"
The prince responded: "Make him a bonnet of iron and a shirt of iron, and
give him but a loaf of bread a day." In a letter that he sent he said also:
"Collect all the goods you can find and let the Christian ships take them
all to Taccourt, leaving nothing whatever." Guns, sabres, powder, sulphur,
linens, cottons, everything was transported.
During the reign of Sidi Mouley Soliman he built the city as it is at
present. He increased it, and said to the Christians:
"You must bring me cannons, mortars, and powder, and I will give you in
exchange wheat, oil, wool, and whatever you desire."
The Christians answered: "Most willingly, we shall return with our
products." They brought him cannons, mortars, and powder. In return he
supplied them with woollens, wheat, oil, and whatever they desired.
The Ulmas reproached him, saying: "You are not fulfilling the law in giving
to the Christians wheat, oil, and woollens. You are weakening the
Mussulmans."
He answered them: "We must make sacrifices of these goods for two or three
years, until the Christians have stocked us with cannons, powder, and so
forth.
Pages:
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283