that the subjects o f a great maritime power have been neglected in a country where, b y adopting some judicious regulations, all the hardships o f bondage, and the privations which necessarily follow in a barren country, might he prevented. T h e coast o f Noon or Wedinoon extends to the southward nearly as far as Cape Bojador. T h e Wed Akassa, or river Akassa, (which is erroneously called in the maps the river Nun, and in some Daradus), is a large stream from the sea to the town o f Noon, w hich is about fifteen miles inland, and about two miles in circumference ; from hence the riv e r becomes shallow and narrow ; it is to the southward o f this river, that the ships are generally wrecked. Between the r iv e r Akassa and the province o f A itB am a ran in Suse, is a peninsula extending into the ocean, resembling that on which Mogodor is built, where are the remains o f a fort b u ilt formerly b y the Portuguese, but evacuated b y them at the time they discovered America; th e y afterwards endeavoured to obtain possession o f it, for the purpose o f establishing a commercial factory, but the natives objected to the proposal. The French have been endeavouring to establish a settlement here at the nearest point o f coast to Timbuc- loo, with which emporium they are anxious to become belter acquainted. T h e district ofWedinoon is nominally in the Emperor o f M arocco’s dominions, but la te ly no army having been sent farther south than Terodant, the Bashaw A lk a id Mohammed ben De lemy being deceased, this district has suffered neglect, and I apprehend the people pay no taxes or ten ths; the Emperor has even la te ly ordered his Bashaw o f Haha to purchase the British slaves that had been wrecked there. This place being thus on ly nominally in his dominions is another impediment to the redemption o f the mariners who happen to be shipwrecked about Wedinoon, for i f the Emperor had the same authority o ve r this district, that he has over the provinces north o f the riv e r Suse, measures might be adopted b y the Consul, a c t in g under his orders, for their d e live ry , without pecuniary disbursement. Whilst the Europeans remain in the hands o f the Arabs and Jews, they are employed in various domestic services, such a s bringing water, possibly the distance o f nine or ten miles, to the habitation, and in collecting fire-wood. In performing these offices, their feet, being bare, and treading on the heated sand, become blistered and inflamed, the sandy particles penetrate into these blisters when broken, and irritate in such a manner as sometimes to cause mortification, and death. T h e young lads> o f which there are generally two or three in eve ry ship’s crew, are generally seduced b y the Arabs to .become Mohammedans; in this case, the Sheick or ch ie f o f the duar adopts him, and initiates him in the Koran, b y sending him to the (Mdursa) seminary, where he learns to read the sacred volume, and is instructed in the pronunciation o f the A rabic languag e; he is named after the Sheick who adopts him, after which an A ra bian woman is offered to him as a w i f e ; he marries, has a fam ily , and becomes one o f the clan, thus abandoning for e v e r the religion o f his father, his n ative country, and his connexions. T h e state o f domestic comfort enjoyed b y Christians .established in West Barbary or Marocco is far from b eing impeded b y those degrading distinctions practised in Egypt and other Mohammedan countries, where th e y are not allowed to ride on horses (the prophet’s beast), to wear green (the prophet’s colour,) &c. See.; here the y may do either : th e y may even enter towns on horseback, a privilege, however, w hich was not granted t ill o f late
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