DRAHA AND TAFILELT.
Draha and Tafilelt produce a superior breed of goats, and a great abundance of dates: the countries situated near the banks of the rivers of Draha and Tafilelt have several plantations of Indian corn, rice, and indigo. There are upwards of thirty sorts of dates in this part of Bled-el-jerrêde;[32] the best and most esteemed is that called Butube, which is seldom brought to Europe, as it will not keep so long as the Admoh date, the kind imported into England, but considered by the natives of Tafilelt so inferior, that it is given only to the cattle; it is of a very indigestive quality: when a Filelly[33] Arab has eaten too many dates, and finds them oppressive, he has recourse to dried fish, which, it is said, counteracts their ill effects. This fruit forms the principal food of the inhabitants of Bled-el-jerrêde, of which Tafilelt is a part; the produce of one plantation near the imperial palace[34] at Tafilelt sold some few years past for five thousand dollars, although they are so abundant there that a camel load, or three quintals, is sold for two dollars. The face of the country from the Ruins of Pharoah to the palace of Tafilelt is as follows:
Tafilelt is eight (erhellat[35] de lowd) days journey on horseback from the Ruins of Pharoah; proceeding eastward from these ruins, the traveller immediately ascends the lofty Atlas, and on the third day, about sun-set, reaches the plains on the other side; the remaining five days journey is through a wide extended plain totally destitute of vegetation, and on which rain never falls; the soil is a whitish clay, impregnated with salt, which when moistened resembles soap. A river, which rises in the Atlas, passes through this vast plain from the south-west to the north-east; at Tafilelt it is described to be as wide as the Morbeya at Azamor in West Barbary, that is, about the width of the Thames at Putney; the water of this river receives a brackish taste, by passing through the saline plains: after running a course of fifteen erhellat,[36] or four hundred and fifty miles, it is absorbed in the desert of Angad. It has several (l’uksebbat) castles of terrace wall on its banks, inhabited by the (Sherreefs) princes of the reigning family of Marocco. Latterly wheat and barley have been cultivated near the river and the castles. The food of the inhabitants, who are Arabs, consists, for the most part (as already observed), in dates; their principal meal is after sun-set, the heat being so intolerable as not to suffer them to eat any thing substantial while the sun is above the horizon.
There is another river, inferior to the one before mentioned, which rises in the plains north of Tafilelt, and flowing in a southerly direction, is absorbed in the great desert, of Sahara: the water of this river is so very brackish, as to be unfit for culinary purposes; it is of a colour similar to chalk and water, but if left to stand in a vessel during the night it becomes clear by the morning, though it is still too salt to drink. These extensive plains abound every where in water, which is found at the depth of two cubits,[37] but so brackish as to be palatable only to those who have been long accustomed to the use of it.
The people have among themselves a strict sense of honour; a robbery has scarcely been known in the memory of the oldest man, though they use no locks or bars. Commercial transactions being for the most part in the way of barter or exchange, they need but little specie: gold dust is the circulating medium in all transactions of magnitude. They live in the simple patriarchal manner of the Arabs, differing from them only in having walled habitations, which are invariably near the river.
It is intensely hot here, during a great part of the year, the (Shume) wind from Sahara blowing tempestuously in July, August, and September, carrying with it particles of earth and sand, which are very pernicious to the eyes, and produce ophthalmia.
A considerable trade is carried on from this place to Timbuctoo, Houssa, and Jinnie, south of Sahara, and to Marocco, Fas, Suse, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli. Indigo abounds here, but from the indolence of the cultivators it is of an inferior quality. There are mines of antimony and lead ore: the Elkahol Filelly,[38] so much used by the Arabs and African women to give a softness to the eyes, and to blacken the eye-brows, is the produce of this country. The common dress of the inhabitants consists of a loose shirt of blue cotton, with a shawl or belt round the waist.
An Akkabah, or accumulated caravan, goes annually from hence to Timbuctoo.
Woollen hayks[39] for garments are manufactured here of a curious texture, extremely light and fine, called El Haik Filelly.
If we except the habitations and castles near the river, the population of the plains is very inconsiderable: a few tents of the Arabs whose original stock inhabit Sahara, are occasionally discovered, which serve to break the uniformity of the unvaried horizon. A person who imagines a vast plain, bounded by an even horizon, similar to the sea out of sight of land, will have an accurate idea of this country.
The goats of Tafilelt are uncommonly large: there is a breed of them preserved by the Emperor of Marocco on the island of Mogodor.
FOOTNOTES:
[25]This is the westernmost province of Marocco northward, as its name denotes, El Garb signifying the West. There is a tradition among the Arabians, that it was originally united to Trafalgar and Gibraltar, shutting up the Mediterranean sea, the waters from which passed into the western ocean by a subterraneous passage; and at this day they call Trafalgar Traf-el-garb, i.e. the piece or part of El Garb; and Gibraltar Jibbel-traf, i.e. the mountain of the piece, or part of El Garb.
[26]The ignorance of the Mohammedans in geography, added to their vanity, induces them to imagine that the empire of Marocco is nearly as large as all Europe, and they accordingly ascribe to the inhabitants of the various provinces the character of some European nation: thus the warlike Ait Imure are compared to the English, the people of Duquella to the Spaniards, and those of Shawia to the Russians.
[27]The country north of the river Morbeya. See the [Map.]
[28]This oil possesses a powerful smell, which is extracted from it by boiling with it an onion and the crumb of a loaf; without this preparation it is said to possess qualities productive of leprous affection.
[29]North of Santa Cruz, and south-east of Cape de Geer, are several lofty inaccessible mountains, proceeding from the main chain of Atlas, which form some intermediate plains, inhabited by a bold and warlike race of Shelluhs, denominated Edautenan. On account of certain essential services afforded by this people to Muley Ismael, or some ancient Emperor of Marocco, they are free from all imposts and taxes, a privilege which is confirmed to them, whenever a new Emperor ascends the throne of Marocco. They wear their hair long behind, but shaved, or short, before; they have an interesting and warlike appearance.
[30]If it blow more than three days, it is expected to continue seven; and if it exceed seven, it is said to continue fourteen, and so on. During the years that I was in the country, it never blew at Mogodor more than three or seven.
[31]The Bashaw then informed me that he had never before known it to continue more than twenty-one days, and he was a man of seventy, and a native of Suse.
[32]Bled-el-jerrêde is the country situated between the maritime states of Barbary and Sahara, or the Desert.
[33]Filelly is the term given to the natives of Tafilelt, as Drahawie is to those of Draha.
[34]The father of the present Sultan Soliman built a magnificent palace on the banks of the river of Tafilelt, which bounds his dominions to the eastward; the pillars are of marble, and were many of them transported across the Atlas, having been collected from the (Ukser Farawan) Ruins of Pharoah, near to the sanctuary of Muley Dris Zerone, west of Atlas.
[35]A horse erhella (or day’s journey) is thirty-five miles English.
[36]An ordinary erhella is thirty English miles.
[37]A cubit is twenty-one inches.
[38]Elkahol Filelly signifies lead ore of Tafilelt.
[39]The hayk of the Arabs is a plain piece of cloth, of wool, cotton, or silk, and is thrown over their under dress, somewhat similar to the Roman toga.
CHAPTER IV.
Population of the Empire of Marocco. — Account of its Sea-ports, Cities, and Towns.
Various and contradictory statements have been made by travellers, of the population of this country. From all the accounts which I have been able to collect on the subject, and from authentic information, extracted from the Imperial Register, of the inhabitants of each province, I think the following as correct a statement as can possibly be made:
| Inhabitants. | ||
|---|---|---|
| The city of | Marocco | 270,000 |
| Fas, old and new city | 380,000 | |
| Mequinas | 110,000 | |
| Muley Dris Zerone | 12,000 | |
| Tetuan | 16,000 | |
| Tangier | 6,000 | |
| Arzilla | 1,000 | |
| El Araiche | 3,000 | |
| Mamora | 300 | |
| Salée | 18,000 | |
| Rabat | 25,000 | |
| Total | 841,300 | |
| Brought over | 841,300 | |
| El Mensoria, Fedalla, and ElKasser Kabeer | 1,000 | |
| Dar el Beida | 1,000 | |
| Azamor | 1,000 | |
| Mazagan, Tet, and El Woladia | 3,000 | |
| Saffy, or Asfee | 12,000 | |
| Mogodor, or Sueerah | 10,000 | |
| Santa Cruz, or Agadeer | 300 | |
| Terodant | 25,000 | |
| Messa | 1,000 | |
| Total population of thetowns | 895,600 | |
| The Province of | Erreef | 200,000 |
| El Garb | 200,000 | |
| Benihassen | 300,000 | |
| Tedla | 450,000 | |
| District of | Fas, exclusive of the cities ortowns | 1,280,000 |
| Duquella | 966,000 | |
| Temsena and Shawia | 1,160,000 | |
| Abda | 500,000 | |
| Shedma | 550,000 | |
| District of | Marocco | 1,250,000 |
| Haha | 708,000 | |
| Draha | 350,000 | |
| Carried forward | 7,914,000 | |
| Brought forward, | 7,914,000 | |
| Suse, viz. | ||
| Benitamer, | 11,000 | |
| Idautenan, | 10,000 | |
| Msegina | 87,000 | |
| Exima, | 11,000 | |
| Howara | 80,000 | |
| Kitiwa | 50,000 | |
| Shtuka | 380,000 | |
| Ait Bamaran | 300,000 | |
| Wedinoon | 200,000 | |
| Ras el Wed | 80,000 | |
| Elala | 25,000 | |
| Seedi Hamed O Musa sanctuary anddistrict | 20,000 | |
| Akka, and territory | 10,000 | |
| Tatta, and ditto | 10,000 | |
| Ufran, or Ifran | 10,000 | |
| Ilirgh | 10,000 | |
| Messa, and territory | 10,000 | |
| Teeselerst | 25,000 | |
| The district of Agadeer, or SantaCruz including Tildi, Taddert, and Tamaract | 1,000 | |
| Woled Busebbah, the part of thatKabyle, which now inhabits Suse | 1,000 | |
| Ait Atter | 360,000 | |
| Idaultit, | 400,000 | |
| Carried over | 10,005,000 | |
| Brought over | 10,005,000 | |
| Inferior Kabyles, forming otherparts of Suse, not specified | 336,000 | |
| 10,341,000 | ||
| Total. | ||
| The tribes of the Berebbers ofNorth Atlas altogether | 3,000,000 | |
| District of Tafilelt | 650,000 | |
| Provinces of the Marocco Empire,West of Atlas | 10,341,000 | |
| Inland cities, towns, andports | 895,600 | |
| Total population of the wholeempire, including Tafilelt | 14,886,600 | |
Persons who have travelled through the country, unacquainted with the mode of living of the inhabitants, may, probably, consider the above as an exaggerated statement: but it should be understood, that a stranger, in such cases, sees little of the population, as the various douars of Arabs are at a considerable distance from the roads, from which they always retire, to avoid the visits of travellers, whom they are compelled, by the laws of hospitality, to furnish with necessary provisions for three days, without receiving any pecuniary remuneration; of this fact travellers, in general, have not been apprised, and have, in consequence, formed calculations which represent the population very inferior to what it actually is.
The western coast of Marocco is defended with numerous rocks, level with the surface of the water, which extend along the shore in various parts, from the Streights of Gibraltar to Agadeer: we find, however, occasionally, in the intermediate places, an extensive beach, where the water is shallow, and the surf runs high. The empire of Marocco is separated from Algiers by the river Muluwia, which falls into the Mediterranean sea, in long. W. from London, 1° 30′.
The sea-ports of this empire have but a limited commerce with foreign nations: and are consequently neither very extensive nor populous.
Proceeding along the coast of the Mediterranean, we come to the town of Melilla, (the ancient Ryssadirium,) called by the Arabs Melilia, in possession of the Spaniards, who have a garrison here; the country, in its vicinity, abounds with wax and honey, which latter is equal to that of Minorca, and when kept a year, is nearly as hard and white as loaf sugar. The Goths, in whose possession Melilla was when the Arabs invaded the country, abandoned it; and the latter, after retaining it some years, forsook it to dwell in their tents. The Spaniards took possession of it about the beginning of the 15th century. It was besieged by Seedy Mohammed ben Abdallah, Emperor of Marocco, in the year 1774, but without effect.
The next town worthy of notice is Bedis de Gomaira, situated between two mountains, at the bottom of which there was anciently a city called Bedis, supposed to have been founded by the Carthaginians. The Arabs call it Belis, and some Europeans, by a corruption of the word, Velis, the name given it in most of our maps and charts. In the neighbourhood of this place are forests of excellent timber, with which the Moors, before the Spaniards obtained possession of it, built fishing-vessels.
Proceeding from hence westward, we discover the river Busega, near Tetuan, or Tetawan, as it is called by the Arabs, where some of the Emperor’s gallies occasionally winter. About four miles inland from the roadstead, stands the town of Tetuan, in the province of El Garb: this town is built on the declivity of a rocky hill, but is neither large nor strong: its walls are built of mud and mortar, framed in wooden cases, and beaten down with mallets. The inhabitants are rich from commerce, receiving from Spain and Gibraltar dollars, German linens, and cloths, also British manufactures, for which they barter wax, skins, leather, raisins, almonds, olives, oranges, honey, &c. It is inhabited by Moors and Jews, who, for the most part, speak a corrupt Spanish, in which language their commercial negociations are transacted. The environs of Tetuan abound in gardens of the most delicious fruits; here are grown the finest oranges in the world, and they are in great abundance; the adjacent country abounds also in vineyards, the grapes of which are exquisite, and in great variety. From the raisins and figs the Jews distil an ardent spirit (called Mahaya), which, when a year old, is similar to the Irish usquebah, and they prefer it to European brandy or rum, because it does not (as they pretend) heat the blood: they drink immoderately of this spirit, and generally take a glass of it before eating.
Tetuan was founded, according to report, by the Africans, and was a populous town at the time the Moors were driven out of Spain. It was the place of residence for many of the consuls of the European powers, till the year 1770, when an Englishman having shot or wounded a Moor, all the Europeans were ordered to quit the place, and the Emperor Seedy Mohammed declared, he would never suffer an European to settle there again. It is remarkable, that in this declaration he literally kept his word.
This port carried on a considerable trade in provisions with Gibraltar, as vessels are obliged to come here in preference to Tangier, whenever the wind is in the west, and does not permit them to make the latter place; at this time ships may lie in security, and our fleets often water and victual here, as did that of the immortal Nelson, previous to his victory in Aboukeer Bay.[40]
We next come to Cibta, or Ceuta, as it is called by Europeans; it is situated near (Jibbel d’Zatute) Ape’s Mountain, called by the ancients Abyla, one of the pillars of Hercules.
The town of Ceuta is probably of Carthaginian origin; the Romans colonized it; it afterwards became the metropolis of the places which the Goths held in Hispania Transfretana; was next occupied by the Arabs; and, in 1415, taken by the Portugueze; it is now in the possession of Spain. It is celebrated for the strength of its fortifications, its advantageous situation at the entrance of the Mediterranean, being the nearest point to Europe. It is situated on a rising ground, at the foot of the mountain; near it stands the mountain with seven summits, called by the Arabs Sebat Jibbel, and by the ancients, Septem Fratres. If the Emperor Yezzed had succeeded in taking Ceuta, which he twice besieged about the close of the last century, without success, his intention was to harass the trade of the European nations, by fitting out gallies and rovers, for the purpose of capturing and carrying the merchant ships into Tangier, Tetuan, and Ceuta, as they passed through the Streights; but the place is capable, on the land side, of resisting every attack that may be made upon it by the Mohammedans, unless they were aided by some European naval force.
The whole coast from hence to Tangier, the next town we come to, is rugged, and interspersed with projecting cliffs. Tangier, anciently called Tinjis, and Tingia, and now, by the Arabs, Tinjiah, is situated at the western mouth of the Streights, and a day’s journey distant from Tetuan. This town was first possessed by the Romans, next by the Goths, and was given up by Count Julian to the Mohammedans. It was taken in the 15th century by the crown of Portugal, which gave it, in 1662, as part of the dowry of the princess Catherine of Portugal, upon her marriage to Charles the Second of England. The English, however, finding the expenses of keeping it to exceed the advantages derived from the possession of it, abandoned it in 1684, after destroying the mole and fortifications. It still retains some batteries in good condition, facing the bay, at the bottom of which is a river, and the remains of the bridge of Old Tangier; but the sand has so accumulated at the mouth of this river, that the bridge, had it stood, would have been now useless.
Tangier is favourable to Moorish piracy, even without the possession of Ceuta, being the narrowest part of the Streights; but it will never become a commercial town, having but few productions in its vicinage. The Spaniards here ship eggs, fowls, vegetables, and some fruits; but the chief exports are cattle and edible vegetables, which are carried to Gibraltar for the supply of the garrison: this supply is allowed by the Emperor, not perhaps from any predilection towards us (although he apparently prefers the English to any other European power), but because it was a grant from his great grandfather Muley Ismael, whose successors have not infringed on the ordinances of their renowned ancestor, the Mohammedans having a great respect for the deeds of their forefathers.
Westward of Tangier is Cape Spartel, the headland which divides the Streights from the western ocean; after doubling this Cape, at the distance of 15 miles, stands the little town of Arzilla, called by the Carthaginians Zilia, and by the Romans, who had a garrison here, Julia Traducta; it belonged afterwards to the Goths, and latterly to the Mohammedans. Alphonso of Portugal took it in 1741; but about the end of the 16th century, it was abandoned by the Portuguese, and again fell into the hands of the Moors. A river discharges itself at this place into the ocean; but there is no trade carried on.
Proceeding down the coast southward, we discover, at the distance of 33 miles, the town of El Araiche, standing on the river El Kos. El Araice, whence its name is derived, signifies, in the Arabic, flower, or pleasure gardens.[41] This was formerly a town of some commerce; remains of the commercial houses, which appear to have been large and spacious, still exist. The adjacent country is very fine and productive, and furnishes corn, wax, and oil, the two former in abundance; it also contains woods of full-grown trees, fit for ship building. The river El Kos has a bar of sand at its entrance, but is sufficiently deep to admit ships of 100 tons. The gardens of the Hesperides have been supposed to have been situated here.
El Araiche was fortified about the end of the 16th century by Muley ben Nassar; in 1610 it was given up to Spain, and in 1689 retaken by Muley Ismael. There is an excellent market-place in the town: the castle, which commands the entrance of the road, is in good repair, and the guns well mounted, an uncommon thing in this country: and it is further strengthened by several batteries on the banks of the river. The French entered the river in 1765, but by a feint of the Moors, they were induced to go too far up, when they were surrounded by superior numbers, and fell victims to their own impetuosity.
Some foreign commerce was carried on here by the nations of Europe so late as the year 1780, when the Emperor Seedy Mohammed, for some reason unavowed, caused it to be evacuated, and ordered the Europeans to quit it; some of whom went to Mogodor, and others to Europe.
The larger vessels of the Emperor, which, however, are but small, when compared to our ships of the line, generally winter in a cove on the north side of the river, where there are magazines of naval stores, sufficient for the equipment of such force. The soil is sandy, and too loose to admit of the erection of stocks for ship building. The road is not secure in winter, when the winds blow from the south and west, but from April to September inclusive, it is a safe anchorage. El Araiche stands in 35° 11′ N. lat.
Proceeding southward from El Araiche, we reach Maheduma (or Mamora, as it is called by Europeans), distant sixty-five miles. This town is situated on an eminence, close to the river, near the southern banks; it is a poor neglected place, the ferrymen and the inhabitants of which subsist by fishing for (Shebbel) a species of salmon, of which they take an incredible quantity, for the supply of the interior, as well as the neighbouring country, from the autumn till the spring.
The country hereabouts is a continued plain, in which are three fresh-water lakes, one of which is 20 miles in length. This country was formerly populous, but the incalculable number of musquitos, gnats, nippers, and other annoying insects, have obliged the inhabitants to quit the place. These lakes abound in eels, which are taken and salted for preservation and sale; ducks and all kinds of water-fowl also abound on them. Skiffs made of the fan palm and of rushes, about seven feet long and two broad, are used by the fisherman, who guides them with a pole, and pierces the eels with a lance, or long dart, when he sees them in the water, which is not deep. There are a few insulated spots in the largest lake, on which are (Zawiat) sanctuaries, inhabited by the Maraboots, who are held in veneration by the inhabitants of the plains. The plains and valleys are delightfully pleasant in the months of March and April; but in June, July, and August, when musquitos are so indescribably troublesome, they are parched up. On an eminence, at the southern extremity towards the river Seboo, is a sanctuary and asylum for travellers, annexed to which are several gardens and plantations of olives and almonds. The sand bank at the mouth of the Seboo has partially disappeared, and perhaps a little nautical skill might make the river navigable with safety to ships of 200 tons burden.
Travelling to the south from Meheduma, at the distance of sixteen miles we reach Slâa, or Salée, on the northern bank of the river, which is formed by the junction of the streams of the Buregreg and Wieroo; the river at Salée was formerly capable of receiving large vessels; when going thence, however, a few years since, to Mogodor, the vessel which conveyed me, being about 150 tons burden, struck three times on the bar; and as the sand continues to accumulate, it is likely that in another century there will be a separation from the ocean at ebb tide, as is the case in some of the rivers of Haha and Suse already mentioned.
Salée is encompassed by a strong wall, about thirty-five feet high and three feet thick, on the top of which are battlements flanked with towers of considerable strength. At the south-west corner of the town there is a battery of twenty-four pieces of cannon, which commands the entrance of the Buregreg. To the north of the town, in the plains, are the remains of many gardens, and the ruins of a town, built by Muley Ismael for his (Abeed Seedy Bukaree) black troops. When I visited Salée, I was conducted to the subterraneous apartment, where the Europeans were formerly confined, who had the misfortune to fall into the hands of these miscreants:[42] it is a miserable dungeon, though spacious. The streets of Salée, like those of all old towns in this country, are narrow; and the Kasseria, or department for shops and buying and selling, as well as many of the streets, have a canopy which extends across from house to house, which is expedient to the comfort of the people, protecting them from the fierce effulgence of the meridian sun. Salée stands in 34° 2′ N. lat.
After crossing the river we enter the town of Rabat, sometimes denominated New Salée, which is more modern, and rather larger than Salée. European factories have been established at different times in Rabat, but have been frequently quitted, or altogether abandoned, on account of some new order from the Emperor, the instability of whose decrees, whenever they relate to commerce, is but too well known. At other times these establishments have been neglected from the insufficiency of the supplies from Europe, owing to a want of confidence in the security of property in a country whose affairs are directed too frequently by the momentary impulse of a despot, who often orders, judges, and executes, without considering cause or consequence. The walls of this town enclose a number of gardens, orchards, and corn-fields. Near the entrance of the river, at Rabat, on an eminence, are to be seen the ruins of an old castle, built by the Sultan El Monsor, in the 12th century: some subterraneous magazines, remarkable for their strength, being bomb proof, are still preserved; there is also the remains of a small battery, which defended the entrance of the river. Some batteries were rebuilt here in 1774, on a more extensive plan, but the engineer has made the embrasures so close, that it would be inconvenient to work the guns against an attacking enemy. At a short distance south of the castle, on an elevated situation, is a square fort erected by Muley El Arsheed. The walls were built by the Sultan El Monsor, when he resided here; they are about two miles in circuit, and strengthened by square towers; they enclose the castle, the town of Rabat, and a large space of ground, where a palace, and the mausoleum of Seedy Mohammed, the reigning Emperor’s father, stand; here lamps are burning night and day, and fakeers are continually praying with a loud voice, under the colonnade surrounding the latter building, which gives an air of solemnity to the place, impressing with awe the minds of the passengers, who halt and repeat an ejaculatory prayer.
The town and walls of Rabat having been built by Spanish slaves, taken by the Sultan El Monsor, in his wars with Spain, are not very strong; and it has even been reported that the Christians expressly built the houses weak, that the roofs might fall on the Moors, which, it is also said, actually happened, and the Emperor, in retaliation, ordered the same Spaniards to be decapitated at the iron gate.[43]
This Sultan repaired the Roman well at Shella, and built a spacious mosque at Rabat, the roof of which was supported by 360 columns of marble; toward the east were apartments for those who had employment in the mosque. Many of the rough marble columns are still remaining, broken and scattered about; there are also the remains of a large (mitfere) subterranean cistern, which was attached to the mosque, the tower of which is called (Sma Hassen,) the tower of Beni Hassen, so named from the province in which it stands. I have frequently visited this curious tower, and once went to the top of it with a very ingenious Frenchman, the Comte de Fourban;[44] it is built of hewn stone, and is 180 feet in height: the view from it is pleasing and extensive. It has a gradual ascent to the top, made of a mixture of lime and sand, which time has so hardened, that when the Emperor Seedy Mohammed ordered the building to be destroyed (he having been informed that it was a place of assignation to gratify illicit passions), the workmen, after hammering at it for several days, were able only to destroy a few cubits of the terraced floor; the Emperor afterwards came to Rabat, and having been informed of the slow progress of the workmen, he himself visited the tower, and was so struck with the durability of the work, that he ordered them to desist, and caused the entrance to be closed up, which, however, has since been opened. A man on horseback may ride up to the top of this building. At every two or three circles of the terrace are apartments, built of solid stone. It is reported that this tower, the grand tower at Marocco, and the tower of Seville in Spain, were built after the same plan, and by the same architect, in the 12th century. At a small distance to the north of it, are to be seen the ruins of an ancient wall, on which were formerly erected a battery and a castle.
The country, in the neighbourhood, is planted with vines, olives, figs, pomgranates, almonds, oranges, and cotton of an excellent quality; at Rabat there is a manufactory of cotton cloth, which is made more for durability than sale. There are docks for ship-building at Salée, as well as at Rabat; at the latter place, when I was last there, the hulls of two sloops of war were nearly finished; I went aboard of them, and was astonished to learn that they had been built by a man who must have had a natural genius for ship-building, as he built them by the eye, without the use of rules and compasses, a circumstance which appeared to me very extraordinary and incredible; but I was repeatedly informed by many of the inhabitants of Rabat, Moors, Jews, and Christians, that it was a known fact, and might be ascertained by going to see the daily progress made in the building of them.
The road of Salée is dangerous for shipping, and the accumulation of sand at the entrance, will scarcely permit a vessel of 100 tons to enter the river without danger. Vessels may lie in safety out of the river, near Rabat, from April till September inclusive; but they are not secure the rest of the year, the wind blowing from the southern quarter, and often obliging them to quit their moorings. The best anchorage in this season, is between the Mosque of Rabat and the old Tower of Hassen, having the latter to the north. A great number of anchors having been lost, much attention must be paid to the cables and buoys. Rabat stands in 34° 3′ N. lat.
On the eastern side of Rabat is a walled town named Shella: this is sacred ground, and contains many Moorish tombs, held in great veneration: the town is a sacred asylum, and is entered only by Mohammedans. Once, however, when I was staying at Salée, an English captain dressed himself in the Arabian habit, and accompanied by a confidential friend, entered this sacred town, and viewed what his guide told him were the tombs of two Roman generals; but he had not time to examine the inscriptions thereon, for fear of exciting observation. Shella was probably the Carthaginian metropolis on the coast of the ocean. Various Roman and ancient African coins used to be continually dug up here, but the exorbitant price given for them by some agents of European antiquarians, induced the Jews to imitate them, which they did so correctly, that these amateurs were deceived; and lately people have fallen into the opposite extreme, being now so over cautious as to dispute even the antiques themselves; for this reason the Moors often sell them to the silver and goldsmiths for their weight in silver. The last time I was in Africa, I collected a number of these coins, but the vessel, in which I was coming to England, sprung a leak, and foundered: and although I saved some clothes, I could not get at the coins, which were stowed away in a secret part of the ship, to be secure from discovery, in the event of our falling in with any French privateer.
About twenty-five miles south of Rabat is a square building called (El Monsoria) the Building of El Monsor, it having been erected by that Sultan in the 12th century, as a refuge for travellers during the night; as the adjacent country is favourable to the depredations of robbers; and the people of this neighbourhood have been noted, from time immemorial, as mischievous plunderers.
Following the coast southward for 25 miles more, we reach Fedala; where a peninsula, which forms an indifferent shelter to small vessels, has been called in some maps an island. The Emperor Seedy Mohammed, before he founded Mogodor, was desirous of building a city here. The situation, as to country and produce, is delightful; and to encourage commerce, he caused the corn to be brought from the Matamores[45] of the adjacent provinces, and allowed it to be shipped here; it being cheap, he induced the merchants to build houses, as a condition of their being allowed to export it; but the place, although an excellent situation, was abandoned soon after the corn was shipped, owing to some new whim of the Emperor; for such is the fickle instability of the Moors, that it is no uncommon thing in this extraordinary country, to see a town deserted before the buildings are all completed, and such indeed was the case with this delightful place. The road here is, I believe, with the exception of that of Agadeer, the only one where ships may ride at anchor in security in winter, which is owing to the land south of the peninsula before mentioned, projecting into the ocean towards the west.
About twelve miles to the south of Fedala, is Dar el Beida,[46] a town formerly belonging to Portugal, but now in ruins, and consisting only of some huts. The plains in the vicinage of Dar el Beida are so abundant in grain, that when the old Emperor (Seedy Mohammed) reigned, he received annually for duties on corn shipped at this place, five or six hundred thousand Mexico dollars; but since the accession of his son, the present Emperor, and the consequent prohibition of the exportation of grain, the soil here and elsewhere has lain fallow, as it would be useless for a people, whose mode of life renders their wants so few, to sow corn, without having a market to sell it at; and I myself know, that in consequence of this prohibition, corn had become so cheap, that many husbandmen, after the famine and plague in 1800 had subsided, let their crops stand, the value of them being insufficient to pay the expense of reaping them.
Forty-four miles south of Dar el Beida, stands the town of Azamore, in the Arab province of Duquella, at some distance from the mouth of the river Morbeya; the entrance to this river being dangerous, the town of Azamore is not adapted to commerce. The walls built here by the Portuguese are still standing. It was besieged in 1513 by the Duke of Braganza, but abandoned by the Portuguese about a century afterwards.
There is an immense quantity of storks here, insomuch that they considerably exceed the number of inhabitants. The air is very salubrious.
A little to the south of Azamore, on the northern extremity of the bay of Mazagan, are the ruins of Têtt, which signifies in Arabic Titus, and is therefore supposed to be the ruins of the ancient city of Titus, founded by the Carthaginians. On the southern extremity of this bay stands the town of Mazagan, built in 1506 by the Portuguese, and called by them Castillo Real, or the Royal Castle. There is a dock on the north side of the town, capable of admitting small vessels, but large vessels anchor about two miles from the shore, on account of the Cape of Azamore stretching so far westward, as, in the event of a south-west wind blowing, they would not be able to clear it, if they lay nearer.
Mazagan was besieged by the Moors in 1562 ineffectually, and in 1769 the Portuguese had resolved to abandon it when the Emperor Seedy Mohammed ben Abdallah laid siege to it, and took it, the Portuguese having previously evacuated it. It is a strong and well built town, having a wall twelve-feet thick, strengthened with bastions mounting cannon. The air of Mazagan is peculiarly salubrious; the water is also excellent, and has a good effect on horses soon after their arrival here, after passing a country where that element is very indifferent, and is taken up in buckets from wells about one hundred feet deep.
There still exists in this town a subterranean cistern, constructed by the Portuguese in a very elegant style, sufficiently large to supply the garrison with water, which is collected in the rainy season from the terraces of the houses, which are made with a gentle inclination towards the cistern; this water becomes extremely clear, and the lime brought with it from the terraces, clarifies and preserves it from worms and corruption; the cistern was somewhat damaged by the bombs thrown into the town during the siege in 1769, but it still serves the purpose of preserving the water. The vaulted roof is supported by twenty-four columns of the Tuscan order; and the descent is by stairs.
The exportation of corn and wax from this place was very considerable in the time of Seedy Mohammed ben Abdallah.
At a short distance south-west of Mazagan, is an ancient town, called Bureeja, whence the Moorish name Bureeja, which they give to Mazagan.
Thirty-five miles south of Mazagan, is the town of El Waladia, situated in an extensive plain. Here is a very spacious harbour sufficiently extensive to contain 500 sail of the line: but the entrance is obstructed by a rock or two, which, it is said, might be blown up; if this could be effected, it would be one of the finest harbours for shipping in the world. The coast of El Waladia is lined with rocks, at the bottom of which, and between them and the ocean, is a table land, almost even with the surface of the water, abounding with springs, where every necessary and luxury of life grows in abundance. The view of this land from the plains above the rocks, is extremely beautiful and picturesque.
The town of El Waladia is small, and encompassed by a square wall: it contains but few inhabitants. It may have been built towards the middle of the 17th century by Muley El Waled, as the name seems to indicate.
To the south of this, at the extremity of Cape Cantin, are the ruins of an ancient town, called by the Africans Cantin, probably the Conte of Leo Africanus.
Twenty-five miles south of El Waladia, we discover the ancient town of Saffy, situated between two hills, which render it intolerably hot, and in winter very disagreeable, as the waters from the neighbouring mountains, occasioned by the rains, discharge themselves through the main-street into the ocean, deluging the lower apartments of the houses; and this happens sometimes so suddenly and unexpectedly, that the inhabitants have not time to remove their property from the stores.
The walls of Saffy are extremely thick and high; it was probably built by the Carthaginians; but in the beginning of the 16th century it was taken by the Portuguese, who voluntarily quitted it in 1641, after having resisted every effort of the Mooselmin princes, who endeavoured to take it. The road is safe in summer; but in winter, when the winds blow from the south or south-west, vessels are obliged to run to sea, which I have known some do several times in the course of a month whilst taking in their cargoes.
There are many sanctuaries in the environs of Saffy, on which account the Jews are obliged to enter the town barefooted, taking off their sandals, when they approach these consecrated places; and if riding, they must descend from their mule, and enter the town on foot. The people of Saffy, although it has been a place of considerable trade, particularly in corn, are inimical to Europeans, fanatical, and bigotted, insomuch that till lately, Christians found it an unpleasant residence. The surrounding country abounds in corn, and two falls of rain a year are sufficient to bring the crops to maturity.
South of Saffy, we come to a defile close to the road, where only one person can pass, called (Jerf el Eudee) the Jew’s Cliff, so named, (as it is reported,) from a Jew, who, in passing, slipped, and fell down the cavity, which is some hundred feet deep.
Sixteen miles south of Saffy, we reach the river Tensift, which discharges itself into the ocean, near the ruins of an ancient town, probably the Asama of Ptolomy. Travellers pass the Tensift on horseback in summer, but on rafts in the rainy season, which, in passing, drift down to a square fort surrounded by trees, on the opposite side of the river, built by Muley Ismael for the accommodation of travellers.
Proceeding through the plains of Akkeermute, we discover the ruins of a large town near the foot of Jibbel el Heddid,[47] depopulated by the plague about 50 years since; and after a journey of 48 miles from the river, we reach Mogodor, built by the Emperor Seedy Mohammed ben Abdallah ben Ismael, in 1760, and so named from a sanctuary in the adjacent sands, called Seedi Mogodol; but the proper name is Saweera,[48] a name given by the Emperor in allusion to its beauty, it being the only town altogether of geometrical construction in the empire.
Mogodor is built on a sandy beach forming a peninsula, the foundation of which is rocky adjoining to a chain of lofty hills, of moveable sand impelled by the wind into waves continually changing their position, resembling the billows of the ocean, and hence aptly denominated a sea of sand, which sandy sea separates it from the cultivated country. The town is defended from the encroachment of the sea by rocks, which extend from the northern to the southern gate, though at spring tides it is almost surrounded. There are two towns, or rather a citadel and an outer town; the citadel (Luksebba) contains the custom-house, treasury, the residence of the Alkaid, and the houses of the foreign merchants, together with those of some of the civil officers, &c. The Jews who are not foreign merchants are obliged to reside in the outer town, which is walled in, and protected by batteries and cannon, as well as the citadel.
Plate 9.
| Drawn by J. G. Jackson. | Engraved J. C. Stadler. |
West View of (Jibbel Heddeed) the Iron Mountains from the plains of Akkurmute
in the Province of Shedma.
| 1 | Circular encampment of Arabs. | 3 | Circular encampment of Arabs at adistance. |
| 2 | Ruined town of Akkermutedestroyed by the plague. | 4 | Palm of Date Trees. |
| 5 | Sanctuary at the top of the IronMountains. |
London Published June 4. 1811. by W. G. Nicholl Pall Mall.
Plate 10.
| Drawn by J. G. Jackson. | Engraved J. C. Stadler. |
A South East View of Mogodor.
| 1. | Part of the Island of Mogodor. |
| 2. | A Ship entering the Port. |
| 3. | A Battery at the entrance of the Port. |
| 4. | Do. Do. |
| 5. | A Battery at the Landing Place. |
| 6. | Building over the Emperor’s Scale. |
| 7. | Emperor’s Coffee Alcove. |
| 8. | British Vice Consuls tower. |
| 9. | Mosque of the Citadel. |
| 10. | French Vice Consuls tower. |
| 11. | Spanish Vice Do. |
| 12. | Batavian Vice Do. |
| 13. | Entrance Port to the outer town. |
| 14. | Grand Mosque of Seedy Usif. |
| 15. 16. & 17.Mosques. | |
| 18. | Duquella Battery. |
| 19. | Duquella Gate. |
| 20. | Gate near the Sea. |
| 21. | Sandy Beach with loaded Camels approaching the town with the (Stata) or Convoy on horseback. |
| 22. | Boat entering the passage. |
| 23. | Landing Place. |
London Published June 4. 1811. by G. & W. Nicholl Pall Mall.
The wind being high all the summer, with little intermission, nothing will grow here in sufficient quantity to supply the inhabitants, all kinds of fruits and vegetables are therefore brought from gardens from four to twelve miles distant; and the cattle and poultry are also brought from the other side of the sandy hills, where the country, although interspersed with (Harushe) stony spots, is yet capable of producing every necessary of life. The insulated situation of Mogodor, and the want of fresh water, which is brought from the river a mile and a half distant, deprive the inhabitants of all resource, except that of commerce, so that every individual is supported directly or indirectly by it: in this respect it differs from every other port on the coast. The island which lies southward of the town is about two miles in circumference, between which and the main-land is a passage of water, where the ships anchor; but as there is but ten or twelve feet at ebb tide, ships of war, or those of great burden, do not enter the port, but lie at anchor about a mile and a half west of the (Skalla) Long Battery, which extends along the west side of the town towards the sea. This battery was constructed by a Genoese, and is perhaps more remarkable for beauty than strength, and better calculated for offensive than defensive operations. Proceeding southward, towards the entrance of the road, we come to a circular battery, on which are cannon and some mortars, besides a curious brass gun taken by General Lord Heathfield, during the siege of Gibraltar: the carriage, which is also of brass, is in the form of a lion, opens in the middle, and contains the gun within it.[49] Underneath this Battery is an extensive and copious mitfere, or cistern, into which the rain falls from the flat roofs or terraces during the wet season, and is sufficient to supply the garrison a twelvemonth.
Within the harbour, at the landing-place, are two long batteries mounted with very handsome brass eighteen pounders, which were presented to the Emperor Seedy Mohammed, by the Dutch government. The town is defended on the landside by a battery of considerable force to the eastward, and is fully adequate to keep the Shelluhs and Arabs at a distance.
Plate 11.
| Drawn by J. G. Jackson. | Engraved J. C. Stadler. |
North View of the Port of Mogodor taken on the Terras of a House.
| 1. | Vessel entering the Road. |
| 2. | Battery on the Island. |
| 3. | The Island. |
| 4. | Battery on the Island. |
| 5. | A Mosque on Do. |
| 6. | A Battery on Do. |
| 7. | A Bastion where the powder is deposited. |
| 8. | A long Battery mounted with brass Cannon. |
| 9. | Custom House Entrance. |
| 10. | Emperor’s Scale. |
| 11. | Warehouses. |
| 12. | Sandy Hills and Desert Country. |
| 13. | Battery near the River. |
| 14. | The Emperor’s Palace. |
| 15. | Village of Diabet. |
| 16. | Dwaria or Summer house, attached to the Emperor’s Palace. |
| 17. | Wall to prevent the encroachment of the Sea. |
| 18. | Battery on a Rocky ground, forming the North entrance to the port. |
| 19. | Cape Tegriwelt or Ossim. |
| 20. | Road for Shipping. |
| 21. | Battery where the State Prisoners are confined, previous to their transportation to the Island. |
| 22. | Sandy Beach. |
London Published June 4. 1811. by W. & G. Nicholl Pall Mall.
Various opinions have been given of the strength of Mogodor by the different naval officers who have visited it, and with whom I have gone round the fortifications by permission of the Governor of the citadel; I think the best one is, that if the works were all completely mounted, and well manned, it would require six or seven large frigates to capture, or rather destroy the place;[50] for if it were entered by storm, a dreadful slaughter would be made among the assailants by the inhabitants from the tops of the houses, every house being a battery from whence the most destructive fire might be kept up with small arms. This was the case when the Arabs of Shedma, headed by their Sheiks, entered the town one Friday afternoon after prayers.[51] The cause was this: some persons in the town being dissatisfied with the Governor, who was a Bukarie black, or slave, and not a (horreh) freeman, engaged the Bashaw of Shedma[52] to enter the town with the chiefs of his province, assuring him, the people were well disposed towards him, and would, in the event of his forcing an entrance, give up the government to him, thereby securing to the town the necessary supplies of provisions, with which it had of late been but ill supplied, owing to the enmity between the Alkaid of the town, and the Bashaw of the neighbouring province. Things being mature for execution, the army of Arabs secreted themselves behind the sand hills in the hollows, about a mile from the town, whilst the Bashaw and chiefs rode in, and reached the entrance gate, just as it was opened after prayers, and secured the gate-keepers until about 17 or 18 of the chief Arabs of the province had passed into the town: by this time the inhabitants made a desperate push, and got the gate closed again; and the chiefs running about the streets, were fired upon by the armed populace from the tops of the houses, until the whole were killed. The Bashaw took refuge in an old house near the Haha gate, and offered a large sum of money if they would spare his life, but to no purpose; he was shot by the rabble. In the mean time the scouts from the army secreted in the bottoms seeing no signal from the town for their approach, were dismayed, and too soon found it necessary to return to their homes, with the loss of the flower of the province, the most undaunted warriors, who had so often signalized themselves against their neighbours, the Abda and Haha clans. The Arabs entered the town one by one, with fixed bayonets, a very unusual thing in that country, and the whole was conducted in so private a manner, that whilst I was walking round the town with Mr. C. Layton, we met the Bashaw, who saluted us (for he was attached to the English) and said we had nothing to fear, that all would terminate to our satisfaction before the morning. As the balls were flying in all directions, we went to the battery at the landing-place, and there remained till the tumult was over; and when we returned again into the town, were received by the Governor with compliments of congratulation on our escape.
The houses at Mogodor are built as in other towns of the empire; but those of the foreign merchants are more spacious, having from eight to twelve rooms on a floor, which are square or long, and open into a gallery which surrounds a court or garden in the interior of the house, which, if occupied by merchants, is appropriated to the packing and stowing of goods. The roofs are flat and beat down with terrace, a composition of lime and small stones, and when this is properly done, it will remain several years without admitting the rain, provided it be washed over once every autumn with lime white-wash: these terraces serve to walk on to take the air, and are preferable to the walks out of the town, where there is nothing but barren sands drifting with the wind. When, however, the trade-wind does not blow strong, which is but seldom the case, during the summer months, one may walk without being annoyed by the sand.
Mogodor has a very beautiful appearance at a distance, and particularly from the sea, the houses being all of stone, and white: but on entering the streets, which cross each other at right angles, we are greatly disappointed, for they are narrow, and the houses having few windows towards the street, they have a sombre appearance.
In case of an attack, Mogodor would find some difficulty in procuring water, which is brought from the river, about a mile and half to the south, in jars and casks, by mules and asses.
The Emperor Seedy Mohammed, to impress on the minds of his subjects, his desire to make Mogodor the principal commercial port on the ocean, ordered the Bashaw Ben Amaran, and others of the great officers about his person, to bring him mortar and stones, whilst he with his own hands began to build a wall, which is still to be seen on the rocks west of the town; and, in order to encourage the merchants to erect substantial houses, he gave them ground to build on, and allowed them to ship produce, free of duty, by way of remuneration for their expenses. This is the only port which maintains a regular and uninterrupted commercial intercourse with Europe.
A winter seldom passes but some ships are driven ashore here by the south-west winds, and this happens generally between the 12th of December, and the 22d of January, the season called Liali by the Arabs, and the only period dangerous to shipping in the bay.
Proceeding to the south along the coast, the next port we reach is Agadeer, or Santa Cruz, called, in the time of Leo Africanus, Guertguessem; it is the last port in the Emperor’s dominions, on the shores of the Atlantic. The town, which stands on the summit of the Atlas, is strong by nature, and almost impregnable; its walls are also defended by batteries; but the principal battery is at a short distance from the town, half way down the west declivity of the mountain, and was originally intended to protect a fine spring of fresh water, close to the sea; this battery also commands the approach to the town, both from the north and south, and the shipping in the bay. The town called by the Portuguese Fonté, and by the Shelluhs Agurem, is still standing at the foot of the mountain towards the sea, and the arms of that nation are yet to be seen in a building erected over the spring. This town was appropriated to warehouses for the merchants of Santa Cruz to deposit their effects during its establishment.
Santa Cruz was walled round and strengthened by batteries in 1503, by Emanuel, king of Portugal, but it was taken from the Portuguese by the Moors in 1536.
This place would make an excellent depot for the produce of South America; the natural strength of the place, situated on the summit of Atlas, would secure it from the attacks of the Shelluhs and Arabs, who would soon become hospitable and friendly: they are addicted to traffic. Plantations of olives, vines, dates, and oranges abound in the adjacent country; it produces also gum, almonds, copper, lead, salt-petre, and sulphur. Gold dust is brought here from Soudan, silver from the adjacent mountains, and ambergris from the coast to the southward.
The bay of Agadeer is probably the best road for vessels in the empire, being large, deep, and well defended on every side from all winds: a proof of this is, that during my three years residence there, there was not a ship lost or injured. It abounds in exquisite fish, immense quantities of which are caught by the inhabitants of the town, and prepared in ovens, for transportation to the interior.[53]
In the reign of Muley Ismael, Agadeer was the centre of a very extensive commerce, whither the Arabs of the Desert, and the people of Soudan, resorted to purchase various kinds of merchandize for the markets of the interior of Africa; and caravans were constantly passing to and from Timbuctoo. The natural strength of the place, however, its imposing situation, and capability of resisting any force, excited the jealousy of the Emperors, which was confirmed in 1773 by the inhabitants becoming refractory, and Talb Solh, the governor, refusing to deliver it up. On learning this, the Emperor Seedy Mohammed immediately levied an army, and marched from Marocco against it; the place did not make a long resistance, for the rebellious governor, finding it impossible to withstand the imperial army, yielded to the persuasions of the chiefs to accept an invitation the Emperor had sent him to come and declare his allegiance, as on doing that he should receive his pardon; he accordingly repaired to Tamaract,[54] but found, too late, that this was only a stratagem to seize his person, as he was immediately imprisoned; but procuring, by the assistance of a friend, a penknife, which was sent to him, baked in a loaf of bread, he with this terminated his existence, and the town soon after surrendered. The merchants were allowed but a short time to collect together their effects, when they were ordered to proceed to Mogodor, where the Emperor, as before mentioned, encouraged them to build houses.
Beyond Santa Cruz there is no port frequented by shipping: there is a tract of coast, however, which holds out great encouragement to commercial enterprize, and secure establishments might be affected upon it, which would amply remunerate the enterprizing speculator; the people of Suse are also well disposed towards Europeans, particularly the English; and the communication, and short distance, between this place and the provinces, or districts, where most of the valuable products of Barbary are raised, render it peculiarly adapted to trade.
When curiosity induced me to visit this coast, I was invited by the Amarani Arabs to establish a factory at a certain eligible place; the Sheik offered to get a house built for me, free of expense, and declared that all exports and imports should be regulated by a duty of only two per cent. on the value; as he was, however, liable to be shot, being a celebrated warrior, and as I was not sufficiently known in England to procure the credit necessary to carry on advantageously such an establishment, I thought it prudent at that time to decline the overture. If, however, I had been able to procure the same support from Europe that I should have had from the natives and their Sheik, an eligible opportunity would have presented itself to open an extensive and lucrative trade with the interior, which in a short time would have supplied the whole of the inland countries of North Africa with European manufactures and produce.
From Santa Cruz southward the sovereignty of the Emperor slackens, so that at Wedinoon it is scarcely acknowledged, and the difficulty of passing an army over that branch of the Atlas which separates Suse from Haha, secures to the Wedinoonees their arrogated independence. There are but two roads yet discovered fit for shipping between Santa Cruz and Cape Bojador, an extent of coast, for the most part desert, of seventy leagues, the whole of which is inhabited by various tribes of Arabs, who have emigrated at different periods from the interior of Sahara, and pitched their tents wherever they could find a spot capable of affording pasture to their flocks. All along this dangerous and deceitful coast, there are rocks even with, or very near, the surface of the water, over which the waves break violently; and the rapidity of the currents, which invariably set in towards the land, too often drive vessels ashore here.[55]
In these southern climates the people are more superstitious than in the northern provinces; the heat inflaming the imagination, multiplies the number of fanatics, who under the name of Fakeers, or saints, impose on the credulity of the people: they have but few mosques, and therefore pray in the open air, or in their tents. Here we see horses, camels, and other beasts, living together with men, women, and children indiscriminately. When they are in want of water for their religious ablutions, they substitute the use of sand. These restless people are continually at war with their neighbours, which originates in family quarrels; plunder keeps them incessantly in motion, and they traverse the Desert to Soudan, Timbuctoo, and Wangara, with as little preparation as we should make to go from London to Hampstead.
Wedinoon is a kind of intermediate depot for merchandize on its way to Soudan, and for the produce of Soudan going to Mogodor. Gums and wax are produced here in abundance; and the people living in independance, indulge in the luxuries of dress, and use many European commodities. A great quantity of gold dust is bought and sold at Wedinoon. They trade sometimes to Mogodor, but prefer selling their merchandize on the spot, not wishing to trust their persons and property within the territory of the Emperor of Marocco. With Timbuctoo, however, they carry on a constant and advantageous trade, and many of the Arabs are immensely rich; they also supply the Moors of Marocco with (Statas) convoys through the Desert, in their travels to Timbuctoo.
Some of the more enlightened merchants of Mogodor, towards the close of the last century, had a great opinion of an establishment somewhere on this coast, between the latitude of 27° and 30° north; but a famine, and afterwards a most destructive plague, added to various other incidents, conspired to prevent the execution of the plan. It is certain that a very profitable commerce might be carried on with these people; and most probably Bonaparte, if he succeed in the final conquest of Spain, will turn his mind decidedly to an extensive factory somewhere here, which (besides many advantages, which existing circumstances prevent me explaining here) would effectually open a direct communication with Timbuctoo, and Soudan, and supply that immense territory with European manufactures at the second hand, which they now receive at the fifth and sixth.
Having said thus much about the coast, we will proceed to describe the principal inland towns, viz. Marocco, Mequinas, Fas, and Terodant.
Plate 12.
| Drawn by J. G. Jackson. | Engraved J. C. Stadler. |
West View of the City of Marocco with the Mountains of Atlas.
| 1 | Circular encampment of Arabs Tents. | 3 | Grove of Palm of Date Trees. |
| 2 | Strait encampment of Arabs Tents. | 4 | Do. Do. |
| 5 | Atlas Mountains. |
London Published June 4. 1811. by W. & G. Nicholl Pall Mall.