An account of the empire of Marocco, and the districts of Suse and Tafilelt; compiled from miscellaneous observations made during a long residence in, and various journies through, these countries. To which is added an account of shipwrecks on the western coast of Africa, and an interesting account of Timbuctoo, the great emporium of Central AfricaJackson, James Grey
History
An account of the empire of Marocco, and the districts of Suse and Tafilelt; compiled from miscellaneous observations made during a long residence in, and various journies through, these countries. To which is added an account of shipwrecks on the western coast of Africa, and an interesting account of Timbuctoo, the great emporium of Central Africa
Jackson, James Grey
Morocco
It may, perhaps, be objected by some, who have experienced
difficulties in treating with the Emperor, that he would not,
probably, allow fruit to be exported: to this I answer, that it
is possible, by proper means, to obtain almost any favour from a
Sovereign who is uncontrollable; it is not gold which rules his
conduct, though some ingenious persons have imagined that to be the
only means of procuring any thing from him: had this been the case,
he would not have granted me the privilege of exporting mules to the
West Indies at half the duty that another house offered him. In short,
nothing is wanting to secure a most extensive and lucrative trade
with Marocco, but an established friendship between the two nations,
strengthened by a mutual return of good offices and attentions. Indeed
the present Emperor, Muley Soliman, may be said to have made overtures
of this nature; but from our impolicy, and inattention, added to the
ignorance of the proper mode of treating with him, these overtures
were neglected.
When we recollect, however, that the envoys to Marocco for the last
century, have been men almost wholly unacquainted with the manners,
customs, and religious prejudices of the people, and ignorant of their
language, we shall cease to be surprised that our connection with that
empire has been so limited, and impeded by mutual misunderstanding
of each others sentiments, originating, but too often, in deficiency
and inaccuracy of interpreters. What expectations can be indulged of
terminating successfully negociations with a prince, in conversing
with whom some ignorant illiterate interpreter, generally a Jew,
and a devoted subject of the Emperor, must be made the confidential
servant of the party treating? besides, every one acquainted with the
nature of the government, and political principles of the Court of
Marocco, is well aware, that, even supposing it possible to procure
a Jew, capable of interpreting accurately the English into Arabic,
and vice versa, yet there are many expressions necessary for an
Envoy to use to the Emperor, which no Jew in the country would
dare to utter in the imperial presence on pain of losing his head:
the general garrulity of these people, moreover, is such, that they
are perhaps unworthy of being entrusted with any secret wherein the
interest of a nation is concerned. Of this the Emperor himself is
convinced, as was also his father, who frequently, during his reign,
expressed his regret to Mr. A. Layton, that no English consul could be
found, capable of holding direct intercourse with him. The weakness
and instability of our treaties are generally in proportion to the
weakness and inaccuracy of the interpreter, their force and meaning
being often frittered away by the misplacing of a word through his
indecision or fear; and possessing, probably, but a slight knowledge
of the style of writing, he is obliged to have the treaty read by
a Moor, and explained according to his own manner, in the vulgar
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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