and money to assist that chief in carrying on hostilities against the French. But the accusations were without the slightest foundation, and though on one occasion Abd-el-Kader addressed me a letter asking for British intervention on his behalf, no reply was sent nor was any notice taken of his communication, and certainly not one farthing was ever given by our Government to this gallant and patriotic chief. On the other hand, advice was unceasingly tendered to the Moorish Government by my father, and subsequently by myself, that they should hold no communication with Abd-el-Kader or his followers, and should oppose his making the Rif country a basis for hostile operations against the French, when driven out of Algeria.
Mr. Hay’s appointment at Tangier was as yet only a temporary one. His chief at Constantinople, who evidently awaited his return, writes in December, 1844:—
I am glad to hear that you have won such golden opinions in Spain and in Downing Street, and for your sake I shall be glad to learn that promotion was the result. But as the last letters from the Foreign Office speak of you as first attaché to this Embassy on Alison’s apotheosis, I presume that you are to return, at least for the present, and that being the case, I shall be glad to have your services as soon as you can conveniently return to us. Napier is going home to be married. . . . Add to this that I have lots of business in hand, and very important business too. As Pisani is in the Chancery as of yore, I will avail myself of your help with less sacrifice of your eyes, and hazard to your health.