THE QUAINT CITY OF TANGIER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XV, Issue 125, 2 May 1925, Page 9

THE QUAINT CITY OF TANGIER

Pretty but Malodorous Place

It is a mWortuno in our unsettled times for any town to be strategically important (writes Frank Scudamore, war correspondent, in the “Daily News”) In the case of Tangier this initial mishap is aggravated by her position, literally between the Devil anJ tho deep sen, which at this western extremity of the Straits of Gibraltar, and with tho gaunt rock facing her, is only nine miles wide. Otherwise, seated on a great, highway of Shipping at the door of the Mediterranean, Tangier’s situation would bo ideal, alike for commerce and for pleasure. As we kltow, the Powers chiefly interested (if we leave aside the Moors, to whom the place belongs) have sought to avert potential imbroglios by making of Tangier an internationalised zone, governed by a Triumvirate represent ing Great Britain, Franco and Spain. This tactful agreement, outlined in 1912, when France assumed the protectorate of the whole of Morocco, was finally ratified a bare two years ago. It was then assumed that a happy and prosperous future was assured to Tangier for all time, and if Italy looked down her nose at the arrangement, what matter? There is always a grumbler in the offing. No one gave a thought to the Moors.

A charming, sprawly, evil-smelling town backed *by wooded, scrubcovered hills, Tangier rises straight from tho dazzling sand of the shore, tier above tier up to the old Kasbah — tho Fortress and Government House—that crowns the summit. And outside tho walls spread gardens—the pro-, perty of tho townsfolk, fruit garden for tho most part, yet further afield spacious villas hidden away amid dense vegetation. All these, and they have multiplied of late, arc situated within tho Anjcra enclave, which stretches in a narrowed horse-shoe from the Straits’ coast to Tetuan, the capital of tho Spanish protectorate. A delightful town, Tangier, a joy to tourists and winter sojourners—but, gas masks recommended There ijja hole in the road near the Continental Hotel wlns*c super-reek still haunts my memory.

Having safely landed at the illkept pier, take iho badly-paved road that climbs steeply through tho Bad el Mnrsu up into tho town, past tho Mosque with tho tiled minaret, and through tho little 3oko, before whose many quaint cafes a medley of strange people sit all day and sip tea in tiny glasses. From hero you may visit countless narrow crooked streets, dark, window less, with little weird booths set in tho tall walls, and gated alleys blind with the mystery of the Maghreb. Or you may adventure to the great Soko, whore tho camels kneel in tho shade and th<* market folk squat around under fragments of awning, their wares spread on mats before them. These are Anjeru, a friendly homely, no-account people, who to-day have tak cn on the role of 1 ‘ nigger tn th© wood pile” in the comity of nations. of course this rising of tho Anjera against tho Spaniards may make more than mere diplomatic trouble. How should incensed tribesmen discriminate between French, Spanish and British villa properties in tho woods; or between their owners? They all wear hats, and are of a common ugliness in Maghrebbin eyes. Bat there could be no danger to Tan gier—have wo not war vessels?—not oven from tho wild Aissowas, a sect of unchristian scientists whose creed is

the negation of pain, which they demon atrato on their occasional incursions Into the town—a raving, slavering mob— Some devotees with an eye-ball, held on a spike, protruding from the socket, others with green lassellcd daggers thrust through cheeks and breasts, and other happy gestures, and all howling and crazy. Tangier knows these folk, and on their visits stays within doors, leaving goats tethered hero and there, convenient, to make a.lunch which the howling Aissowas rend and devour almost alive. There is a talc of a hapless Jew who was caught on one oeeaeion by these crude revellers. His end, ’ts said, was instantaneous. Before you might say “Pork” all that was left of him was a faint cry in tho elr of “Only two piastres the lemons. Otfly ?” That is the story as told me. I have no official confirmation.