[16]By the negligence of authors Marocco has been called Morocco, as Mohammed or Muhammed has been transformed to Mahommed, and Mohammedan to Mahommedan.
[17]Sueerah is the proper name; Europeans have called it Mogodor, from a saint who was buried a mile from the town, called Sidy Mogodool, which last word, from oral tradition, has been corrupted to Mogador, and sometimes to Mogadore.
[18]Agadeer is the Arabian name, Guertguessem the ancient African name, and Santa Cruz is the Portugueze appellation.
[19]The modern Arabs divide Northern Africa into three grand divisions: the first extends from the Equator to the Nile el Abeede, or river of Nigritia, and is called Soudan, which is an African word indicative of black, the inhabitants being of that colour: the second extends from the river of Soudan to Bled-el-jerrêde, and is denominated Sahara, from the aridity and flatness of the land: the third division comprises Bled-el-jerrêde, the maritime states of Barbary, Egypt, and Abyssinia. Some authors have affirmed that Bled-el-jerrêde signifies the Country of Dates; others, that it signifies the Country of Locusts; dates certainly abound there; but the name does not imply dates. Jerâad is the Arabic for locusts; but it is a different word from Jerrêde, which signifies dry.
CHAPTER II.
Rivers, Mountains, and Climate of Marocco.
The following are the principal rivers in the empire of Marocco:
The Muluwia, which separates the empire from Angad and Tlemsen, rises at the foot of the Atlas, and, passing through the desert of Angad, discharges itself into the Mediterranean about thirty miles S.E. of Mellilla. This is a deep and impetuous stream, impassable in (Liali) the period between the 20th of December and 30th of January inclusive, or the forty shortest days, as computed by the old style; in summer it is not only fordable, but often quite dry, and is called from that circumstance El Bahar billa ma, or, a sea without water.
El Kose, or Luccos, at El Araiche, so called from its arched windings, El Kose signifying in the Arabic of the western Arabs an arch. Ships of 100 or 150 tons may enter this river at high water; it abounds in the fish called shebbel: it is never fordable, but ferries are constantly crossing with horses, camels, passengers and their baggage, &c.