292

JEWISH MARRIAGE.

In a short time, the lady "of the closed eyes" arrived, was again exalted on a table, and, after a good deal of palavering, was safely deposited, with a number of old women, in the bridal chamber; the curtain was then drawn, and the brilliant assembly dispersed in peace. Whilst all this was going on, I kept a sharp look out at the terraced roofs of the houses bordering the street through which the procession passed, and now and then had a transient view of a Moorish maid, shrouded in her white clothing, and coming to take a peep at one whose greater degree of freedom she no doubt envied, though belonging to a tribe so debased as the Yahoodies, or the Jews, are universally considered to be by all good followers of the Prophet.

BEAUTIFUL GARDENS.

293

CHAPTER XXIX.

Gardens of the Consuls-Mr. Drummond Hay-Sociability at Tangiers-Number of Consuls of different European powers-Visit to a mineral source and the remains of Bobana-Fresh water turtle-Gallop along the beach-Old bridge-Mr. T.-His travels across the Atlas to Tafilat-His numerous adventures-The mahogany corpse-The two wild giants.

May 23, 1838.

THIS morning, with one of my fellow-travellers, I took a long walk, in the course of which we entered some beautiful gardens outside the town, which we were informed belonged to the consuls of the different nations residing at Tangiers. They resort to these refreshing abodes in the evening during the hot weather, and, under the shade of every

294

THE BRITISH CONSUL

kind of foliage of the temperate climes and the tropics, hold their sociable little reunions.

We afterwards went to pay our respects to the British consul, Mr. Drummond Hay. He received us with the greatest politeness, and said he would do everything in his power to assist our views in getting to Ceuta overland, but feared it would be impracticable. We were ushered into a wellstored library, in which he had collections of nearly every kind which a virtuoso and a literary man could wish for.

Having followed our host into the drawingroom, we were introduced to Mrs. Hay and her daughter; the house and the tout ensemble, with all its English comforts, had an almost magical effect, placed, as it was, in the midst of a set of barbarians, in this out of the way part of the world. On my remarking that "life" in Tangiers must be of a very dull and monotonous nature, I was assured that it was quite the reverse; that the nine different consuls residing here had all families, at whose

houses they alternately met without form, and generally managed to get up a pleasant soirée, if not a dance; and that before our departure from the place they would no doubt have an opportunity of giving us a specimen of one of their family meetings.

After giving us all the information we required, Mr. Hay concluded by requesting the company of the whole party to dinner the next day, and we took our leave, very much pleased with what we had seen of him and his family.

We had engaged Mr. Mahomed Sheriffe to act as our guide and cicerone; and never did a greater rascal personate a valet de place. He was always drunk, always noisy, and never ready for anything. We, however, sent him for horses for the party to lionize, and see some things which Mr. Hay had recommended us to visit.

We were soon mounted, badly enough, to be sure; and, as Mr. Sheriffe disliked walking, he had laid an embargo on a donkey for his

296

BEAUTIFUL VIEW.

own private use; and we all proceeded, in the first instance, to the castle, which occupies an eminence overlooking the town, and is now in a state of complete dilapidation. From thence, we took our way for a short distance along the summit of the cliffs overlooking the straits, to a mineral source, which was not unlike any other spring; however, we were amply repaid for our ascent by one of the most beautiful views I ever beheld, which I will not attempt to describe, but shall only say, that it comprehended Tarifa, the whole of the coast of Spain as far as Gibraltar, and the bay itself of Tangiers, with a high range of hills in the background.

We next proceeded to what is called the Roman remains of a fountain, called Bobana, which is nothing more than a little masonry and brickwork over a very stagnant-looking pool, situated in a thicket in the neighbouring hills. As we rode along the stream, we saw great numbers of fresh-water turtles (not turtle-doves) basking on the banks and on the