Travels in the Atlas and southern MoroccoA narrative of exploration . e special charm of Morocco. As in allOriental cities, it was its people and its street-scenesthat gave the most picturesque effects. The verybeargars carried their rags with such an air—theva])pealed to the passer-by in such a high-flown andimpressive style, that they became not only objects ofcompassion, but subjects for the artist. The women,swaddled in their absurd blanket-like coverings, carriedabout with them all the charm and mystery of theforbidden and the unseen. And yet not quite unseeneither, for those beautiful ey
Travels in the Atlas and southern MoroccoA narrative of exploration . e special charm of Morocco. As in allOriental cities, it was its people and its street-scenesthat gave the most picturesque effects. The verybeargars carried their rags with such an air—theva])pealed to the passer-by in such a high-flown andimpressive style, that they became not only objects ofcompassion, but subjects for the artist. The women,swaddled in their absurd blanket-like coverings, carriedabout with them all the charm and mystery of theforbidden and the unseen. And yet not quite unseeneither, for those beautiful eyes of theirs, sparkling withall their liquid brilliancy between black-tipped eyelidsand long glossy eyelashes, transfix the gaze of theonlooker and fire his imagination, till he sees not onlybeautiful eyes, but face and form, and all the other 132 MOROCCO. allurements of the sex to match. Not least attractiv^ the substantial city men of ]\[orocco mountedon quick-pacing mules, or the Government officials ongorgeously caparisoned and prancing barbs, while the. JIOOKISH GIRL. weather-beaten Berbers from the Atlas, the gaunt,fierce-eyed Arabs from Sus and the desert, and theshrinking money-grabbing Jew, all formed effectiveelements in the scene. MARAKSII, OR CITY OF MOROCCO. 133 It was in the purely business parts of tlie town,however, tliat we found most to admire. Motleythrongs of buyers and sellers, busy workmen and idlewayfarers, crowded the narrow thoroughfares, and, withthe quaint box-like shops on either side, formed anexhaustless vista of picturesque scenes. On these,however, it is not my intention to dwell. Later onwe shall once more wander through the streets, and atour leisure see what there is to be seen, and lingerover what is worthy of attention and admiration. Wecan neither see nor linger with satisfaction while theAtlas ]\ronntains loom np largely in the distance, andthere is still a doubt whether we shall penetrate theirunexplored valleys or climb their sno
Size: 1264px × 1977px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorthomsonjoseph18581895, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880