This Traveller Calls The District Of Tafilett, Afile Or Afilel.
It is probable that from the rains of the ancient Sedjelmasa, some of
the modern villages have been constructed.
The towns and districts of
Tafilett once formed an independent kingdom. The present population has
been estimated at some ten thousand, but this is entirely conjectural.
Callie mentions the four towns of Ghourlan, L'Eksebi, Sosso and Boheim
as containing eleven or twelve thousand souls. The soil of Tafilett is
level, composed of sand of an ashy grey, productive of corn, and all
sorts of European fruits and vegetables. The natives have fine sheep,
with remarkably white wool. The manufactures, which are in woollen and
silk, are called Tafiletes.
Besides being a rendezvous of caravans, radiating through all parts of
the Sahara, Tafilett is a great mart of traffic in the natural products
of the surrounding countries. A fine bridge spans the Zig, built by a
Spaniard. When the Sultan of Morocco finds any portion of his family
inclined to be naughty, he sends them to Tafilett, as we are wont to
send troublesome people to "Jericho." This, at any rate, is better than
cutting off their heads, which, from time immemorial, has been the
invariable practice of African and Oriental despots. The Maroquine
princes may be thankful they have Tafilett as a place of exile. The
Emperors never visit Tafilett except as dethroned exiles. A journey to
such a place is always attended with danger; and were the Sultan to
escape, he would find, on his return, the whole country in revolt.
Regarding these royal cities, we sum up our observations. The destinies
of Fez and Mequinez are inseparable. United, they contain one hundred
thousand inhabitants, the most polished and learned in the Empire. Fez
is the city of arts and learning, that is of what remains of the once
famous and profound Moorish doctors of Spain. Mequinez is the strong
place of the Empire, an emporium of arms and imperial Cretsures. Fez is
the rival of Morocco. The two cities are the capitals of two kingdoms,
never yet amalgamated. The present dynasty belongs not to Fez, but to
Morocco; though a dynasty of Shereefs, they are Shereefs of the south,
and African blood flows in their veins.
The Sultan generally is obliged to give a preference to Fez for a
residence, because his presence is necessary to maintain the allegiance
of the north country, and to curb its powerful warparty, his son in the
meanwhile being left Governor during his absence. But all these royal
cities are on the decline, the "sere and yellow leaf" of a well nigh
defunct civilization. Morocco is a huge shell of its former greatness, a
monster of Moresque dilapidations. France may awaken the slumbering
energies of the population of these once flourishing and august cities,
but left to themselves they are powerless, sinking under their own
weight and uncouth encumbrances, and will rise no more till
reconstructed by European hands.
CHAPTER VI.
Description of the towns and cities of the Interior, and those of the
Kingdom of Fez. - Seisouan. - Wazen. - Zawiat. - Muley Dris. - Sofru. -
Dubdu. - Taza. - Oushdah. - Agla. - Nakbila. - Meshra. - Khaluf. - The Places
distinguished in. Morocco, including Sous, Draka, and Tafilett. - Tefza.
- Pitideb. - Ghuer. - Tyijet. - Bulawan. - Soubeit - Meramer. - El-Medina. -
Tagodast. - Dimenet. - Aghmat. - Fronga. - Tedmest. - Tekonlet. - Tesegdelt. -
Tagawost. - Tedsi Beneali. - Beni Sabih. - Tatta and Akka. - Mesah or
Assah. - Talent. - Shtouka. - General observations on the statistics of
population. - The Maroquine Sahara.
We have briefly to notice the remaining towns and cities of the
interior, with some other remarkable places.
First, these distinguished and well ascertained places in the kingdom of
Fez.
Seisouan, or Sousan, is the capital of the Rif province, situate also on
the borders of the province of the Habat, and by the sources of a little
river which runs into the Mediterranean, near Cape Mazari. The town is
small, but full of artizans and merchants. The country around is
fertile, being well irrigated with streams. Sousan is the most
beautifully picturesque of all the Atlas range.
Sofou, or Sofron, is a fine walled city, southeast of Fez, situate upon
the river Guizo; in a vast and well-watered plain near, are rich mines
of fossil salt.
Wazen, or Wazein, in the province of Azgar, and the region of the Gharb,
is a small city without Walls, celebrated for being the residence of
the High Priest, or Grand Marabout of the Empire. This title is
hereditary, and is now (or up to lately) possessed by the famous
Sidi-el-Haj-el-Araby-Ben-Ali, who, in his district, lives in a state of
nearly absolute independence, besides exercising great influence over
public affairs. This saint, or priest, has, however, a rival at Tedda.
The two popes together pretend to decide the fate of the Empire. The
districts where these Grand Marabouts reside, are without governors,
and the inhabitants pay no tribute into the imperial coffers, they are
ruled by their two priests under a species of theocracy. The Emperor
never attempts or dares to contest their privileges. Occasionally they
appear abroad, exciting the people, and declaiming against the vices of
the times. His Moorish Majesty then feels himself ill at ease, until
they retire to their sanctuaries, and employs all his arts to effect
the object, protesting that he will be wholly guided by their councils
in the future administration of the Empire. With this humiliation of
the Shereefs, they are satisfied, and kennel themselves into their
sanctum-sanctorums.
Zawiat-Muley-Driss, which means, retirement of our master, Lord Edris
(Enoch) and sometimes called Muley Edris, is a far famed city of the
province of Fez, and placed at the foot of the lofty mountains of
Terhoun, about twenty-eight miles from Fez, north-west, amidst a most
beautiful country, producing all the necessaries and luxuries of human
life. The site anciently called Tuilet, was perhaps also the Volubilis
of the ancients. Here is a sanctuary dedicated to the memory of Edris,
progenitor and founder of the dynasty of Edrisiti.
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