the incurred her implacable refentment, through his irritability, which to Arab women feemed extremely to refemble petulance. During his refidence with Sidi Mahomet, the hardhips he endured were almoft incređible. With the exceffive heat, the milk of the fheep, goats, and camels diminished, and then the dogs fared better than the Chriftians, who were forced to fubfift on wild herbs and raw-fnails. When the rains fell, and the leaft preffure made the water to fpring up through the fandy foil, the Chriftians flept behind a bush,`unfheltered, on the bare ground. Briffon and his mafter fometimes reafoned about religion, when the latter always answered the harangues of the former by declaring, that he preferred a bowl of churned milk to fuch abfurdities. Several of his companions perished, and were left by the Arabs to be devoured by the ravens, while in the struggles of death. One of them was fuppofed to be murdered by his master for milking his camels clandeftinely. An application madę by Briffon to the conful at Mogador, by a letter entrusted to a Jewish merchant, was frustrated through the negligence of the vice-conful; and the Labdeffeba Arabs thought the journey too dangerous to be encountered for the ranfom of their flaves. The drought became so exceffive, that no pafturage could be found for the flocks; upon which the tribes of Ouadelim and Labd ffeba, after holding a confultation, determined to go in fearch of new habitations The horde, to which Briffon's mafter belonged, was one of thofe that remained behind, while the Oudelims extended their ravages to Guadnum, at the diftance of 300 leagues from their former refidence Thofe who remained behind, fubfifted for a fhort period, but were foon reduced to the and the country appeared as if filled with ming volcanos. Neither birds nor infects could be seen in the air. The profound filence was frightful. If a gentle breeze ever arose it pro-. duced extreme languor, chopping of the lips, burning heat of the skin, with mall fmarting pimples. This plain was even fhunned by wild beafts. After traverfing this plain, they entered another, where the wind had thrown up in furrows the fand, which was of a reddish colour. On the tops of the furrows grew a few fweetfcented plants, which were devoured by the camels. On quitting this fandy plain, they entered a valley furrounded by mountains, where the foil was white and flimy, and where they found water of a noxious fmell, covered with green mofs, and foon after difcovered a horde of the friendly tribe Rouffye. Sidi Sellem one of the chiefs of this horde, and brother-in-law to Sidi Mahomet, propofed to Briffon to put himself under his protection, and offered to purchase him; to which Briffon, who expected foon to reach either Senegal or Morocco, gave a firm refusal. After another journey of fixteen days, they arrived at the tents of the Labdeffeba horde, to which Sidi Mahomet be. longed. The tents pitched among thick bushy trees, and the numerous flocks feeding along the fides of the hills, prefented at a distance an afpect of happinefs and paftoral fimplicity. On approaching near, the trees of beautiful green foliage proved to be only old gummy stumps, almoft void of branches, fo encircled with thorns, that their fhade was inaccef fible. The women approached with loud cries and the mott fawning fer vility to welcome their tyrants, to throw stones at the Chriftians and fpit in their faces, while the children imitated the example of their mothers. Briffon, who endeavoured to ingrautmost extremities, by the failure of tiate himself with his matter's fa paflurage and water. They were vourite, not only failed in this but forced to kill their camels and goats, 201 In order to obtain the water in their moift and furrowed, as if it had been ftomachs, which was of a greenith formerly watered by winding rivulets. colour, and extremely difagreeable. The borders of thefe furrows were In this dreadful situation he was pur covered with beds of pebbles, and chafed by Sidi elem, the brother cuted over with a nitrous kind of in-law of his matter, with whom he ice. The rocks which enclofd the immediately departed for Morocco. furrows were covered with the fame, On their journey, the appearance and refembled cafcades. Thick red、 which the country prefented was uni difh roots and branches, covered with form and wild. Wide fandy plains, leaves, like thofe of the laurel, crept terminated by a bare horizon of bleak acrois the different crevices. As he rocky hills, filled up this blank in advanced, pyramids of great tones, nature.. The plains were covered white as alabaster, appeared towering frequently with calcined flints refem. above each other, and feemed to mark bling a mith's charcoal. In one the borden of a bankas Lofty date place, they obferved fome whitish trees, whofe trunks were warped even earth, ove which the trunks of trees to the top, rose behind the pyramids. were heaped in confufion, with their with palm trees, the height and coroots to off. Their bark was en- lour of which exhibited proofs of tirely peeled, and their branches, brit- their high antiquity. Others of the e tle as glafs, were twisted like cords. were thrown down, and lay flipped Their wood was yellowish, like the of the bark; they crumbled to pieces wod of liquorice, and the heart of upon being touched; and the filathe trees was filled with a powder ments under the bark were covered very hard to the touch. Neither the with a faltifh powder, clear as cryfwood, nor the enclosed duit, nor the tal. The roots which hung down calcined tones, had either taste or the rocks were glutinous, and the fmell. At fome distance, the moun bark broke off at the flightest touch. tains, which were extremely high, Advancing nearer Morocco, they feemed to be piled above each other found lofty mountains covered with in immenfe ranges, from whence en- ftones of rofe, violet, citron, and green ormous blocks appeared to have fal colours; and obferved forests at a diflen, and to have been shattered to tance. On their approach they were pieces before reaching the ground. aftonished to fee the trunks of trees: Thefe detached. maffes, over which defcending fr in the centres of rocks, other rocks hung suspended, formed and apparently hanging down like immenfe caverus, and covered the fruits, while the roebucks courfed, vallies From another quarter, two one after another, over the hanging fountains iffued, one of which drew rocks, and the trees that hung fufalong in its course a black flimy mat- pended in the air. Briffon remarks, ter of as fulphureons fmell. The o- that no trees in these forefts are in →→ ther, feparated from the first by a jured by lightening except one, the fmallitus of fand, of the breadth leaf of which relembles that of the of 12.15 paces, was clearer than gum-tree or common parley. Be chrystal, la valley, which appears, fore reaching Guadoum, they arriv ed at first fight, extremely circum ed at the habitations of the tribe fcribed by the furrounding moun- Telkoennes, who refide among mountains, and the detached rocks which tains of fand, as if they endeavoured were heaped up in promifcuous con- to hide themfelves from the Ight off fufion, Briffon difcovered an aftonifhs, the fun! Inis almon impoffible to » ing variety of fcenery. At the en- penetrate their retreats undefs a pertrance of the valley, the ground was fon be acquainted with the paffes of B2 2 the > the fand hills. The plains in their neighbourhood fwarm with enormous ferpents At last they reached Guadnum, the asylum of the moft da. ring rebels of all the Arabian tribes, the mait of he inhabitants of the defait, who come there to barter their camels, peltry, gum, &c for woolen fluffs, half white and haf Crimion; for wheat, barley, dates, horfes, tobacco, gunpowder, combs, and mirrors. his trade is entirely carried on by the Jews The inha bitants live in a ttate of mutual dif truft; their houfes are gua ded by large dogs, ad alfo their perfons, when thy walk through the city. Leavin uanum, they arrived at Mogadore, and were delivered up to the Governor, who fent them with an efcort to the Emperor, at Morocco, by whom he was foon after fet at liberty. The character of the inhabitants of Morocco differs little from that of the Arabe of the defart: they are not of fo ftout a make, but of a fairer complexion; more accuf tomed to the fight of Europeans, but equally addicted to infulting them The earthen ruinous walls of the pa lace relembled the inclofure of a church-yard; the outfide of the fe raglio was no unlike a barn, and the houfes of the city of a very bad con ftruction, The narrative of Briffon reprefents the Moors and the Arabs of the Defart in the mo unfavourable point of view. Inflamed with refentment at the infults to which he was expofed from the religious bigotry of the Mahometans, and foured with the hardships he endured in the defart, to which the Ar bs were equally ob. noxious, but which they were more abh to encounter, he gives every cir cumftance the molt malicious con. Aruction. To a Frenchman of fine feelings,, that appearance of infenfibility which miery produces, affumed the form of deliberate cru lty The general outline of the picture he de lineates fems to be fufficiently cor rect, but the minure figures are pro bably in the ftyle of caricature. Like a certain painter of the Flemifh ichool, he cannot be charged with wilful exaggeration; but the rancour of his ulcerated mind darkened the. faces of his devils, and gave their features a peculiar expreffion of malice. As he traversed fome of the districts. of the defart at a great diftance from the shore, his remarks on the mannera of the rabs who inhabit the interi or, are extremely interefting. Of the Ouadelim and Labdeffeba. Of the inhabitants of the interior regions of Sahara, the Ouadelim and Labdeffeba are the mon formidable, who often extend their ravages to the very gates of Morocco. Their hordes are frequently intermingled with those of the Rouffye, Rathidium, Chelus, Tucanois and Quadeli tribes, as they have no diflinct bounderies, and change their habitations, as the defart affords pafturage and water. they are tall, handfome, ftout and vigorous men. Their hair is briftled, and their nails, which they often use in battle, as long as claws; large hanging ears and a long beard, give them a ftern forocious air. The Cuadelim, in particular, are fierce, arrogan and warlike, but foon difpirited by obftinate refiftance, especially when they have not a decided fuperiority, in numbers. In their hordes they lodge by families, in tents which are. covered with a thick cloth of camels hair, which the women fpin and weave upon a loom fo fmall, that they work fiting on the ground. The forniture of their tents confift of two large facks of leather, in which they keep old clothes and pieces of old iron, three or four goat-fkins for holding milk and water, two large ftones for grinding their barley, a fmaller one for driving the pins of their tents, an ozier matting, which ferves for a bed, a thick carpet for a covering, couering, a fall kettle, and fome wooden dishes, with pack faddles for their camels. The perfon who, be fides these articles, poff ffes a few horfes, camels, theep and goats, is teckoned wealthy, as there are many Arabs who only poffefs fheep and goats. Except fore eyes and the cholic, they are fubject to few endemic difcafes. The firit diforder is caufed by the reflection of light from the burning fands of the delart, the other proceeds from the verdigreafe which contaminates all their victuals. heir kettles are not tinned, and never washed, so that they are quite crufted over with verdigrease, the virulence of which is probably diminished by the quantity of milk they ufe. When they refide long in one place, they fometimes plow the fpots which are moistened by the rain, and fprinkle them with feed in a careless manner. Plentiful crops are often thus produeed; but, inftead of waiting till the grain attains maturity, they cut it down, and dry it over hot cinders. Treachery and perfidy are the innate vices of the Arabs; affaffinations are frequent; no man trufts the promife of another; no man makes a written agreement, as the poignard cancels all bonds and obligations. The men often relate their exploits to each other; the embellishing of a ftory is fucceeded by a charge of falsehood, and the poignard folves every difficulty. The ancient rites of hofpitality, however, are practifed among thefe tribes, in their utmost extent. The Arab, who, in the field, is a rapacious plunderer, becomes liberal and generous as foon as he enters his tent. War is only a fpecies of rapine, and the victory is decided at the firft heck. The Arab is devoid of fanguinary courage; he attacks only to "plunder, and never thinks that booty is to be put in competition with his life. When the battle is ended, each party make graves for the flain, and enclofe the tombs with mounds of tones. The ages of the warriors are denoted by the fpace of ground which the grave occupies, and the funeral proceffion is clofed by the howls of the females. The women never affume the name of their husbands, and never cat with them at meals. They are faithful to their husbands, and cannot be divorced except by the decree of the feniors of the horde. The Arabs difplay their opulence by the ornaments of their women, whofe ears, arms, and legs, are generally adorned with rings of gold and filver. An Arab beauty muft have long teeth shooting out of her mouth, a body extremely thick, and limbs of the longell fize. At the birth of a fon, every woman, to teftify her joy, blackens her face for 40 days. At the birth of a daughter, fhe only daubs the half of her face, during the fpace of 20 days. A other treats her fon with the fame refpect as her husband, almoft as focn. as he is able to walk; fhe prepares his food, ferves him, and eats when he has finished his repaft. in the education of their young men, the moft important acquifitions are dexterity in the ufe of the poignard, fill in embowelling their enemies with their long nails and a plaufible air in concealing a falfehood. More rude and ferocious than the tribes whofe territories lie upon the fhore, of the fea, the Labdeffeba and Ouadelim Arabs are also more confined and illiberal in their ideas, not only believing that they are the first nation in the world. but fancying that the fun rifts only for them. Briffon relates, that fome of them expreffed this idea in unequivocal terms. "Behold," faid they, that luminary, which is unknown in thy country. During the night, thou art not enlightened, as we are, by that heavenly body, which regulates our days and our fafts. His children the flare,) point out to us the hours of prayer. You have nei 66 "ther "guage હે. ther trees nor camels, fheep, gats, nor dogs. Are your women fimi "lar to ou "How long didit thou remain in the womb of thy « mother,” said another "As long, replied Briffon, as thou did in that of thine." Indeed," faid a third, counting the fingers and toes of the Frenchman, he is made like us, he differs only in his colour and lanDo you fow barley in your houfes?" "faid the Arabs, alluding to the hips of the Europeans. No, faid Briffon, we fow in fields almoft in the fame feafon as "you" "Huw! cried feveral, do you lieved that you were born and liv. ed upon the fea." Thefe Arabs, according to the Turkish proverb, believe that all the world is like their father's houfe unacquainted with the manners of other nations, and unaccustomed to reflect upon the caufes of national character, every varia tion from their own cuftoms appears not only ridiculous, but monftrous; every difference of opinion not only abfurd, bun criminal, his ignorance of the Arabs, conjoined with their local habit the earth? we be the negroes were condemned to flavery, because they had the colour of the damned Many of our early navigators relate, with great complacen cy, the molt abominable murders, the moft fhocking maffacres, which they committed, without the leaft remor,fe because their inoffenfive victims were ignorant of the Christian religion. Intances of the molt atrocious nature, even unparalleled by the barbarities of the Moors of Barbary and the Sahara, occur in almoft every relation of African as well as American discoveries. The cruelty of the women and children might caily proceed from infantine curiofity, from the vanity of exhibiting their courage, or from an ardent defire of difplaying their affection to their huf bands or fathers. Is not the method by which civilized Europeans difplay their patriotism, and their affec tion for their friends, very fimilar to that of the Arabs? They do not in deed, in common cafes, treat their prifoners with wanton barbarity, but they pour forth the groffett invectives againft hoftile nations, and echo the moft fcurrilous mifreprefentations of d religious prejudices, enables their character. us to account for the infulting treat ment, which Briffon and his companions received, without having recourfe to inherent depravity of nature. In the 15th century, millions of Indians were maffacred in America by the Spaniards, becaule they were thought to have the faces of monkeys; and, Such coincidences fhow, that the radical principles of the human conftitution are every where the fame, however they may happen to be modified by adventitious circumftances; that civilized fociety is not the caule of evil and vice, fince. the caprice of the favage may convert, his ftupidity into the moft ferocious in a folemn council of ecclchaftics, and inhuman pallion. yulist sidang OUTLINE NORTH GUINEA OR NEGRITIA-GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE "COUNTRY AND INHAR AND INHABITANTS ORIGIN OF THE NAME GUINEA KINGDOM OF QUALATA OR WALET-AND OF THE SLAVE TRADED to void wh From the Same A Nintelligent traveller, who tra- lential marthes and fultry fands, where verfés Egypt or Barbary, will the grey firmament bounds the defart, read the degeneracy of the modern and the filence is only broken by the inhabitants in the monuments of paft cry of the jackal. At every ftep he a gesp and trace the veftiges of former fees fertile fields abandoned to defocivilization and grandeur amid peftilation; villages deferted and cities ruined. |