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Carpets, mattresses, mattresses, boxes, vases of artificial flowers, teatrays and tea-cups, sacks of flour and grain, rolls of matting

all the belongings and appurtenances of Moorish houses formed their burdens. One soldier, a cheery, kindly-looking giant, was whistling to a canary in a cage, which he had brought away in preference to more valuable loot.

burning houses from above laden with loot, were returning. which Raisuli's fortress towered, as yet but slightly damaged. Then smoke burst out from its windows. The roof, already half blown off by the shells, fell with a crash; a wall toppled over in clouds of dust, and little by little the stronghold became a useless ruin. Not a shot was fired from the mountain, for there was no one to fire one. Silently in the night Raisuli and his followers, and the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages, with all their old people, their women and children, and their flocks and herds, had crept away into the darkness over the plain and on into the mountains. Not a guard had been posted to keep watch, not a. blow had been struck to prevent them escaping. Under the rocks upon which I was seated the soldiers,

As I rode over the brow of the hill on my way back to Tangier I drew rein for a moment and looked back. The army was leaving Zinat, and the burning houses were little more than heaps of smouldering ashes. Beyond lay the high mountains of Beni Masour, where Raisuli and the inhabitants of his villages must have been looking upon the ruins of their homes.

Raisuli was now completely outlawed. He lived in the fastness of his mountains, where the Sultan's troops could never even attempt to penetrate. Thence he spread alarm right and left, causing constant fears and panics, even to the Europeans at Tangier.

The whole situation in Morocco was seething. The tribes had become to all intents and purposes independent, and many threw off all pretence of obeying the orders of their Governors or of paying taxes. Such as were more vulnerable,

II.

either from their geographical position or by their numerical weakness, were persecuted and squeezed to make up for the delinquencies of the others. The rapacity of the Viziers was greater than ever, and the Sultan's extravagances seemed to have increased by the fresh supply of money that an illadvised foreign loan had a year or two before brought into his spending power. Bou Hamara, the Pretender, in the Riff, and Raisuli amongst the mountain tribes, were the two principal thorns in the Makhzen's side.

smoke of wood fire, arose from the chimneys of Raisuli's house, in front of which half a dozen mountaineers were warming themselves over a small bonfire.

It was nine o'clock before the troops left the camp, and deploying in much the same formation as the day before, advanced across the plain. But their numbers were increased, for reinforcements had been hurriedly sent by night from Tangier, and fresh contingents of loyal mountaineers had turned up in force. But what was still more important was the addition of one man, an Algerian artillery officer attached to the Sultan's service by the French Government, whose shooting with the fieldguns at Taza and Oujda had largely saved the situation at both places. It had been the intention of the Makhzen to send him on Saturday, but owing to his being a French subject they decided not to do so, as in their own consideration any one to do with France was at this period a person to be avoided. Their folly lost them the day. Had Si Abderrahman ben Sedira been behind the guns on Saturday, Raisuli's house, and probably Raisuli and most of his followers, would have been destroyed. The proof, if one were needed, is this. He accomplished more destruction with the two shells he fired at the fortress on Sunday morning than in the 130 shots fired on Saturday. A general advance toward

Zinat was commenced a little before two, and the two shells above mentioned were fired from the field-guns. There was no reply from the house or from the rocks above it. Already the troops were considerably nearer than they had ever got the previous day. A little hesitation was visible, for no doubt the soldiers imagined that they were being allowed to approach to within an easy and certain range. The left were well ahead, led by Raisuli's late Calipha, more royalist than the King nowadays, who was followed close by his contingent of the Fahs tribe. Three hundred yards only now separated them from the village. With a wild shout and a volley from their rifles the cavalry charged. Over the rising ground they passed, a brilliant flash of colour, and never drew rein till they were at Raisuli's door.

The house and village were empty. Then began a scene of pandemonium. Askaris, horsemen, and tribal contingents rushed upon the castle, and the wildest looting commenced. Other bands, intent upon pillage, ransacked the neighbouring houses. In a few minutes flames burst forth from the thatched roofs of the surrounding huts. The flames spread, and in as short a space of time as it takes to write it the whole village was ablaze. The strong wind drove the heavy smoke in huge clouds across the face of the mountain, and in half an hour all that was left of Zinat were the

burning houses from above which Raisuli's fortress towered, as yet but slightly damaged. Then smoke burst out from its windows. The roof, already half blown off by the shells, fell with a crash; a wall toppled over in clouds of dust, and little by little the stronghold became a useless ruin. Not a shot was fired from the mountain, for there was no one to fire one. Silently in the Silently in the night Raisuli and his followers, and the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages, with all their old people, their women and children, and their flocks and herds, had crept away into the darkness over the plain and on into the mountains. Not a guard had been posted to keep watch, not a. blow had been struck to prevent them escaping. Under the rocks upon which I was seated the soldiers,

laden with loot, were returning. Carpets, mattresses, boxes, vases of artificial flowers, teatrays and tea-cups, sacks of flour and grain, rolls of matting

all the belongings and appurtenances of Moorish houses formed their burdens. One soldier, a cheery, kindly-looking giant, was whistling to a canary in a cage, which he had brought away in preference to more valuable loot.

As I rode over the brow of the hill on my way back to Tangier I drew rein for a moment and looked back. The army was leaving Zinat, and the burning houses were little more than heaps of smouldering ashes. Beyond lay the high mountains of Beni Masour, where Raisuli and the inhabitants of his villages must have been looking upon the ruins of their homes.

Raisuli was now completely outlawed. He lived in the fastness of his mountains, where the Sultan's troops could never

attempt to penetrate. Thence he spread alarm right and left, causing constant fears and panics, even to the Europeans at Tangier.

The whole situation in Morocco was seething. The tribes had become to all intents and purposes independent, and many threw off all pretence of obeying the orders of their Governors or of paying taxes. Such as were more vulnerable,

II.

either from their geographical position or by their numerical weakness, were persecuted and squeezed to make up for the delinquencies of the others. The rapacity of the Viziers was greater than ever, and the Sultan's extravagances seemed to have increased by the fresh supply of money that an illadvised foreign loan had a year or two before brought into his spending power. Bou Hamara, the Pretender, in the Riff, and Raisuli amongst the mountain tribes, were the two principal thorns in the Makhzen's side.

smoke of wood fire, arose from the chimneys of Raisuli's house, in front of which half a dozen mountaineers were warming themselves over a small bonfire.

It was nine o'clock before the troops left the camp, and deploying in much the same formation as the day before, advanced across the plain. But their numbers were increased, for reinforcements had been hurriedly sent by night from Tangier, and fresh contingents of loyal mountaineers had turned up in force. But what was still more important was the addition of one man, an Algerian artillery officer attached to the Sultan's service by the French Government, whose shooting with the fieldguns at Taza and Oujda had largely saved the situation at both places. It had been the intention of the Makhzen to send him on Saturday, but owing to his being a French subject they decided not to do so, as in their own consideration any one to do with France was at this period a person to be avoided. Their folly lost them the day. Had Si Abderrahman ben Sedira been behind the guns on Saturday, Raisuli's house, and probably Raisuli and most of his followers, would have been destroyed. The proof, if one were needed, is this. He accomplished more destruction with the two shells he fired at the fortress on Sunday morning than in the 130 shots fired on Saturday. A general advance toward

Zinat was commenced a little before two, and the two shells above mentioned were fired from the field-guns. There was no reply from the house or from the rocks above it. Already the troops were considerably nearer than they had ever got the previous day. A little hesitation was visible, for no doubt the soldiers imagined that they were being allowed to approach to within an easy and certain range. The left were well ahead, led by Raisuli's late Calipha, more royalist than the King nowadays, who was followed close by his contingent of the Fahs tribe. Three hundred yards only now separated them from the village. With a wild shout and a volley from their rifles the cavalry charged. Over the rising ground they passed, a brilliant flash of colour, and never drew rein till they were at Raisuli's door.

The house and village were empty. Then began a scene of pandemonium. Askaris, horsemen, and tribal contingents rushed upon the castle, and the wildest looting commenced. Other bands, intent upon pillage, ransacked the neighbouring houses. In a few minutes flames burst forth from the thatched roofs of the surrounding huts. The flames spread, and in as short a space of time as it takes to write it the whole village was ablaze. The strong wind drove the heavy smoke in huge clouds across the face of the mountain, and in half an hour all that was left of Zinat were the

Carpets, mattresses, boxes, vases of artificial flowers, teatrays and tea-cups, sacks of flour and grain, rolls of matting

all the belongings and appurtenances of Moorish houses formed their burdens. One soldier, a cheery, kindly-looking giant, was whistling to a canary in a cage, which he had brought away in preference to more valuable loot.

burning houses from above laden with loot, were returning. which Raisuli's fortress towered, as yet but slightly damaged. Then smoke burst out from its windows. The roof, already half blown off by the shells, fell with a crash; a wall toppled over in clouds of dust, and little by little the stronghold became a useless ruin. Not a shot was fired from the mountain, for there was no one to fire one. Silently in the night Raisuli and his followers, and the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages, with all their old people, their women and children, and their flocks and herds, had crept away into the darkness over the plain and on into the mountains. Not a guard had been posted to keep watch, not a. blow had been struck to prevent them escaping. Under the rocks upon which I was seated the soldiers,

As I rode over the brow of the hill on my way back to Tangier I drew rein for a moment and looked back. The army was leaving Zinat, and the burning houses were little more than heaps of smouldering ashes. Beyond lay the high mountains of Beni Masour, where Raisuli and the inhabitants of his villages must have been looking upon the ruins of their homes.

Raisuli was now completely outlawed. He lived in the fastness of his mountains, where the Sultan's troops could never even attempt to penetrate. Thence he spread alarm right and left, causing constant fears and panics, even to the Europeans at Tangier.

The whole situation in Morocco was seething. The tribes had become to all intents and purposes independent, and many threw off all pretence of obeying the orders of their Governors or of paying taxes. Such as were more vulnerable,

II.

either from their geographical position or by their numerical weakness, were persecuted and squeezed to make up for the delinquencies of the others. The rapacity of the Viziers was greater than ever, and the Sultan's extravagances seemed to have increased by the fresh supply of money that an illadvised foreign loan had a year or two before brought into his spending power. Bou Hamara, the Pretender, in the Riff, and Raisuli amongst the mountain tribes, were the two principal thorns in the Makhzen's side.

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