“The world is a peacock,” says a Moorish27 proverb, “and Morocco is the tail of it.” Now, however, it has become the tail of the Gallic cock, for when, on March the thirtieth, 1912, Sultan Mulai-abd-el-Hafid signed the treaty establishing a French protectorate over his country, Morocco entered upon a new phase of its existence. With that act there ended, let us hope for all time, a situation which on more than one occasion [Pg 29] has threatened the peace of the world. Not since the English landed in Egypt a third of a century ago has an event occurred which so vitally concerns the future welfare of Africa; not since the Treaty of Tilsit has France won so decisive a diplomatic victory or added so materially to her territorial28 possessions. By the signing of that treaty France laid the final stone in the mighty29 colonial structure which she has built up in Africa, and opened to Christianity, civilisation30, and commerce the door of a region which has hitherto been a synonym31 for mystery, cruelty, intolerance, and fanaticism33.
Though scarcely forty hours of travel by train and boat separate the departure platform at the Quai d'Orsay station in Paris from the landing-beach at Tangier, though its coast is skirted by the tens of thousands of American tourists who visit the Mediterranean34 each year, less is known of Morocco than of many regions in central Asia or inner Africa. Though a few daring travellers have made scattering35 crow's-feet upon its map, there are regions as large as all our New England States put together which are wholly unexplored. It is almost the last of the unknown countries. As its women draw their veils to hide their faces from the men, so the Moors have attempted to draw a veil of mystery and intolerance over the face of their country to hide it from the stranger. What strange tribes, what ruins of an earlier civilisation, what wealth in forests or minerals lie behind its ranges can only be conjectured36. Its maps are still without the names of rivers and mountains and [Pg 30] towns—though the rivers and mountains and towns are there; the sole means of travel are on camels, mules37, or donkeys along the wild, worn paths, it being the only country of any size in the world which cannot boast so much as a mile of railway; its ports and the two highways leading from the coast to its capitals, Fez and Morocco City, were, until the coming of the French, alone open to the traveller—and none too safe at that; the foreigner who has the hardihood to stray from the frequented paths is taking his life in his hands. Few of the maps of Morocco are, so far as accuracy is concerned, worth the paper they are printed on, being largely based on unscientific material eked39 out by probabilities and conjectures40, there being less accurate information, in fact, about a country larger than France, and only two days' journey from Trafalgar Square, than there is about Abyssinia or Borneo or Uganda. Even the names which we have given to the country and its inhabitants are purely41 European terms and are neither used nor recognised by the people themselves, who call their country El Moghreb el Aska, which means literally42 “Sunset Land,” the term Morocco being a European corruption43 of the name of one of its capitals, Marrakesh, or, as it is known to foreigners, Morocco City. A land almost as large as the State of Texas, with snow-capped mountain ranges, navigable rivers, vast forests, a fertile soil, an abundant water supply, and an ideal climate; a land of walled cities and white villages, of domed45 mosques and slender minarets46, of veiled women and savage47, turbaned men; a land of strange peoples and [Pg 31] still stranger customs; a land of mystery and fatalism, of suspicion and fanaticism, of cruelty and corruption, of confusion and contradiction—that is Morocco, where, as an Arabic writer has put it, a wise man is surprised at nothing that he sees and believes nothing that he hears.
This empire which has come under the shadow of the tricolour is, above all else, a white man's country. Unlike India and Tripolitania and Rhodesia and the Sudan, Morocco is a country which is admirably adapted for European colonisation, being blessed with every natural advantage that creation has to offer. Its only objectionable feature is its people. Lying at the western gateway49 of the Mediterranean, where the narrowed sea has so often proved a temptation to invasion, its Atlantic ports within striking distance of the great lanes of commerce between Europe and South America and South Africa, Morocco occupies a position of enormous strategic, political, and commercial importance. The backbone50 of the country is the Great Atlas51, which, taken as a whole, has a higher mean elevation52 than that of any other range of equal length in Europe, Africa, or western Asia, attaining53 in places an elevation of nearly fifteen thousand feet. Snow-clad, this mighty and isolated54 wall rises so abruptly55 from the plain that it needs but little stretch of the imagination to understand how the ancients believed that on it rested the heavens—whence, indeed, its name. Personally, the thing that surprised me most in Morocco was the total absence of desert. Either because of its proximity56 to the Sahara, [Pg 32] or because of its camels, or the two combined, I went to Morocco expecting that I should find vast stretches of sun-baked, yellow sand. As a matter of fact, I found nothing of the kind. Traversed from east to west, as I have already said, by the strongly defined range of the Atlas, the greater part of its surface is really occupied by rolling prairies, diversified57 by low hills, and not at all unlike Ohio and Indiana. Though admirably adapted to the growing of cereals, the strict prohibition58 against the exportation of grain has naturally resulted in discouraging the native farmers, so that immense tracts60 of fertile land remain uncultivated. The alluvial61 soil, which is remarkable62 for its richness, frequently reaches a depth of fifteen feet and could be brought to an almost incredible degree of productiveness by the application of modern agricultural methods. What greater praise can be given to any soil than to say that it will bear three crops of potatoes in a single year and that corn is commonly sown and reaped all within the space of forty days?
Unlike its neighbouring countries, Algeria, Tunisia, and Tripolitania, Morocco does not lack for navigable waterways, for it possesses several large rivers which could be navigated63 for hundreds of miles inland, though at present, owing to the apathy64 of the inhabitants, and the unsettled condition of the regions along their banks, they are used for neither traffic nor irrigation. The chief of these is the Muluya, which, with its tributary65 the Sharef, provides northeastern Morocco with a valuable commercial waterway for a distance of [Pg 33] more than four hundred miles. The most important river of northwest Morocco is the Sebu, which empties into the Atlantic, while in the central and western districts the Kus, the Bu-Regreg, the Sus, and the Assaka will, under the new régime, prove invaluable66 as means of opening up the country.
A very large number of people seem to be under the impression that Morocco is unhealthy and suffers from a sweltering heat. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The climate is, as a matter of fact, extremely healthful, malaria67, the scourge68 of the other countries of North Africa, being unknown. In the regions lying between the central range of the Atlas and the sea the thermometer seldom rises above ninety degrees or falls below forty degrees, the mountain wall serving as a protection from the scorching69 winds of the Sahara. During the winter months the rains are so heavy and frequent along the Atlantic coast that good pasturage is found as far south as Cape70 Juby, while in the interior the rivers frequently become so swollen71 that travel is both difficult and dangerous. The unpleasantness of the rains (and you don't know what discomfort72 is, my friends, until you have journeyed in Morocco during the rainy season) is more than compensated73 for by the beauties of the spring landscape. For mile after mile I have ridden across meadows literally carpeted with wild flowers, whose varied74 and brilliant colours, combined with the peculiar75 fashion in which each species confined itself to its own area, gave the countryside the appearance of a vast floral mosaic. After seeing these [Pg 34] gorgeous natural combinations of colour—dark blue, yellow, white, and scarlet, iris76, marigolds, lilies, and poppies—I no longer wondered where the Moors draw the inspiration for that chromatic77 art of which they left such marvellous examples in the cities of southern Spain.
Though the country has, unfortunately, become largely deforested—for what Moor13 would ever think of planting trees, which could only be of value to another generation?—a wealth of timber still remains78 in the more remote valleys of the Atlas, the pines and oaks often attaining enormous size. Though Spanish concessionaires are profitably working gold mines in the Riff country, and the great German firm of Mannesmann Brothers has acquired extensive iron-ore-bearing properties in the Sus, and though large deposits of silver, copper79, lead, and antimony have been discovered at various points in the interior, the mineral wealth of Morocco is still a matter for speculation80. It is not likely to remain so long, however, for history has shown that it is the miners who form the real advance-guard of civilisation.
To the stranger who confines his investigations82 to the highways which connect the capitals with the coast, Morocco gives the impression of being very sparsely83 settled. This is due to the fact that the natives take pains to avoid the highroads as they would the plague, the continual passage of troops and of travellers, all of whom practise the time-honoured custom of living on the country and never paying for what they take, having [Pg 35] had the natural result of driving the inhabitants into less travelled regions, though traders and others whose business takes them into the back country find that it is far more densely84 populated than most foreigners suspect. Heretofore it has been possible for almost any foreigner, by the judicious85 use of bakshish, to obtain from the authorities an official order which required the people living along the roads to supply food both for him and his escort and fodder86 for their horses. Now, this was a very serious tax, especially among a people as poverty-stricken as the Moorish peasantry, and as a result of it the heedless traveller often caused much misery87 and suffering. But if the occasional traveller proved so serious a burden, imagine what it meant to these poor people when the Sultan himself passed, for, able to move only with an army, without any commissariat or transport, and feeding itself as it went, he devastated88 the land of food and fodder as though he was an invader89 instead of a ruler, sweeping90 as ruthlessly across his empire as the Huns did across southern Europe, and leaving his subjects to starve. Is it any wonder, then, that the desperation of the wretched, half-starved peasantry has vented91 itself in repeated revolutions? The coming of the French is bound to change this deplorable and demoralising state of affairs, however, for, once assured of protection for their crops and justice for themselves, the fugitive92 country folk will quickly flock back and resume the cultivation93 of their abandoned lands.
One of the facts about Morocco that will probably [Pg 36] surprise most people—I know that it surprised me—is that the Berbers, who form fully21 two thirds of the population, are a purely white race, as white indeed, barring the tan which results from life under an African sun, as we ourselves. Though the generic94 term Moor is applied95 by Europeans to all the inhabitants of Morocco, there are really four distinct racial divisions of the population: the Berbers, who, being the earliest-known possessors of the land, are the genuine Moroccans, and are, when of unmixed blood, a very energetic and vigorous people, indeed; the Arabs, who are the descendants of the Mohammedan conquerors96 of the country and possess to the full the Arab characteristics of arrogance97, indolence, and cruelty; the negroes, brought into the country as slaves from Central Africa in an influx98 extending over centuries, this admixture having resulted in deteriorating99 both the Berbers and the Arabs, the infusion100 of black blood showing itself in dark skins, thickened lips, low foreheads, sensual tastes, and a marked stupidity; and lastly, but by no means the least important, the ubiquitous, persecuted101, and persecuting102 Jews. The Berbers dwell for the most part in the mountains, while the Arabs, on the contrary, are to be found only on the plains, it being the weak, sensual, and intolerant amalgam103 produced by the fusion48 of these two races, and tinctured with negro blood, which forms the population of the Moorish cities and to which the name “Moor” most properly belongs.
Between the Moor of the mountains and the Moor of the towns there is as wide a gulf104 as there is between [Pg 37] the natives of Vermont and the natives of Venezuela. The town Moor is sullen105, suspicious of all strangers, vacillating; the pride, but none of the energy, of his ancestors remains. In his youth he is licentious106 in his acts; in his old age he is licentious in his thoughts. He is abominably107 lazy. He never runs if he can walk; he never walks if he can stand still; he never stands if he can sit; he never sits if he can lie down. The only thing he puts any energy into is his talking; he believes that nothing can be done really well without a hullabaloo. The men of the mountains are cast in a wholly different mould, however, from that of the men of the towns. Fierce enemies and stanch108 friends, they like fighting for fighting's sake. They are intelligent and industrious109; though fonder of the sword and the pistol than of the plough and the hoe, their fertile mountain valleys are nevertheless fairly well cultivated. They are a hardy110, warlike, and indomitable race and have never yet been conquered. It is well to remember in any discussion of these people that, through all the vicissitudes111 of their history, they have never before had the flag of another nation flying over them. All the successive invaders112 of North Africa have been confronted with the problem of subduing113 them, but always they have failed and have gone back. Not only that, but once the Moors went invading on their own account, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, conquering all southern Spain, holding it for five hundred years, and leaving behind them the architectural glories of Seville, of Cordova, and of Granada to tell the story. Unless I am very much mistaken, [Pg 38] therefore, it will cost France many lives and much money to make them amenable114 to her rule.
The decadence115 of the Moors is primarily due to two things: immorality116 and racial jealousies117. They are probably the most licentious race, in both thought and act, in the world. Compared to them the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah were positively118 prudish119. This extreme moral degeneracy is in itself enough to ruin the sturdiest people, but, as though it was not sufficient, the two principal races, Arab and Berber, hate each other as the Armenian hates the Turk, this racial antagonism120 in itself making impossible the upbuilding of a strong and united nation. In fact, the only thing they have in common is their religion, which is the air they breathe, and which, though incapable121 of producing internal harmony, unites them in hostility122 to the unbeliever.
There is less public spirit in Morocco than in any place I know. No Moor takes the slightest interest in anything outside his personal affairs, and no one ever plans for the future—other than to hope that he will get a comfortable divan123 and his share of houris in Paradise. The last thing that would occur to a Moor would be to spend money on anything which will not bring him in an immediate124 profit, so that, as a consequence, trees are never planted, mines never worked, roads never made, bridges never built. He does not want civilisation. He does not believe in modern inventions or improvements. What was good enough for his father is good enough for him. Why lug126 in railways and [Pg 39] telegraphs, and similar contrivances of the devil, then, when things are good enough as they are?
There is no cause for the other European nations to envy France the obligations she assumed when she declared a protectorate over Morocco. She has a long and hilly road to travel before she can convert her latest acquisition into a national asset. Before Morocco can be thrown open to French settlers its savage and hostile population will have to be as effectually subdued127 as were the Indians of our own West. The tribes of southern Morocco are especially hostile to the French occupation, and many military experts believe that the protectorate will never be enforced in those regions without a long campaign and much shedding of blood, while one eminent129 French general has openly asserted that it will take at least a dozen years fully to subdue128 the country.
Personally, I am a firm believer in the future of Morocco and the Moors under the guidance and protection of France. I have seen too much of what France has accomplished130 in far less favoured regions, and under far more discouraging conditions, to think otherwise. Nothing illustrates131 the latent possibilities of the Moorish character better than an experiment which was made some years ago. At the request of the Sultan, the British minister to Morocco asked his government for permission to send a body of Moors to Gibraltar for the purpose of being instructed in British drill and discipline. The War Office acceding132 to the request, two hundred Moors, selected at random133 from various tribes throughout the empire, were sent to [Pg 40] Gibraltar and remained there for three years, the men being occasionally changed as they acquired a knowledge of drill. They had good clothing given them, slept in tents, and were allowed by the Sultan a shilling a day, receiving precisely134 the same treatment as British soldiers. During the three years they were stationed on the Rock, there were only two cases in the police court against them for dissolute conduct or disorder135. The soldiers of what civilised nation could have made such a record? Colonel Cameron, under whose superintendence they were placed, reported that they learned the drill as quickly and as well as any Englishmen, and that they were sober, steady, and attentive136 to their duties. (The Moors, it should be remarked, are noted137 for their abstemiousness138, the precepts139 of the Koran which forbid the use of spirits and tobacco being rigidly140 observed.) This tends to show that Moors, living under a just and humane141 government, and having, as these men had, proper provision made for their livelihood142, are not a lawless or even a disorderly people, and that they are capable of being transformed, under such a form of government as France has established in Algeria and Tunisia, into the splendid warriors143 which their ancestors were in Spain. It was, as I think I have remarked in the preceding chapter, the knowledge that France, in acquiring Morocco, would obtain the material for a formidable addition to her military forces which was, it is generally believed, one of the motives144 that inspired Germany's persistent145 opposition146 to a French protectorate.
Though the reins147 of Moorish power are already firmly in the hands of the French Resident-General at Fez, there is no reason to believe that the French expect, for the present at least, to depose148 the Sultan, it being to their interests, for obvious reasons, to maintain the pleasant fiction that Morocco is still an independent empire to which they have disinterestedly149 lent their protection, In August, 1912, Sultan Mulai-abd-el-Hafid, appreciating the emptiness of his title under the French régime, abdicated150 in favour of his brother, Mulai Youssef, who is known to be friendly to France. The new Sultan, who is the seventeenth of the dynasty of the Alides and the thirty-seventh lineal descendant of Ali, uncle and son-in-law of the Prophet, is known to his subjects as Emir-el-Mumenin, or Prince of True Believers, and as such he exercises a spiritual influence over his subjects which the French are far too shrewd to disregard. The position of the Sultan of Morocco has, indeed, become strikingly similar to that of his fellow-ruler in the other corner of Africa, the Khedive of Egypt, for, like him, he must needs content himself henceforth with the shadow of power. Even if the imperial form of government is permanently151 maintained (and this I very much doubt, for it is characteristic of the Latin races—as Taine puts it—that they always want to occupy a “sharply defined and terminologically152 defensible position”), its real ruler will be the Resident-General of France, whose policies will be carried out by French advisers153 in every department of the government and whose orders will be backed up by French bayonets. [Pg 42] So long as Mulai Youssef is content meekly154 to play the part of a puppet, with French officials pulling the strings155, he will be permitted to enjoy all the honours and comforts of royalty156, but let him once give ear to sedition157, let him make the slightest attempt to undermine the authority of the French régime, and he will find himself occupying a sentry-guarded villa44 in Algiers near the residences of the ex-Queen of Madagascar and the ex-King of Annam, those other Oriental rulers who thought to match themselves against the power of France.
The Sherifian umbrella, which is the Moorish equivalent of a crown, is hereditary158 in the family of the Filali Sherifs of Tafilelt. Each Sultan is supposed, prior to his death, to indicate the member of the imperial family who, according to his conscientious159 belief, will best replace him. This succession is, however, elective, and all members of the Sherifian family are eligible160. It has generally happened that the late Sultan's nominee161 has been elected by public acclamation at noonday prayers the Friday after the Sultan's death, as the nominee generally has obtained possession of the imperial treasure and is supported by the body-guard, from whose ranks most of the court officials are appointed. I might add that all of the Moorish Sultans in recent years have been so extremely bad that no successor whom they could appoint, or who could appoint himself, could by any possibility be worse. The present Sultan knows scarcely half a dozen places in his whole empire, and has spent most of his life in two of them—Marrakesh and Fez—having held, up to the [Pg 43] time of his accession to the throne, the important post of Khalif of the latter city. The Moors never pray for their sovereign to journey among them, for, so disturbed has been the condition of the country for many years past, and so numerous have been the pretenders to the Sherifian throne, that recent Sultans have rarely ventured outside the walls of their capitals with less than thirty thousand followers162 behind them, so that when they had occasion to pass through the territory of a hostile tribe, as not infrequently happened, they fought their way through, leaving ruin and desolation behind them. Though both Mulai Youssef and his predecessors163 have always resided at one or the other of the two official capitals, the coast city of Tangier has heretofore been the real capital of Morocco. Here lived the diplomatic and consular164 representatives of the foreign powers and, with a cynical165 disregard for the Moorish Government and people, ran things between them. Though considerations of safety doubtless entered into the matter, the chief reason for making Tangier the diplomatic capital was the extreme inconvenience to the foreign legations of being obliged to follow the court in its periodical migrations166 from one capital to the other. Therefore the diplomatic folk remained comfortably in Tangier—which, incidentally, can readily be overawed by a war-ship's guns—and the Sultan appointed ministers to treat with them there and thus carry on the foreign business of the state. When questions of great importance had to be negotiated special missions were sent to the capital at which the Sultan happened to be [Pg 44] residing, the departure of these ambassadorial caravans167, with their secretaries, attachés, kavasses, servants, and body-guards, not to mention the immense train of pack-mules and baggage camels, providing a spectacle quite as picturesque169 and entertaining as any circus procession. That feature of Moorish life disappeared with the coming of the French, however, for the foreign ministers will doubtless shortly be withdrawn170; and hereafter, when any negotiations171 are to be conducted anent Morocco, instead of a diplomatic mission having to make a two-hundred-mile journey on horses or camels, the ambassador at Paris of the power in question will step into his motor-car and whirl over to the Ministry172 of the Colonies in the Rue32 Oudinot.
I know of nothing which gives so graphic173 an idea of the amazing conditions which have heretofore prevailed in Morocco, and to which the French are, thank Heaven, putting an end, as the speech which a former British minister, Sir John Drummond Hay, made some years ago to the reigning174 Sultan, and which was, probably, the most extraordinary address ever made by a diplomatic representative to a foreign ruler.
“Your Majesty has been so gracious as to ask me,” said Sir John, looking the despot squarely in the eye, “to express frankly175 my opinion of affairs in Morocco. The administration of the government in Morocco is the worst in the world. The government is like a community of fishes; the giant fish feed upon those that are small, the smaller upon the least, and these again feed upon the worms. In like manner the vizier and other [Pg 45] dignitaries of the court, who receive no salaries, depend for their livelihood upon peculation81, trickery, corruption, and the money they extract from the governors of provinces. The governors are likewise enriched through peculation from tithes176 and taxes, and extortion from sheikhs, wealthy farmers, and traders. A Moor who becomes rich is treated as a criminal. Neither life nor property is secure. Sheikhs and other subordinate officials subsist178 on what they can extort177 from the farmers and the peasantry. Then again, even the jailers are not paid; they gain their livelihood by taking money from prisoners, who, when they are paupers179, are taught to make baskets, which are sold by the jailers for their own benefit. How can a country, how can a people, prosper180 under such a government? The tribes are in a constant state of rebellion against their governors. When the Sultan resides in his northern capital of Fez, the southern tribes rebel, and when he marches south to the city of Morocco, eating up the rebels and confiscating181 their property, the northern tribes rebel. The armies of the Sultan, like locusts182, are constantly on the move, ravaging183 the country to quell184 the revolts. Agriculture is destroyed, the farmers and peasantry only grow sufficient grain for their own requirements, and rich lands are allowed to lie fallow because the farmers know the crops would be plundered185 by the governors and sheikhs. Thus it happens with cattle and horses. Breeding is checked, since the man who may become rich through his industry is treated as a criminal and all his possessions [Pg 46] are taken from him, as in the fable186 the goose is killed to get the golden eggs.”
France, in pursuing her Moroccan adventure, will do well to bear in mind two danger-spots: the Riff and the Sus. Unless she treads carefully in the first she is likely to become embroiled187 in a quarrel with Spain; with the natives of the Sus she will probably have trouble whether she treads lightly or not. Sooner or later France is bound to come into collision with Spain, for, with Morocco avowedly188 a French protectorate, I fail to see how she can tolerate Spanish soldiers on its soil. Spain, basing her pretensions189 on her expulsion of the Moors from Granada in the reign38 of Ferdinand and Isabella, has always considered herself one of the heirs of Morocco. In fact, a secret treaty was signed between France and Spain in 1905 which distinctly defined the respective spheres of influence of the two powers in that country. By the terms of this treaty Spain was acknowledged to have predominating interests in those regions adjacent to the ports of Ceuta, Melilla, and El Araish, as well as in the Riff, a little-known and exceedingly mountainous district, believed to be rich in minerals, which lies in the northwestern corner of the empire, two days' journey eastward190 from Tetuan. Spain distinctly engaged not to take any action in the zone thus allotted191 to her other than to proceed with its commercial exploitation, but it was stipulated192 that, should the weakness of the Sherifian government make the maintenance of the status quo impossible, she should have a free hand in her sphere.
France, meanwhile, steadily193 continued her “pacific penetration” of Morocco, pushing her Algerian railways closer and closer to Morocco's eastern frontier, mobilising troops at strategic points, and overrunning the Sultan's dominions with “scientific” expeditions and secret agents. Spain soon began to regard with envy and impatience194 the subtle game which the French were so successfully playing, but it was not until 1910 that she found the opportunity and the excuse for which she had been eagerly waiting. Some Spanish labourers, who were working on a railway which was being laid from Melilla to some mines a few miles distant, were attacked by Riffian tribesmen and a number of the Spaniards were killed. Spain jumped at the opportunity which this incident afforded as a hungry trout195 jumps at a fly, and a few days later a Spanish army was being disembarked on Moroccan soil. A sharp campaign ensued which ended in the temporary subjugation196 of the Riffians and the occupation by Spain of a considerable tract59 of territory extending from Ceuta eastward to Cabo del Agua and southward as far as Seluan, thus comprising practically all of Morocco's Mediterranean seaboard. A Moorish envoy197 was sent to Madrid and, after protracted198 negotiations, a convention was signed which permitted Spain to establish a force of Moorish gendarmerie, under Spanish officers, at Melilla, Aljucemas, and Ceuta, for the maintenance of order in the districts near those places. Until this force has shown itself capable of maintaining order, the Spaniards assert that they will remain in occupation of the territory they [Pg 48] now hold. Emboldened199 by her success in this adventure, and greedy for further expansion, Spain, in June, 1911, sent a vessel200 to El Araish (Laraiche) on the Atlantic coast, and a column was despatched from there to Alcázar, which lies some twenty miles inland. The region was apparently201 perfectly202 calm at the time, and the reasons given by Spain for her action—that mysterious horsemen had been seen upon the walls of Alcázar—appeared, in France at least, to be mere203 pretensions and raised a storm of indignation. As things now stand, France has proclaimed a definite protectorate over the whole of Morocco, an arrangement to which the Sultan has consented. Despite that proclamation, however, Spain continues to occupy a rich and extensive district of the country with an army of forty thousand men. By what means France will attempt to oust204 her—for oust her she certainly will—is an interesting subject for speculation and one which is giving both French and Spanish diplomats205 many sleepless206 nights.
A word, in passing, upon the region known as the Riff. It is more discussed and less known than any other quarter of Morocco. Nothing has been written upon it except from hearsay207 and no European has penetrated208 across its length and breadth, and this although it is but two days' ride on horseback from Tetuan. Situated209 in the very heart of the Great Atlas range, and accessible only through narrow passes and over rough mountain trails, this region has, from time beyond reckoning, been the home and the refuge of that savage and mysterious clan210 known as the Riffs. Their feudal211 chieftains [Pg 49] live in great castles built of stone and lead much the same lives as did the European nobles of the Middle Ages. The passes giving access to the Riff are commanded by hilltop forts impregnable to anything short of modern artillery212—and to get within range of them the artillery would need to have wings. They are a people rich in possibilities, are these Riffs, and one whom it is wiser to conciliate than to fight, as France will doubtless sooner or later learn. Brigands213 by nature, farmers in a small way by occupation, disciples214 of the vendetta215, scorners of the law, suspicious of strangers, their only courts the gun and dagger216, the Riffs have more in common with the mountaineers of the Blue Ridge125 than any people that I know. They have nothing in common with the other inhabitants of Morocco except their dress, wearing the universal brown hooded217 jellab and over it the toga-like white woollen haik, a skull-cap of red or brown, a belt with pouches218 of gaily219 coloured leather, and in it, always, a muzzle-loading pistol and the vicious curved knife, while over the shoulder slants220 the ten-foot-long Riff rifle, coral-studded, brass-bound, ivory-butted, and almost as dangerous to the man behind it as to the one in front. The Riffs are fair-skinned, blue-eyed, and quite frequently red-haired, and claim to be descended221 from the Romans, which is no unreasonable222 assumption on their part, as the Romans were adventuring in Morocco—they called it Mauritania—long before C?sar's day.
The other danger-point in Morocco is the Sus, a “forbidden” and unknown country through which only [Pg 50] a handful of European travellers have ever passed, all in disguise and all in peril223 of their lives. The Sus is the rich and fertile valley lying between the Great Atlas and the Anti Atlas, and touching224 the Atlantic coast at Agadir. It is said to be thickly populated; it is believed to contain rich mines; it is fanatical to the last degree. Its Berber inhabitants, who are separated from the Arabs of the surrounding regions by a totally distinct language known as the Tamazight, or Tongue of the Free, though acknowledging the religious supremacy225 of the reigning Sultan, have always maintained a semi-independence, having never submitted to Moorish rule nor paid tax nor tribute to the government of Morocco. Twice within the last three or four decades Moorish Sultans have invaded and attempted to conquer the Sus, but each time they have been driven back across the Atlas. The origin of the people of this region is lost in the mists of antiquity226. According to the Koran its original inhabitants were natives of Syria, where they proved themselves such undesirable227 citizens that King David ordered them to be tied up in sacks and carried out of the country on camels, since he wished to see their faces no more. Arrived in the vicinity of the Atlas Mountains, the leader of the caravan168 called out in the Berber tongue “Sus!” which means “Let down! Empty out!” So the exiled undesirables228 were dumped unceremoniously out of their sacks, and the country in which they found themselves, and where they settled, is called the Sus to this day. The people of the Sus have never liked the French, and [Pg 51] there is little doubt that they will oppose any attempt to treat them as a province of Morocco, and consequently subject to French control. It is obvious that France will sooner or later be obliged to send an expedition into the Sus for the purpose of asserting her power as well as to counteract229 the German influence which is rapidly gaining ground there, for the Sus, remember, is the region where Germany's interests in Morocco are centred and provided the excuse for sending her gun-boat to Agadir and almost provoking a European war thereby230. Germany still retains her commercial interests in the Sus Valley, and France will be obliged to step gingerly indeed if she wishes to avoid stirring up still another affaire Marocaine.
If France accomplishes nothing more in Morocco than the extermination231 of the slave trade she will have performed a genuine service to humanity. Though slavery has been abolished in every other quarter of Africa, no attempt has ever been made by the European powers to put a check upon the practice in Morocco. Something over three thousand slaves, it is estimated, are imported into Morocco every year, most of them being brought by the terrible desert routes from Equatoria and the Sudan, the trails of the slave caravans being marked by the bleaching232 bones of the thousands who have died on the way from heat, hunger, or exhaustion233. Many smug-faced people will assure you that slavery has been wiped out in Africa—praise be to the Lord!—but I can take you into half a dozen Moroccan cities and show you slaves being auctioned234 to the [Pg 52] highest bidder235 as openly as they were in our own South fifty years ago. There is a large and profitable demand for slaves, particularly girls and boys, in all of the Moroccan cities, a young negress having a market value of anywhere from eighty dollars to one hundred and twenty dollars. Although, as I have already remarked, the bulk of the slaves are driven across the Sahara by the time-honoured method, exceptionally pretty girls are often brought from West African ports in French vessels236 as passengers and disposed of to wealthy Moors by private sale. So great is the demand for young and attractive women that girls are occasionally stolen from Moorish villages, the slave-dealer laying a trail of sweets, of which the native women are inordinately237 fond, from the outskirts238 of the villages up to neighbouring clumps239 of trees, behind which he conceals240 himself, pouncing241 out upon his unsuspecting victims as they approach. If France succeeds in stamping out the slave trade in Morocco as effectually as she has in her other African possessions, she will prove herself, as our missionary242 friends would put it, the flail243 of the Lord.
Of all France's ambitious projects for the exploitation of North Africa in general, and the opening up of Morocco in particular, the one which most appeals to the imagination, and which, when executed, is likely to be of the greatest benefit to the world, is her astounding244 scheme for bringing South America a week nearer to Europe by means of a railway from Tangier, in Morocco, to Dakar, in Senegal. The route, as at present planned, would run from Tangier, via Fez, to Tuat. [Pg 53] From Tuat the Sahara would be crossed and the Niger gained at Timbuktu. Though about three hundred miles of this section would lie through the most hopeless desert country, it presents no great obstacle to engineers, the Sudanese line from Wady Halfa to Khartoum proving how easily the difficulties of desert construction and lack of water can be overcome. The third section would be from Timbuktu to Dakar, where the French within the last few years have created a magnificent naval245 port and commercial harbour. Already Timbuktu and Dakar are in regular communication by a mixed steamer and railway service, the journey taking, when the Senegal is in flood, but five days. As such a system would have, of necessity, to be independent of the Niger and Senegal river services, which are not always reliable, a line is now under construction which will bring Timbuktu into direct rail communication with Dakar, thus eliminating the difficulties and uncertainties246 of river navigation. From Dakar to Pernambuco, in Brazil, is less than fifteen hundred miles, which could be covered by a fast steamer in three days. There are already regular sailings between these ports, but with the completion of this trans-African system (and, believe me, it is far from being as chimerical247 as it sounds, for the French do not let the grass grow under their feet when they once get a clear right of way for railway-building) ocean greyhounds will be placed in service between Dakar and the South American ports, it being estimated that the traveller who purchases his ticket via Madrid, Gibraltar, and then over the [Pg 54] Moroccan-Saharan system, can journey from Paris to Rio de Janeiro in twelve days. It is obvious that in some such scheme as this lies the future of the French Sahara, as well as the enormously increased prosperity of the Moroccan hinterland and of the Niger-Senegal possessions, for it was just such a transcontinental line, remember, which brought population and prosperity to the desert regions of our own West.
It is no light task to which France has pledged herself in agreeing to effect the regeneration of an empire so decrepit248 and decadent249 as Morocco, but that she will accomplish it is as certain as that the leaves come with the spring. The changes which the coming of the French will effect in Morocco stretch the imagination almost to the breaking-point. Already the wireless250 crackles and splutters from a mast erected251 over the French Residency in Fez. With the proclamation of the protectorate the waiting railway-builders jumped their rail-heads across the Moroccan border as homesteaders, hearing the signal gun, jump their horses over the border of newly opened lands. Two or three years more and the traveller will be able to purchase through tickets to Fez and Marrakesh as easily as he can now to San Francisco or Milan. At Tangier, Rabat, El Araish, Mogador, and Agadir harbours will be dredged, break-waters built, and wharves252 constructed, while the filthy253, foul-smelling cities will be made as clean and sanitary254 as Tunis and Algiers. Under French control Tangier, with its ideal climate, its picturesque features, and its splendid situation, will rival Cairo and the Riviera as [Pg 55] a fashionable winter resort. The Moorish peasantry will be permitted to till their farms in peace, undisturbed by devastating255 armies, while the warlike Riffs can have their fill of fighting in French uniforms and under the French flag. This is no empty vision, remember. Peace, progress, and prosperity are bound to come to Morocco, just as they have come to those other African regions upon which the Frenchman has set his hand. Just how soon they come depends largely upon the Moors themselves.
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1
labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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mosques
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| 清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 ) | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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mosaic
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| n./adj.镶嵌细工的，镶嵌工艺品的，嵌花式的 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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slovenly
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| adj.懒散的，不整齐的，邋遢的 | |
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sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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tunics
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| n.（动植物的）膜皮( tunic的名词复数 )；束腰宽松外衣；一套制服的短上衣；（天主教主教等穿的）短祭袍 | |
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jumble
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| vt.使混乱，混杂；n.混乱；杂乱的一堆 | |
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sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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baggy
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| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
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regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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slanted
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| 有偏见的； 倾斜的 | |
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aquiline
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| adj.钩状的，鹰的 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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quill
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| n.羽毛管；v.给（织物或衣服）作皱褶 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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lament
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| n.悲叹，悔恨，恸哭；v.哀悼，悔恨，悲叹 | |
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dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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moorish
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| adj.沼地的，荒野的，生[住]在沼地的 | |
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territorial
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| adj.领土的，领地的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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civilisation
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| n.文明，文化，开化，教化 | |
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synonym
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| n.同义词，换喻词 | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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fanaticism
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| n.狂热，盲信 | |
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Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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eked
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| v.（靠节省用量）使…的供应持久( eke的过去式和过去分词 )；节约使用；竭力维持生计；勉强度日 | |
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conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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41
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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42
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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corruption
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| n.腐败，堕落，贪污 | |
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44
villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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45
domed
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| adj. 圆屋顶的, 半球形的, 拱曲的 动词dome的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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46
minarets
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| n.（清真寺旁由报告祈祷时刻的人使用的）光塔( minaret的名词复数 ) | |
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47
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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fusion
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| n.溶化；熔解；熔化状态，熔和；熔接 | |
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49
gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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50
backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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atlas
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| n.地图册，图表集 | |
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52
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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53
attaining
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的现在分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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diversified
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| adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域 | |
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prohibition
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| n.禁止；禁令，禁律 | |
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59
tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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tracts
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| 大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文 | |
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alluvial
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| adj.冲积的；淤积的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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navigated
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| v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的过去式和过去分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃 | |
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apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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invaluable
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| adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的 | |
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malaria
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| n.疟疾 | |
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scourge
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| n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏 | |
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scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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70
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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71
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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compensated
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| 补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款） | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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iris
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| n.虹膜，彩虹 | |
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chromatic
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| adj.色彩的，颜色的 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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speculation
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| n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机 | |
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peculation
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| n.侵吞公款[公物] | |
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investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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sparsely
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| adv.稀疏地；稀少地；不足地；贫乏地 | |
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densely
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| ad.密集地；浓厚地 | |
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judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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fodder
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| n.草料；炮灰 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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88
devastated
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| v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的 | |
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89
invader
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| n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者 | |
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90
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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91
vented
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| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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92
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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93
cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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94
generic
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| adj.一般的，普通的，共有的 | |
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95
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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96
conquerors
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| 征服者，占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
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97
arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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98
influx
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| n.流入，注入 | |
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99
deteriorating
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| 恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 ) | |
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100
infusion
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| n.灌输 | |
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101
persecuted
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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102
persecuting
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的现在分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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103
amalgam
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| n.混合物；汞合金 | |
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104
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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105
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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106
licentious
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| adj.放纵的，淫乱的 | |
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107
abominably
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| adv. 可恶地，可恨地，恶劣地 | |
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108
stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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109
industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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110
hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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111
vicissitudes
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| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
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112
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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113
subduing
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| 征服( subdue的现在分词 )； 克制； 制服； 色变暗 | |
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114
amenable
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| adj.经得起检验的；顺从的；对负有义务的 | |
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115
decadence
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| n.衰落，颓废 | |
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116
immorality
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| n. 不道德, 无道义 | |
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117
jealousies
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| n.妒忌( jealousy的名词复数 )；妒羡 | |
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118
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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119
prudish
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| adj.装淑女样子的，装规矩的，过分规矩的；adv.过分拘谨地 | |
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120
antagonism
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| n.对抗，敌对，对立 | |
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121
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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122
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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123
divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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124
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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125
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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126
lug
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| n.柄，突出部，螺帽；(英）耳朵；（俚）笨蛋；vt.拖，拉，用力拖动 | |
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127
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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128
subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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129
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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130
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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131
illustrates
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| 给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明 | |
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132
acceding
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| v.（正式）加入( accede的现在分词 )；答应；（通过财产的添附而）增加；开始任职 | |
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133
random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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134
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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135
disorder
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| n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调 | |
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136
attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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137
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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138
abstemiousness
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| n.适中，有节制 | |
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139
precepts
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| n.规诫，戒律，箴言( precept的名词复数 ) | |
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140
rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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141
humane
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| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
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142
livelihood
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| n.生计，谋生之道 | |
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143
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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144
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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145
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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146
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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147
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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148
depose
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| vt.免职；宣誓作证 | |
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149
disinterestedly
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150
abdicated
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| 放弃（职责、权力等）( abdicate的过去式和过去分词 )； 退位，逊位 | |
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151
permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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152
terminologically
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| 术语学的，专门名词的 | |
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153
advisers
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| 顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授 | |
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154
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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155
strings
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| n.弦 | |
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156
royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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157
sedition
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| n.煽动叛乱 | |
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158
hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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159
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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160
eligible
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| adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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161
nominee
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| n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者 | |
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162
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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163
predecessors
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| n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身 | |
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164
consular
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| a.领事的 | |
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165
cynical
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| adj.(对人性或动机)怀疑的，不信世道向善的 | |
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166
migrations
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| n.迁移，移居( migration的名词复数 ) | |
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167
caravans
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| （可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队） | |
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168
caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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169
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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170
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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171
negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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172
ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 | |
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173
graphic
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| adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的 | |
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174
reigning
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| adj.统治的，起支配作用的 | |
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175
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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176
tithes
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| n.（宗教捐税）什一税，什一的教区税，小部分( tithe的名词复数 ) | |
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177
extort
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| v.勒索，敲诈，强要 | |
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178
subsist
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| vi.生存，存在，供养 | |
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179
paupers
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| n.穷人( pauper的名词复数 )；贫民；贫穷 | |
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180
prosper
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| v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣 | |
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181
confiscating
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| 没收（confiscate的现在分词形式） | |
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182
locusts
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| n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树 | |
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183
ravaging
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| 毁坏( ravage的现在分词 )； 蹂躏； 劫掠； 抢劫 | |
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184
quell
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| v.压制，平息，减轻 | |
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185
plundered
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| 掠夺，抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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186
fable
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| n.寓言；童话；神话 | |
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187
embroiled
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| adj.卷入的；纠缠不清的 | |
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188
avowedly
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| adv.公然地 | |
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189
pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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190
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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191
allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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192
stipulated
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| vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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193
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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194
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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195
trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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196
subjugation
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| n.镇压，平息，征服 | |
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197
envoy
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| n.使节，使者，代表，公使 | |
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198
protracted
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| adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词 | |
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199
emboldened
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| v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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200
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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201
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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202
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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203
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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204
oust
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| vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐 | |
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205
diplomats
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| n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人 | |
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206
sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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207
hearsay
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| n.谣传，风闻 | |
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208
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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209
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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210
clan
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| n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派 | |
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211
feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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212
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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213
brigands
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| n.土匪，强盗( brigand的名词复数 ) | |
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214
disciples
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| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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215
vendetta
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| n.世仇，宿怨 | |
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216
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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hooded
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| adj.戴头巾的；有罩盖的；颈部因肋骨运动而膨胀的 | |
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pouches
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| n.（放在衣袋里或连在腰带上的）小袋( pouch的名词复数 )；（袋鼠等的）育儿袋；邮袋；（某些动物贮存食物的）颊袋 | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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slants
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| （使）倾斜，歪斜( slant的第三人称单数 )； 有倾向性地编写或报道 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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undesirable
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| adj.不受欢迎的，不良的，不合意的，讨厌的；n.不受欢迎的人，不良分子 | |
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228
undesirables
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| 不受欢迎的人，不良分子( undesirable的名词复数 ) | |
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counteract
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| vt.对…起反作用，对抗，抵消 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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extermination
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| n.消灭，根绝 | |
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bleaching
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| 漂白法，漂白 | |
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exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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auctioned
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| v.拍卖( auction的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bidder
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| n.(拍卖时的)出价人，报价人，投标人 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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inordinately
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| adv.无度地，非常地 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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conceals
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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pouncing
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的现在分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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flail
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| v.用连枷打；击打；n.连枷（脱粒用的工具） | |
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astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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uncertainties
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| 无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物 | |
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chimerical
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| adj.荒诞不经的，梦幻的 | |
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decrepit
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| adj.衰老的，破旧的 | |
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decadent
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| adj.颓废的，衰落的，堕落的 | |
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wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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251
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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wharves
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| n.码头，停泊处( wharf的名词复数 ) | |
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filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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sanitary
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| adj.卫生方面的，卫生的，清洁的，卫生的 | |
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devastating
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| adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的 | |
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