Lander's Travels eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,054 pages of information about Lander's Travels.

Lander's Travels eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,054 pages of information about Lander's Travels.
so deep is the detestation which I they are taught to feel for “the unclean and idolatrous infidel.”  A Christian, therefore, who falls into the hands of the Arabs, has no reason to expect any mercy.  If it be his lot to be possessed by the Arabs of the desert, his value as a slave will probably save his life, but if he happens to be wrecked on the coasts of the emperor’s dominions, where Europeans are not allowed to be retained in slavery, his fate would in most cases be immediate death, before the government could have time to interfere for his protection.  The next great division of the people of western Barbary, are the inhabitants of the cities and towns, who may be collectively classed under the general denomination of MOORS, although this name is only known to them through the language of Europeans.  They depend chiefly on trade and manufactures for subsistence, and confine their pursuits in general to occupations in the towns.  Occasionally, however, but very rarely, they may be found to join agricultural operations with the Arabs.

The Moors may be divided into the four following classes:—­1st.  The tribes descended from Arab families. 2nd.  Those of Berrebber descent. 3rd.  The Bukharie. 4th.  The Andalusie.

The Arab families are the brethren of the conquerors of the country, and they form the largest portion of the population of the southern towns, especially of those, which border on Arab districts.  The Berrebber families are in like manner more or less numerous in the towns, according to the proximity of the latter to the Berrebber districts.

The Bukharie, or black tribe, are the descendants of the negroes, brought by the emperor Mulai Ismael, from Soudan.  They have been endowed with gifts of land, and otherwise encouraged by the subsequent emperors, and the tribe, although inconsiderable in point of numbers, has been raised to importance in the state, by the circumstance of its forming the standing army of the emperor, and of its being employed invariably as the instruments of government.  Their chief residence is in the city of Mequinez, about the emperor’s person.  They are also found, but in smaller numbers, in the different towns of the empire.

The Andalusie, who form the fourth class of Moors, are the reputed descendants of the Arab conquerors of Spain, the remnant of whom, on being expelled from that kingdom, appear to have retained the name of its nearest province.  These people form a large class of the population of the towns in the north of Barbary, particularly of Tetuan, Mequinez, Fez, and Rhabatt or Sallee.  They are scarcely, if at all found residing to the south of the river Azamoor, being confined chiefly to that province of Barbary known by the name of El Gharb.

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Lander's Travels from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.