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.
This fort, after
having been demolished by the Moors, was rebuilt by the Spaniards in
1604, and taken by Muley Ishmael in 1681.
It is commanded by an
Alcaid, and inhabited by about forty or fifty families, who gain a
livelihood by fishing for shads and eels; with which they supply the
adjoining country during the winter season.
We rested at this place, and feasted upon fried eels, which I found
equal to those caught in the Thames. From _Mamora_ we proceeded to
_Salee_ another maritime town, situated in the province of
_Ben-hassen_, and at the mouth of the river _Salee_, which is formed
by the junction of two small rivers. The Governor of that place being
an intimate friend of my patient, I was most kindly and hospitably
received by him; and elegantly entertained in one of his gardens,
which are well laid out, and ornamented with several fountains playing
into marble basins, as well as by several delightful streams of water.
Salee is a walled town, strongly defended by a large battery, mounting
twenty-four pieces of heavy ordnance, and a redoubt which protects the
mouth of the river. It contains about five hundred regular troops,
three thousand militia-men, five hundred sailors, and a number of
Moorish merchants and Jews. To the north of this garrison is a small
town, in a ruinous state, inhabited by a few negro families. I was
told it was built by Muley Ishmael for the accommodation of his
favourite black troops. To the south, and on the opposite side of the
river _Salee_, is the maritime city of _Rabat_, commanded by a black
chief, and garrisoned with black soldiers.
It is defended by a fort and strong batteries, adequate to prevent a
hostile landing. It contains several ruins of importance; among the
most conspicuous of which are those of a large mosque, and the famous
castle built by _Almansor_ the _Invincible_, together with a superb
square tower; which latter is still in a tolerable state of
preservation, and is called the tower of _Hassen_. This tower is about
two hundred feet in height, strongly built with cut stone, and most
curiously decorated with Arabic characters. It contains a staircase of
easy ascent to the top, whence I had a most extensive prospect of the
Atlantic Ocean, where vessels are descried sailing at an immense
distance.
The walls of Rabat are nearly two miles in circumference, and
fortified by several square towers. Exclusive of its regular garrison,
it contains four thousand militia-men, and about fifteen hundred
sailors, besides several Moorish merchants and Jews; which latter live
in a separate quarter.
This town, as well as Salee, is admirably calculated for trade,
capable of furnishing foreign markets with large quantities of wool,
leather, wax, and other important commodities. These contiguous
cities are surrounded by gardens, watered by plentiful streams, which
are artificially conveyed from a neighbouring spring, that takes its
rise in a valley called _Tamura_, to the south of Rabat, and which
also supplies all the houses of the two towns with fresh water.
Both places contain docks for building vessels, and several small
corvettes in the Emperor's service winter in these harbours: but the
roads, like those of Larache, are only to be frequented from the
beginning of April to the end of September, on account of the shifting
of the sand, which accumulates on the wind blowing from the
south-west, when the bar is rendered unsafe for vessels to pass. Too
great attention cannot be paid by commanders or masters of ships, on
anchoring there, as a great number of anchors have been lately lost,
and many vessels stranded.
Curiosity prompted me to inspect a small ruinous town to the east of
_Rabat_, named _Shella_, supposed to have been built by the
_Carthaginians_: but my approach was rudely prevented by the
inhabitants; no Christian, nor even Jew, being suffered to enter, on
account of its containing several tombs of their most celebrated
saints, while in fact it is only a sacred asylum for malefactors, and
all the rogues of the country.
To the south, and about eight leagues from _Rabat_, in a sandy and
almost desert place, is a castle, in a most dilapidated state, called
_Mensooria_, which was erected by _Jacob Al__mansor_, for the
accommodation of travellers, and is still resorted to by the trading
Moors and Jews, as a refuge at night from the attacks of robbers.
Conceiving it rather hazardous to penetrate further in useless
researches, I returned to this place, greatly chagrined at having been
foiled in my attempts to explore the remains of antiquities in
_Shella_, and other places. I assure you, my disappointment was not
owing to the want either of perseverance or resolution, but the
serjeant of my guard was an ignorant bigot, and a great coward,
therefore unwilling and unable to protect, or share any danger with
me. On my return here, I dismissed him, and obtained another serjeant,
and a new guard, from the Governor, who caused my dismissed serjeant
to be seized; and ordered him the _pallo_; but, at my intercession, he
was pardoned, upon his promising for the future to evince a more
soldierlike conduct, when summoned on duty.
The town of _Alcasser-Quiber_ being only three leagues from this
place, I also went thither, to see the _Socco_, which is held once a
week, and is frequented by a vast number of the inhabitants of the
neighbouring mountains, who carry their produce, consisting of cattle,
fowls, eggs, butter, soft cheese, and large quantities of wool, hides,
and wax.
This city lies to the eastward of Larache, on the banks of the river
_Luxos_, and is separated from the town of _Arzilla_ by alternate
vallies and plains, amongst which some remains of redoubts,
apparently, for the protection and defence of camps, are to be seen,
and near which that unfortunate battle was fought in 1578, wherein
_Don Sebastian_, King of Portugal, lost both his army and his life.
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