whiff at home took care to deodorize their
mouths with powdered coffee; now Moors sit with Europeans, smoking and
drinking, unabashed, at tables in the streets, but not those of the
better sort. Thus Morocco is becoming civilized!

However ashamed a Moor may be of drunkenness, no one thinks of making
a pretence of being chaste or moral. On the contrary, no worse is
thought of a man who is wholly given up to the pleasures of the flesh
than of one who is addicted to the most innocent amusements. If a
Moor is remonstrated with, he declares he is not half so bad as the
"Nazarenes" he has come across, who, in addition to practising most of
his vices, indulge in drunkenness. It is not surprising, therefore,
that the diseases which come as a penalty for these vices are
fearfully prevalent in Morocco. Everywhere one comes across the
ravages of such plagues, and is sickened at the sight of their
victims. Without going further into details, it will suffice to
mention that one out of every five patients (mostly males) who attend
at the dispensary of the North Africa Mission at Tangier are direct,
or indirect, sufferers from these complaints.

The Moors believe in "sowing wild oats" when young, till their energy
is extinguished, leaving them incapable of accomplishing anything.
Then they think the pardon of God worth invoking, if only in the vain
hope of having their youth renewed as the eagle's. Yet if this could
happen, they would be quite ready to commence a fresh series of
follies more outrageous than before. This is a sad picture, but
nevertheless true, and, far from being exaggerated, does not even hint
at much that exists in Morocco to-day.

The words of the Koran about such matters are never considered, though
nominally the sole guide for life. The fact that God is "the Pitying,
the Pitiful, King of the Day of Judgement," is considered sufficient
warrant for the devotees of Islam to lightly indulge in breaches of
laws which they hold to be His, confident that if they only perform
enough "vain repetitions," fast at the appointed times, and give alms,
visiting Mekka, if possible, or if not, making pilgrimages to shrines
of lesser note nearer home, God, in His infinite mercy, will overlook
all.

An anonymous writer has aptly remarked--"Every good Mohammedan has
a perpetual free pass over that line, which not only secures to him
personally a safe transportation to Paradise, but provides for him
upon his arrival there so lu