MOROCCO. 307 



noan. As a result, since permanent residence is otrered l^v the nature 

 of the country, small border cities, like Denniat, Sidi Rehal, Amsmis, 

 and others have grown up at the mouths of the Atlas valleys. 



The capital. IMarrakesh, which gives its name to the country, is the 

 .•hief city of the Tensift region. Although not situated directly on 

 the Ti'Msil't. it has another advantage of being an oasis city in the 

 oi)en, high plateau. It developed in the first place as a result of its 

 abundant water supply; in the second, through its position so favora- 

 ble to trade. As in Milan, similarly situated at the base of the Alps, 

 the Alpine routes converge like the spokes of a wheel, so the routes 

 through the Atlas mountains and those to the Sus, and the region of 

 the Wed Draa merge together at the city of Moro(;co, only to diverge 

 airain toward the coast towns Mogador, Saffi, jVIazagan, Casa Bhinca, 

 and Rabat. Marrakesh, therefore, is the natural capital of all southern 

 Morocco. 



P>z l)lays the same role for northern JNlorocco and is the chief city 

 of the Sebu region. Though only about 300 m. above sea level, it also 

 lies on the npper plain. The highlands here, nearer to the mountain 

 and lying between the Atlas and the Rif mountains, are partially 

 cut up by hilly territory. Fez, as well as Marrakesh, owes its devel- 

 ()l)ment to abundance of water, through which the city is adorned 

 with a border of luxuriant gardens, and to the fact of its being a cen- 

 ter of trade routes, whose direction is determined by natural condi- 

 tions. It is the medium of trade between the mountains and the oases 

 beyond, especially Tafilalet on the one side, the estuary of the Sebu, 

 and the sea on the other. Indeed, thanks to the above-mentioned 

 basin lying between the Atlas and the Rif mountains, it is the focus of 

 trade of the entire Maghreb-el- Aksa with the other Atlas countries. 

 It is proposed to build a railroad, over 100 kilometers long, to connect 

 Fez with some point on the Mediterranean coast. From a strategic 

 [)oint of view it is the key at least to northern Morocco. 



The entire Vorland falls into two divisions, according to the 

 character of the soil, according to natural geograj^hical routes, and, 

 as a consequence of the latter, according to political conditions. The 

 inhabitants of the two divisions regard them as entirely different 

 realms, united only, as it were, in the person of the Snltan. The 

 northern division, North Morocco, El Gharb, is predominatingly 

 mountain and hill country, is well Avatered, and is almost everywhere 

 capable of cultivation. South Morocco, El Haus, is for the most part 

 high plateau, and lacks water, so that it can not be cultivated. By 

 some Sus, the South, is regarded as a third division of equal rank 

 with the other two. The border country between the sultanates of 

 Fez and Marrakesh is one of the regions of which least is known, 

 becan?:.^ the Berber tribes inhabiting it, who speak chiefly Tamazirt 

 even at this day, and include the Zemmur, Zair, Zaian, Beni Mgild. 



