A geographical historie of Africa, written in Arabicke and Italian by Iohn Leo a More, borne in Granada, and brought vp in Barbarie. Wherein he hath at large described, not onely the qualities, situations, and true distances of the regions, cities, townes, mountaines, riuers, and other places throughout all the north and principall partes of Africa; but also the descents and families of their kings ... gathered partly out of his owne diligent obseruations, and partly out of the ancient records and chronicles of the Arabians and Mores. Before which, out of the best ancient and moderne writers, is prefixed a generall description of Africa, and also a particular treatise of all the maine lands and isles vndescribed by Iohn Leo. ... Translated and collected by Iohn Pory, lately of Goneuill and Caius College in Cambridge

Of the mountaine called Demensera.

THis mountaine also is a part of Atlas, beginning from the mountaine last before mentioned, and extending it selfe eastward for the space of about fiftie miles, as farre as the mountaine of Nifif in the territorie of Maroco. And it diuideth a good part of Hea from the region of Sus be∣fore named. It aboundeth with inhabitants, which are of a most barbarous and sauage disposition. Horses they haue great plenty: they go to warre of∣tentimes with the Arabians which border vpon them: neither will they per∣mit any of the saide Arabians to come within their dominions. There are

no townes nor castles vpon all this mountaine: howbeit they haue certaine villages and cottages, wherein the better sort do hide their heads. Great store of noble men or gouernors they haue in all places, vnto whom the re∣sidue are very obedient. Their grounde yeeldeth barly and mill in abun∣dance. They haue euery where many fountaines, which being dispersed ouer the whole prouince, do at length issue into that riuer, which is called in their language Siffaia. Their apparell is somewhat decent: also they possesse great quantitie of iron, which is from thence transported into other places; and these people are well giuen to thrift and good husbandry. Great num∣bers of Iewes remaine in this region, which liue as stipendarie soldiers vn∣der diuers princes, & are continually in armes; and they are reputed and cal∣led by other Iewes in Africa Carraum, that is to say, heretiques. They haue store of boxe, of mastick, and of high walnut trees. Vnto their Argans (for so they call a kinde of oliues which they haue) they put nuts; out of which two simples they expresse very bitter oile, vsing it for a sauce to some of their meates, and powring it into their lampes. I heard diuers of their princi∣pall men auouch, that they were able to bring into the field siue and twentie thousand most expert soldiers. In my returne from Sus they did me excee∣ding honour, in regard of certaine letters, which I deliuered vnto them from my Lord the Seriffo: and to manifest their good will towardes the said Seriffo, they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me with most ample gifts and gratuities. This was done in the 920. yeere of the Hegeira, that is to say, in the yeere of our Lord, 1520.

Notes

• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of yron.