6 Rivers o f Marocco. Temsena from D u qu ella ; dividing that part o f the empire west o f Atlas into two divisions. There was a bridge ove r this river at a short distance from the pass called Bulawan, built by Muley Bel Hassen, a prince o f the Mareen family ; at this pass the r iv e r is crossed on rafts o f rushes and reeds, and on others consisting o f inflated goat skins. Westward o f this pass, the riv e r meanders through the plains, and enters the ocean at the port o f Azamor. The Morbeya abounds in the fish called sheb- bel, the season for which is in the spring. This river not being at any lime fordable, horses and travellers, together with their baggage, are transported across b y ferries. The Tensift.*— T his riv er rises in the Atlas, east o f Marocco, and passing about five miles north o f that city, it proceeds through the territory o f Marocco, Rahamena, and nearly d ivides the two maritime provinces o f Shedma and A b d a , discharging itself into the ocean about sixteen miles south of the town o f Saffy. This riv e r receives in its course some tributary streams issuing from A tla s, the principal o f w hich is the Wed Niflis, which, flowing from the south, enters it, after taking a northerly course through the plains o f Marocco or Sheshawa. T h e Tensift is an impetuous stream during the Liali, but in summer it is fordable in several p la ce s ; and at the ferry near the mouth o f the river, at low water, reaches as high as the stirrups. In many places it is extremely deep, and dangerous to cross without a g u id e ; about six miles from Marocco, a * This river is vulgarly called Wed Maratosh, or the river of Marocco, because it passes through the district of that name; but the proper name is Wed Tensift, or the river Tensift; and this is the name given it by Leo Afrie'anus (Book IX .), the only author who has hitherto spelt the word correctly; he has however committed a considerable error in affirming that it discharges itself into the ocean at Saffy. Rivers o f Marocco. bridge crosses it, which was erected b y Muley El Mansor; it is v e ry strong but flat, with many arches. One o f the Kings o f Marocco attempted to destroy this bridge, to prevent the passage o f an hostile army, but the cement was so hard that men with pick-axes were employed several days before they could sever the stones; and they had not time to effect its destruction, before the army passed. T h e shebbel o f the Tensift is much esteemed, as is also the' water, which is extremely salubrious, and aids considerably the powers o f digestion, which, from the intense heat o f the climate, are often weakened and relaxed. This riv er is supposed to be the Phut o f P to lem y ; on the northern bank, where it falls into the ocean, is to be perceived the ruins o f an ancient town, probably the Asama o f that Geographer. The re is a small stream two miles south o f Mogodor, from whence that town is supplied with w a te r ; and about twelve or fourteen miles more to the south, we reach The River Tidsi, which discharges itself into the ocean a few miles south o fT e g r ew e lt, or Cape Ossem, where the ancient city o f Tidsi formerly stood. Passing to the south in the plains at the foot o f that branch o f A tlas w hich forms Afarnie, or the lo fty Cape de G ee r,* we meet The River Benitamer, which, with the before mentioned branch o f Atlas, divides the provinces o f H aha and Suse. * A Shelluh name, expressive of a quick wind, because there is always wind at this C ape; but ships should be extremely careful not to approach it, in going down the coast; not but that the water is very deep, as the Cape rises almost perpendicularly from the ocean, but because the land, is so extremely;high that those ships which approach within a league of i.t, are almost always becalmed on the south side of it, and are in consequence three days in getting down to Agadeer, whilst other vessels which keep more to the west, reach that port in a few hours. This Cape is a western branch of the Atlas.
27f 39
To see the actual publication please follow the link above