At Ramadan there are generally continual street festivities during the eating hours of the night; but the gloom cast over the country by the presence of the French kept these now to a minimum. There was not even, in spite of the Sultan’s presence any powder play, a thing which I was particularly anxious to witness, to learn for myself to what degree the Moors are hard upon their animals. I know that Moslems are seldom deliberately cruel; but I know, too, that the vanity of the Moor makes him ride with a cruel bit and a pointed spur that could reach the vitals of a horse, and both of these, I have heard, they employ in a vicious manner in their famous, dashing powder play. But most of their cruelty is only from neglect, laziness, and ignorance. Camels wear their shoulders and their necks through to the bone--the sight is a common one--because their masters do not trouble to pad their packs properly; two men will ride an undersized donkey already overloaded with a pack; and, as is the way among all Moslems, an animal when it comes to die may suffer for weeks or months, yet will not be killed because ‘Allah gave life, and Allah alone may take it away.’ Still there is the Moorish sect of _Aisawa_, that in a mad stampede tears a sheep to pieces in the streets and eats it still palpitating. [Illustration: A CAMP OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF RABAT.] There were some interesting Englishmen at Rabat, notably the _Times_ correspondent, W. B. Harris, who has travelled with several Sultans of Morocco, and lived some time as a Moor in order that he might learn their ways and penetrate to the farthest reaches of the country forbidden to the Christian. There was also Mr. Allan Maclean, likewise an authority on Morocco, now busy with the Maghzen to arrange for the release of certain prisoners, which Raisuli exacted as one of the stipulations of Kaid Maclean’s release. There was then the British Consul, George Neroutsos, an old friend of the Sultan and a man whom he often consults on matters of European policy.