The keeper of an hotel related to me with great bitterness, that the French officer who came with me from Gibraltar had left Tetuan for Algeria.  The officer had ordered a great many things of this man, promising to pay on his return to Tangier.  He deposited an old hatbox as a security, which, on being opened by the hotel keeper, was found to be full of greasy paper.  At Tetuan, the officer gave himself out as a special envoy of the Emperor of the French.

My good friends, the Moors, continue to speculate upon the progress of the French army in Algeria.  I asked a Moorish officer what he thought of the rumoured French invasion of Morocco.  He put the backs of his hands together, and locking together his fingers to represent the back of a hedgehog, he observed emphatically; “Impossible!  No Christians can invade us.  Our country is like a hedgehog, no one can touch us.”  Tangier Christians will never permit the French to invade Morocco, whatever may be the pretext.  This is even the opinion of the foreign consuls.

As a specimen of the commercial system of this country, I may mention that the monopoly of exporting leeches was sold this week to a Jew, at the rate of 25,000 dollars.  Now the Jew refuses to buy leeches except at his own price, whilst every unfortunate trader is obliged to sell to him and to him only.  In fact, the monopolist fixes the price, and everybody who brings leeches to Tangier must accept it.  This case of leeches may be applied to nearly all the monopolies of the country.  Can anything be more ruinous to commerce?

All the Moors of Tangier, immediately on entering into conversation with me, inquire if I am Engleez?  Even Moorish children ask this question:  it appears to be a charm to them.  The Ayd Kebir (great feast) was celebrated to-day, being the first of the new year.  It was ushered in yesterday by prayer in the mosques.  About 9 A.M. the governor, the commandant of the troops, and other Tangier authorities, proceeded to the open space of the market, attended with flags and music, and some hundred individuals all dressed in their holiday clothes.  The white flag, typical of the sanctity of religion, floated over others of scarlet and green; the music was of squeaking bagpipes, and rude tumtums, struck like minute drums.  The greater part were on horseback, the governor being most conspicuous.  This troop of individuals ascended a small hill of the market-place, where they remained half an hour in solemn prayer.

No Jew or Christian was allowed to approach the magic or sacred circle which enclosed them.  This being concluded, down ran a butcher with a sheep on his back; just slaughtered, and bleeding profusely.  A troop of boys followed quickly at his heels pelting him with stones.  The butcher ran through the town to the seashore, and thence to the house of the Kady—­the boys still in hot and breathless pursuit, hard after him, pelting him and the bleeding sheep.  The Moors believe, if the man can arrive