without success, his intention was to harass the trade o f the European nations, by fitting out gallies and rovers, for the purpose o f capturing and carrying the merchant ships into Tangier, Tetuan, and Ceuta, as they passed through the Streights; but the place is capable, on the land side, o f resisting eve ry attack that may be made upon it b y the Mohammedans, unless they were aided b y some European naval force. T he whole coast from hence to Tangier, the next town we come to, is rugged, and interspersed with projecting cliffs. Tangier, anciently called Tinjis, and Tingia, and now, by the Arabs, Tinjiah, is situated at the western mouth o f the Streights, and a day’s journey distant from Tetuan. This town was first possessed b y the Romans, next by the Goths, and was g iv en up b y Count Julian to the Mohammedans. It was taken in the J 5th century b y the crown o f Portugal, which ga ve it, in 1602, as part o f the dow ry o f the princess Catherine o f Portugal, upon her marriage to Charles the Second o f England. The English, however, finding the expenses o f keeping it to exceed the advantages derived from the possession o f it, abandoned it in 1684, after destroying the mole and fortifications. It still retains some batteries in good condition, facing the bay, at the bottom o f which is a river, and the remains o f the bridge o f Old T angier; but the sand has so accumulated at the mouth o f this river, that the bridge, had it stood, would have been now useless. Tangier is favourable to Moorish piracy, even without the possession o f Ceuta, being the narrowest part o f the Streights; but it will never become a commercial town, having but few p roductions in its vicinage. The Spaniards here ship eggs, fowls, vegetables, and some fru its ; but the ch ie f exports are cattle and edible vegetables, which are carried to Gibraltar for the supply o f the garrison: this supply is allowed b y the Emperor, not perhaps from any predilection towards us (although he apparently prefers the English to any other European power), but because it was a grant from his great grandfather Muley Ismael, whose successors have not infringed on the ordinances o f their renowned ancestor, the Mohammedans having a great respect for the deeds o f their forefathers. Westward o f Tangier is Cape Spartel, the headland which divides the Streights from the western o cean ; after doubling this Cape, at the distance o f 15 miles, stands the little town o f A rz illa , called by the Carthaginians Z ilia , and b y the Romans, who had a garrison here, Julia Traducta ; it belonged afterwards to the Goths, and la tte rly to the Mohammedans. A l- phonso o f Portugal took it in 17 4 1 ; but about the end o f the 16th century, it was abandoned b y the Portuguese, and again fell into the hands o f the Moors. A riv e r discharges its e lf at this place into the ocean ; but there is no trade carried on. Proceeding down the coast southward, we discover, at the distance o f 33 miles, the town o f E l Araiche, standing on the riv e r El Kos. E l Araice, whence its name is derived, signifies, in the Arabic, flower, or pleasure gardens.* This was formerly a town o f some commerce ; remains o f the commercial houses, which appear to have been large and spacious, still exist. The adjacent country is v e ry fine and productive, and furnishes corn, wax, and oil, the two former in abundance; it also contains woods o f full-grown trees, fit for ship building. T h e river El Kos has a bar o f sand at its entrance, but is sufficiently deep * In distinction from El Bahaira, which implies a kitchen garden. E
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