On the death of Aly ben Yusif, a private individual named El Meheddi, a man of ambitious character, sprung up in the Atlas mountains, and levying a large army, proceded to Marocco, and laid siege to the town, which was then commanded by Muley Bryhim, successor to Aly ben Yusif, who collecting his forces, marched out to give El Meheddi battle; but being completely overpowered and defeated, he fled to Imsmise in the Atlas east of Marocco. El Meheddi not satisfied with his escape, ordered his general in chief to pursue him with one half of his numerous army, whilst he took possession of Marocco with the other; the general pursued the King so closely, that he arrived immediately after him at Oran, where the latter, finding no support, and being driven to despair, mounted his horse in the night, and placing his queen behind him, rode out of the place, and clapping spurs to the horse, passed over a precipice, and was, together with his queen, dashed to pieces. His body being discovered, the general, who was a prince, and named Muley el Mamune, returned with the army to the city of Marocco, where, on his arrival, finding El Meheddi dead, and succeeded by his son, he attacked the city, and after a year’s siege took it; irritated at being so opposed, he put El Meheddi’s son to death, and a dreadful massacre of the army and citizens ensued, after which he was proclaimed Sultan and Amer el Mumenine,[64] and established the first Diwan, which consisted of ten men learned in the Arabic language, and in the laws of the Koran. This El Mamune’s posterity reigned at Marocco from the 516th to the 668th year of the Hejira,[65] and then were dispossessed by a king of the tribe of Marin, whose posterity reigned with despotic sway till the year 785 of the Hejira. MEQUINAS. The city of Mequinas stands in a beautiful valley about sixty miles from Salée, near the sanctuary of Muley Dris Zerone; and is surrounded by gentle eminences, and highly cultivated vales, ornamented with plantations of dates, grapes, figs, pomgranates, oranges, olives, &c., all which grow in abundance, the surrounding country being well watered by various springs and streams. This city owes its present extent and consequence to the Sultan Muley Ismael, who, after having secured to himself the undisputed sovereignty of the small kingdoms which now form the empire of Marocco, determined, in order to keep his people in more complete subjection, to have two imperial cities, and in consequence made Marocco the capital of the south, and Mequinas that of the north; he at the same time considerably enlarged the city to the westward, and erected a beautiful palace, which is defended by two bastions mounted with a few guns of small calibre.