_Q._ What are the exactions to which public servants are exposed? _A._ They take everything from them. _Q._ Does that often happen? _A._ No, not very often. _Q._ How many incidents of the kind do you recollect? _A._ The late Caïd had been in office twelve years, and his father twelve before him. The Emperor then fixed his demand at 40,000 dollars. The Caïd said, he had not the money to pay. The present Caïd has shown that he had as much in houses and gardens in Rabat alone. _Q._ Since he could neither impose contributions on the town, nor extort money from individuals, how did he accumulate wealth? _A._ He was a very venal man, and you could do anything with him for four dollars. _Q._ His profits then consisted in the corrupt administration of justice? _A._ Yes. _Q._ A Caïd in Rabat may then be guilty of corruption, but not of violence? _A._ Of corruption and violence too. He then related to me the following story:-- “Four months ago, the boy now cooking in the _patio_ rushed in dressed as a Moor, and throwing his cap on the ground called out, “I am a Jew. I claim the protection of France and England.” Soldiers followed him, but I would not let them take him from under my roof. His father was a renegade. His property (3000 dollars) was placed, on his death, in the hands of an executor, who--the children under nine years of age being held to be of their father’s faith--forced him from his mother. Refusing to profess Islamism, the mother and the boy were confined apart, and she was beaten to induce her to influence her son. The boy at last did pronounce the words “La Illah,” &c.; his head was shaved; the Mussulman dress put on him, and he was about, as is the custom, to be paraded on horseback through the town, but he recanted. This is death by the Mussulman law. Those who were present describe the child’s acts and words as wonderful. He said to the Caïd, “Mahomet has not had power to convert me, and your acts make me hate his faith.” After this, he made his escape to the consulate, and the door has been besieged by persons seeking either to force, or to seduce him away. Frequently the governor sent me messages about him. On one of these occasions, the soldiers while sitting in the court, kept constantly calling to him by the name of “Abdallah,” which they had given him. For some time he took no notice, and returned no answer. At last he said, “Why do you call Abdallah? The boy with that name is dead. There is only here Meshod.” At my request the boy was sent for: he seemed dogged and stupid, and made very light of his trials. It was with difficulty that I extracted from him a bare corroboration of the story. On being repeatedly urged by questions, he said he had answered the Caïd, “I won’t be a Mussulman; for your religion has no strength. I forgive you my money that I may be a Jew.” I said to him he ought to be very grateful to the Consul for having befriended him: his answer was, “I am thankful to God.”