The Argosy — page 238: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Cruise of the Reserve Squadron. 219 that was infinitely dearer than England—thrice as dear as Gib- raltar.” Of course the Moor took refuge in guadity. ‘This was the rea/ thing. Guibraltar—England—no one ever knew there what they were buying. However, he would say a little less—twenty pounds. So the Dutch auction went on, until the auctioneer had come down to nine pounds; all done in the most innocent and matter-of-fact manner, He was giving away his carpet to oblige us. This was a truly Eastern magnificence of character and generosity. Finally, if we would not give nine pounds, what zvou/d we give? It should be ours at our own price. At last, convinced that the man must have stolen the carpet, we declined it at any price whatever. We bought nothing from him except a few brass trays of designs too good to be passed Over, and went on to what the courier said was ¢he bazaar of Tangiers. In point of size and site, it certainly merited its repu- tation. A large, imposing, Moorish archway displayed Oriental mysteries. The owner of these very pretty things, Wiley informed us, was as honest as the day. Was he? They have a way of offering you—these inheritors of the manners and customs of 1,000 years ago—one or two trivial articles so absurdly cheap that they might as well give them away at once. Having thus taken you off your guard, and established a feeling of trust in your mind, they next proceed to business, and ask for their more import- ant articles five or six times as much as they intend to take. But after our late experience, we felt convinced that we were not to be done. Brass trays, rugs, embroidered cloths, cushions, dresses of softest fabric, daggers, and various other articles, were purchased in rash confidence. It is hard to say how far we were imposed upon: perhaps, after all, not to any very great extent; but upon ask- ing the price of a Moorish inkstand in Gibraltar, similar to one bought at Tangiers, I found that I had paid exactly three times its value. That inkstand naturally became a sore subject, especially as Broadley was for ever sarcastically digging it up from its sepulchre at the bottom of a huge deal box ; and as soon as we reached England I gave away the offending article. | All purchases completed, the remainder of the afternoon was devoted to the town. On passing the Mosque, I was about to enter, when Broadley and the guide laid violent hands upon me, declaring that, had I gone in, probably it would have been, like another Thomas a Becket, to fall a victim to the dagger of some fanatic. Having no ambition for so tragic an end, I contented myself with looking through the opening on each side the doorway. Moors were at their devotions, now raising themselves to their full height, now almost prostrate upon the marble floor. Movements, ceremonies and genu- flexions seemed strangely heathenish and superstitious. The little that could be seen made one anxious for more, but we had to pass on with curiosity ungratified. COMIC OOO SS (CO)