7.etr.a,. 



Of the Wefiern Province. 2s 



fortified Town of about a Mile in Circumference. It is built 

 upon the Declivity, and near the Foot of a high Mountain, 

 which overlooks It from the N. and N. W; and, upon the 

 Ridge of This Mountain, there are two Caftles, that command 

 the Town, with the Mers el Seigh-hre, on the one Side ; and 

 the Mers el Kebeer, with the Bay, on the Other. Lefs than 

 half a Furlong to theWeftward of This Mountain, there is an- 

 other, (the MazettUy I think, they call It) in a Situation fome- 

 what higher than the Former ; but, there lying a large Vale 

 between Them, Their refpedlive Ridges are fo remarkably dif • 

 united, that They not only form a moft convenient Land-mark 

 for Mariners, but render all Approaches to the Caftles, from 

 the Mazetta, impracticable. To the S. and S. E. there are'^'^'-^^^ 

 two other Caftles, ere£ted upon the fame Level with the lower 

 Part of the Town, but feparated from It by a deep wind- 

 ing Valley. This may be conlidered as a natural Trench to TheVaU.y a?,d 



O J J -ri /-T Rivif/et of 



the S. Side of the City; and m the upper Part of It, at three warran. 

 Furlongs Diftance from the Town, there is a Spring of excel- 

 lent Water, more than a Foot in Diameter. The Rivulet, form- 

 ed by This Fountain, conforms It's Courfe to the feveral Wind- 

 ings of the Valley, and, pafling under the Walls of the City, 

 plentifully fupplys It with Water. We fee, at every Opening 

 of the Valley, fuch a pleafmgly confufed View of rocky Preci- 

 pices, Plantations of Orange Trees, and Rills of Water trickling 

 down from Them, that Nature rarely difplays Herfelf in a 

 greater Variety of Profpe6ts, and cool R.etreats. Near this 

 Fountain, there is another Caftle, which forbids all Approaches 

 of an Enemy ; and, at the fame Time that It guards the Mat- 

 tamores\ dug under the Walls of It to the Southward, is an 

 important Defence to the City. 



Three of the Caftles, I have mentioned, are regular Toly- '^^', ^^I^^'^; 

 gons'. viz. the Loweft of the Two upon the Ridge; the Caftle '"«' «/^f- 

 of the Fountain ; and the Weftermoft of the Two before the 

 Town. But the other Two; viz. the Higheft upon the Ridge ; 

 and the Eaftermoft of Thofe that lye before the Towii, are 

 of a different Fafliion: a great Part of the Latter being built 



^ recentioribus, nam alii Madaurum, alii Aeram, yiuranum nonnulli vocant ; Afr'i hodie Gu- 

 baran appellant. Omnia autem haec nomina locum acclivemj [frojnjs^ wah-ar (iff ww) 

 fiippofe) that fignifies a Place very difficult to be come at'\ & ventis expoCtum fignlficant. Gome- 

 f»«ae J-f^ttf^f^wFr. Ximenii. 1.4. p.1022. Fr4Mf. kJoj. ^O* * !^^«^*ti/<. Fovea fubterra- 

 nea, crypta, in qua frumentum reconditur. vid. Got. in Voce. A fit under Ground ivhercin 

 the Arabs deposits Their Corn. 



G like 



