of neutrality, and also a gross insult to His Imperial Majesty; and as such it was represented to him by Governor Ash-Ash, seconded by a letter from the French Consul, and supported by all his partisans.  On our part, the statement was founded on simple facts, which perfectly satisfied the Emperor, and Governor Ash-Ash received a severe reprimand, accompanied by the remark, that His Imperial Majesty regretted the English had been so passive on this occasion, and that his subjects did not exterminate every Frenchman that presumed to land on his shores without his permission.  You will feel assured that this additional triumph on our part gave me no small satisfaction.

My good friend Eslawee obtained leave likewise, to repose himself and his army for three days in his native place.  This condescension was esteemed as an excellent omen.  At the conclusion of the appointed time, we set off for this our ultimate destination.  The road from Mequinez to Fez is excellent, extending along a pleasant and spacious plain, encompassed by high mountains, and intersected by small rivers, over which are stone bridges.  These rivers are divided into several branches, which are again subdivided by the inhabitants, and carried in canals to water their lands.  The prospect of the country is every where luxuriant in the extreme, and continually presents the most interesting objects.  A scattered ruin, a large village, a meandering river, or a fine natural cascade, vineyards, woods, corn-fields, meadows, and saints’ houses, surrounded by beautiful gardens and shrubberies, all lying in endless variety, formed the most picturesque landscapes.

As we left our quarters at Mequinez rather late, we encamped at eight o’clock in the evening at the opening of the plain I have just described.  The next morning we set off much earlier than usual, but had not proceeded far when our progress was interrupted by a prodigious multitude of people, who pressed forward with such eagerness, that we were obliged to stand aside, and allow them to pass.  Men, on horseback and on foot, women, and children, formed a procession which extended as far as the eye could reach.  They were advancing in several divisions, each division preceded by a man bearing a standard, and by a band of music (if the horrible discord produced by their instruments could be dignified with the name of music), the people accompanying the band with their voices, shouting, bawling, and bellowing their national songs with the greatest vehemence.

These people were on their way to visit the sanctuary of Sidy Edris, the founder of Mahometanism in this country:  it stands on the mountain Zaaron, at the western side of the plain of Fez, and near the city of Mequinez.  Close to the sanctuary is a village, the inhabitants of which are held in the highest veneration, their huts and tents being consecrated to the Mahometan devotion, and, as well as the sanctuary, forming asylums for malefactors, which are never violated even by the Emperor.  After this visit to the sanctuary, they attend an annual meeting, where they feast for three days, amusing themselves with dancing, fighting with wild beasts, and committing all kinds of excess in the ancient Bacchanalian style.