Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1889 — TRA VELING IN DISGUISE. [ARTICLE]

TRA VELING IN DISGUISE.

. • „ J —rExperience of \ a Christian Among the FanatiCM Berbers. N, Y. Suns. f 1 Almost within sight of Europe are the Riff Mountains, strething along the northern coast of Morocco, and very imperfectly known, because the fanatical Berbers would kill any white man whom they caught among their wild hills. Even the watershed between the , rivers flowing north and south is not indicated on the maps, and only two or three adventuresome whites, most notably Mr. De Foucauld, have been able, in disguise, to make flying trips into the country. De Foucauld has supplied the best information we possess about these mountains and their warlike inhabitants. A while ago the Sul tan of Morocco sent them a Governor, whom they promptly killed, and the Sultan haslet them alone ever since. Last summer Mr. W, B. Harris ventured upon this forbidden ground, a particularly rash undertaking, as he was ’ not well equipped to support the role of a Moor. His acquaintance with Arabia was imperfect, and, as net talk without exposing his reaVcharacter, be played the part of a deaf mute, and rened upon a trusty Arab boy as his means of communication. In the garb of a miadle-class Moor, with his bare legs and arms slightly stained, he started for Sheshouan, a town of 8,000 people, which has lately made ite appearance on the maps, sixty miles south of the Mediterranean. He and his comrade passed many natives without exciting suspicion. Those who were inquisitive were informed by the boy his master lived in Fez and was traveling to Sheshouan. Two men of the Be/ii-Hassen tribe, however, accused him bf being a Christian, and threatened him with death if he did not turn back. Harris pushed on in spite of them, and learned later that they let him go only that they might catch him when he had penetrated further into the country. That evening their weary mules brought the travelers to Sheshouan, a rather flourishing community which makes death the penalty to be inflicted upon any Christian who dares to visit the town. The parents of the Arab boy live there, and they bitterly upbraided their son for asking them to risk their lives by giving shelter to a Christian. They were prevailed, however, by a large reward to entertain the stranger. Thus assured of a night’s shelter, and reasonably certain to escape notice in tbe indistinct light of evening, Mr. Harrissallied out to see the town and mingle with the crowds. Among thousands of bitter enemies he sauntered very unobtrusively through the streets, but the novelty of his position and the unaccustomed sights made the stroll most interesting. He was surprised to find a bridge of solid masonry spanning the river, aqueducts bringing water and distributing it to all the houses and gardens; mills grinding corn, their wheels turned by water from thp aqueducts; streets paved with rough stones and bordered by gutters in which fresh water constantly flows; red tiled roofs found nowhere else, and houses much superior to tnose in many accessible Moorish towns. The people dress like those in other parts of Morrocco. They regard themselves as direct descendents of the Prophet. All next day Mr. Harris lay hidden in the home of his Arab boy. Toward evening, as he was preparing to start back to the coast, it was noised about tbht a Christian was in town. The men who threatened him. on the road had arrived with the startling news that a white man in disguise had come to Sheshouan. His purpose had been to leave the town about dusk in the disguise of a woman, while bis mules departed by another route. The excitement was growing, and it was decided he had no time to lose. Putting on a mountaineer’s garb, 'he stole out of one of the five gates unnoticed, though every one in the streets was discussing the rumor about the Christian. Outside the walls he was joined by his Arab boy and a friend of the faithful servant. Through,the night they toiled along.the mountain path 'to a distant village, which they reached before daythe white fugitive, whose feet were bleeding JronPnfimerous cuts, was hidden during the: day in the house of the friend in need who had accompanied him. Meanwhile his mules were brought from Sheshouan, and at midnight the fugitive was once more on the road, and in thirteen hours he had safely reached the coast. The traveler Burton has perhaps un-der-estimated the peril of wandering in disguise among hostile peoples* His complete mastery of several Oriental languages, his perfect familiarity with" ‘Oriental modes of thought and expression, and his personal appearance enabled him to deceive the most suspicious. But not a few recent travelers have vividly depicted the incessant dangers and anxiety which encompass the man who, pretending to be what he is not, placfes himself in the power of fanatical tribes. The most dramatic chapters of recent exploration have been written by men like McNair in Kafiristan. Hurgronjeat Mecca, Lenz at Timbuctoo, and Doula in the western Sahara, who faced the deadliest perils in order to give the world fresh and interesting fMti.