In Morocco . ng white. Marching at the horses bridle,lean brown grooms in white tunics rhythmicallywaved long strips of white linen to keep off theflies from the Imperial Presence; and beside themotionless rider, in a line with his horses flank,rode the Imperial Parasol-bearer, who held abovethe sovereigns head a great sunshade of brightgreen velvet. Slowly the grey horse advanced afew yards before the tent; behind rode the courtdignitaries, followed by the musicians, who looked,in their bright scant caftans, like the slender music-making angels of a Florentine fresco. The Sultan, pausing bene
In Morocco . ng white. Marching at the horses bridle,lean brown grooms in white tunics rhythmicallywaved long strips of white linen to keep off theflies from the Imperial Presence; and beside themotionless rider, in a line with his horses flank,rode the Imperial Parasol-bearer, who held abovethe sovereigns head a great sunshade of brightgreen velvet. Slowly the grey horse advanced afew yards before the tent; behind rode the courtdignitaries, followed by the musicians, who looked,in their bright scant caftans, like the slender music-making angels of a Florentine fresco. The Sultan, pausing beneath his velvet dome,waited to receive the homage of the assembledtribes. An official, riding forward, drew bridleand called out a name. Instantly there camestorming across the plain a wild cavalcade of tribes-men, with rifles slung across their shoulders, pis-tols and cutlasses in their belts, and twists ofcamels-hair bound about their turbans. Withina few feet of the Sultan they drew in, their leader [ 168 ]. J2 i f. HAREMS AND CEREMONIES uttered a cry and sprang forward, bending to thesaddle-bow, and with a great shout the tribe gal-loped by, each man bowed over his horses neckas he flew past the hieratic figure on the greyhorse. Again and again this ceremony was repeated,the Sultan advancing a few feet as each new groupthundered toward him. There were more than tenthousand horsemen and chieftains from the Atlasand the wilderness, and as the ceremony continuedthe dust-clouds grew denser and more fiery-golden,till at last the forward-surging lines showed throughthem like blurred images in a tarnished mirror. As the Sultan advanced we followed, abreastof him and facing the oncoming squadrons. Thecontrast between his motionless figure and thewild waves of cavalry beating against it typifiedthe strange soul of Islam, with its impetuosityforever culminating in impassiveness. The sunhung high, a brazen ball in a white sky, dartingdown metallic shafts on the dust-enveloped plainand
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1920
