Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 2.djvu/496

408 NORTH-WEST AFRICA. soil, varied products, and happy commercial position between two seas at the angle of a continent. Although under the same latitude as Algeria, it far exceeds that region in its general physical prerogatives. With the exception of a few tropical species, Marocco might cultivate all plants useful to man, while its mountains are as rich as those of Spain in mineral deposits. Yet how little does this favoured land count in the general balance of nations ! But in few other countries are the inhabitants more enslaved by a Government with boundless arbitrary power. Fortunately most of ihe inland Berber tribes have been able to maintain their independence, while in the seaports the Sultan's officials are held in check by the European consuls. Thus is explained the fact that the Government, although at times aided by drought, locusts, and cholera, has hitherto failed to transform the country to a desert. Nevertheless it would be unfair to repeat with many writers that this " Afri(;an China " is barred from all progress. The reports of travellers show that during the last half -century great changes have taken place. Europeans traverse without risk the whole of the settled parts ; they easily find teachers of Arabic, and the former fanatical hatred of strangers has in many districts given place to more friendly sentiments. If it is still dangerous to travel among the Berber tribes, this is due not to their jealousy of the foreigner, but to their mistrust of all visitors, regarded by them as spies. Marocco is being gradually brought within the sphere of European influences. Every seaport has its little colony of traders, and in Fez there are no less than five hundred Spaniards, for the most part, however, renegades or deserters. Politically protected by the mutual rivalry of the Western Powers, Marocco is being gradually conquered by international trade. There is not a Berber village in the Atlas or the southern regions bordering on the Sahara in which the tea introduced by the English from China has not found a market. Agriculture — Industries — ^Trade. Agriculture, oldest of industries and the slowest to change, has been but little modified in its traditional methods. The exportation of wheat and barley being forbidden, the cultivation of these cereals so well suited especially to the province of Gharb, makes little progress, while the area under maize, pulse, and other grains whose export is permitted, continually increases. But no vegetable species has recently been acclimatised ; nor has any effort been made to introduce European animals, or improve the native breeds by crossings. The export of horned cattle is limited to a few thousands to each of the West European states, while that of sheep and horses is still rigorously interdicted. The native industries, specially protected by the Government, have been better preserved than in any other Mohammedan country. The carpets, textiles, Marocco ware, arms, glazed faience, are still produced according to the traditional processes, and some of these products, such as the white haiks with silken warp ahd fine woollen weft, are extremely beautiful. But the heavy duty of 1 per cent, is not