A Last Interview with the Wazir
 
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{359}Tuesday 5 January 1830

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About 2 pm waited on the Oozeer Seedy Mohamed Ben Dris with whom I drank tea and dines and then discussed the fag-end of our affairs good humouredly enough, received pinned up in a silk handkerchief of Fez manufacture, the Sultan's letter to the King, in reply to that which I brought & to, as I presume some of the other matters to which I had drawn the Sultan's attention in communication with his minister; but the letter was sealed & no copy given to me.
 
Literal translation of the address of this letter from the Sultan to the King: 

From the Prince of the Believers & Defender of the Faith, our Master Abderrachman ben Maulana Heesham ben Maulana Mohamed, May God be his aid. To the presence of the English Emperor & King George the Fourth, May God Exalt him!
Nota bene that if one may ever wish to receive a letter from the Sultan under flying seal that which is brought from the King must be so transmitted also through the Consul or Agent.
The Oozeer delivered to me the following Imperial Licences: 

1. For my Vice Consul at Tetuan to hoist his flag at his residence. 

2 For a more liberal construction of the rules at Tangier in passing stock to HM's ships stationed at Gibraltar entering the harbour there. 

3. For export of wild animals delivered to me on this occasion by ye Sultan for ye King. 

4. For officers landing at Tangier with their fowling pieces. 

5. For the exportation of horses & cattle, a bull & cow and ram & ewe, being for my interpreter Abensur.
Memorandum On the following Wednesday 6 January I received the Licence that Ben Dris said had been forgotten yesterday, although promised me before, namely for the exportation by my friends Washington, Smith & Williams of 3 horses & 3 mules.
He promised by his own motion to endeavour to find for me another doe gazelle to replace that which died lately: I promised, as the vizeer intimated a desire for 2 of the 14 amethysts which he had given me to be set in gold mountings that this should be done. He said that these stones came from Atlas & that they were discovered by breaking masses which we had done in several instances. N.B. I suspect {360} one of these rings is begged for the Sultan.
 
Memorandum Lt Williams found 2 similar amethysts (if any of these stones deserve the name very lately on the low hills to the north of the city by breaking a few large stones.
Having the minister in apparently very favourable humour, I ventured to say smilingly that I begged leave to observe on the frailty of human Nature, that it was never satisfied: so after all the civilities just now received by me in His Excellency's presentation on the part of the Sultan of so many Imperial licences, I felt that there was yet one thing wanting. To a man of H. E.'s superior sense & liberality I would mention it without hesitation - namely the regret I felt on the part of my King and Country that any obstacle had been found to the survey of the western coast of Morocco as proposed by His Majesty. Our grand object, I continued, was commerce; it furnished the sinews of our strength as it would theirs, if more liberally indulged; so that their wealth & prosperity was a matter of material interest to their friends, for we could never trade with them to such advantage to ourselves as when they prospered. I hinted moreover that they might discover, as we knew, and were examples of the ruth of the proposition, - that a commercial (2) navy was the only nursery whence could spring a national force upon the seas, that might bid defiance to insult. I never mentioned the Austrians or the war with them & desired Abensur not to do so but believe from the sequel that the cunning Jew, thinking it would answer his own purpose, did assist the piquancy of his version of my speech by introducing an exemplification of the advantage that might accrue to Marocco in the Sultan's Government being able to hold at nought the attempts of such naval enemies as the Imperialists.

The Oozeer asked if I remained disposed to visit the snowy hills of Mesfewah. I answered in the affirmative, expressing my sole regret in the choice of this expedition of pleasure {361}(3) that Seedy Mohamed ben Abdelmalek did not relish the air of the Gibel Teldge &c &c

Seedy remarked that he was ready & happy to go anywhere with me &c. The Oozeer then using some flattering expressions to my conductor took a handsome soolham & delivered it to him. Seddy Mohamed proceeded immediately to put it on him, myself assisting him: - & this done he kissed & thanked the donor who then intimated in terms indirect (but distinctly interpreted & yet I know not with what fidelity by Abensur) that this was a sign of Seedy Mohamed being ere long cloaked with an authority superior to that he possessed at present, that he was the acknowledged friend of the Sultan, & in short, ere long I might see him Basha of Tangier &c. After some ordinary compliments I took my leave.

In the course of the evening or next morning, I forget which, Abensur came to me saying that Ben Dris had sent for him & told him that having related all my conversation to the Sultan, H.I.M. had been vastly amused & satisfied saying that ye advice of the English consul was very good indeed for he had supported it by reasons undeniable. He had desired to send for my interpreter & to express his satisfaction & to say that he much regretted the impolicy of his predecessors in destroying or allowing to go to ruin the naval force of Morocco, that he was only not restrained at present by want of funds but so soon as they improved he w[oul]d augment his naval force. ** That he would willingly extend his commerce & proposed to do so when he found his power sufficiently established to permit him with safety to admit more wealth to flow into channels which might at this moment be turned into danger to the state.

** I think however that this last sentence was part of the language of the Oozeer himself as addressed to me earlier in the day - adding that it was only within the last two years or so that Mulai Abderahman had confirmed his sway on the greater part of the empire or something to that effect.
 

{362} The following note made from a loose slip of paper at Tangier.  

Memorandum In my interview with Hadj Taleb ben Gelool some days ago during which (as far as I remember) he did not make any reference to his commission given Mr Douglas, as I have subsequently discovered for 3 pairs of spectacles - he made some observation I think regarding his desire to have a new glass to a pair in his possession, & this day (5th January) I received from him an old pair of gold mounted spectacles wanting one glass with a request that I w[oul]d get the deficiency supplied. I shall, if I can, obtain them to match, get him 3 or rather 3 crystals.
 
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2. EDH's underlining.

3. Page headed "Continuation from the other side of the notes of my conversation this day with the Oozeer."