The principal cause of the Moorish revolution, which threatens to terminate the reign of Abdul Aziz, was his tendency--up to a few months ago--to defy the religious prejudices which a long line of terrible predecessors had carefully nurtured in his people. The incident of the mosque of Mulai Idris at Fez was his culminating offence. To the uttermost corners of the Empire went the news that the young Sultan had defiled the most holy tomb of the country through causing to be taken by force from its sacred protection and murdered one of the Faithful who had slain a Christian dog. To the punishing wrath of the dishonoured saint and of the Almighty has been put down every calamity that has since befallen either the Sultan or the Empire; and the Moors will tell you that by this act has come the ruin of Morocco. It was in dramatic fashion that the feeling Driss, our man, stopped abruptly in the street when I mentioned the affair. We were nearing a picturesque little mosque with a leaning palm towering above it, and good old Driss was urging me to turn away and not to pass it--because he was a friend of mine and did not want me stoned. ‘Driss,’ said I, ‘they would not dare; the Sultan is here and they know that even a mosque won’t save them if they harm a European now.’ Driss stopped short and turned upon me. ‘You know that, Mr. Moore,’ he said with emphasis, ‘that about the Mulai Idris! That was the finish of Morocco!’ While with such breaches of the Moslem law Abdul Aziz has roused among the people a superstitious fear of consequences, he has also, by lesser defiances of recognised Moorish customs, sorely aggravated them. His many European toys--the billiard table, the costly photographic apparatus, the several bicycles, and the extravagant displays of fireworks--while harmless enough, were regarded by the Moors with no good grace. But worst of all these trivial things was, to the Moors, the young man’s evident lack of dignity. At times he would ride out alone and with Christians (who were his favourite companions), whereas the Sultans before him were hardly known to appear in public without the shade of the authoritative red umbrella.