Metallic, Mineral, and Vegetable Productions.
METALS AND MINERALS.
Gold and Silver Mines are found in several parts of the Empire of Marocco; but more particularly about Messa in the province of Suse. Being once on a visit to the Vicegerent of this province, Alkaid Mohammed ben Delemy, at Shtuka, and desirous to examine the country in the vicinity of Messa, together with its mines, I requested an escort from the Vicegerent, to accompany me thither, which he readily granted. On my arrival at Messa, I proceeded to the southern banks of the river, where I was shewn a gold mine, which, I was informed, had been worked by the Portuguese, when they were in possession of this district, and who, previous to their departure, had thrown stones into the aperture, which the Shelluhs had frequently attempted in vain to remove. These stones were of an immense size, and it would have required considerable mechanical powers to effect their removal. I was next conducted through the bed of the river, when I discovered, on a bluish soil, two separate strata of blue sand intermixed with silver dust; of this I collected a small quantity, and sent it to England to be analyzed; but such is the disposition of the people, that they will not allow the sand to be taken away in any quantity for the purpose of extracting the metal; though they make no use of it themselves, being unacquainted with the proper method of refining it.
Near Elala and Shtuka, in the same province, there is a very rich silver mine; but being situated between two clans, they are continually fighting about it, and by this means both parties are deprived of the benefit it offers. I have purchased lumps of this silver, which had been refined by the natives, and it was more pure than the silver of Spanish dollars.
There is another silver mine in the plains of Msegina, near Santa Cruz: this was reported to the Emperor Seedi Mohammed, to be extremely rich, and he accordingly sent some persons conversant in minerals to inspect, and report upon it. Previous to their departure, however, they were secretly informed, that he wished to discourage the working of this mine, lest the province might be thereby rendered too rich and powerful, and the people be enabled to throw off their allegiance. In consequence of this, after a formal examination had been made, it was reported that the mine would not pay for the expense of working it. The entrance was then broken in, and the Shelluhs, discouraged by this unfavourable report, and not suspecting the motive for destroying the mine, paid no further attention to it. This mine had probably been worked by the Portuguese, when they were in possession of Santa Cruz and Agurem.
Gold is also found in the Atlas mountains, and in Lower Suse, but the mines are not worked.[113]
Suse also produces iron, copper, and lead ore. In the mountains of Idaultit, they have iron, which they manufacture themselves into gun-barrels, and other articles. At Tesellergt the copper mines are extremely abundant; but they work them only as they want the metal. In Tafilelt are mines of antimony; it abounds also in lead ore.
Mineral Salt.—West Barbary, Bled-el-jerrêde, and parts of Sahara, abound in mineral salt, of a red colour, which is dug from quarries and mines. In the province of Abda there is a very extensive lake, which furnishes salt of a superior quality to the mineral; they are both exceedingly strong, and are not fit to prepare meat with, having been frequently tried; this, however, may be owing to the unskilfullness of the Moors in curing meat.
Near the cities of Fas and Mequinas a similar salt is also found; and a beautifully white and pure kind is procured among the rocks, which bind many parts of the coast; this is produced by the effulgence of the meridian sun, exhaling the water from the salt which remains in the cavities.
Vast quantities of salt are conveyed by the Akkabahs to Soudan, where none is produced, and on that account is so valuable at Timbuctoo, that a pound weight is frequently bartered for an ounce of gold dust.