An account of the empire of Marocco, and the districts of Suse and Tafilelt; compiled from miscellaneous observations made during a long residence in, and various journies through, these countries. To which is added an account of shipwrecks on the western coast of Africa, and an interesting account of Timbuctoo, the great emporium of Central Africa — John Shaqi
An account of the empire of Marocco, and the districts of Suse and Tafilelt; compiled from miscellaneous observations made during a long residence in, and various journies through, these countries. To which is added an account of shipwrecks on the western coast of Africa, and an interesting account of Timbuctoo, the great emporium of Central AfricaJackson, James Grey
History
An account of the empire of Marocco, and the districts of Suse and Tafilelt; compiled from miscellaneous observations made during a long residence in, and various journies through, these countries. To which is added an account of shipwrecks on the western coast of Africa, and an interesting account of Timbuctoo, the great emporium of Central Africa
Jackson, James Grey
Morocco
It must be obvious to every one, that a considerable portion of
time and study is requisite to obtain a thorough acquaintance with
the moral and political character of any nation, but particularly
with one which differs in every respect from our own, as does that
of Marocco; _he, therefore, who would be thoroughly acquainted with
that country, must reside in it for a length of time; he must possess
opportunities of penetrating into the councils of the State, as well
as of studying the genius of the people; he must view them in war and
in peace; in public and in domestic life; note their military skill,
and their commercial system; and finally, and above all, he must have
an accurate and practical knowledge of their language, in order to
cut off one otherwise universal source of error, misconception, and
misrepresentation._
Certainly no country has of late occupied so much attention as Africa,
and the exertions of the African Association to explore the interior
of this interesting quarter of the globe, do them the highest credit;
and if their emissaries have not always been successful, or obtained
information only of minor importance compared with the great object of
their researches, it is to be attributed to their want of a sufficient
knowledge of the nature of the country, and the character and
prejudices of its inhabitants, without which, _science to a traveller
in these regions_, is comparatively of little value. When we consider
the disadvantages under which Mr. Parke laboured in this respect, and
that he travelled in an European dress, it is really astonishing that
that gentleman should have penetrated so far as he did, in his first
mission; and we are not so much surprised at the perils he endured,
as that he should have returned in safety to his native country. Had
he previously resided a short time in Barbary, and obtained there a
tolerable proficiency in the African Arabic, and with the customs
adopted the dress of the country, what might we not have expected
from his perseverance and enterprising spirit? Whatever plans future
travellers may adopt, I would recommend to them to lay aside the dress
of Europe; for, besides its being a badge of Christianity wherever he
goes, it inevitably exposes him to danger; and it is so indecent in the
eyes of the Arabs and Moors, that a man with no other clothing than a
piece of linen round his middle, would excite in them less indignation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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