£48 TRAVELS IN BARBARY. 
cubines, in as great number as their revenues will 
maintain, without any apprehension of their sanc- 
tified character sustaining thereby the smallest in- 
jury. 
Ali Bey saw, and was on an intimate footing 
with, Muley Absuiem, the prince whom Lem- 
priere was sent for to attend. He was now en- 
tirely blind. 
Mr Jackson has given a statement of the popu- 
lation of Morocco, said to be extracted from the 
Imperial Register, which makes it amount to 
14,400,000. This seems a very great exaggera- 
tion. When we consider, that the douars, or vil- 
lages, are all migratory ; and when they have ex- 
hausted one spot, find, without difficulty, another in 
which to establish themselves, it must be clear 
how inadequate this state of culture is to support 
such density of population. Perhaps even Che- 
nier's estimate of six millions may be somewhat 
overrated. The commerce of Morocco, particu- 
larly with Europe, is severely fettered by the bi- 
gotry of the reigning emperor. It is now strictly 
confined to the port of Mogodor ; and the expor- 
tation of grain, though the most abundant pro- 
duct, and indeed a complete drug, is entirely pro- 
hibited. This impolitic restriction is become al- 
most general through the Barbary states, and is, 
I suspect, a measure of state policy employed by 
the rulers, to give satisfaction to the soldiery and 
13 
