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,[177] 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,[178] 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 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.”[179] The following vocabulary will shew the similarity of language between the natives of Canaria and the Shelluhs (inhabitants of the Atlas mountains south of Marocco). LANCEROTTA SHELLUH AND OR FUERTAVENTURA LYBIAN ENGLISH. DIALECT. TONGUE. Temasin Tumzeen Barley Tezzezes Tezezreat Sticks Taginaste Taginast A palm-tree Tahuyan Tahuyat A blanket, covering or petticoat Ahemon Amen Water Faycag Faquair Priest or lawyer Acoran M’koorn God 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 coarse garment Kabehiera Kabeera A head man or a powerful Ahoren — Barley meal roasted Ara — A goat Ana — A sheep Tagarer — A place of justice Benehoare, the name of the natives of Palma. Beni Hoarie, a tribe of Arabs in Suse between Agadeer and Terodant.[180] FOOTNOTES: