re years and
years in arrear. And when these arrears have gone on increasing till
there is no chance of payment, the Emperor, in order to keep up his
firms of enslaved merchants, will rather remit half or more of the debt,
in consideration of a handsome present, than encourage merchants to make
ready money payments. The largest debt owing by a single firm, is that
of a native Jew, viz., 250,000 dollars. The amount of the debt of the
united Mogador merchants is more than one million and a half of dollars.
The usual course of the merchants is to pay the debt off by monthly
instalments.

As an instance of the Emperor's straining a point to keep solvent one of
his mercantile firms, on the occasion of the visit of the merchants to
Morocco, his Imperial Highness lent the house of Hasan Joseph (Jews)
10,000 dollars in hard cash, which, to my knowledge, were paid to them
out of the coffers of the Mogador custom-house. This was certainly an
instance of magnanimous generosity on the part of Muley Abd Errahman.
But the Emperor's genius is mercantile, and he is determined to support
his Imperial traders; and his conduct, after all, is only the
calculation of a raiser.

It must be mentioned, however, to the honour of Mr. Elton, that on the
bombardment of Mogador, he and his lady were allowed to leave at once,
having paid up all their government debt. Indeed, the governor of that
place, was always accustomed to say to the collector of the returns of
the monthly payment of instalments: "Now, go first to Mrs. Elton; she
will be sure to have the money ready for you. And we must have money
to-day from some of the merchants." On another occasion, his Excellency
called the lady of Mr. Elton, "the best man amongst the merchants." Mrs.
Elton, being a vivacious, energetic lady, was often called "the woman of
the Christians."

The following are the stations at which the merchants stop from Mogador
to Morocco, to visit the Emperor.

1st. Emperor's Gardens; five hours from Mcgador, where are some fine fig
trees, and a spring.

2nd. Ain Omas.

3rd. Seeshouar.

4th. Wad Enfes.

The country, for the first two days, is beautifully rural, scattered
over with noble Argan forests, on the third and fourth days, the journey
is through plains and an open country. On the second day, after leaving
Mogador, you obtain a distinct view of the great Atlas range at the back
of Morocco; on the fifth, as you approach the capital, the country is
overspr