[241] The Powder Play (Lab-el-Barod) is known in Algeria as the Fantasia. Both in that country and in Morocco it is the imitation of an Arab tribal battle. The horsemen rush forward and fire their guns in parties or singly, stand up on the saddle, fire under their horses’necks, and over their tails, throw their guns in the air and catch them, and perform all the evolutions which their ancestors performed with javelin and spear. This exercise prevailed in Spain till the middle of the last century under the name of the “Juego de Callas.” It is still played in the East with reeds.
[243] “Si Moshé murio, Adonai quedó.”
[249] Jaui is the word used in Arabic to designate Malays, Chinese, and the Eastern Mohammedans in general.
[252] “Quien á caballo pasa la puente, tiene la muerte ante la frente.”
[255] This fashion is still kept up amongst old-fashioned and provincial Spaniards, who, on the rare occasions on which they admit a stranger to their houses, never leave him till bedtime. It is called “to accompany the guest” (acompañar el huesped), and to omit it would be the height of ill-breeding.
[259] To pour out a libation of milk on the road is a sign of welcome in Morocco.
[262] Walter B. Harris, author of “Tafilet,” and many works on Morocco, and one of the few Europeans who really know the country and the Moors.
[263] Morocco city was founded by Yusuf-ibn-Tachfin in 1072, on the site of the ancient Martok, and near where some say the Romans had a city with the strange name of Bocanum Homerum, sounding like nothing Roman and perhaps an attempt of the Romans to write some Berber word. Yusuf-ibn-Tachfin was the first prince of the Almoravides who invaded Spain and overthrew the forces of Alfonso VI. of Castille at the great battle of Alarcos, and reigned over Southern Spain and Africa until the Almohades broke their power.
[267] Kaiserieh, the bazaar. Literally silk market. The word is preserved in Spanish under the form of Alcaiceria.
[274] Azofaifa is the jujube tree (Zizyphus jujuba). The Spanish word azofaifa is derived from the Arabic zofaif.