OF MAROCCO.
Every house in Marocco has, or ought to have, a domestic serpent: I
say ought to have, because those that have not one, seek to have
this inmate, by treating it hospitably whenever one appears; they
leave out food for it to eat during the night, which gradually
domiciliates this reptile. These serpents are reported to be
extremely sagacious, and very susceptible. The superstition of
these people is extraordinary; for rather than offend these
serpents, they will suffer their women to be exposed during sleep
to their performing the office of an infant. They are considered,
in a house, emblematical of good, or prosperity, as their absence
is ominous of evil. They are not often visible; but I have seen
them passing over the beams of the roof of the apartments. A friend
of mine was just retired to bed at Marocco, when he heard a noise
in the room, like something crawling over his head, he arose,
looked about the room, and discovered one of these reptiles about
four feet long, of a dark colour, he pricked it with his sword, and
killed it, then returned to bed. In the morning he called to him
the master of the house where he was a guest, and telling him he
had attacked the serpent, the Jew was chagrined, and expostulated
with him, for the injury he had done him: apprehensive that evil
would visit him, he intimated to his guest, that he hoped he would
leave his house, as he feared the malignity of the serpent; and he
was not reconciled until my friend discovered to him that he had
actually killed the reptile.
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MANUFACTURES OF FAS.
_Superior Manufacture of Gold-thread.--Imitation of precious
Stones.--Manufactory of Gun-barrels in Suse.--Silver-mine._
The manufactures of West Barbary, are of various kinds. They excel,
in the city of Fas, in the manufacture of woollens, cottons, silks,
and gold-thread. The wool and cotton are made into _hayks_, which
are pieces of cloth five feet wide, and about three and a half, or
four yards long, used to throw loosely over the dress, when they go
out into the external air: it resembles the Roman toga, and when
_tastefully adjusted_, gives an elegance to the Moorish costume.
These _hayks_ are manufactured in most of the private families of
Fas; the women employ themsel
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