he
centre of it. The rooms of this house were long and narrow, with a
pair of high doors in the centre of the room, through which alone
the light is admitted; the floors were paved with small glazed
tiles, about two inches square, very neatly fitted, and of
different colours; the walls were the same, a mode of building
which in this warm climate imparts a grateful coolness; the
ceilings are painted in the Araberque style, with brilliant
colours. The roofs are of terras, and flat, having an insensible
declivity, just sufficient to give the rain that falls a course,
which falling into the pipes, is received in the (_mitfere_) a
subterraneous cistern, which supplies the family with water the
whole year, till the rainy season returns again.

[Footnote 105: In each province, or bashawick, there are
several alkaids or governors of districts.]

[Footnote 106: The city of Fas is the metropolis of the north,
as Marocco is of the south. Mequinas is the court town of the
north, and resembles the Hague, where few reside but such as
are employed in the service of the crown.]

[Footnote 107: This word was used by the seed, or emperor, in
the presumption that it is understood by Europeans; but _cadus_
is the Arabic term.]

There is near to the walls of Marocco, about the north-west point,
a village, called (_Deshira el Jeddam_) i.e. the Village of Lepers.
I had a curiosity to visit this village; but I was told that any
other excursion would be preferable; that the Lepers were totally
excluded from the rest of mankind; and that, although none of them
would dare to approach us, yet the excursion would be not only
unsatisfactory but disgusting. I was, however, determined to go; I
mounted my horse, and took two horse-guards with me, and my own
servant. We rode through the Lepers' town; the inhabitants
91 collected at the doors of their habitations, but did not approach
us; they, _for the most part_, showed no external disfiguration,
but were generally sallow; some of the young women were very
handsome; they have, however, a paucity of eyebrow, which, it must
be allowed, is somewhat incompatible with a beauty; some few had no
eyebrows at all, which completely destroyed the effect of their
dark animated eyes. They are obli