An Account of the Empire of Morocco
James Grey Jackson
9781465616838
213 pages
Library of Alexandria
Overview
The following sheets have been compiled from various notes and observations made during a residence of sixteen years in different parts of the Empire of Marocco, in the successive reigns of Cidi Mohammed ben Abdallah ben Ismael, Muley Yezzid, Muley el Hesham, and Muley Soliman ben Mohammed; and which were originally intended merely as memoranda for my own use; but shortly after my last arrival in England, I had the honour to converse with a distinguished Nobleman on the subject of African knowledge, and from his Lordship’s suggestions I first determined to submit to the public such information as a long intercourse with the natives of Barbary, as well in a political as a commercial capacity, and a thorough knowledge of the languages of North Africa had enabled me to obtain. It was justly observed by Mr. Matra, our late consul at Marocco, that “there are more books written on Barbary than on any other country, and yet there is no country with which we are so little acquainted.” The cause of this is to be found in the superficial knowledge which the authors of such books possessed respecting this part of the world; having been generally men who came suddenly into the country, and travelled through it without knowing any thing either of the manners, character, customs, or language of the people. Indeed, the greater part of the compositions respecting North Africa, are narratives of journies of Ambassadors, &c. to the Emperor’s court, generally for the purpose of redeeming captives, compiled by some person attached to the embassy, who, however faithfully he may relate what passes under his own eye, is, nevertheless from his situation, and usual short stay, unable to collect any satisfactory information respecting the country in general, and what he does collect, is too often from some illiterate interpreter, ever jealous of affording information to Europeans even on the most trifling subjects.
