means made himself dirty enough, he decorates himself with some jewellery, real or sham, and sits in a public part of the town to beg. Occasionally one will take to running about the streets in a frantic manner, muttering to himself. Another will vary the performance by affecting to be unable to speak, and expressing himself by grunts and croaks. In return for the alms bestowed upon them, they will distribute scraps of their filthy clothing, or bits of a rope or stick that they may carry.

The hereditary saints are quite different. Their sanctity is a thing so assured and inalienable that they are not obliged to put themselves to any inconvenience to maintain it. They wash themselves as often as they like, ride the best horses and mules, wear the finest clothes, and eat, drink, and marry, as much as they please.

These are by far the most interesting saints. The others are picturesque; but they must be studied at a distance-" at a very considerable distance."

Sidi Mohammed-el-Hadji, the patron saint of Tangier, acquired his saintship. His odour of sanctity (in Tangier I learned the appropriateness of this expression) was, however, supposed to have descended to his brother at his death.

At one time the family of Muley Abd-el-Kader Jelaby was considered the most holy in Morocco, and paid the highest respect to; but latterly, in consequence of the capture of the Emir Abd-el-Kader, it has sunk somewhat in the popular esteem and veneration, and in

its place that of the Mule Tayeb has acquired the highest power and esteem. The present representative of this family is Muley Abd-Sulem-el-Hadji, the Sharif of Wazan.

This personage is, as I have said before, the most powerful in Morocco. In his own province he rules absolute and supreme; and throughout the whole empire his name is held in such fear and veneration, that it would be next to impossible for the sultan, should any dispute or difficulty arise between him and the Sharif of Wazan, to put his authority in force against him. Report says, that in consequence, the sultan regards him with that confidence and affection, usually felt by powerful and despotic sovereigns, for more powerful and more despotic subjects.

So distinctly. is this man's position in Morocco recognised even by foreign powers, that in 1854, when he made his pilgrimage to Mecca, the French nation placed a ship of war at his service for the voyage. He was received on board at Tangier with all the honours due to royalty. Having landed him at Alexandria, the vessel remained there to await his return. On his way back he stopped at Marseilles, where he was received with the same distinguished attention. It was by this journey that he acquired the title of 'Hadji,' the distinctive appellation of all who have made the pilgrimage to the shrine of Mohammed at Mecca.

A saint who couldn't perform miracles, would be like a plum-pudding without plums, or the play of

Punch with Punch left out, or the beverage of the same name without the whisky. In fact he wouldn't be a saint at all. Therefore all the saints of Morocco, living or dead, clean or dirty, perform the most wonderful miracles.

That of the kesksooed cat was perhaps one of the most remarkable that came to my knowledge; but still there were several others of so surprising a nature, that I think them worth recording even after that.

The following for instance. At Babou, a distance of about two days' journey from Tangier, is the shrine of Muley Abd-Sulem, a great and noted saint of Morocco. This shrine is visited every year by large parties of pilgrims, and many strange tales are brought back of the wonders of the place, and the great things that are done there.

There is a rock that weeps when kissed by pious pilgrims.

There are two large rocks very close together, forming a narrow gorge. All the pilgrims try to pass between them, but only those who are sinless can succeed in getting through. A wicked man, no matter how thin he were, could not squeeze himself past; but the Claimant himself, if honest and virtuous, could traverse the space between the rocks with ease. (A pity that he does not there and try. It would settle the case satisfactorily at once.)

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Another wonder :

Many years ago, as a wedding party were passing

the shrine and sanctuary of Muley Abd-Sulem, the bridegroom made some disparaging Remark concerning the saint. The whole party were instantly transformed into stone, the impious bridegroom being made to take the form of a serpent grovelling on the ground. The whole are to be seen to the present day. The figures are of life size, and are leaning against the wall of a caveru. They consist of a nude female figure, followed by a number of men, some playing flutes, and others carrying guns. On the ground is the serpent into whose likeness the bridegroom was changed. This description is from the reports of Moorish pilgrims. Of course no Christian can see these wonderful figures, as they are in such a holy place.*

Pilgrimages to the shrine of Muley Abd-Sulem are made occasions of great festivity. Hamed and Rachma (two of the servants at the hotel, before mentioned) went on one, and gave us a most glowing description of the affair on their return. The party from Tangier went in grand state, being accompanied by a large number of horsemen who performed powder-play on the way, several standard bearers, and a band of musicians. In the neighbourhood of the shrine a kind of fair was held, at which various amusements were provided. There were swings and merry-go-rounds, acrobats and

* I have no doubt, however, that the figures really are there. They are probably Roman sculpture, alto relievos, cut in the wall of some ancient building. The scene intended to be represented is possibly a Bacchanalian procession.

conjurers, snake charmers and story-tellers. Music of all kinds, "flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer," and a man with a large brass thimble on every finger of each hand, which he rattled and scraped together in measured time. "Music hath charms" no doubt, but it is difficult to imagine the charm of the strains produced by this perfectly new and original minstrel. People came to this fair from all parts of the empire. There were Riffians from the neighbouring mountains, Soosies from the extreme south of Morocco, and Sheluhs from the Atlas Mountains.

But to return to the miracles.

The supernatural powers, that have come down from the great prophet through lineal descent to the Sharif of Wazan, are no less than, and are as firmly believed in as, those of his great ancestor, and all the rest of the line. It is popularly supposed in Tangier that he can regulate the weather. Shortly after my arrival (the weather be it remembered had been very wet for some time), as I was walking one day, with some friends, down the road leading from one of the Sharif's residences, we were met by a long procession, bearing banners and accompanied by music, proceeding to the saint's house. These people, as I afterwards learned, were taking him a present of a large sum of money (nearly £300 I heard), collected amongst the Believers in the town, to induce him to intercede with Allah for fine weather. On such occasions as this he sometimes promises to exercise his influence,