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 KINGDOM OF GAGO.

THe Kingdom of Gago, * 1.1 thus call'd from its Metropolitan, Gago, hath in the East the Kingdom of Guber, but is divided by a Desart.

The chief City Gago, * 1.2 standing by the River Zenega, about a hun∣dred miles from Tombut South-East, in thirty five Longitude, and eight and a half Latitude, hath for the most part mean and ordinary Houses, yet some of them shew well; as among others, the Kings Palace, and Seraglio. The rest of the inhabited places consist in Villages and Hamlets, in which the Countrey∣men, and People of meaner state, have their abode.

The Countrey abounds in Corn, Rice, and Cattel; but they have no Grapes, nor other Fruits, except Mellons, Cucumbers, and Citrons, which are much used, having more than an ordinary relish.

This City, like others, is not without an inconvenience, being destitute of fresh Water, which they are forced to fetch out of Pits forty or fifty miles from the Town; yet this want is plentifully suppli'd by the abundance of Gold that is in this Kingdom, which, according to Meguet, is fetch'd from thence by the Moroccoans.

The Countrey people are not Bookish, taking no delight in Literature; for not one in three days Journey is to be found, that scarce knows one Letter of the Book: yet the Citizens are much civiller, and better taught than these Rusticks.

¶ THe Barbary Merchants drive a successful Trade here in this City, * 1.3 vending all sorts of European Wares, as Cloth, and the like; but that which goes off best, and yields most profit, is Salt.

These Morocco Merchants travelling thither, go never less than two or three hundred in company, and are six Moneths in their Journey; of which they spend two, in desolate and sandy Desarts, directed in their course onely by the Sun, Moon, and Stars; which if not well observed, they are utterly lost, perish∣ing with Hunger, especially Thirst.

Those that suffer there casually, their Bodies decay not, being dri'd by the parching heat of the Sand, but become a kind of Mummy, and sold in many places of Europe for the right.

¶ THis Countrey is Governed by a King, * 1.4 who pays Tribute to the King of Morocco, since Muley Hanef, in his Wars against the Negro's, over∣powering him with a great Army under the Command of Juder Bassa, took by force the chief City Gago.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Kingdom of Gago.
• * 1.2

  The chief City Gago.
• * 1.3

  Their Trade.
• * 1.4

  Their Government.