oms, reception rooms, and
many cozy nooks and corners whose use was quite past finding out.
Besides there were ugly dungeons in the basement, entirely underground,
like those of the Doge's Palace at Venice; and in strong contrast to
which there were courts of greenery, where the thick, glossy leaves of
the orange-trees set off the fragrant blossoms in a most artistic
manner, and where the rank, neglected, undergrowth but half hid what
must in former times have been a beautiful flower garden. There was
still a heavy myrtle border, and here and there a sweet little flower
struggling for existence. The denizens of the harem must once have
tended and petted these flowers; but the cold, stone-latticed apartments
were all vacant now, the floors damp and slippery with moss and dirt.
Desolation was clearly written upon the walls.

This Governor's Palace is anything but a palace now. A portion of the
building was improved as a dwelling for his Excellency, who sat soberly
and silently discussing his long-stemmed pipe with Oriental
indifference, as we came through the outer court on our departure. In
visiting the several divisions of the palace, there had been found one
section where the keys were missing, and this led to some delay while
the custodian tried to procure them, the door being finally forced open
by a slight physical effort. On coming out a number of rusty keys were
observed upon the wall, causing us to remark that the missing one might
be among them; whereupon the guide told us that these were of a
different character,--keys brought from Spain when the Moors were
expelled thence, and now held sacred as heir-looms. This was only a
casual remark, but yet one which came back to us with special emphasis,
as will by and by be explained.

As we were about to mount our donkeys a dignified individual took the
guide, with whom he was evidently acquainted, one side for a moment. He
would have been noticeable anywhere as a man of character, a typical
Moor. Mixed as the population of Tangier is, still one easily
individualizes the several races, and above all cannot fail to admire
the noble, manly specimens of Moorish blood. They are naturally broad,
yet light, with figures faultlessly straight without stiffness; the arms
are set well back and are carried with peculiar grace, while a general
dignity of bearing is always observable. The eyes are large and
receding, the nose aquiline, features regular, with a rather large mouth