AN ACCOUNT
OF
THE EMPIRE OF MAROCCO,
&c. &c.
CHAPTER I.
Geographical Divisions of the Empire of Marocco.
The empire of Marocco,[7] including Tafilelt,[8] is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean sea; on the east by Tlemsen,[9] the Desert of Angad, Sejin Messa,[10] and Bled-el-jerrêde;[11] on the south by Sahara (or the Great Desert); and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. It may be divided into four grand divisions.
1st, The northern division, which contains the provinces of Erreef,[12] El Garb, Benihassen, Temsena, Shawia, Tedla, and the district of Fas;[13] these are inhabited by Arabs of various tribes, living in tents, whose original stock inhabit Sahara; to which may be added the various tribes of Berebbers, inhabiting the mountains of Atlas,[14] and the intermedial plains, of which the chief clans or Kabyles are the Girwan, Ait Imure, Zian,[15] Gibbellah, and Zimurh-Shelluh.
The principal towns of this division are, Fas (old and new city, called by the Arabs Fas Jeddede and Fas el Balie), Mekinas, or Mequinas, Tetuan, Tangier, Arzilla, El Araiche, Sla, or Salée, Rabat, Al Kassar, Fedalla, Dar-el-beida, and the Sanctuary of Muley Dris Zerone, where the Mohammedan religion was first planted in West Barbary.
2d, The central division; which contains the provinces of Dukella or Duquella, Abda, Shedma, Haha, and the district of Marocco.[16] The chief towns being Marocco, Fruga, Azamore, Mazagan, Tet, Al Waladia, Asfie, or Saffee, Sueerah, or Mogodor.[17]
3d, The southern division; containing the provinces of Draha and Suse; which latter is inhabited by many powerful tribes or Kabyles, the chief of which are Howara, Emsekina, Exima, Idautenan, Idaultit, Ait-Atter, Wedinoon, Kitiwa, Ait-Bamaran, Messa, and Shtuka; of these Howara, Wedinoon, and half of Ait-Bamaran are Arabs; the others are Shelluhs. The principal towns of this division are Terodant, Agadeer,[18] or Santa Cruz, Inoon, or Noon, Ifran, or Ufran, Akka, Tatta, Messa, and Dar-Delemie.
4th, The eastern division, which lies to the east of the Atlas, and is called Tafilelt; it was formerly a separate kingdom. A river of the same name passes through this territory, on the banks of which the present Emperor’s father, Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah, built a magnificent palace. There are many other adjacent buildings and houses inhabited by sherreefs, or Mohammedan princes of the present dynasty, with their respective establishments.[19]