Орвелл в Морокко (1939)

[a_kleber]

«Cost of sending four rather heavy parcels to England, about Frs. 400. Two others not quite so heavy about Frs. 100 the two. The red tape in post offices here even worse than in France. The two which E. and I dispatched personally took over two hours. First about half an hour’s wait to get a place at the counter. This is not due to Xmas, as it is always much the same. The endless filling up of forms and the usual search by the officials through large books to find out which forms should be used. Then the usual complaint that the parcels were insufficiently secure. One had not thick enough string, the other which was enveloped in cloth had to be sewn up. Then a complaint because the parcels were not sealed. Fresh journey to buy sealing wax. This kind of thing seems inseparable from French post offices. Notice that most of the minor officials here, of the type who in India would be Indians, are French. Eg. all the post-office clerks and the clerks in the other offices, and even most of the traffic policemen. Supply of native clerks evidently does not exist. Most Arabs who are in contact with Europeans speak a little French, but have not yet met an Arab whose French seemed to be perfect.»