﻿709 



MAROCCO. 



MAROCCO. 



BTe known under the names of Draha or Daraa, Tafilet, and Segelmesa, 

 and are parts of the Bilud-ul-Gerid, or the ' country of the palms,' 

 They consist of valleys and email plains, inclosed by low and sterile 

 hills. The valleys aud plains are also frequently rocky, and exhibit 

 a scanty vegetation ; but some part« are cultivated or covered with 

 extensive groves of date-trees. 



That portion of the empire of Marocco which lies east of the Lesser 

 Atlas and west of the main range called Jebel Tedla, which runs 

 north-eastward into Alg<5rie, comprehends the basin of the river 

 Hulwia ; the southern part of it, near the soarces of the river, contains 

 some fertile plains or valleys, which are good pasture-groumls ; but 

 tile northern districts are said to be occupied by two sterile regions, 

 tile deserts of Aduhra and Angsd. The Jebel Tedla is supposed to 

 be tiie ancient Mount Durdus. a name probably derived from the same 

 •onroe as Pyrin, the native name for the Atlas. 



Hivert. — The Mulwia, or Muluya (the ancient Muluchn, or Malva), 

 which rises at or near the southern extremity of the Lesser Atlas, 

 and runs northward into the Mediterranean Sea, has a coun=e of about 

 400 miles ; but as it traverses a country which has not been visited 

 by Europeanji, its peculiarities are not known. It is the most con- 

 siderable river in Marocco which falls into the Mediterranean. Seven 

 rivers fall into the Atlantic Ocean. The most northern, the El-Khos, 

 rises in the range of Kr-Riff, and in its course of nearly 100 miles is 

 used to fertilise the adjacent coimtry by irrigation. Farther south is 

 the Seboo River, which rises in numerous branches on the western 

 declivity of the Lesser Atlas, and is joined by several affluent* which 

 descend {V«m the southern declivity of the range of Er-Riff After a 

 oonrse of about 230 miles it enten the Atlantio, near the town of 

 Mehedia. Though a consi<)erable river, with rather a hirge volume of 

 water when compared with other rivers of this country, its mouth 

 does not afford a harbour; a bar of sand a quarter of a mile from its 

 outlet extendi almoat across, and is newly dry at low water of spring- 

 tides. Inside the bar there are from 3 to 4 fathoms of water, and 

 the tide rises 7 or 8 feet. The waten are used for irrigating the 

 adjacent country. 



Bu-Begrsb is an inconsiderable river running hardly more than 100 

 miles ; but its waters are used for irrigation, aud its mouth forms the 

 harbour of the towns of Sal^ or 8la, and Rabatt or Arbat. A bar 

 about one-eighth of a mile from the entrance runs almost acroas in a 

 west-south-western direction, with three or four feet of water on it at 

 low water, leaving a channel at each end. The north-eastern channel 

 is that which is used. The tide rises from 9 to 10 feet; inside the 

 harbour is sheltered, and has sufficient water for a frigate. 



The Oom-erBegh, or Horbeya, the largest of the rivers that fall into 

 the Atlantic, likewise rises in several branches in the western declivity 

 of the Lesser Atlas, and probably runs more than 800 miles. In the 

 upper part of its course it fertilises several valleys; but in its course 

 through the plains it runs between high banks of sandy clay, and 

 cannot be used for the purpose of irrigation. At its mouth is the 

 small town of Azamor, which has no commerce. A bar of sand which 

 lies across the mouth of the river is almost dry at low-water, and boats 

 •lone can enter it. 



The Teosift, which waters the plain of Harocoo, rises in a subor- 

 dinate range of high hills about 40 miles E. from the town, and runs 

 nearly 150 miles with a winding course. It is very probable that the 

 mouth of this river also is closed by a bar. 



Through the plain of T&rudant, or Sus-el-Aes^ flows the river Sua, 

 noticed above. It may be considered aa the sootbem boundary of 

 the empire, the Arabian chiefs who govern the country south of it 

 being only nominally subject to tho emperor of Marocco. 



The most southern river which falls into the Atlantio is the Draha, 

 or Doraa, which was formerly supposed to lose itself in the Sahara ; 

 but according to a statement in the ' London Geographical Journal ' 

 (vol. vii.) it reaohea the sea 32 miles S.W. from Cape Nun, where it is 

 called on most maps Akassa. If this statement is true the Draha, 

 which rises on the southern declivity of the Greater Atlas, south-east 

 of the town of Marocco, most have a course of more than 500 miles ; 

 but nearly the whole of it is unknown. It is however said that it 

 flows through the productive districts of Dralia and ElHarib ; and 

 that two considerable towns, Tatta and Akka, stand on its banks. 



From the southern declivity of the Jebel Tedla, or Mount Atlas, 

 descend three other rivers, the Fileli, Ziz, and Qhir, which run south- 

 ward, and are lost in the sands of the Sahara. 



Climate. — The climate is not so hot as might be expected from the 

 position of this country. A great part of the empire is subject to the 

 alternation of the sea and land breeses, and those districts which lie 

 beyond their reach are cooled to some extent by the winds which blow 

 from the mountains. Frost and snow only occur on the mountains. 

 Along the sea the thermometer never falls below 39° or 40° ; and even 

 in the hottest places, at Agadir, or Santa Cruz, and Tarudant, it 

 generally doea not rise above 84", and rarely to 90°. The seasons are 

 divided into the dry and wet ; the wet season happens in our winter. 

 Abundant raini fall towards the end of October, and last for about 

 Oa^e weeks : these rains are followed by some dry weather, but they 

 Mt in again about the middle of November, and showers are frequent 

 till the month of March, when the dry season begins, which is rarely 

 interrupted by showers. The rains are less general and frequent 

 •oath of the river Seboo, and aUo less certain, which is probably the 



cause of the inferior fertility of these districts, as they are subject to 

 frequent drought. Little is known of the climate south of Mount 

 ISebauan, except that the heat is very great, and that the southern 

 declivity of Mount Atlas has no rain, beius exposed to the dry and 

 hot winds that blow from the Sahara and disperse the few vapours 

 which occasionally rise. 



Productiont. — The soil is in many parts very fertile, but it is rudely 

 cultivated. Besides wheat and barley, which are eiteusively raised 

 in most of the districts of the plains, rice, maize, aud dhurra are 

 cultivated ; the last-mentioned grain constitutes the principal food of 

 the lower classes. Other objects of cultivation are cotton, tobacco, 

 sesamum, hemp, safl'ron, and differeut kinds of beans aud peas. The 

 plantations of olive-trees and almond-trees are very extensive. The 

 fruit-trees of southern Europe are aUo common, especially the fig and 

 the pomegranate. The date-tree is cultivated on the southern declivity 

 of Mount Atlas, and the best come from Draha and Tafilet. Lemons, 

 grapes, oranges, almonds, &c., are among the fruits. The sugar-cane 

 thrives where cultivated. In the districts south of the Oum-er-Begh 

 there are large plantations of henna. The southern declivities of 

 Mount Atlas are bare, but on the northern there are extensive forests, 

 consisting of the olive, carob, walnut, acacia, cedar, stunted palms, 

 and rose-trees, and also cork-trees. The timber is flne, but not large. 

 Oak and white cedar also grow on the mountains. 



The wandering life of tho shepherd is preferred to the occupation 

 of farming very generally throughout Marocco. Dome.itio animals of 

 every kind are numerous. The horses are distinguished by their 

 beauty, those of the native breed as well as those of Arab origin ; the 

 aheep, which are considered aa indigeuous, and are supposed to have 

 spread from the decUvities of the Atlas over all the world, produce a 

 wool not inferior to any for softness, fineness, and whiteness ; sheep 

 and goats are more numerous than any other domestic animnls. Goat- 

 skins constitute one of the most important articles of export Cuws, 

 •sees, mules, and camels are also reared in considerable numbers. lu 

 the large uncultivated treats wild animals abound, as lyoua, panthers, 

 bycenas, wolves, and several species of antelopes and deer, as well as 

 monkeys and wild boars. Wild buars are abundant in all parts, but 

 most of the other ferocious animals are limited to the southern 

 regions. Ostriches are found in the desert bordering on the southern 

 and eastern districts, and their feathers constitute an article of export. 

 Cranes aud storks abound. Locusts sometimes lay waste the pro- 

 vinces bordering on the deserts. Bees are common, aud wax is 

 exported. 



The mineral wealth of Marocco, aa far as known, comprises iron, 

 lead, tin, copper, antimony, and salt. Metals seem to occur in the 

 greatest abundance on the southern declivity of Mount Atlas, espe- 

 cially in those parts which surround the plain of Sus-el-Acsk, where 

 gold and silver occur, but not in abundance ; the latter occurs in the 

 river Draha. Copper, which in Strabo's time was worked in these 

 countries, is still abundant; the richest mine is near Teseleght, in 

 Sua-al-Aoak, but there are others in the neighbourhood of Tarudant. 

 Lead is found in Mount Adrar and in the Lesser Atlas. Iron is 

 worked in several places ; and there is also antimony. Rock-salt is 

 aUo said to be abundant. The several small lakes which lie along the 

 sea-shore are natural salt-pans, which produce this useful article in 

 abundance. Fuller' s-earth occurs in several places. 



Inhabitants. — The population of this empire is composed of 

 Amazitghia, Arabs, Jews, and blacks. The Amazirghis comprise 

 2,300,000 Berbers, and 1,450,000 Shelluhs. The Arabs comprise 

 8,550,000 Moors, Ludayas, and other mixed tribes, and 740,000 

 Beduius and others of pure blood. The Jews number about 839,500 ; 

 and the negroes about 120,000, consisting of slaves and freemen from 

 Soudan, Foulabs, Mandingoes, &c. 



The Amazirghis, or Mazirgbis, are the most ancient inhabitants of 

 northern Africa, and one of the most widely-spread nations of that 

 continent Dialects of their language are spoken by the tribes which 

 extend from the Nile to the Atlantic, as the Tibboos and Tuaricks of 

 the desert, the FilleUs in Segelmesa and Tafilet, and the different 

 Shelluh tribes on the Atlas and Mount Bebauan. Most of tho tribes 

 occupying the southern districts of Tunis and Algiers also speak the 

 same language. The Amazirghis in Marocco are divided iuto Berbers 

 and Shelluhs. The Berbers occupy exclusively the mountain region 

 which extends along the Meiliterrauean, where they are called Riffins, 

 from inhabiting the mountains of Er-Riff, and are divided into several 

 tribes. Such of them as live along the coast have been always addicted 

 to piracy. The Shelluhs occupy the Greater Atlas and its great 

 branches Mount Bebauan and Mount Adrar. The Berbers and Shel- 

 luhs differ somewhat in their physical character and customs. The 

 Berbers are nearly white, of middle size, well formed, and rather 

 robust and athletic ; their hair is frequently fair, resembling that of 

 the northern people of Europe rather than any nation of Africa, and 

 they have very little hair on their chins. They live generally under 

 tents, or in caves situated on steep and nearly inaccessible mountains. 

 They pay little regard to the orders of the sultan, and obey only their 

 hereditary princes or chosen magistrates. In tho ;>Iaiiis they build 

 houses of stone or wood, but always inclose them with walls. Their 

 chief occupation is that of huntsmen and herdsmen, yet they cultivate 

 some patches of ground, anfl rear bees. 



The Shelluhs ore chiefly agriculturists, aud exercise several trades ; 



