The Beautiful Intermixture Of Lakes, Forests, And Green Vallies,
Forming Most Delightful Landscapes, Brought To My Recollection Those
Scenes I Have So Often Contemplated, In My Youthful Days, On The
Borders Of Switzerland.
The lakes abound with all kinds of
water-fowls, and fine eels; and are surrounded by villages,
sanctuaries, and
Holy houses; the latter occupied by the descendants
of the ancient _Maraboots_, who are held in the highest veneration by
the Moors, and whose habitations are considered as sacred asylums,
which are never violated, either by the civil or military power.
We ascended an eminence, upon which stands one of their most
celebrated sanctuaries, built in the form of a pavilion, with four
arched folding-doors, in the Gothic style, covered with varnished
tiles of various colours, and embellished with curious Arabic
characters. I was eagerly approaching, at the head of my little party,
to gratify my curiosity, when a shower of stones, from the holy
inhabitants of the neighbouring huts and tents, compelled me to
desist; and after a retreat of one hundred yards, I sat down to
refresh myself undisturbed.
From this hill, however, I had a better opportunity of surveying the
beauties of the adjacent lands, which are very productive; and also to
observe the windings of the river _Seboo_, which, taking its source in
the neighbourhood of Fez, forms a junction with the river _Beth_, and
falls into the Atlantic Ocean.
After journeying about a league, we crossed this river in a
ferry-boat, and in a short time reached the fort of _Mamora_, which
lies about two miles to the south of the river.
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