Whilst residing at Mogador, Mr. Cohen arrived from Morocco, where he had been with the merchants.  He is the English Jew who assisted Mr. Davidson in his travels through Morocco.  His experience in Maroquine affairs is considerable, and I shall offer his conclusions concerning the present state of the Empire.  I prefer, indeed, giving the opinion of various residents or natives of the country to our own.  Mr. Cohen’s ideas will be found to differ exceedingly from that of the (Imperial) merchants, who, in point of fact, are not free men, and cannot be trustworthy witnesses.  As Mr. Elton justly observed, the Europeans are so much involved with the Emperor, that they are almost obliged to consent publicly to the violent death of the unfortunate Jew, Dorman, although he was under the French protection, and likewise a kind of vice-consul.

Mr. Cohen says—­“the people of Morocco are tired of their government, tired of being pillaged of their property, tired of the insecurity and uncertainty of their possessions; that is to say, of the few things which still remain in their hands.”  Mr. Cohen goes so far as to say—­that, were a strong European power to be established on the coast, the entire population would flock to its support.  He gives the following instance of the style and manner in which the Emperor bleeds the governors of provinces.

A few years ago, a governor of Mogador presented himself to the Sultan of Fez.  He was received with all due honours.  The governor then begged leave to return to Morocco.  He was dismissed with great demonstrations of friendship.  He arrived at Morocco, and the governor of that city immediately informed him that he was his prisoner, the Sultan having a claim against him, of 40,000 dollars.  At length, the poor dupe of royal favour obtained permission to go back to Mogador and to sell all he had, in order to make up the sum of 40,000 dollars.

This is the way in which things are managed there.  Of Maroquine policy, Mr. Cohen says, “That when the Sultan finds himself in a scrape, he gives way, though slightly dilatory at first.  So long as he sees that he does not commit himself, or is not detected, he does what he likes with his own and other people’s likewise, to the fullest extent of his power.  But on any mishap befalling him, Muley Abd Errahman, whenever he can, always shifts the responsibility upon his ministers, and if one of them gives his advice, and the course taken therein does not succeed, woe be to the unhappy functionary!”

Some years ago, a number of troops rebelled against the Emperor.  At the instance of the prime minister, Ben Dris, they were pardoned; but, instead of receiving gratefully this imperial mercy, the troops broke out afresh in rebellion, which, with great difficulty, was quelled by the Sultan.  This, however, being accomplished, he called the prime minister before him, and thus addressed the amazed vizier.

“Now, Sir, receive four hundred bastinadoes for your pains, and pay me 30,000 ducats; you will then take care in future how you give me advice.”  Nevertheless, Ben Dris still remained vizier, and continued so till his death.  Bastinadoing a minister in Morocco is, however, much the same as a forced resignation, or the dismissal of a minister in Europe.  Doubtless Ben Dris thought himself surprisingly lucky that the Emperor did not cut off his head.