Asiatic Quarterly Review (Full Title: The Imperial and Asiatic Quarterly Review, and Oriental and Colonial Record): Volume XIII, No. 26 [‎481v] (87/238)

300 Morocco : the Sultan and the Bashadours.
Sherefia, as the Sultanate of Morocco is termed by its
inhabitants.
Besides, it must always be borne in mind that pretenders
and aspirants for the throne are not to be sought for.
Harmless they may be at present, for lack of arms and
means, but these are deficiencies which could be easily
supplied by France, had she any interest in rallying to the
support of some nominee of her own : the mountain-tribes
of non-Arab descent, the Riffs, and other branches of the
Berber or Sehlha races, tribes only too disposed to revolt
against any established authority, as they have been from
the time of the Roman, Gothic, or Byzantine occupations
down to the present day.
It would be well, therefore, for the friends of the young
Sultan to be careful, lest, whilst they are teaching him to
play tennis and golf, how to take snapshots and to develop
negatives, or how to drive his motor-car or sit his bicycle,
that he does not fall from his throne—the throne of his
Filali ancestors—which has been from time immemorial
the richly-caparisoned, high-peaked Moorish saddle; for
from the moral effects of such a fall from the seat of power
all the king’s men might not be able to set the Sultan up
again !
Sir Arthur Nicolson arrived off Rabat, January 21, on
board H.B.M. battleship Illustrious. The reception of
the British Minister on landing—one might almost say
his triumphal entry—escorted by his own suite on horse
back, and attended by El Menebhi and the other Vizirs
and Court officials, was of the most cordial character. The
entire force of Moorish regulars now with the Sultan at
Rabat—some 6,000 men—all from the country imme
diately about Morocco city, arrayed in their new uniforms,
being under arms to receive the Minister; whilst the
Sultan’s household cavalry, in their flowing garb of many
colours, executed the usual laab-el-barud, or powder play,
as they preceded the escort.
One memorable departure from established custom