CHAPTER VII. Description o f the Inhabitants o f West Barbary— their D r e s s— Religious Ceremonies and Opinions— their Character— Manners and Customs— Diseases— Funerals— Etiquette o f the Court— Sources o f Revenue. T h e inhabitants o f the Emperor o f Marocco’s dominions may b e d iv id ed into four classes, namely, Moors, Arabs, Berebbers, (w h ich latter are probably the aborigines,) and Shelluhs. T h e Moors are the descendants o f those who were driven out o f Sp ain ; th e y inhabit the cities o f Marocco, Fas, Mequinas, and all the coast towns, as far southward as the province o f Haha. T h e ir language is a corrupt A rabie, intermixed with Spanish. In m y transactions with these people, I have gener a lly observed in them a misanthropic insolence whenever they are addressed w ith courtesy and respect, but much c iv ility w hen treated with dign ity. T h e y seem to imagine suavity o f manners to be an indication o f fear. T h e Arabs h a v e their orig inal stock in Sahara, from whence th e y emigrate to the plains o f Marocco, whenever the plague, famine, or any other calamity depopulates the country so as to admit o f a new colony, without injuring the territory o f the former inhabitants. These Arabs liv e in tents, inhabiting the fertile and extensive plains, and indeed the whole territory west o f Atlas, and as far south as Mogodor, or the confines o f the A ra b province o f Shedma. (See the map o f Marocco). These populous'tribes trave l o v e r the w ho le o f A fr ica ; and are agriculturists o f Barbary and o f Bled-el-jcrrede. in e y - j the Korannick A rabic somewhat corrupted. T h e y are a restless and turbulent people, continually at war with each other m one province a rebellious kabyle, or clan, will fight against a neighbouring lo y a l one, and w ill thus plunder and destroy one another, till, fatigued b y the toils o f w ar, th e y m u tu a lly cease, when, the next y ea r perhaps, the rebellious e lan w ill be found fighting for the Emperor against the former loyal one, now b e come rebellious. T h is plan o f setting one tribe against another is an act o f policy o f the Emperor, because, i f he dicl not, in this manner, que ll the broils continually breaking out amongst them, he would b e compelled, in order to preserve tranquillity in his dominions, to employ his own army for that purpose, which is generally occupied in more important business. Hospitality is a prominent feature in the character o f these people, insomuch that i f an enemy be driven to the necessity o f seeking an asylum among them, hostility is immediately forgotten. T h e Berebbers inhabit the mountains o f A tla s north o f the city o f Marocco, liv in g gen era lly in tents; they are a- robust, nervous, and warlike people, h a v in g a language peculiar to themselves, which differs more from the A ra b ic , o r general language o f A frica , than an y two languages o f Europe differ from each o ther ; it is probably a dialect o f the ancient C a rth a ginian. In tra v e llin g through the Berebber Kabyle s o f A it Ifnure, and Zemure Shelluh, I noticed many o f the inhabitants who possessed the old Roman physiognomy. T h e general o c cu pation o f these people is husbandry, and the rearing o f bees for honey and wax. T h e y possess much cunning and d u p licity , and are never outwitted b y the Moors, or entirely worsted b y the
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