“15. Is the river Soleïman, or the river immediately to the
southward, of Cape Nún, of any extent and where is its source? Is
any town situated on it?
“16. Is there any large town between Istúkah and Nún?
“17. Can you give a tolerable estimate of the population of any
of the places above-mentioned?
“19. You state Adrar to be fifty miles south of the position
assigned in our maps. Is not Adrar the name of a range of mountains,
not of a town?
“Pray excuse these detailed questions, but seeing the confusion
in our maps, and knowing your zeal in the cause of geography, I
venture to trouble you with them; let me recommend you, if possible
to send duplicates of your information at every opportunity, for
while travelling, in a wild and uncivilized country especially,
it is difficult to ensure the safety of your papers.
“Mr. Renouard is well, and thanks Abú Bekr for his remembrances:
he desires his kind regards to you and to him.
“Accept, dear Sir, our best and warmest wishes for your success;
yet let me entreat you not to endanger unnecessarily your life
even with the hope of accomplishing your journey to Tumbúktú;
for however desirable it may be to reach that place, it is not worth
risking life to obtain it.
“I am, very faithfully yours,
“(Signed) JOHN WASHINGTON.
“John Davidson, Esq., Wad Nún.”
* * * * *
[The following letter was addressed to Mr. Vice-Consul Willshire
at Mogadór, but forwarded by that gentleman to Mr. Davidson, who
endorsed upon it the annexed answers to the questions contained
in it.]
“United Service Club, Charles Street, St. James’s,
“DEAR SIR: London, 1st March 1836.
“From your kindness and civility towards my friend, Lieut. Arlett,
who visited Mogadór, in command of H.M.S. _Etna_, and your
readiness to give him all the information in your power, I feel no
hesitation, although an entire stranger, in writing to you, to beg
more information relating to the southern part of the empire of
Marocco; as, in consequence of Arlett’s late survey having cut
off a large slice from our maps between Santa Cruz and Cape Nún,
several towns, such as Istúkah, Nún, &c. must be wrongly placed;
if you can supply any notes on the subject, I shall feel much obliged
to you, and shall gladly make use of them to correct our maps.
“I may mention that I feel the more interested in this country,
having accompanied Mr. Drummond Hay in his visit to the city of
Marocco, in 1830, and thus having had the opportunity of correcting
the map of the more northern parts of the empire.
“I have the pleasure to enclose for your acceptance, the best map
hitherto published of Marocco, that of Count Grăberg af Hemsö,
and to beg you will point out all the errors that you may be enabled
to detect. In order to save you some trouble, I have drawn up a few
questions, begging you, when you do not give the answer from personal
knowledge, to state on what authority it is given, and whether you
think it may be relied on.
“1. How far south of the river Sús does the river of Mésah flow
into the sea; and is it known by that name to the natives, or by what?
“2. How far from its mouth is the town of Mésah situated?
“3. Is it a place of any importance now, and what may be its
population?
“4. Does a river Assah exist? if so, where is its outlet? or
are Assah and Mésah the same river? is either known by the name
of Tesset?
“5. How far is the town of Mésah from ’Agulú?
“6. How far is the city of Tárúdánt from the mouth of the river
Sús, or from Santa Cruz?
“7. What is the name of the stream just south of Mogadór? is it
Wad al Ghored? and is it a stream of any size or extent? where is
its source?
“8. The map represents a branch of the river Sús, named Ras-el-Wad,
winding round Mount Elalah, and joining the Sús at Tárúdánt;
does such a river exist, and is this any thing like its course?
“9. How far is Tedsi from Tárúdánt?
“10. Riley mentions Wad-e-stá, between Istúkah and Santa Cruz;
is it rightly named, and where is its outlet?
“11. Are the towns of Istúkah and Talent on the Assah or Mésah;
and if so, how far from Mésah, or from each other?
“12. Does a place called Gueder, or Port Hillsborough, exist? or
is it the Wad Reguela of Arlett’s Chart?
“13. Does a town called Wad Nún exist? or is it the name of a
river, or of the country?
“14. How far is the town of Nún from the mouth of the river Nún,
or from Cape Nún? and is it situated on the river Nún?
“15. Has the river Nún any other name? either Akassa or
Wad-el-aksa?
“16. Is the river Soleïman, or the river immediately to the
southward of Cape Nún, of any extent, and where is its source? is
any town situated on it?
“17. Is there any town between Istúkah and Nún? how far is Ufaran
from Talent?
“18. Can you give a tolerable guess at the population of any of
the towns mentioned? and especially of Mogadór, Santa Cruz, &c.,
and the number of Jews they contain?
“Any other geographical information, towards correcting our
maps will be thankfully received. May I beg you to take as early
an opportunity as you conveniently can to answer these questions,
and with every apology for the trouble I am giving
“Believe me, my dear Sir, faithfully yours,
(Signed) “JOHN WASHINGTON.”
[The following replies were written by Mr. Davidson.]
“Question 1. About fifty-four miles—it is known by the name of
Wad Mesah, and also called Wholgrass [?]
“2. The town is Assah, distant about two miles—a few scattered
houses on each side to within half a mile of the sea.
“3. Of no importance; famed only for having near it a Tuesday
market, to which many people resort—its population may be one
hundred persons.
“4. Assah is the name of the district through which the river
Mesah flows: neither is known by the name of Tesset.
“5. From ’Agulú fifteen miles; large town with a population of
about six hundred.
“6. Equidistant; about thirty miles from each; and visible from
both.
“8. The Rás el Wad comes directly from the mountains, and passes
by Tárúdánt where it takes the name of Sús.
“9. Tedsi is about twenty miles E.N.E. of Tárúdánt.
“10. I can learn nothing of Wad-e-Stá.
“11. There is no town called Stuka, it is a district; none that I
can find, called Talent, there is _Tilin_; the Mesah flows through
Stuka, in which district are twenty settlements, or towns if you
like, some of them are large; they are known in general by the name
of the Sheïkhs who inhabit them, I stopped at Sheïkh Hamed’s;
Tilin was distant from this spot a day’s journey in the mountains
towards the source of the river.
“12. This place is called _Isgueder_ but not known by the name of
Port Hillsborough; the people called the small river here _Edaoguma_;
on this stream are twenty-five mills.
“13. Wad Nún is a large district having many clusters of
habitations; the town where the Sheïkh resides is of a good size;
has a Millah and a good market; it stands on the river (such as it
is), distant twenty-two miles from the sea.
“15. Wad el _Aisa_ comes from the mountains above _Sok Aisa_,
and as it passes through the district of Wad Nún, it takes the name
of _Assaka_.
“16. I have not yet been beyond two miles south of Wad Nún.
“17. There are at least twenty villages between Stuka and Wad
Nún. If by Talent, _Tissert_ is meant. Oferen is distant six miles.
“18. Population of Agadir forty-seven Mohammedans; Jews thirteen
heads of families, and with their children amount to sixty-two. At
Fonte, which is the port, about two hundred—no Jews.”
* * * * *
EXTRACTS FROM MR. DAVIDSON’S LETTERS.
The following extracts are given with the view of explaining some
allusions made in the Journal.
In a letter to Mr. G. D———d, Mr. Davidson says, “after
endeavouring to enter Africa _in forma pauperis_, I tried another
tack, and got up a staff of six officers in field-day regimentals,
and embarking in a brig of war the ‘Jasséen,’ landed at Tangier
under a salute of eleven guns. This stamped me at once as a great
man; and though I have been somewhat accustomed to such kind of
greatness, I find it not very pleasant here, for I have Messúd,
my Jewish interpreter, and Ben Hayed, my Moorish interpreter, and
I can hardly stir without both being on the alert, the one watching
my mouth, the other my eye.”
Speaking of the feelings of the natives towards a foreigner he says,
“the people here are worse than any I have yet seen; they hate me
because I am a Christian, although they are ready to praise me for my
kindness to Abú, who is half-anxious and half afraid to proceed. His
health is bad and spirits worse, and his powers quite unequal to
what we shall have to go through. We certainly run some risk: I am
very careful what he eats, and much fear that the threats thrown
out against his getting back will prove too true. As for myself,
I pass the time in riding with the Taurick, chatting with the Jews,
and taking snuff with the Moors.”
Speaking of the Mona he observes, “I had to pay for a sheep, fowls,
eggs, bread, and preserves, but being neither butcher, poulterer,
baker or confectioner, the things were of little use to me. They call
the present _Mona_, which may mean _Manna_; and as these vagabonds
call themselves the image of God upon earth, they think it enough
if they give only food.”
In allusion to the _Lob el Barool_ he says, “It is literally
‘the game of smoke,’ and played by soldiers on horseback, who
fire off their guns with only blank cartridges; but sometimes they
put in a ball, which is sure to strike, of course by mere accident,
a Christian.”
With regard to the ruins near the outset, Mr. D. seems to think they
are Druidical, and he compares them with the remains of Stonehenge
in Wiltshire.
Speaking of his medical life in Africa, he says, “all whom I cure
come to be paid for allowing me to improve myself in my profession,
and demand a piece of coin for every dose they have been taking;
while those I fail to cure abuse me for want of skill, and threaten
to shorten my life for not prolonging theirs.”
The allusion to the electrical horse will be best explained by the
following letter, written by Mr. D. to Professor Faraday, and by
whom it was read at the Royal Institution.
“The great interest you take in all matters relating to electricity,
and the great advantages which have resulted from your researches in
that science, induce me to call your attention to a circumstance,
perhaps not new to you, but which has recently fallen under my own
observation. I received from the Sultan of Marocco the present of
a horse of a peculiar breed, and as every person in this country is
his own groom, I observed a peculiar tingling sensation in the hand
on dressing the neck of the animal; this I attributed at first to
the dirt and vermin with which the poor animals here are infested,
and then thought no more of it. On leaving Marocco I proceeded
towards the Atlas; and whenever I had occasion to consult my compass
I found it extremely difficult, nay, impossible to keep it steady. I
supposed this was owing to my sword and pistol; but as I wore these,
when walking, without observing the same deflection, I dismounted,
and holding the compass, I still perceived the same effect as long
as I held it near the horse’s head; but when I left the animal,
and put the instrument on the ground, the needle settled to its
point. After a little reflection, the effect produced on my hand
by rubbing the horse’s neck on the near side occurred to me;
when repeating the experiment, I could perceive several distinct
intimations of the same tingling sensation. We proceeded to our
halt; and as soon as the party had sat down to their evening meal,
I began to examine into the matter more closely. It was now dusk;
on passing my hand down the neck, not only could I hear distinctly
the electrical detonation, but perceive a quantity of sparks; both
were such as would be produced by rubbing the large plate machine
at the Royal Institution. Thinking the effect might still have been
produced by animalculæ, and intending to visit the following day the
ruins of Trassermant, I ordered the horse to be well washed in the
morning. On pouring water over his neck, I found a peculiar spasmodic
action produced, which did not take place when it was poured upon
any other part of the body, not even on the off-side of the neck, on
which fell the mane. Ascending the lower part of the mountain chain
toward the snow, the effect was scarcely visible; but on returning to
the valley, it was considerably increased, and especially after the
animal had been well washed and dried. Approaching the sea, it became
more powerful, and at Mogadór I got several persons to witness the
phenomenon. I was here told by the kaid, who had accompanied me from
Marocco, to take great care of the animal; that there were very few
of them in the country, and that the Sultán seldom gave them away;
that it was not only a horse of high blood but of fire, and it would
never tire. It has done a great deal of hard work, and fully bears
out the character given of him. I have moreover observed, on touching
him with the spur, or when he is excited by the firing of a gun,
or the sight of other horses, that a violent action is produced on
this side of the neck. Upon entering the desert, the effect nearly
disappeared, and at the same time a great portion of his courage,
although he continued to do his work well. The difference may,
however, be owing to the great change from an abundant to a spare
diet, and to his sympathising with his master by shewing more bone
than flesh, as our meals are reduced to one a-day. Can the colour
have any thing to do with it? He is golden dun, with a black mane
and tail. I have seen but three of the same hue, two in the stables
of the Sultán, and the third in the possession of the Sheïkh of
Stuka; but I could not obtain permission to examine them. I am very
anxious to send him to England; but I fear it will be impossible, as
the whole of the persons in power in Marocco are so incensed against
me for having eluded their vigilance, and succeeded in getting out of
the empire upon the direct track of the gold district, that I am told
that no favour would now be granted, and that if I come back, I shall
rue what I have done in passing to this place. The road is now open to
me: my intention is not to follow the caravan route, but to proceed
with a small escort and a few camels by the road the couriers take,
and thus obtain a new line and bearing to establish the position of
Tumbuktú. I had made a collection for the Royal Institution of some
mineralogical and fossil specimens; amongst which were many of copper,
antimony and lead, and what they here call brass (_nhas asfer_). The
last was obtained, but with difficulty, for Professor Berzelius, at
the request of the consul-general at Tangiers. But having to lighten
my baggage, when passing through Lower Suse, the mule-load of stones
had to be sent away, with a promise that they should be forwarded
to Mogadór. They were addressed to yourself, with a request to
send the duplicates to the professor at Stockholm. I fear much they
will never reach you, as a Berber told me the people will be sure to
think they contain gold, and they will all be sent to the furnace.”
It appears, however, by a letter to Mr. Drummond Hay, that Sheïkh
Alí subsequently told Mr. Davidson, that finding they were only
stones, he, the Sheïkh, had thrown them away, but had kept the
baskets.
In allusion to the project of making Agadeer the port for sending
goods into the interior of Africa, he says, that the people there
asserted that the story circulated of the insecure state of property
in that country was unfounded; that such reports were spread by
the people of Mogadór, who feared that foreigners would come and
settle there, if it was thought that trade could be carried on with
Suse better by that route than the old one. It was this very dread
of the trade being directed into a new channel, that seems to have
thrown such impediments in the way of Mr. D.’s journey to Tumbuktú.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: This was the agent of the Emperor of Morocco, then
residing, as a merchant, at Gibraltar. He died lately, leaving a
fortune of 3,000,000 dollars.]
[Footnote 2: The opposition of Mr. Hay arose from his fears of the
perilous nature of Mr. Davidson’s enterprize, and his unwillingness,
therefore, to take upon himself any responsibility. This is distinctly
shewn by Mr. Hay’s letter, given in the Appendix.]
[Footnote 3: This is the name of a vessel whose arrival is noted on
Nov. 8. It had probably carried Mr. Hay from Gibraltar to Tangier, and
then returned for the purpose of conveying Mr. Hay’s son thither,
on his arrival from England.]
[Footnote 4: This is the Moorish name for a market-place.]
[Footnote 5: Fantasia is said of a fair intended for pleasure only,
and not for business.]
[Footnote 6: This is the name of the highest hill in the Mexican
Cordillera of the Andes.]
[Footnote 7: _Lálá_ is Lady in Arabic, and _r_ is sometimes
substituted for _l_.]
[Footnote 8: So in the MS.]
[Footnote 9: This is a Persian word for _a present_, and, though
common in Turkey, not used in Morocco.]
[Footnote 10: This is a kind of a tilt, where one party endeavours
to unhorse the other.]
[Footnote 11: Who the Doctor was is not told by Mr. D.]
[Footnote 12: This is the name of a province of Morocco. Two of
the Ríf guns were sent to London and are in the possession of
Mr. D.’s brother.]
[Footnote 13: Persons attached to a mosque, whose business is to
call the faithful to prayers. The word is pronounced Mu-edkdhin by
the Arabs, and Mu-ezzin by the Turks, Persians, and Indians.]
[Footnote 14: This was a place so called by its modern name:
its former one was Emsórah, as stated a little farther on. It is
properly Autád (pegs or stakes), but the Moors often confound _t_
and _th_, which latter they generally pronounce _ts_. The long _á_
has often the sound of _é_, and the final _d_ becomes _t_.]
[Footnote 15: _Adwár_, or _dawár_; it is used to signify a village;
it is properly a circular encampment.]
[Footnote 16: For Mesbrah or Musawwesah (sculptured).]
[Footnote 17: This is a dish of grain, rice, &c. prepared as food for
the common people, which they eat in immense quantities. It appears
to be not unlike the _piláú_, the favourite dish of the Turks.]
[Footnote 18: The following account cannot fail to strike those who
have seen or heard of the circles at Stonehenge.]
[Footnote 19: Mr. D. seems to allude here to a similar tradition in
some part of Ireland.]
[Footnote 20: Adwárátie, _i.e._ villages.]
[Footnote 21: Specimens of the ore were sent to the Royal
Institution.]
[Footnote 22: Perhaps Mr. D. had in his mind the passage in
Shakspeare, where Catherine says, “Asses were made to bear, and so
shall you;” to which Petruchio replies, “Women were made to bear,
and so shall you.”]
[Footnote 23: They are said to live chiefly on milk.]
[Footnote 24: These helmets and guns were sent to London, and are
now in the possession of the brother of Mr. D.]
[Footnote 25: So in the MS.]
[Footnote 26: An Ardeb, equal to about 3½ bushels, is a common
measure in Egypt; and as Mr. Davidson had travelled in that country,
he might easily suppose they spoke of Ardebs, when he heard them
mention Arrobas (Alrob’ah, a quart.)]
[Footnote 27: So, too, the French have lately discovered some Roman
ruins at Setif in Africa. A triumphal arch, erected in honour of
Caracalla, has been also found at Jemmílah, together with a Roman
causeway, that unites those two places.—See _Times_, Feb. 4, 1839.]
[Footnote 28: Wád el Áyéshah (the cheering river) is
crossed before the traveller reaches Fahs-el-ríhán. See map
(Geogr. Journ. i. 124.)]
[Footnote 29: During the Ramadán, the Muselmán takes nothing between
sun-rise and sun-set; but afterwards makes up for his abstinence by
eating voraciously.]
[Footnote 30: This will be understood by comparing the dates of the
three preceding days.]
[Footnote 31: The last Chapter in the Korán.]
[Footnote 32: Called Mináreh, or Mináret, by Persians, Turks,
and Eastern Arabs.]
[Footnote 33: Market-place.]
[Footnote 34: The Millah is the part of a Moorish town where the
Jews reside.]
[Footnote 35: It is probable that, as the news of Mr. D.’s journey
to Morocco had preceded him, the chief, who met him on this occasion,
had, like many others, come with the view of extorting a present in
return for the civility shown to an English traveller.]
[Footnote 36: This is probably a Moorish expression, to denote a
trifling present.]
[Footnote 37: So in the map; in the MS. ‘Sheivra or Sheraga.’]
[Footnote 38: In the map, ‘Mansoría.’]
[Footnote 39: For Ahmed a transposition of letters common among the
Moors, who say Embárek, for Mobárek; Imhammed for Mohammed, &c.]
[Footnote 40: All travellers in Morocco agree in stating that
Christians are held there in the greatest detestation; nor could
the Moors understand the motives that led Mr. D. to act the kindly
part he did towards Abú, who had been at once a Musulman, a negro,
and a slave.]
[Footnote 41: “Azammór of Sheïkh Shu’eïb,” says Abú-l-Fedá
in his Geography of Africa, page 4.]
[Footnote 42: Properly Mazíghan.]
[Footnote 43: Marking the direction of Mecca, to which the Muselmán
must turn when praying.]
[Footnote 44: This is the Spanish and Moorish word for a light-house,
lantern, or watch-tower.]
[Footnote 45: So in MS. Mr. D. seems to have again lost his
reckoning.]
[Footnote 46: So in MS.]
[Footnote 47: Here is a blank in the manuscript; most probably
the garden of Reduan. See plan of the city of Marocco in _London
Geographical Journal_, vol. i.]
[Footnote 48: So in MS.]
[Footnote 49: So in the MS.]
[Footnote 50: Pieces of the Korán are used by the Moorish doctors
as charms—a superstition that Mr. D. probably adopted to humour
his patients, but which the minister was surprised to find an English
physician resorting to. Knowing how acceptable verses from the Korán
are to Mussulmans, Mr. Davidson had a selection printed on slips of
coloured paper before he left London.]
[Footnote 51: Mr. D. is here speaking metaphorically. He conceived
that the Kaid of Mogador wished to get at his motive for visiting
Timbuctoo; he therefore gave him no clue, by saying nothing on the
subject. It is a slang metaphor.]
[Footnote 52: So in the original MS., with a blank.]
[Footnote 53: This was taken by the French during their attack
on Algiers.]
[Footnote 54: Took a pill and a draught.]
[Footnote 55: These letters make the nearest approach to the marks
in the MS.]
[Footnote 56: These are dresses worn by the Jewish priests; they
were sent to London.]
[Footnote 57: So in the MS.]
[Footnote 58: These were two medicine chests sent to the Emperor of
Morocco from London.]
[Footnote 59: Eunuch.]
[Footnote 60: So in MS. Mr. D. probably alluded to the black
Towáshi.]
[Footnote 61: _i.e._ Writer.]
[Footnote 62: This dress was never received; nor is any further
mention made of it in the letters.]
[Footnote 63: These are damascened in gold, and are now in England.]
[Footnote 64: So in MS.]
[Footnote 65: The number of feet is not given in the journal; but as
this place was also visited in January 1830, by Mr. Drummond Hay and
his party, who carried a good barometer with them, we know that it is
elevated about 1,800 feet above the city of Marocco, and 3,000 feet
above the sea. See _London Geographical Journal_, vol. i. p. 150.]
[Footnote 66: So in MS.]
[Footnote 67: Or Shulúh, the plural of Shilhah.]
[Footnote 68: Some specimens of these were sent to London.]
[Footnote 69: Capt. Washington, who went over this ground, says that
the _douars_ or _adwars_, here alluded to, are in reality villages
with stone houses. ED.]
[Footnote 70: These were presented at Mr. D.’s desire to the
Royal Institution.]
[Footnote 71: That is, from leaving Tasremút.]
[Footnote 72: N.N.W.?]
[Footnote 73: This is called in some maps _Imizmizi_.]
[Footnote 74: Pronounced Hámet by the Moors, who frequently invert
the first letters of names, and say Imhammet for Mohammed.]
[Footnote 75: Scoundrels.]
[Footnote 76: This was brought, in all likelihood, for purchase,
as Mr. D. was very fond of all sorts of arms, and had sent many
kinds of daggers to England.]
[Footnote 77: _Elæodendron Argan_, from the berries of which an
oil much used in Marocco, is extracted.]
[Footnote 78: Mubárek.]
[Footnote 79: So in MS.]
[Footnote 80: Places in Africa have frequently two names—one Buber,
and the other Arabic. (Zemima?)]