SPECTATOR'S LIBRARY.

TILATZLII,

A Journal of a Residence in the Ramanla of Abd-el-Kader, and of Travels in Mo- rocco and Algiers. By Colonel Scott, K.S.F.. K.C. Whittaker. Brottuaray,

Biographia Britannic/. Literaria ; or Biography of Literary Characters of Great Britain and Ireland, arranged in chronological order. Anglo-Saxon Period. By Thomas Wright, M.A. (Published under the Superintendence of the Council of

the Royal Society of Literature.) Parker.

COLONEL SCOTT'S TRAVELS IN MOROCCO A.ND ALGIERS. COLONEL Scorr was an officer in the Spanish service during the late civil war ; but when at its successful close the Carlist officers were incorporated into the regiments of ISABELLA the Second, he found it impossible, as a man of "principle," to remain under the command of men who had "supported the cause of despotism." Looking about him for some active service in which he could con- scientiously engage, he resolved to fight the French in Africa, under the banners of ABD-EL-KADER, who had " inspired " the Colonel with a "great admiration." Having luckily fallen in with a Mr. NOEL MANNUCCI, who seems to have acted in the double capacity of Ambassador Universal of ABD-EL-KADER and Minister for Foreign Affairs, this personage gave Colonel SCOTT an appoint- ment on the Emir's staff; and after a while, the Ambassador, the Staff-officer, the Ambassador's family, and an escort, left Tetuan in Morocco, to go in search of the Emir's head-quarters. When these were found, some prudent misgivings arose in Scores mind as to how far he should be justified under the Foreign Enlistment Act in bearing arms against the French : to which be might have added, the questionable right of any private individual, without shadow of vocation, to interfere in the quarrels of another nation, espe- cially of a nation with which his country was in close alliance. The Colonel therefore contented himself with enacting the part of Counsellor of State to ABD-EL-KADER, and playing a sort of Viceroy over his friend MaNwuccr in foreign affairs ; shifting about with court and camp as the necessities of the campaign compelled, and observing such matters as fell in his way ; till, be- coming tired of this kind of life, or, as be intimates, thinking he could better serve the Emir with his pen than his sword, he pro- cured permission from that potentate to return ; the whole time of his African expedition having occupied about ten months (from February 1841 to January 1842.) The route of Colonel Scorr is not easily told, as no map accompanies the volume, nor is the minute geography of those regions very accurately laid down anywhere; but if the reader describe a semicircle through Tetuan and Oran, the space the segment embraces will loosely indicate the district our tra- veller journeyed through. From the slender attraction it offers to tourists, the unsettled state of the open country, and the fanatical bigotry of the people in the towns, it has been little visited by Europeans ; nor, indeed, can it be done with safety, unless the traveller is under the protection of the authorities, or is sufficiently acquainted with the habits and language of the people to pass as a Mahomedan. The nature of the country, the classical ruins which are scattered through it, the character of the town and country population—for the Arabs are a distinct race from the Moors and Jews—are all topics of interest ; and for the investigation of which Colonel Scuvr had very favourable opportu- nities, since, in the territory of the Emir, he travelled as a public personage, armed with his authority, and in Morocco as an officer of the Emperor's ally, besides which the distracted state of affairs often took his party out of the usual line of route. But though the opportunity was present, the power to profit by it was wanting. Our traveller had no knowledge of antiquities or taste for them— he had, as he says, other things to attend to : though remaining so long in the country, and mixing daily with the natives, he appears to have made no attempt to acquire the language : unless it is his pecu- liar mode of expressing himself, he seems to think he has been travel- ling in Arabia! and he has not much natural curiosity except for things that are obvious and striking. Though not a very accom- plished traveller, Colonel Scorr, however, has a character which renders him an amusing and in some things a not uninstructive companion. A true soldier of fortune, and used to rough it, nei- ther hard fare, difficulties, disappointments, nor the approach of danger, have power to put him out. Always looking after number one as well as circumstances will permit, he becomes, when he has taken care of himself, at leisure to look about him, and even to assist the unfortunate in a professional way—that is, by exposure of his person. The position in which he was placed, too, gave him many opportunities of seeing a certain kind of life,—the Inhabitants of towns flying penmen from the enemy, who spare no property, and pay but little respect to persons ; the uncertainties and anxieties of existence among the mass, in a state of society always lawless, and now through the war under less restraint than ever; together with the numerous characters and renegade adven- turers, the very scum of European society, who take refuge in Bar- bary. The depths of all these things the Colonel cannot indeed fathom, much less bring out ; hut he describes their obvious points, the tangible facts as it were, with soldierly spirit and nonchalance. Unluckily, there are a few traits of the soldado not quite so agree- able. Colonel Scorr and his friend MANNUCCI had a kind of &man which gave them a title to free quarters and free living ; and they seem to have worked their ticket of purveyance pretty freely during their outward tour,—turning people out of their rooms to occupy them themselves, extorting the best fare that could be commanded, and sometimes getting a step beyond this. See

CHRISTIAN AND ARAB AMUSEMENT.

We had all the Jewesses in the house in tears in the evening, for the fate of youngster about fourteen, a nephew of the owner of the premises. We always barred the doors at eight o'clock, and no one was allowed to be admitted after that hour, unless leave had first been obtained from the Governor of the castle, Mr. M. The young Jew allowed an Arab to enter on pretence that he came to see some of the Jews : this, however, was no excuse ; a breach of all military discipline had been committed ; the delinquent was immediately brought up, and vid summary jurisdiction, sentenced to receive fifty. The sentence was consequently executed on the spot. Hadgi Mohamet and Monsa, perfect adepts at the art of hamlooing, as tying the feet is termed, had him on his back in an instant, with his feet in the air ; and a fine orange-stick, with which one of the soldiers administered the quantum prescribed, made the youngster call out aima, mother, in splendid style, to the great amusement of the Arabs, who kept exclaiming Kilb el Judi, or dog of a Jew.

ARAB ESTIMATE OF EUROPEANS.

The subject of religion brings to mind a curious belief which exists among. the Arabs, viz. that we in England are not Christians entirely, but of an amphibious sort, something between Christians and Mahometans. They say that Mehemet was a great friend to the English, and wrote them a letter ex- horting them to turn to the true faith, and that they should be the first people under his sway ; and that we were almost converted, when the death of Ma- hornet put an end to the correspondence, and we remained infidels ; but still we are not so bad as the others, because we do not worship images. It is also strictly forbidden by the Koran to make any resemblance of any thing supposed to be in heaven. I allowed them to indulge in this belief; which is so general, that to the question of what nation you belong to, when answered by " English," they reply " good ; but if French, it is " Kilb ben el Kilb." For Spaniards, they merely value them in the ratio of the price they bring in Morocco, and call them " Gallinas," or hens.

A SOLDIER'S SUBSTITUTE FOR CALOMEL.

The fever prevalent here now paid us a visit. First my interpreter, then Domingo' and a renegade servant whom I had taken, (a Frenchman, formerly employed in the manufactory under De Casse,) were attacked by it ; and lastly it came to my turn. However, I fully determined to make it counter- march as speedily as possible ; and having no calomel at hand, I broke a look- ing-glass and swallowed the whole of the quicksilver on the back. When the shivering-fit came on I took a glass of saltpetre ; continuing the saltpetre for three or four days, and eating nothing, I starved it out. It, however, returned at intervals for near a month, but never lasted above a day ; as, when I felt the chill which precedes it, I always had recourse to the saltpetre.

TETUAN JEWESSES.

Among the Jewesses are many good-looking girls; but what most attracted my attention in these ladies, was their gold-embroidered tunics and sashes of various colours, richly woven with gold threads, or silver, according to the rank and wealth of the wearer. I must not forget to mention their ear-rings: one young lady, the daughter of the Jew who acts as French Vice-Consul, had her ears decorated with a pair about the size of a quoit, and so weighty that she had to fasten them up with gold chains to the tiara. This is also an orna- ment which they pride themselves in having decorated with all kinds of precious stones ; many thousand dollars are often expended on this peculiarly Oriental and graceful head-dress. Few wear stockings, but in lieu, the lovely white ankle is surrounded by gold or silver anklets ; and the small foot is placed in a red morocco slipper, which shows it off to the best advantage.

VALUE OF PERSONS IN BARBARY.

On the morning of the 26th, a caravan arrived from Tlemecen: among those who came with it were two French renegades and one Spanish, deserters from the Emir's service. The two Frenchmen stated that they escaped from Oran, to which place they had been transported to hard labour. The Spaniard confessed that he was a deserter from the Spanish Legion in the French service ; and that he was also a deserter from the regiment of Zamora, or Eighth Spanish Infantry. From this corps he had deserted to the ranks of the infamous Cabrera. On the latter escaping from Spain he had accompanied him to France, where he had entered the Foreign Legion. He was thus, according to his own account, a deserter from two services. There being, how- ever, no doubt that they had at present escaped from the service of the Emir, we had them taken up and sent to Fez, to be dealt with according to the Emperor's pleasure; where, in all probability, they would lose their heads. Let not the reader accuse me of want of veracity when I state, that so little value is placed upon a renegade's life here, that the unfortunate Spaniards who escape from Ceuta or Melilah are sold by the chiefs into whose hands they fall, for from three to four dollars each. Those who have the good fortune, if such it may be called, to reach Fez, are made to enter the body-guard of the Em- peror, which consists of about six thousand French and Spanish renegades ; or they are sent to Ligouri, a town situated about sixteen leagues to the south of Fez. They are formed into regiments, and officers are selected from the most intelligent among them : here they are given ground, furnished with wives, and paid at the rate of three dollars per month. They are considered as a sort of soldier-peasants, being obliged to serve the Emperor whenever called upon— something on the plan of the Russian military villages—which is never the case unless the Emperor himself takes the field. The Jew in whose house we were lodged was a silversmith : he informed me that another of his trade, an Arab belonging to the town, had three Spaniards in his employ, having purchased them at three, seven, and ten dollars respect- ively. Jews are not allowed to hold slaves ; which appeared to be the cause of much regret to our host, who no doubt would most willingly have procured some apprentices at the above specified prices. Black slaves here are extremely numerous • their price varies, according to their sex and age, from thirty to eighty dollars: a good-looking female has been known to cost one hundred dollars ; but this is the highest price I have heard of having been given. handsome White female will bring as high as three hundred dollars ; but if they are of a certain age, as Byron terms it, or not good-looking, they are then considered as of no more value than a Black slave.

CARAVAN-TRAVELLING IN BARBARY.

On arriving at a defile through which we had to pass, the convoy halted, and refused to go any further unless another' hundreddollars was given them. To be left here was certain robbery ; therefore there was no alternative but to pay whatever they might choose to exact. After a little hesitation on the part of the Jews, the sum required was promised, and we resumed our journey. From the rear, cries continually assailed the ear, proceeding from those who having loitered behind were being plundered by the Arabs, whilst every now and then shots were fired in front, and the robbers were seen scampering off up the mountains: my interpreter, who was only the ninth part of a man, beings tailor, did not at all relish the music of a stray ball which now and then came past us and contrived to keep his spirits up by pouring spirits down. The agua a;diente bottle suffered considerably, as at every ball he heard pass him he gave another pull at it. On arriving at the Arab village Ben Nonan had been at, we found that he had left early the same morning for Oushdah, paying a thousand dollars to Bouhanani, the chief of Angad, to allow him to pass in safety through his ter., ritory: it was therefore determined that under these circumstances it would be better to go to the small town of Saar. A short time before we reached ear destination, the party was halted, and a soldier begged that I would draw off my mules to a distance from the convoy. I accordingly suspected what was about to happen, and took the hint; availing myself of the opportunity to discuss some bread and cheese, and assist my interpreter in his respects to the agaa ardiente. The Arabs now commenced collecting the sum which had been promised them ; and any one who was at all dilatory, in paying his quan- tum received a hint to accelerate his motions, by a blow from one of the blud- geons of our escort. The money having been collected, we proceeded to Karl': on arriving there we found that our loss was three killed and some four or five wounded. The killed were two Jews and a Jewess: the latter was a sweet pretty girl, only fourteen years old ; her father brought in the body in front of him on his horse; it was a melancholy sight to see the venerable old man, down whose blanched and withered cheeks the tears trickled, falling on the lifeless body of her who but a few hours back was his sole solace. She was his

only child, and her mother had been dead some years. * * •

• The day after our arrival, a large party of Jews who were coming here were attacked and robbed by the Arabs : twelve of them were killed, the rest being retained as prisoners till their brethren came forward with three dollars per head to save them from a similar fate ; the poor devils arrived at night in a perfect state of destitution. The route today was considered particularly dangerous, and it was dark at night ere we reached the Fonduque : the ill effects of being so late on the road were felt severely by some whose animals bad knocked up, as they did not reach that night, but came in at daylight the following morning en negli fire. There were about twenty : the male part of them came in eased of every thing but their drawers and shirts; and the fair sex, of whose persons the day before only one eye was to be seen peeping out from under their balk, now offered all their charms to the vulgar gaze, being literally en chemise : the other females of the convoy, however, furnished them with garments to again envelop their fair forms from sacrilegious gaze, and we proceeded on our Journey.