= PBZ 
oy his” ean was unable to retain’ 
‘in Fez, was obliged to pass 
into the eastern part of Africa. The whole of northern 
‘of a numerous army, and took pos- 
Here he fixed his resi- 
Morocco, which his father had begun ; 
blished the seat of his empire. A multitude of Zenetes, 
having begun to ‘new errors and innovations 
in-tt A 
y Temsena, he sent several Morabites 
parr bce to their former tenets ; but, instead 
havi repéopled by colonies from the 
kingdom of Fez, he embraced the first ity of 
attacking theking of that seuniay Having entered 
pe ee ee Vora. any 
Modern: Univ. Hist. vol. xviii. ; 
State of Morocco, vol. ii-; Playfair’s 
and Jackson's Account of Morocco. 
in the interior 
miles south of 
+ The name is supposed to be derived from the word Marabout, 
lowers of Tessifin, because most of his officers were persons of that 
813 
FE Z 
communicates withthe flat ‘sandy desert, ot Sahara: 
The test length of the cultivated part of the king- 
dom: is about 300 English miles from north to sou 
and the greatest breadth 200 miles from east to west. 
But the mountainous ions of Harutch, on the eas- 
tern frontier, and other desert districts of considerable 
' extent towards the south and west, are within its ter. 
ritory. On'the north, it is bordered by Arab tribes, 
nominally dependent on Tripoli; on the east, by the 
hilly deserts already mentioned; on the south and: 
south-east, by the country of the Tibboes;on the 
south-west, by that of the Nomadic Tuarics; and ow 
the west by Arabs. Almost the only historical notices 
of this country by the ancients, are to be found in 
Pliny, who mentions it as one of the most important 
conquests of the Roman general Balbus. : 
e climate is at no season temperate or agreeable. 
The heat is intense during summer ; and when the 
wind blows from the south, is scarcely supportable, 
even by the natives. A bleak north wind prevails dur: 
ing winter, which produces a severe and chilling de- 
gree of cold: Rain very seldom falls through the whole 
year, and when it does come, is little in quantity ; but 
water, notwithstanding, is found every where in wells 
of eight or ten feet in depth; a circumstance, supposed 
to be owing to me otner act heen A is 
ontbnansed. Thunder and lightning are rare; biit 
storms of wind, whirling upthe sand and dust, are 
very a There is not a river or stream of any 
note in the whole country, as far as was observed by 
Horneman ; but Edrisi mentions a river of some size, 
which takes its course by Zuela, and which is lost in 
the sand before it reaches the sea. The soil is a deep 
sand, covering calcareous rock or earth, and sometimes 
a stratum of argillaceous substance; but, as the springs 
are so abundant, few regions in the north of Affricaex- 
hibit a richer v 
well 
from the indolence of the people, their ignorance ‘of 
tillage, or the op ions of their government, a suf- 
pos hey eh es their subsistence is not raised in 
e country, ; upon im ions from 
the Arab countries to fron aro Pot herb and garden 
ve in general are plentiful, and some senna is 
raised in the western districts; but the natural and 
staple produce of Fezzan is dates. There are few horses 
in the country, and camels are kept only by the wealthy 
inhabitants ; but asses are generally used for all the 
i 0 of burden, draught, or carriage. A few 
orned cattle are found in the fertile districts, which 
are employed in drawing water from the wells, and 
are never slaughtered for food unless in cases’ of ex- 
treme necessity. The ordinary domestic animal ‘is 
the goat, —s few — en in the eens 
parts ingdom. antelope, » and os- 
trich, are the principal wild animals, from which the 
natives derive any benefit; but the more noxious and 
loathsome -creatures are sufficiently abundant; and 
Fezzai. 
Extent and 
7 boundaries, 
Climate. 
egetation. Both the soil and climate are Produc- 
for the growth of wheat and barley ; but, tions. 
snakes, adders, ions, toads, and similar vermin, . 
reer constant i itants of the fields, gardens, and 
uses, 
Fezzan is the most advantageously situated, of all ee 
the inland countries in Africa, for the purposes of 
ecommerce, as it lies in the shortest and most conveni.~ 
ent line of communication between the Mediterranean 
and the centre of Africa, as well as between Western 
a name given'to Mahomedan Saints or Monks, ‘and applied to the fol- 
description. ‘ 
AR 
