144 
The town is defended by some batteries from the 
sea-side, but the port affords no shelter against the high 
westerly winds. 
The provisions and water, and especially the bread, 
are of a very good quality at Rabat, 
The inhabitants are lively, intelligent, and with more 
imagination than those of the other towns. There are 
some families who boast of descending from Spanish 
refugees, who at several periods arrived in Africa, and 
have not changed their names. One of them of the 
name of Sidi Matte Moreno is the only learned man of 
the empire who has any knowledge of astronomy; it is 
of a very ancient sort, but it is, however, founded on 
good principles. The excellent character of this man, 
and his good sense, inspired me with the greatest es- 
teem for him. I made him a present of a sextant of an 
horizon, and of some astronomical tables, and taught 
him the use of them. 
CHAPTER XIIL 
Journey to morocco. 
Saturday, 10th March, at ten in the morning, 1 left 
Rabat to proceed to Morocco. Our road was S. S. W. 
and afterwards S.W. till three in the afternoon, when 
it declined to W.S.W. in proportion as we passed 
the river Yetkem. At five in the evening we stopt near 
a douar. The road extends along the shores of the sea, 
which are composed of inaccessible rocks, and even in 
calm weather the sea beats most furiously against them. 
The country consists of small hills of chalky rocks. 
Vegetation was excellent, and the shores quite covered 
with flowers. I gathered some very handsome plants 
in order to improve my herbary. 
