hundred and eighty feet above the sea, from which it is distant a short mile, and would be visible six leagues from the deck of a frigate. Coast rocky and iron bound.
Itinerary, 14th day, November 25.
Course S.W. by W. 15 miles, through an undulating country, covered with a forest of underwood, as yesterday, and on our return in the spring, the ground enamelled with flowers as a carpet; soil, light sand and gravel; basis, clay slate; dip, 45° east, as observed on the banks of two streamlets crossed to-day; sea distant three-quarters of a mile; passed two Arab villages—two saints' tombs. At six miles from El Mansorīa, stands the almost deserted town of
Fidallah, situated on the limit of a fine corn plain, at three-quarters of a mile from the sea, intended as a magazine for grain before Mogador was built; a walled square, of about two hundred and fifty paces, now encloses a respectable mosque, the ruins of European merchants' houses, and an Arab encampment; possibly three hundred inhabitants, Moors, Arabs, and Jews; half a mile to the westward, a rocky peninsula point, projecting one mile east-north-east, forms a sandy bay a mile and a half deep, offering a fair and well-sheltered roadstead to small merchant-ships.
Itinerary, 15th day, November 26.
W.S.W. 16 miles along the coast; sea distant three-quarters of a mile; soil, sandy; basis, sand-stone; no wood; herds of cattle; passed two tombs, one Arab encampment, two springs, one streamlet to-day.
Dar el Beida, a small walled town of half a mile square, standing on the beach, and on a point projecting north-north-east half a mile, forming a small bay three-quarters of a mile deep; a roadstead well sheltered from westerly winds, and protected by a few pieces of cannon. This town also was built for the exportation of corn, and was long in possession of the Portuguese; the towers of three mosques, and several good European-built houses, showed themselves over the battlements of the walls; many palm trees and numerous gardens surround the town; water in abundance. Population probably seven hundred, including Jews.
Itinerary, 16th and 17th days, November 27, 28.
S.W. by W. 33 miles, through a varied, undulating country; soil improving; fine loam; many gardens; a small forest of droo, a beautiful evergreen tree, much resembling the arbutus in leaf and blossom, bearing a brown berry, which affords a coarse kind of oil for burning; signs of cultivation; many ploughs at work; large plantations of 'hhenna[1], the first seen on
- ↑ Lawsonia inermis.
