Fez is the finest town I have seen in Africa; I shall endeavour to describe it as minutely as the shortness of my stay there will permit.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Description of el-Fez — Markets, monuments, gardens, police — Mequinaz — Inhospitality — Arm of the sea called Sbo — Arbata or Rabat, the ancient Sallee — Visit to the Consular Agent — The traveller avoids the camp of the Emperor of Morocco — Writes to the Vice Consul M. Delaporte — Larache — Arrives at Tangier 7th of September, almost dying, emaciated by want, fatigue, and fever — Generous reception of M. Delaporte — Anxiety of the traveller — Is introduced by night and concealed by the Consul — M. Delaporte obtains from the naval commander of the Cadiz station a vessel to convey him to France.
El-Fez, so called by its inhabitants, but designated on the maps by the name of Fez, is a large city belonging to the empire of Morocco, of which it was formerly the capital. It is situated in a species of natural tunnel formed by lofty well-wooded mountains, whence spring several considerable rivulets, which, after fertilizing the valley, supply the city with excellent water. Every mosque contains jets d’eau, and in several streets there are fountains for the refreshment of the thirsty passenger: here are also several water-mills for grinding corn. The city extends from east to west and must be about four miles in circumference, as far as I could judge from a survey of it from the top of a hill. It is surrounded by a double brick wall, about twelve or thirteen feet high, well constructed and ornamented at intervals with raised copings. I was astonished by the regular architecture of a spacious gateway, in the form of a triumphal arch, through which the city is entered. Under this arch were established a number of venders of provisions.
Within the compass of the outer wall are some gardens, and small low houses, called the suburbs; here I observed some manufactories of Delft ware and tiles. The houses have terraced roofs like those of Timbuctoo, and are built of bricks perfectly well formed and baked in a kiln. Their masonry is not very correct: small, square and strongly grated windows overlook the streets; and the outsides, which are lime-washed, are much out of repair; they have generally a story above the ground-floor, which receives air and light only from an inner court.
The streets are paved, but narrow, winding, dark, and dirty to the last degree; I saw in some places, dogs and cats which had been long dead and emitted a pestilential stench.
These streets are nothing more than galleries covered by trellises or masonry, which deprive them of a free circulation of air, concentrate all the disagreeable effluvia of the city, and render it very unwholesome.
The principal manufactures of Fez are blankets and gunpowder; ploughs and wooden spades are also made there, and the city contains locksmiths, cutlers, shoemakers, tailors, masons, blacksmiths, who likewise act as farriers, and gunsmiths, but the fabrication of their guns falls far short of the perfection of ours.
Shops may be found in most quarters of the town furnished with all sorts of provisions, dried or otherwise; as bread, meat, butter, pastry, fruit, and vegetables. As there are no inns, travellers without acquaintance in the city have no other resource than to buy what they want at these shops, and to carry it to the mosque or to the fandac to eat.
A market is held every day; it is attended by a great concourse of strangers, who come from great distances to sell their commodities: great quantities of dates and tanned leather are brought to this market from Tafilet; the inhabitants of the mountains supply it with honey and wax, of which last candles are made, not only for home consumption, but for large consignments to the principal maritime towns.