“The English people and the people of Morocco have been, from time immemorial, great friends, proofs of which I can give you.  The guns that we get from other Christian nations, are never so good as those we get from England.  Besides, we always give the English whatever they ask for.  When the French were at war with Spain and wished to take Ceutra from her, the English demanded from our Sultan, a small island near Ceutra, to prevent the French from landing and seizing Ceutra.  To this request, my Sultan acceded; and to show you that the English are our particular friends, the English gave the island back to us when the war was at an end.”

Mr. Willshire now endeavoured to present the Address of the Anti-Slavery Society, praying his Excellency to accept it.

On which, the Governor continued with his usual vivacity, “No; I am sorry I cannot accept it; if I do, the Sultan must also, for now I act as the Sultan.  Indeed, I dare not receive the address, nor write to our Lord [26] about it.  Nor can I look at it, for in case the Sultan asks me about it, I must swear that I have not touched nor seen the Address.  If I look at it, and then say I did not look at it, the Sultan will order my tongue to be cut off from the roof of my mouth.

“And further, O Consul!  O Stranger! were our Lord to agree with your Society, and abolish the traffic in slaves throughout his dominions, all the people would rise up against him in revolt, and the Sultan would be the first to have his head cut off.

“Therefore, as a good and wise man, O Stranger—­which you must be, or you would not be entrusted with this mission—­comply with the orders of the Sultan’s message, given to you by me and your Consul.

“Any thing which you want for yourself or your private use, I will give it you, even to the whole of this city of Mogador.  But for myself I cannot comply with the prayers of the address, or receive it from your own or the Consul’s hands.”

The message of the Sultan alluded to, was in substance to give up the attempt of abolishing slavery in Morocco, and not to think of going to the South, but to return at once to England.

The Governor was greatly pleased with the sound of his own voice, and the skill of his argumentations, and has the character of being a loquacious and reasoning diplomatist.

This was the public or day side of the mission; there was also the night side; for where the curiosity of the Moor is excited, it must be gratified, by fair or other means.  It was not surprising, therefore, that the wily Shereef should wish to know what this Address of an English Society was, or could be; and if possible to obtain a copy, although for the sake of the people it was found necessary to repudiate altogether its acceptance.  Accordingly, the next day, Cohen told me a friend of the Emperor’s was anxious to have some conversation with me, and he begged me to take with me the Address.