AN
ACCOUNT
OF
THE EMPIRE OF MAROCCO,
_&c. &c._
[Illustration: _James Grey Jackson._
_Engraved by E. Scriven (Historical Engraver to H.R.H. the Prince
Regent.) from an Aquatinta profile by Mrs. Read._
_Published Augst. 12th. 1811. by G. & W. Nicol. Pall Mall._]
[Illustration: An _Accurate Map_ of WEST BARBARY, _Including SUSE AND
TAFILELT, forming the Dominions of the present_ EMPEROR OF MAROCCO,
_Containing several Towns, & Districts never inserted in any former
Map,_ By JAMES GREY JACKSON 1811.
_London Published Augst. 30th. 1811. by G. & W. Nicoll Pall Mall._
_S. T. Neele. sc. Strand._]
AN
ACCOUNT
OF
THE EMPIRE OF MAROCCO,
AND THE
DISTRICTS OF SUSE AND TAFILELT;
COMPILED FROM
MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS MADE DURING A LONG RESIDENCE IN,
AND VARIOUS JOURNIES THROUGH, THESE COUNTRIES.
TO WHICH IS ADDED AN ACCOUNT OF
SHIPWRECKS ON THE WESTERN COAST OF AFRICA,
AND AN INTERESTING
ACCOUNT OF TIMBUCTOO,
THE GREAT EMPORIUM OF CENTRAL AFRICA.
* * * * *
العالم بارض ميلاده
كالد هب في معدنه
Vide Proverbs of Lokman.
* * * * *
BY JAMES GREY JACKSON, ESQ.
* * * * *
ILLUSTRATED WITH IMPROVED MAPS AND NEW ENGRAVINGS.
SECOND EDITION,
CORRECTED, NEWLY ARRANGED, AND CONSIDERABLY ENLARGED.
LONDON:
* * * * *
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR,
BY W. BULMER AND CO. CLEVELAND-ROW, ST. JAMES’S;
AND SOLD BY G. AND W. NICOL, BOOKSELLERS TO HIS MAJESTY,
PALL-MALL.
1811.
TO
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
GEORGE,
PRINCE OF WALES,
&c. &c. &c. &c.
THIS ACCOUNT
OF
THE EMPIRE OF MAROCCO,
IS,
WITH PERMISSION,
RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,
BY
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS’S
MOST OBEDIENT,
MOST HUMBLE, AND MOST DEVOTED SERVANT,
THE AUTHOR.
_Bloomsbury-square,_
_May_ 30, 1809.
ADVERTISEMENT
TO THE SECOND EDITION.
* * * * *
The very favourable manner in which the first Edition of this Account
of Marocco was received by the Public, and the flattering terms in
which it was spoken of by the most eminent Critical Journals of the
day,[1] afford me now an opportunity, in presenting a second Edition to
the world, of thus publicly returning my most grateful acknowledgments,
and at the same time of enlarging and improving the work, and thereby
rendering it still more worthy of public approbation: this I have been
enabled to do from my own original notes, many of which were forgotten
or overlooked in the first arrangement of the book.
_The new matter now submitted to the Public, consists principally
in a fuller account of the revenues of the state, several additions
on various other subjects, as the natural history of the country,
its inhabitants, and their modes of life, administration of
justice, treatment of children, and education of youth; some
further observations on the plague, and the diseases incident to
the inhabitants; a comparison between the ancient language of the
Canary Islands and that of the Shelluhs of South Atlas; Mr. Betton’s
philanthropic Will and patriotic intentions, manifested in his liberal
bequest to emancipate British seamen from captivity; cautions to
navigators; laws, manufactures, and customs of Timbuctoo; and, for the
amusement of the Arabic scholar, three Letters are introduced, with
their translations, to enable him to compare the Arabic of Africa with
that of Asia. Finally, there is scarcely a page that has not received
some additional matter or improvement._
Indeed I have been anxious to discuss every subject that could in any
manner tend to illustrate the actual state of the Empire of Marocco,
being confident that the more these subjects are discussed among us,
the more they will merit our attention: and that, if ever the interior
of Africa is to be explored by Europeans, if ever we are to reach
the grand object of our research, the Emporium of Central Africa
(Timbuctoo), Marocco is the most eligible point to set out from. But
it is indispensably necessary that we should first overcome our own
prejudices and misconceptions respecting this country; _we should first
secure to ourselves all those advantages which would result from an
active and uninterrupted commercial intercourse with the principal Sea
Ports of the Western Coast;_ and when these objects shall have been
accomplished, the rest will readily follow.
In the first Edition I promised that, should my labours meet with
approbation, I would publish the political history of Marocco: this
I had written, and intended as a second part to this Edition (indeed
three sheets of it were printed); but considering that the subject
has been before discussed, and being unwilling to trouble the public
with intelligence _not altogether new_, I have thought it expedient to
suppress it.
It is not probable that I shall do any thing more to this work, I
therefore now dismiss it as perfect as I can render it. The greater
part of it, I repeat, is the fruit of my own knowledge and experience;
and I have never spoken on the authority of others, but when I have had
opportunities of investigating the sources of their intelligence, and
when I have had every reason to believe their information correct.[2]
J. G. JACKSON.
_Burton Street,_
_Sept. 30th_, 1811.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: Edinburgh Review, No. 28. Critical Review, Aug. 1809.
London Review, August 1809. Anti-jacobin Review, Aug. and Sept. 1809.
&c. &c.]
[Footnote 2: Since this book first appeared, the Proceedings of the
Society for promoting the Discovery of the interior Parts of Africa
have been published in two volumes octavo. In the second volume are two
letters from me to Sir Joseph Banks, wherein I observe the following
errors of the press, which I take the liberty here to correct: P. 366,
for zahaht, read _rahaht_; p. 373, for Alshærrah, read _Emsharrah_; p.
376, for Ait Elkoh, read _Ait Ebkoh_; for Idantenan, r. _Idautenan_;
for Kitrivæ, read _Kitiwa_; and for Alsigina, read _Emsegina_.]
PREFACE.
* * * * *
The following sheets have been compiled from various notes and
observations made during a residence of sixteen years in different
parts of the Empire of Marocco, in the successive reigns of Cidi
Mohammed ben Abdallah ben Ismael, Muley Yezzid, Muley el Hesham, and
Muley Soliman ben Mohammed; and which were originally intended merely
as memoranda for my own use; but shortly after my last arrival in
England, I had the honour to converse with a distinguished Nobleman[3]
on the subject of African knowledge, and from his Lordship’s
suggestions I first determined to submit to the public such information
as a long intercourse with the natives of Barbary, as well in a
political as a commercial capacity, and a thorough knowledge of the
languages of North Africa had enabled me to obtain.
It was justly observed by Mr. Matra, our late consul at Marocco, that
“there are more books written on Barbary than on any other country,
and yet there is no country with which we are so little acquainted.”
The cause of this is to be found in the superficial knowledge which
the authors of such books possessed respecting this part of the world;
having been generally men who came suddenly into the country, and
travelled through it without knowing any thing either of the manners,
character, customs, or language of the people. Indeed, the greater
part of the compositions respecting North Africa, are narratives of
journies of Ambassadors, &c. to the Emperor’s court, generally for the
purpose of redeeming captives, compiled by some person attached to the
embassy, who, however faithfully he may relate what passes under his
own eye, is, nevertheless from his situation, and usual short stay,
unable to collect any satisfactory information respecting the country
in general, and what he does collect, is too often from some illiterate
interpreter, ever jealous of affording information to Europeans even on
the most trifling subjects.
Leo Africanus is, with very few exceptions, perhaps the only author
who has depicted the country in its true light; and although he has
committed some errors, chiefly geographical, yet Marmol, as well as
many moderns, have servilely copied him. There is some original matter
contained in a book, entitled, “A Journey to Mequinez, on the occasion
of Commodore Stuart’s Embassy, &c. &c.” London, 1725. Lemprière’s
Marocco contains an interesting description of the Horem, or the
Seraglio; but the rest of his account has many errors; the map appears
to be copied chiefly from Chenier, some of whose orthographical errors
he has adopted. The work of the last mentioned author is the best I
have seen,[4] and this is to be attributed to his having resided in the
country several years; and though his ridiculous pride did not allow
him to associate generally with the Moors, yet a partial knowledge of
their language, and his natural penetration and judgment, enabled him
to make many useful observations derived from experience.[5]
It must be obvious to every one, that a considerable portion of
time and study is requisite to obtain a thorough acquaintance with
the moral and political character of any nation, but particularly
with one which differs in every respect from our own, as does that
of Marocco; _he, therefore, who would be thoroughly acquainted with
that country, must reside in it for a length of time; he must possess
opportunities of penetrating into the councils of the State, as well
as of studying the genius of the people; he must view them in war and
in peace; in public and in domestic life; note their military skill,
and their commercial system; and finally, and above all, he must have
an accurate and practical knowledge of their language, in order to
cut off one otherwise universal source of error, misconception, and
misrepresentation._
Certainly no country has of late occupied so much attention as Africa,
and the exertions of the African Association to explore the interior
of this interesting quarter of the globe, do them the highest credit;
and if their emissaries have not always been successful, or obtained
information only of minor importance compared with the great object of
their researches, it is to be attributed to their want of a sufficient
knowledge of the nature of the country, and the character and
prejudices of its inhabitants, without which, _science to a traveller
in these regions_, is comparatively of little value. When we consider
the disadvantages under which Mr. Parke laboured in this respect, and
that he travelled in an European dress, it is really astonishing that
that gentleman should have penetrated so far as he did, in his first
mission; and we are not so much surprised at the perils he endured,
as that he should have returned in safety to his native country. Had
he previously resided a short time in Barbary, and obtained there a
tolerable proficiency in the African Arabic, and with the customs
adopted the dress of the country, what might we not have expected
from his perseverance and enterprising spirit? Whatever plans future
travellers may adopt, I would recommend to them to lay aside the dress
of Europe; for, besides its being a badge of Christianity wherever he
goes, it inevitably exposes him to danger; and it is so indecent in the
eyes of the Arabs and Moors, that a man with no other clothing than a
piece of linen round his middle, would excite in them less indignation.
Mr. Horneman, in the above respects, certainly set out with a more
probable chance of success; though I much fear the expectations which
he raised will never be fulfilled. From his Journal, indeed, he appears
to have been of far too sanguine a disposition, and to have relied
too much on the fair professions of his African fellow-travellers, an
instance of which occurs in his letter from Mourzouk, where he says,
“Under protection of two great Shereefs I have the best hopes of
success in my undertaking.” Here the hopes of success originate in the
very cause that would induce a man versed in the character and springs
of action of the Africans, to despair of success. It was the promises
of these people that led Major Houghton to his ruin; and the fair
representations made by some of them to the first emissaries of the
African Association have been proved to be false by the difficulties
and dangers which their successors have had to encounter, in attempting
to penetrate to Timbuctoo. The Shereefs are very plausible people;
many of them possess uncommon suavity of manners, which is too apt to
throw the confiding European off his guard, and make him the victim of
their artful designs; as to their information, it is not to be depended
on; they will say every thing to mislead, an instance of which will
be presently mentioned in the case of Mr. Parke. In another place Mr.
Horneman says, “In respect to my astronomical instruments, I shall
take special care never to be discovered in the act of observation;
should these instruments, however, attract notice, the answer is ready,
they are articles of sale, nor is there fear I should be deprived of
them whilst master of my price.” Nothing can evince greater ignorance
of the people than this; indeed I am surprised Mr. Horneman could
entertain such an idea. The mode of travelling in Africa will prevent
the possibility of his availing himself of these precautions; there
is no cafilah, or caravan of itinerant merchants and traders in that
country, which does not contain some person who has either been to
sea, or has seen nautical instruments, and knows their use. That they
are articles for sale would indeed sound very well for a person going
through Europe, but there are no purchasers for such things in Africa;
besides, no people under heaven are more jealous, or suspicious of
every thing which they do not comprehend, than the Africans. The
description of them by Sallust holds at this day, and is perhaps a
better drawn character of the modern African (although it alludes to
their ancestors) than any description which has hitherto been given of
this extraordinary people. These ignorant, barbarous savages, as we
call them, are much more sagacious, and possess much better intellects,
than we have yet been aware of.
The error above alluded to, into which Mr. Parke was led by a Shereef,
was in regard to the distance from Marocco through Sueerah, or Mogodor,
to Wedinoon, which he makes _twenty_ days,[6] when it is in reality
but _ten_, as I have repeatedly travelled the distance; viz. Marocco
to Sueerah, or Mogodor, three days; to Agadeer, or Santa Cruz, three;
to Wedinoon four. There is also another error in the same gentleman’s
book, which it is proper to notice; he says, _Saheel_ signifies the
_north country_; nothing but an ignorance of Arabic could have thus
misled him; Saheel in that language signifying nothing more than an
extensive plain; thus the extensive plains south-east of the river
Suse are called Saheel; the low country near El Waladia is called
Saheel; and if an Arab were to pass over Salisbury Plain, he would
term it Saheel. In these few notices respecting the travels of two of
the hitherto most successful emissaries of the African Association,
I have no other object in view than to point out errors which may
mislead those who follow them, and I therefore hope, that they will
be favourably received by that respectable body, and by the authors
themselves, should they happily return to this country. I had written
several remarks on Mr. Horneman’s Journal, which I intended to give
in an appendix, but as they might create ill-will, and involve me in
useless controversy, I have suppressed them.
With regard to the following Work, it has been my endeavour throughout,
to give the reader a clear account of the present state of the Empire
of Marocco, and of its commercial relations with the interior, as
well as with Europe: on the latter some readers may perhaps think I
have enlarged too much, but it was my wish to be particular, on that
subject, and to shew the advantages which this country _might_, and
_ought_ to derive from an extensive trade with Barbary. In other
respects, I have been as concise as possible, introducing little or
nothing of what has been satisfactorily detailed by late writers on
the same subject. In the Map of Marocco, I have given the encampments
of the various tribes of Arabs, and omitted such towns and villages as
are found in modern maps, but which now no longer exist. The track of
the caravans through the Desert to Timbuctoo, is, together with the
account of that city and the adjacent country, given from sources of
information which I had every reason to believe correct. The engravings
are from drawings made on the spot by myself; but from the extreme
jealousy of the natives, particularly those of the interior provinces,
and the consequent difficulty of taking views without being discovered,
trifling inaccuracies may have been committed in some of them. Some
apology ought perhaps to be made for my language; but any defect, in
this respect, will, I trust be excused, when it is recollected that
a plain relation of facts, and not an elegant composition, was all I
had in view. Some readers, probably may express surprise, that I have
said nothing of the political history of the country; but this I have
reserved for a future publication should the present one meet with the
approbation of the public.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 3: The Right Hon. the Earl of Moira.]
[Footnote 4: There is a small volume translated from the French of the
Abbé Poiret, entitled, Travels through Barbary in a series of letters,
written from the Ancient Numidia, in the years 1785 and 1786, which
contains many judicious observations. The Abbé was doubtless a man
of penetration, and understood the character of the people whom he
described.]
[Footnote 5: There is an interesting and, I believe, a very faithful
account of an embassy from Queen Elizabeth to Muley Abd El Melk,
Emperor of Marocco in 1577, in the Gentleman’s Mag. September 1810,
page 219, in which the reader may correct the following errors of the
press: for Elchies, r. _Alkaids_; for lintals, r. _quintals_.]
[Footnote 6: See Parke’s Travels, 4to. edit. page 141.]
LIST OF PLATES, &c.
* * * * *
Page
1. MAP of the Empire of Marocco to face the title
2. View of the Atlas as seen from the Terraces at Mogodor 10
3. View of the Plains of Akkurmute and Jibbel Heddid 46
4. View of Mogodor 47
5. View of the Port and Entrance of ditto 48
6. View of the City of Marocco and Atlas Mountains 57
7. Camelion 99
8. Locust 103
9. Buskah 109
10. El Efah 110
11. Euphorbium Plant 134
12. Feshook ditto 136
13. Dibben Feshook 136
14. Map, shewing the track of the Caravans across Sahara 282
CONTENTS.
* * * * *
CHAPTER I.
Page.
GEOGRAPHICAL Divisions of the Empire of Marocco 1
CHAPTER II.
Rivers, Mountains, and Climate of Marocco 4
CHAPTER III.
Description of the different Provinces — their Soil, Culture,
and Produce 13
CHAPTER IV.
Population of the Empire of Marocco. — Account of its Sea-ports,
Cities, and Inland Towns 25
CHAPTER V.
Zoology 74
CHAPTER VI.
Metallic, Mineral, and Vegetable Productions 126
CHAPTER VII.
Description of the Inhabitants of West Barbary — their Dress —
Religious Ceremonies and Opinions — their Character — Manners
and Customs — Diseases — Funerals — Etiquette of the Court —
Sources of Revenue 140
CHAPTER VIII.
Some Account of a peculiar species of Plague, which depopulated
West Barbary in 1799, and 1800, and to the effects of which the
Author was an eye-witness 171
CHAPTER IX.
Some Observations on the Mohammedan Religion 196
CHAPTER X.
Languages of Africa — Various Dialects of the Arabic Language —
Difference between the Berebber and Shelluh Languages — Specimen
of the Mandinga — Comparison of the Shelluh Language with that of
Siwah, and also with that of the Canary Islands, and Similitude
of Customs 209
CHAPTER XI.
General Commerce of Marocco — Annual Exports and Imports of the
Port of Mogodor — Importance and Advantages of a Trade with the
Empire of Marocco — Cause of its Decline — Present State of our
Relations with the Barbary Powers 234
CHAPTER XII.
Shipwrecks on the Western Coast of Africa about Wedinoon and
Sahara — State of the British and other Captives whilst in
possession of the Saharawans, or roving Arabs of the Desert —
Suggestion of the Author for the Alleviation of their Sufferings
— Mode of their Redemption 269
CHAPTER XIII.
Commercial Relations of the Empire of Marocco with Timbuctoo,
and other Districts of Soudan — Route of the Caravans to and
from Soudan — Of the City of Timbuctoo — The productive Gold
Mines in its Vicinage — Of the navigable Intercourse between
Jinnie and Timbuctoo; and from the latter to Cairo in Egypt:
the whole being collected from the most authentic and
corroborating testimonies of the Guides of the Caravans,
Itinerant Merchants of Soudan, and other creditable sources
of Intelligence 282
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]
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 7: Marakusha in the original Arabic; and called by the
Spaniards Marruecos.]
[Footnote 8: Commonly called Tafilet.]
[Footnote 9: In many maps called Tremecin.]
[Footnote 10: Commonly called Sigelmessa.]
[Footnote 11: Commonly called Biledulgerid.]
[Footnote 12: It is through this province that the chain of mountains
called the Lesser Atlas passes, viz. from Tangier to Bona, in the
Kingdom of Algiers.]
[Footnote 13: Commonly called Fez.]
[Footnote 14: The Atlas mountains are called in Arabic Jibbel Attils,
i.e. the mountains of snow; hence, probably, the word Atlas.]
[Footnote 15: Zian is a warlike tribe; it lately opposed an imperial
army of upwards of thirty thousand men. This Kabyle is defended from
attacks by rugged and almost inaccessible passes.]
[Footnote 16: By the negligence of authors Marocco has been called
Morocco, as Mohammed or Muhammed has been transformed to Mahommed,
and Mohammedan to Mahommedan.]
[Footnote 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.]
[Footnote 18: Agadeer is the Arabian name, Guertguessem the ancient
African name, and Santa Cruz is the Portugueze appellation.]
[Footnote 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.]