402 The Chevalier Grizere’s Account of the great Historical Work 
sonof Canaan In the translation of Mr. Scuutrz, the name of Mazirg 
is written Madhirg, with a 3; but in my manuscript it is uniformly written 
with a;. And it is most probable that from Mazirg the Berbers derive 
their ethnical name of Amazirg or Amzighs. The Madrgis, who are 
also called Batdr, from the plural of Abtdér, a surname given to their first 
forefather Mapreis, were the offspring of another Ber, the son of Kis, a 
son of A1LAN, and divided themselves into four great branches: the Addaseh, 
the Nefiseh, the Zdriseh, and the sons of LAwA the elder. They all de- 
scend from ZaJsix, a son of Mapreis, and their pedigree, as well as 
those of the Berdnis, are represented in the manuscript by two regular 
trees of consanguinity. 
As to the primitive origin of the Berbers, after having laid open and 
reviewed the different opinions advanced by his predecessors, the author 
fixes ultimately upon the conviction that they descend from Canaan, son of 
Suem and grandson of Noau. The name of their real founder is Mazrre 
or Maztcu. The Canaanites of Palestine were their kinsmen and allies, and 
descend from Kasttuim (Castunim in the Bible), a son of Mrssraim 
and grandson of Suem. He contends that the Sanhajeh and the Ketameh 
are not Berbers; and he believes them to be akin, at least, to people of 
Arabian origin. Finally he explicitly asserts, what their manner of living, 
their dwellings, and their language sufficiently evince, that, with the excep- 
tion of the two tribes just now mentioned, the Berbers are a people totally 
distinct from the Arabs. 
Chapter 2. Of the most ancient settlements of the Berbers in Afrikieh 
and Moghrib-al-Aksd, with a general description of this latter region, and 
of Bajiya and Kostinieh (the modern state of Algiers); which description 
has been taken, almost word for word, by Leo Africanus in his account of 
Northern Africa. 
Chapter 3. Of what is really ascertained through ancient and modern events 
concerning the passage of the Berbers from their savage state to a certain 
degree of civilization ; and further of their dominions, and their dynasties. 
Chapter 4. Of the assembling of the Berbers into political and constitu- 
tional societies, both before and after the first establishment of Islamism, 
down to the dominion of the Aghlabis in Africa. 
Now follows the real History of the Berbers, from which I shall only 
extract the contents of the first ten sections or chapters. 
