any manner tend to illustrate the actual state of the Empire of Ma- rocco, being confident that the more these subjects are discussed among ns, the more they will merit our attention; and that, if ever the interior of Africa is to be explored by Europeans, if ever we are to reach the grand object of our research, the Emporium of Central Africa (Timbuctoo), Marocco is the most eligible point to set out from. But it is indispensably necessary that we should first overcome our own prejudices and misconceptions respecting this country ; we should first secure to ourselves all those advantages which would result from an active and uninterrupted commercial intercourse with the principal Sea Ports o f the Western Coast; and when these objects shall have been accomplished, the rest wilj readily follow. In the first Edition I promised that, should my labours meet with approbation; 1 would publish the political history of Marocco: this I had written, and intended as a second part to this Edition (indeed three sheets of it were printed) ; but considering that the subject has- been before discussed, and being unwilling to trouble the public with intelligence not altogether new, I have thought it expedient to- suppress it. It is not probable that I shall do any thing more to this Work, I therefore now dismiss it as perfect as I can render it. The greater part of it, I repeat, is the fruit of my own knowledge and experience; and I have never spoken on the authority of others, but when I have had Opportunities of investigating the sources of their intelligence, and. when I have had every reason to believe their information correct.* J. G. JACKSON. Burton Streetr Sept. 30tA, 1811. * Since this book first appeared, the Proceedings of the Society for promoting the- Discovery of the interior Parts of Africa have been published in two volumes octavo. In- the second volume are two letters from me to Sir Joseph Banks, wherein I'observe the following errors of th’e press, which I take the liberty here to correct: P. 366, for zahahty read rahaht; p. 373, for Alshfierrah, read Emsharrah ; p. 376, for Ait Elkoh, read A it Ebkuh; for Iduntenan, r. Jdautenan; for Kilrivse, read Kitiwa; and for Alsigina, lead- Emtegina, P R E F A C E . T h e following sheets have been compiled from various notes and observations made during a residence o f sixteen years in different parts o f the Empire o f Marocco, in the successive reigns o f Cidi Mohammed ben A bdallah ben Ismael, Muley Y e z z id , Muley e l Hesham, and Muley Soiiman ben Mohammed ; and which were originally intended merely as memo- randa for my own u s e ; but shortly after my last arrival in England, I had the honour to converse with a distinguished Nobleman* on the subject o f African knowledge, and from his L o r d s h i p s suggestions I first determined to submit to the public s u c h information as a long intercourse with the natives o f Bar- bary, as well in a political as a commercial capacity, and a tho rou gh knowledge o f the languages o f North A fr ic a had enabled me to obtain. It was ju stly observed b y Mr. Matra, our late consul at Marocco, that “ there are more books written on Barbary than on any other country, and yet there is no country with which we are so little acquainted.” T h e cause o f this is to be found in the superficial knowledge which the authors o f such books . The Bight Ran. the F.arl of M oira.
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