There is a degree of simplicity in the behaviour of the peasants, so
widely different from these who inhabit the towns, that it is
impossible to suppose them the same race of men. From the great
affinity between the manners and customs of these country Moors, and
the _Scenite Arabs_, the inhabitants of _Arabia Deserta_, we may
naturally infer that they must have derived those habits from the
latter.
They reside in villages composed of tents to the number of forty or
fifty, which they remove at pleasure; when the pasture fails in one
valley, they strike their tents, and seek another, where they remain
till the same necessity impels them to quit that in its turn. This
was precisely the custom of the _Arabes Scenitæ_. The vast
plains of sand with which _Arabia Deserta_ abounds, were occasionally
interspersed with fertile spots, which appeared like little
islands. These we're rendered extremely delightful by fountains,
rivulets, palm-trees, and most excellent fruit. The Arabs, with their
flocks, encamped on some of them, and when they had consumed every
thing there, they retired to others. Their descendants, the present
_Bedoweens_, continue the practice to this day. The name given to this
kind of village is the same as that of the Arabs just mentioned, which
is _Dow-war, or Hbyma_.
The families of the Moorish peasants appear to be very numerous, as I
observed that each tent was quite full. They flocked out as I passed,
to gratify their curiosity in seeing a _Massarane_ (for so they
denominate a Christian). Yet, notwithstanding their antipathy to all
Christians, I was received with the greatest hospitality by these
followers of Mahomet. They seemed to vie with each other in presenting
the bowl of butter-milk, which they consider as a great delicacy, and.
indeed, an offering of peace.
In the centre of a plain, about eight hours journey from Tangiers, we
halted, and refreshed ourselves. After allowing my serjeant and guard
to perform their ablutions, and say their prayers, we proceeded on our
journey, and arrived, very late in the evening, at a village on the
banks of a large river, which, from its situation, I imagine to be the
_Zelis_, or _Zelia_, of the ancients, and which, by its annual
inundation, fertilizes and enriches the country to such a degree,
that, with very little labour, it produces abundant crops of all kinds
of grain, particularly of wheat and barley.
A number of rivulets have their source in those mountains, which,
joining others in their course, at length form pretty considerable
rivers; and these, meeting with obstacles from the projecting rocks
over which they pass, produce most beautiful natural cascades, which,
precipitating themselves into the plains, preserve so great a moisture
in the soil, that it is covered with a continual verdure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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