Page:Sixteen years of an artist's life in Morocco, Spain and the Canary Islands.djvu/74

Rh on, and soon found myself in the Sokko, or Moorish market-place, which is situated outside the town, just beyond the gate. I had fortunately visited this place at a favourable time to see a good deal of the people, for I was always anxious to observe and to sketch everything striking in costume and appearance. At the period of my visit, it happened to be the evening preceding market day, and the villagers from the surrounding neighbourhood were crowding in with their wares. A more varied and picturesque sight could not well be imagined, as party after party, in their many and brilliantly coloured costumes, arrived upon the ground, and began to pitch their black horse-hair tents. As daylight declined and the evening gloom set in, the scene became still more interesting and romantic. The various fires being lighted, the flames burned brightly up, and threw their lurid reflection upon the dark figures of the Moors moving about with their horses, and the Riffians with their one lock of hair, and their long straight dagger at their sides. There was something of witch-like gloom in the scene, as they moved to and fro, in dark mysterious masses, sometimes in and sometimes out of the fiery glare.

Looking out towards the sea, the rock of Gibraltar loomed dimly at a distance on the horizon.