In the plain, on that side of the city towards the Atlas mountains, is a wall of circumvallation about six feet in height, which was built as a defence against the Berebbers, whose attacks, though impetuous, are momentary, and do not require a long defence. Muley Ismael, and his successor, Muley Abdallah, have repeatedly defended themselves in this city against these people, when, in attempting to bring them under their yoke, they have been routed, and their armies pursued to its very walls. At the south end of the city stands the palace (which encloses the Horem, or seraglio), a very extensive quadrangular edifice, built by Ismael, after his own design; it contains several gardens admirably laid out, and watered by numerous streams from the adjacent country. I obtained permission to view this building from the Emperor’s brother, as no person is suffered to enter it without leave. In the centre of the enclosure is the horem, within which is a spacious garden, planted with tall cypress trees; it is surrounded by a gallery, supported by columns, which communicates with the adjoining apartments, the largest of which are appropriated to the women (the smaller rooms being for the eunuchs and female attendants), and terminate in a hall, or large chamber, built on a causeway which divides the gardens; here the females look through the iron-latticed windows, and take the air, which, in the summer, is perfumed with the smell of violets, jasmines, roses, wild thyme, and other delectable odours. The palace is also interspersed with buildings called Kobbah, which contain a spacious square room, the roof of which is pyramidical, and on the inside curiously carved and ornamented with painting and gilding. This extensive palace is rendered more spacious by being built altogether on the ground floor; the rooms are long and lofty, but narrow, being about 12 feet wide, 18 high, and 25 long; the walls are inlaid with glazed tiles of bright colours, which give an air of coolness to the apartments; and the light is communicated by means of two large folding doors, which are opened, more or less, according to the degree of light required in the room. Between the different suites of apartments are courts regularly paved with squares of black and white marble; and in the centre of some of these stands a marble fountain. The Millah, or that part of the city inhabited by the Jews, is walled round, and is extensive, and in good repair. Many of the Jews live in affluence. Contiguous to the Millah is another enclosure called the Negroes’ quarter, built by Ismael for the residence of the families of his black troops;[66] of this, however, nothing remains but the walls.