433 
vice. Among the rich, and thofe of a’ 
higher rank, we find fome, who even are 
fond of books, and apply to the ftudy of 
the {ciences; but their knowledge extends 
not beyond the Koran, and hiftory, as told 
by the Arabian’ writers and chronicles. 
‘The greateft villains in the cities are found 
among tle loweft. clafs of Moors: thefe 
cannot be kept within bounds and reftrain- 
ed from crimes of every kind, but by ex- 
treme feverity, bordering on cruelty. The 
Bifcaris * form a {mail exception. Very 
few of the country people who are Médors 
are wealthy: the greater part have hardly 
a fuficiency to fatisfy their moft preffing 
wants. On them refts with all ixs weight 
the defpotic preflure of the government 
and its tax-gatherers and agents. They 
are ignorant, rude and uncultivated, and 
ftrangers to all the advantages and com- 
forts of focial life. . They retain the an- 
cient cuftom of diltinguithing themfelves 
by families-and tribes. In the towns, 
this diftinction is no longer attended to: 
which eircumfance would feem to corro- 
borate the opinien of thofe who maintain 
that. the inhabitants of the cities are de- 
{cendants of the Moors who were expelled 
from Spain and Portugal: Many Moorifh 
families do not remain conftantly at a fixed 
place of abode, but Jead a nomadical life. 
Some of the pooreit fettle on the eftates of 
the. wealthy Moors, Turks or Coloris, 
where they earn their fubfiftence by culti- 
wating the land under certain conditions. 
‘Thele fare better than their nomadical 
brethren, are more civilized, nor have fo 
favageand frightful anappearance. Among 
all the Moorifh tribes in the country, po- 
lysamy prevails: but in the tewns they 
feldom ayail themfelves of this privilege. 
Into the ebief military corps, or the infan- 
try, the Moors are never admitted: but 
the whole cavalry of the Dey of Algiers 
3s compofed of them; for the Turks and 
Coloris . feldom ferve as horfe-foldiers, 
‘This body of cavalry are not bad troops ; 
but they are not much efteemed, as the 
Zoverhment cannot relie upon them {o 
confidently as upon the infantry: befides, 
from the, mountainous {tate of the country, 
cavalry cannot be fo often and ulefully 
employed. 
The Moorith mountaineers are ealled 
Cabyles or Cabeyls: they are partly the 
Immediate defcendants ot the moft ancient 
inhabitants of the country, and are in this 
refpect frequently denominated Brebers or 
Berbers; partly the mixed progeny of the 
Pee! STS EL SPIE  A  hah B 
* For an account of the Bifcaris, fee p. 963 
ef Vol. VIL. of our Magazine, 
Account of the Inhabitants of Algiers. 
f June-z, 
aborigines and of the nations who in for~ 
mer times invaded and fettled in the coun- 
try ; but all of them have always been and 
ftill are diftinguifhed from the other inha- 
bitants of the country by their language, 
love of freedom, and rude unpolifhed man- 
ners. The Cabyles, too, are divided into 
diftiné& tribes, many of which are free and 
independant, and do not acknowledge the 
fuperiority of Algiers; epecially thofe 
who inhabit the inacceflible ridges of 
mountains. The neighbouring tribes 
are often united by friendly” alliance, 
without however fubjecting themfelves to 
a common head. Others live in a con- 
tinual {tate of contention and feud with 
their neighbours: the moft potent caufes 
of thefe quarrels are the infidelity and 
elopement of their wives. They are in 
general well-grown, robutft, meagre, and 
of a fun-burnt, red, and often blackith-yel- 
low complexion, and have black or dark- 
brown hair. Their external appearance 
is rendered ftill more uncouth by dirt and 
tattered clothes. They generally dwell 
in ftraw-huts : however, ftone-houfes here 
and there occur in their Dafkras, or vil- 
lages. Their number decreafes ; and their 
love of liberty likewife gradually wears 
away. Only the inhabitants of the higheft 
parts of the mountains ftill affert their 
independence, and defend their liberty 
with undaunted valour againft every hof- 
tile attack. Their courage, joined toa 
perfect knowledge of the country, faves 
them from the fuperior force of their ene- 
mies : as the Algerines have feveral times, 
and even no later than twenty years 
ago, experienced to their coft. The go- 
vernment therefore endeavours to maintain 
a good underftanding and friendfhip, where 
force can produce no effeét; and often 
gives way to even their unreafonable de- 
mands. Thus the Cadbyles of Couco are 
treated with very great lenity; for the fitua- 
tion of their country is favorable, and they 
can aflemble a ftrong army; and they carry 
great quantities of oil and foap for fale to 
Algiers. The fame is the cafe with ref- 
pect to the Cadyles who inhabit the fea- 
coaft about Bugia, Bona and Tabarca. 
Among the Cadyles who acknowledge no 
common chief, thofe of the greateft age are 
particularly honoured: and only their: 
priefts, or Marabuts, enjoy the general con- 
fidence of the tribes, and have under the 
cloak of religion acquired great power and 
authority, which in fome inftances has be- 
come hereditary. Thefe then a& in the 
capacity of heads of the tribes, form trea- 
ties of peace, fend ambaffadors, and are 
by others, and even by the Turks, confi- 
dered 
