The immense trade of every kind carried on at Fez
gives it almost the air of an European city.
In the great square, called Al-Kaisseriah, is exhibited
all the commerce of Europe and Africa—nay,
even of the whole world. The crowd of traffickers
here assemble every day as at a fair. Fez has
two annual caravans; one leaves for Central Africa,
or Timbuctoo; and another for Mecca, or the caravan
of pilgrims. The two great stations and rendezvous
points of the African caravan are Tafilett and Touat.
The journey from Fez to Timbuctoo occupies about ninety
days. The Mecca caravan proceeds the same route
as far as Touat, and then turns bank north-east to
Ghadames, Fezzan, and Angelah, and thence to Alexandria,
which it accomplishes in four or five, to six months.
All depends on the inclination of the Shereef, or
Commandant, of the caravan; but the journey from Fez
to Alexandria cannot, by the quickest caravan, be
accomplished in much less time than three months and
a half, or one hundred days. The value of the
investments in this caravan has been estimated at
a million of dollars; for the faithful followers of
the Prophet believe, with us, that godliness is profitable
in the life that now is, as well as in that which
is to come.
Fez is surrounded with a vast wall, but which is in
decay. What is this decay! It applies almost
to every Moorish city and public building in North
Africa. And yet the faith of the false prophet
is as strong as ever, and with time and hoary age
seems to strike its roots deeper into the hearts of
its simple, but enthusiastic and duped devotees!
The city has seven gates, and two castles, at the
east and west, form its main defence. These castles
are very ancient, and are formed and supported by
square walls about sixty feet in front, Ali Bey says,
subterraneous passages are reported to exist between
these castles and the city; and, whenever the people
revolt against the Sultan, cannon are planted on the
castles with a few soldiers as their guard. The
fortifications, or Bastiles, of Paris, we see, therefore,
were no new invention of Louis Philippe to awe the
populace. The maxims of a subtle policy are instructive
in despotism of every description.
The constituted authorities of Fez are like those
of every city of Morocco. The Governor is the
lieutenant of the sovereign, exercising the executive
power; the Kady, or supreme judge, is charged with
the administration of the law, and the Al-Motassen
fixes the price of provisions, and decides all the
questions of trade and customs. There are but
few troops at Fez, for it is not a strong military
possession; on the contrary, it is commanded by accessible
heights and is exposed to a coup-de-main.
