Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines : with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto : with the several denominations fo their coasts, harbors, creeks, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, castles, and villages, their customs, modes and manners, languages, religions and inexhaustible treasure : with their governments and policy, variety of trade and barter : and also of their wonderful plants, beasts, birds and serpents : collected and translated from most authentick authors and augmented with later observations : illustrated with notes and adorn'd with peculiar maps and proper sculptures / by John Ogilby, Esq. ...

THE TERRITORY OF QUENEG, or QUENEN.

THe Territory of Queneg, * 1.1 near the River Fez, bordering on Mount Atlas, hath a High-way reaching to Fez and Sugulmesse; * 1.2 in which Road are three Towns of Receipt and Entertainment: The first, which is call'd Zehbel, stands in the entrance of the Road, on such a high Rock, that its Spire seems to salute the Clouds.

The other is call'd Gastrir or Gastir, * 1.3 three miles from Zehbel, stands under the brow of a jutting Mountain, near a Plain.

The third call'd Tammarakrost, * 1.4 lieth about five miles Southward from the second, in the same way: The rest are twelve small Forts, and six and twenty inconsiderable Villages.

¶ THis Countrey hath also store of Dates, * 1.5 but none of the best; the Soyl is poor, except in some few Spots, which are the Margents of the River, and the Skirts of the Mountain. They sowe onely Barley and a few Tares; but so abounding in Goats, that they are their chief Sustenance.

They have for their Houses or Habitations onely a greater sort of Huts rais'd very high, with a small entrance, and narrow steps to ascend on; some of these People are under the Arabians, or the City Gherseluin, the rest Free-States.

Matgara, or Margara.

THe Territory of Matgara borders on the South on Queneg or Quenen, * 1.6 beyond the foremention'd High-way. There are many handsome Forts on the River Fez; the chiefest they call Helet, the Residence of the Governor, who hath inhaunced the Customs of the Merchandise yearly to thirty thousand Ducats.

Retell, or Arratama.

THe Dominion of Retell borders on Matgara, and reaches Southward along the River Fez, thirty miles distance from the River-Countrey of Sugulmesse; on the East confin'd with an inhabited Mountain, and in the West on a Sandy Plain, which the Arabians make their Rendezvouz, when they come out of the Desart. There are many fortifi'd Places or Sconces.

Retell hath abundance of Dates, yet covetous and narrow-hearted Inha∣bitants, who by the Arabians (under whom they submit) are handled like Slaves.

Essuoihila, Humeledegi, and Ummel-hesen.

NOt far from the Territory of Sugulmesse are three small Forts or Holds, * 1.7 the one is call'd Essuoihila, or Zuaihilla, a small place, about three miles from the Jurisdiction of Sugulmesse, to the South in a Desart; close by which glides the River Ziz, from thence going on to the Lybian Wil∣dernesses. The second Fort Humeledegi, lieth about five miles from Sugulmesse, * 1.8 also in the Desart. The third Ummel-hesen, is a place of small convenience, * 1.9 built by the Arabians upon a very barren Spot, just in the way which leads from Dara to Sugulmesse. The Walls seem to be all of Touch, the Stones are so black. But round about the first Castle are found neither Gardens nor Or∣chards, nor any Ground that bears Fruit; and nothing in prospect but Sand and black Stones. The Fields about Humeledegi produce in great abundance a Fruit, which at first sight seem to be Peaches.

Tebelbelt.

THe Countrey of Tebelbelt, or Tabelbelt, * 1.10 lieth in the midst of a Desart about the Mountain Atlas, and five and twenty from Sugulmesse to the South.

This Countrey hath also three populous Towns, and twelve Villages. The

chief City lieth in three and twenty Degrees and ten Minutes Longitude, and twenty Degrees and thirty Minutes Northern Latitude.

There are many Dates, * 1.11 but they want Water, and have few Cattel; for the Inhabitants supply their Tables with Ostriches, and store of Red-Deer.

They drive a poor Trade of Merchandise in Negro-Land, and pay Contri∣bution to the Arabians.

Todga.

THe small Territory of Todga takes its Denomination from the River Todga, * 1.12 which confines it about ten Miles Westward of Sugulmesse: It hath four Towns, and ten Villages.

This Countrey abounds in Dates, Peaches, Figs, and Grapes; likewise all sorts of Grain: Most of the Inhabitants are Husbandmen and Tanners.

Farkala.

THe Countrey Farkala or Ferkala, * 1.13 a small River also conterminates about five and twenty miles from the Mountain Atlas to the South, and five and twenty Miles from Sugulmesse. Here are three small Towns, and four Villages.

This Countrey affords Dates and other Fruits; but little Grain, and that bad. The Inhabitants are poor, and under subjection of the Arabians.

Tezerin.

TEzerin, * 1.14 which signifies in the African Tongue, Cities, yet shews no more than six small Towns, and fifteen Villages, and scarce seen two others, long since demolish'd: This borders on a River fifteen Miles from Atlas, and eight from Farkala.

There is great plenty of Dates.

Beni-gumi.

THe Countrey of Beni-gumi, * 1.15 skirted with the River Ghir, about thirty miles to the South from Sugulmesse, contains eight strong Towns, and fifteen Villages.

This Countrey also yields many Dates, but hath poor Inhabitants; who for Wages undertake mean Service at Fez: With the Money they so earn, they buy Horses, and put them off to the Merchants which travel to Negro-Land.

The Cities Mazalig and Abuhinam.

ON the Banks of the River Ghir, thirteen Miles from Sugulmesse, stand in a wilderness two small Cities, call'd Mazaligh, and Abuhinam; Maza∣ligh in the Longitude of three and twenty Degrees and ten Minutes, and in the Latitude of thirty Degrees and twenty Minutes.

The Tract of Land thereabouts, produces no sort of Grain, and nothing but a few Dates. The Inhabitants are under the Jurisdiction of the Ara∣bians.

Kasayr.

THere is also a small City found, call'd Kasayr, * 1.16 which Sanutus bringeth with the foregoing under Sugulmesse, and stands in a Wilde, five miles from Atlas.

Its Tract of Land hath store of Mines of Lead and Tinn; by which Met∣tal the Inhabitants (carrying great store of it to sell at Fez) maintain them∣selves.

Beni-Besseri.

THe Countrey of Beni-Besseri lieth at the Foot of Mount Atlas, * 1.17 and hath three fortifi'd Places, and some Villages.

They have store of all sorts of Fruits, except Dates; they have an Iron-Mine, wherein the Inhabitants old and young do labour.

The Inhabitants are under the Lord of Dubu, and the Arabians.

Guachde.

THe Countrey of Guachde lieth one and twenty Miles, * 1.18 or thereabouts, from Sugulmesse, in the West, and containeth three fair Cities near the River Ghir, and many Villages.

It abounds in Dates, but there is little Corn. The Inhabitants traffick in the Negroes Countrey, and are Tributary to the Arabians.

Fighie.

THe Countrey of Fighie hath three strong Villages or Towns, * 1.19 standing in the midst of a Desart, thirty miles Eastwards from Sugulmesse.

Dates grow here in exceeding plenty.

The People are Ingenious, * 1.20 some Trading to Negro-Land, others Com∣mencing at the Schools in Fez. The Women make Woollen and Linnen-Cloth, as Gramay affirms, as fine as Silk or Lawn, which they sell at Fez and Telensin, and other places of Barbary, at great Rates.

Tesebit, or Tesevin.

TEbesit lieth in a Desart, * 1.21 sixty three Miles on the East from Sugulmesse, and twenty five from Atlas, comprising four Towns and eight Vil∣lages, which lie upon the Borders of Lybia, on the way which lead∣eth from Fez and Telensin to the Kingdom of Agadez.

Here groweth nothing but Dates, and some Barley. The Men are most of them Blacks, and the Women are well featur'd and comely, but brown. They are a poor People.

Tegorarin.

TEgorarin, * 1.22 or Taguriri, a great and spacious Countrey, lieth amidst the Numidian Desarts, about thirty Miles from Tesebit to the East, con∣taining three and fifty Fortresses, and above an hundred Villages. The chiefest Seat lieth in eight and twenty Degrees Longitude, and in thirty Degrees Northern Latitude.

This Countrey also abounds exceedingly in the Production of Dates, * 1.23 and store of Corn-Ground, which they water as we do our Gardens, by reason of the Drought; and though a barren Soyl, yet are much improv'd by Hus∣bandry and Manuring; by which account, Strangers which come with store of Horses and Camels pay nothing for their Lodging, but onely their Dung which they leave there; laying of it up with as great care, as if a treasure: Nay, they take it very ill, if any of their Guests happen to ease themselves without doors.

By the scarcity of Cattel, Flesh is very dear there; for the Ground is so dry, that scarce any Grass will grow upon it; yet they keep some Goats, onely for the Milk. But all these Wants are amply supply'd with that which an∣swers all things, Gold, found by the Inhabitants of Tivar; though others say that they are thus richly supply'd from Negro-Land.

¶ THeir usual Food is Milk and Camels Flesh, * 1.24 brought by the Arabians to their Markets with Salt-Suit, with which they dress and relish

their Dishes; It is brought thither out of Fez and Telensin.

¶ THere dwelt amongst them formerly very rich Jews; * 1.25 but the people be∣ing stirr'd up by the instigations of the Mahumetan Priests, they were banish'd from thence, and most of them in their departure slain by the Vul∣gar in a tumultuous Riot; which happen'd about the same time when they were driven out of Spain and Sicily by King Ferdinand.

Meszab.

MEszab, a Countrey in the Numidian Desart, * 1.26 about sixty miles Eastward from Tegorarin, and a like distance from the Midland-Sea, in two and thirty Degrees Longitude, and eight and twenty Northern Eleva∣tion, containing six strong Holds, and many Villages. The Inhabitants are Rich; they drive a great and subtle Trade with the Blacks, and are Tributa∣ries to the Arabs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  L••••, p. 6.
• * 1.2

  M••rmol, l. 7.
• * 1.3

  Gastrir.
• * 1.4

  Tammarakrost.
• * 1.5

  The Condition of the Soyl.
• * 1.6

  Matgara.
• * 1.7

  Essuoihila.
• * 1.8

  Humeledegi.
• * 1.9

  Ʋmmel-hesen.
• * 1.10

  Tebelbelt.
• * 1.11

  Their Food.
• * 1.12

  Todga.
• * 1.13

  Farkala.
• * 1.14

  Tezerin.
• * 1.15

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.16

  Kasayr.
• * 1.17

  Beni-Besseri.
• * 1.18

  Guachde.
• * 1.19

  Fighie.
• * 1.20

  The Disposition of the Inhabitants.
• * 1.21

  Tesebit.
• * 1.22

  Tegorarin.
• * 1.23

  The Soyl is barren.
• * 1.24

  Their Food.
• * 1.25

  Riches.
• * 1.26

  Messab.