An Account Of Timbuctoo And Housa Territories In The Interior Of Africa Part 25

"Their breeches are short, leaving the knees bare;" so are those worn by the Sh.e.l.luhs.

379 "Their common food was barley meal roasted and mixed with goat's milk and b.u.t.ter, and this dish they call Asamotan."

This is the common food of the Sh.e.l.luhs of Atlas, and they call it by a similar name, Azamitta.

The opinion of the author of the History and Conquest of the Canary Islands, is, that the inhabitants came originally from Mauritania, and this he founds on the resemblance of names of places in Africa and in the islands: "for," says he, "Telde[214], which is the name of the oldest habitation in Canaria, Orotaba, and Tegesta, are all names which we find given to places in Mauritania and in Mount Atlas. It is to be supposed that Canaria, Fuertaventura, and Lancerotta, were peopled by the Alarbes[215], who are the nation most esteemed in Barbary; for the natives of those islands named milk _Aho_, and barley _Temecin_, which are the names that are given to those things in the language of the Alarbes of Barbary."

He adds, that--

"Among the books of a library that was in the cathedral of St. Anna in Canaria, there was found one so disfigured, that it wanted both the beginning and the end: it treated of the Romans, and gave an 380 account, that when Africa was a Roman province, the natives of Mauritania rebelled and killed their presidents and governors, upon which the senate, resolving to punish and make a severe example of the rebels, sent a powerful army into Mauritania, which vanquished and reduced them again to obedience. Soon after the ringleaders of the rebellion were put to death, and the tongues of the common people, together with those of their wives and children, were cut out, and then they were all put aboard vessels with some grain and cattle, and transported to the Canary islands." [216]

[Footnote 214: Telde or Tildie is a place in the Atlas mountains, three miles east of Agadeer; the castle is in ruins.]

[Footnote 215: The Alarbes, this is the name that the inhabitants of Lower Suse and Sahara have, _El Arab_ or Arabs.]

[Footnote 216: One Thomas Nicols, who lived seven years in the Canary Islands, and wrote a history of them, says, that the best account he could get of the origin of the natives, was, that they were exiles from Africa, banished thence by the Romans, who cut out their tongues for blaspheming their G.o.ds.]

The following vocabulary will show the similarity of language between the natives of Canaria and the Sh.e.l.luhs (inhabitants of the Atlas mountains south of Marocco).

LANCEROTTA AND Sh.e.l.lUH OR ENGLISH.

FUERTAVENTURA DIALECT. LYBIAN TONGUE.

Temasin Tumzeen Barley Tezzezes Tezezreat Sticks Taginaste Taginast A palm-tree Tahuyan Tahuyat A blanket, covering, or petticoat.

Ahemon Amen Water 381 Faycag Faquair Priest or lawyer Acoran M'koorn G.o.d Almogaren Talmogaren Temples Tamoyanteen Tigameen Houses Tawacen Tamouren Hogs Archormase Akermuse Green figs Azamotan Azamittan Barley meal fried in oil Tigot Tigot Heaven Tigotan Tigotan The Heavens Thener Athraar A mountain Adeyhaman Douwaman A hollow valley Ahico Tahayk A hayk, or coa.r.s.e garment Kabeheira Kabeera A head man or a powerful Ah.o.r.en ---- Barley meal roasted Ara ---- A goat Ana ---- A sheep Tagarer ---- A place of justice

Beneh.o.a.re, the name of the natives of Palma.

Beni h.o.a.rie, a tribe of Arabs in Suse between Agadeer and Terodant.[217]

[Footnote 217: For further particulars, see Gla.s.se's History of the Canary Islands, 4to. page 174.]

382

t.i.tLES OF THE EMPEROR OF MAROCCO, STYLE OF ADDRESSING HIM, AND SPECIMENS OF EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE.

_THE t.i.tLES OF THE EMPEROR_ ARE

Servant of G.o.d.

Commander, Captain, or Leader of the (Mumeneen) _Faithful_ [i.e. in Muhamed], _upheld by the Grace of G.o.d_.

_Prince of Ha.s.senee_. Ever supported by G.o.d.

_Sultan of Fas, of Maroksh_ [Marocco], _of Suse, and of Draha, and of Tafilelt and Tuat, together with all the kabyles_ [tribes] _of the West, and of the Berebbers of Atlas, &c._

The Sultan calls his soldiers (_ketteffee_) "my shoulders or support, or strength;" his subjects he calls his sons (_woledee_), and himself the father of his people.

N.B. The Hejra, or Muhamedan aera began A.D. 622. The Muhamedan years are lunar, 33 of which are about 32 solar years.

383

THE STYLE USED BY MUSELMEN, _IN ADDRESSING THE EMPEROR,_ IS AS FOLLOWS:

"Sultan of exalted dignity, whom G.o.d preserve. May the Almighty protect that royal purity, and bestow happiness, increase of wealth, and prosperity on the nation of believers [i.e. in Muhamed], whose welfare and power is attributed entirely to the favour and benevolence of the Exalted G.o.d."

The Sultan is head of the ecclesiastical, military, and civil law, and is universally considered by his subjects G.o.d's Vicegerent, or Lieutenant on Earth. All letters written to his Imperial Majesty, are begun with the praise of G.o.d, and with the acknowledgment, (in opposition to idolatry,) that there is neither beginning nor power but what proceeds from G.o.d, the eternal G.o.d, (_La hule u la kua ela billa, Allah el adeem_.)

384

SPECIMENS OF _MUHAMEDAN EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE._

_The following Letters are literal translations from the original Arabic, and, although not of great importance, yet it is some satisfaction to the enquiring mind, to observe the various modes of address, and to note the style of Epistolary Correspondence practised by the Muhamedans, which is so different from that which is used among European and other nations._

LETTER I.

_From Muley Ismael, Emperor of Marocco, to Captain Kirke at Tangier; Amba.s.sador from King Charles the Second, dated 7th Du Elkadah, in the 1093d Year of the Hejra, (corresponding to the 27th October, A. D, 1682_.)

Praise be to G.o.d, the most High alone! and the blessing of G.o.d be upon those who are for his prophet.

From the shereef[218], the servant of G.o.d, who putteth his trust in 385 G.o.d, the commander of the faithful, who is courageous in the way of the omniscient G.o.d.

[Footnote 218: Shereef is a general term in the Arabic for a prince, king, or emperor, signifying royal blood.]

L.S.

Ismael Son of a shereef; G.o.d illumine and preserve him.

G.o.d a.s.sist his commanders, and give victory to his forces and armies, Amen! To the captain of Tangier, Kirke, _peace be to those who follow the right way[219]_; this by way of preface. Your letter came to the lofty place of our residence, and we understand what your discourse contained. As for the asking a cessation of arms by sea; know, that it was not treated of between us till this present time. Neither did we make truce with you concerning any thing but Tangier alone. When you came to our ill.u.s.trious house, we treated with you about that matter for four years, and if you had sojourned there yourself, no Muselman would ever have gone into that town hostilely against you, but merely as a peaceable merchant.

[Footnote 219: This is a sentence which frequently occurs in the Koran, but when used in epistolary correspondence with Christians (for it is never used by Muhamedans between themselves), it bears the appearance of a salutation, but the allusion is to Muhamedans, who _these people think_ are the only men who follow the true path or right way; it is, however, a compliment to all who _think themselves_ in the right way.]

As to a cessation of arms by sea, it was not negociated by us, neither did we discourse about it; but, when you desired it of us, 386 we wrote to your Master in England, saying, If you desire a cessation of arms by sea, and are willing to receive a firm peace from us, send us two understanding men, of the chief of the Divan of England, by whom the peace of all the Christians here may be confirmed; and, when they shall arrive at the lofty place of our residence, and sit before us, whatsoever they shall hear from us, by way of agreement, shall be acceded to! And we have given you security, at sea, for four months, viz. from the time we sent you our letter to Tangier, till the day that there shall come an answer from your Master, and until the arrival of the two amba.s.sadors aforementioned, after the aforesaid manner. As for those men who in thy letter thou didst say were taken at sea: I neither know nor have heard any thing of them. Your discourse about that matter having been with Aly ben Abdallah, and he administered justice (to you) upon the Muselmen who had taken these men prisoners for the sake of him, for whom you made your complaint to us; and he returned the Christians to you, and imprisoned the sailors for capturing them. Now, if there shall happen to be a peace between me and you at sea, as there is for four years by land, through your mediation, and by reason of your coming to us, I will hang them, and blot out their footsteps, and be revenged on them with the most severe revenge.

Our servant Muhamed ben Hadu Aater, who came from your presence, told us that lions are scarce in your country, and that they are in 387 high estimation, with you. When your servant came to us, he found we had two small young lions, wherefore by him we send them to you.

And know, that we have received by our servants from your Master, _three_ coach-horses, now a coach requires _four_ horses to draw it, wherefore you must needs send us another good one of the same kind and size, that they may draw the coach with four horses.

Oblige us in this by all means. Farewell: we depend upon it.

Written 7th of the sacred month _Du El Kadah_, in the year of the Hejra, ninety-three and a thousand, (A.D. 1682.)

LETTER II.