Chapter XVIII: Appendix

The following Specimens of _African_ Arabic are given for the animadversion of the Arabian Scholar, as their translations are to shew the reader the style of writing generally used by the Arabs of Africa. The Asiatic punctuation is adopted to facilitate the perusal by the Students of Asiatic Arabic; the difference, in this respect, may be seen by referring to pp. 212 and 213, ante.

_Letter from Muley Ismael, Emperor of Marocco, to Captain or Colonel Kirke, at Tangier, Ambassador from King Charles the Second, dated 7th Du El Kadah, in the 1093d year of the Hejra [corresponding to the 27th October, 1682, Christian æra.]_

الحمد الله تعالي و حده * و صلي الله علي من لانبيُه بعده * من عبيد الله المتو كل علي الله امير المومنين المجاسر في سبيل ربِ العالمين الشريف *

(L. S.)

ايد الله اوامره وظفّر جنوده و عساكوه امين * الي قيتان طنجه كرك السلام علي من اتّبع اِلهدي هذا وقد اتصل بعلمي مقامنا كتابك و فهمنا ما احتوي عليه خطابك فاما مسألة المهادنه في البحر فاعلم انها لم تصرف منالكم الي الان وما جعلنا معكم الا المهادنة في طنجة فقد حيُت جيت انت المي عارنا الشريفة و تكلمنا معك علي ذلك لاربع سنين ولو بقيت انت براسك في طنجه ما دخل عليك فيها مسلم ابدا الا تاجراً واما المهادنة في البحر فماصرفت مناولا تكلمنا فيها واذا اردتمونا فيها نحن كتبنا السيدكم با لانكطرة و قلنا له اذا اراد مهادنة البحر وغيره واراد ان ياخذ السلام الصحيح منا فليبعت لنا رجلين عاقلين من اعيان ديوان الانكطرة الذي يثق بهم سلام جنمن النصرانيه هنلك وبعد مايقدمان الي علي مقامنا ويجلسان امامناكل مايسمعانه منا من عقدة او عهد او غير ذلك يكون عليه المعول وقد جعلنا لكم الامان في البحر اربعة اشهر من يوم دخول الكتاب الذي ارسلنا اليكم

TRANSLATION.

Praise be to God the most high alone! and God’s blessing be upon those who are for his prophet.

From [the servant of God, who putteth his trust in God, the Commander of the Faithful, who is courageous in the way of the omniscient God] the Sherriff

(L. Ismael son of a Sherrif, S.)
God illumine and preserve him.

God assist his commanders, and give victory to his forces and armies! Amen. To the Captain of Tangier, Kirk; peace be to those who follow the right way! this by way of preface. Your letter came to the lofty place of our residence, and we understand what your discourse contained. As for the asking a cessation of arms by sea, know that it was not treated of between us till this present time. Neither did we make truce with you concerning any thing but Tangier alone: when you came to our illustrious house we treated with you about that matter for four years; and if you had sojourned there yourself, no Mooselmin would ever have gone into that town hostilely against you, but merely as a (peaceable) merchant.

As to a cessation of arms by sea, it was not negociated by us, neither did we discourse about it; but when you desired it of us, we wrote to your master, in England, saying, “If you desire a cessation of arms by sea, and are willing to receive a firm peace from us, send us two understanding men of the chief of the Diwan of England, by whom the peace of all the Christians here may be confirmed; and when they shall arrive at the lofty place of our residence, and sit before us, whatsoever they shall hear from us, by way of agreement, shall be acceded to.” And we have given you security at sea for four months, viz. from the time

بطنجه الي يوم ورود الجواب منه وقدوم الرجلين المذكورين علي الوصف المدكور واما هولا الذي دكرت في كتابك وانهم قبضوا في البحر فلم يكن عندي بهم علم ولاخبر لان كلامكم في ذلك كان مع علي بن عبد الله وقد انصفكم من المسلمين الذين اخذوا من اشتكيتم لنا بسببه وردّاكم النصارة وسجن البحريين علي ذلك ولم عرفت انا انّهم ظلموكم و وقعت بيني و بينكم مهادنة في البحر كما وقعت لاربع سنين في البر بواسطتك وسبب محبك اكنت انا علقتم و محوت اثارهم و انتقمت منهم اشد الانتقام وقد دكر لنا خدعينا محمد بن حدُ اعطار الذي جامن عندكم ان السباع ببلاد كم قليل وانكم تحبون ر ويته فحين جاء خدعيكم الينا وجد عندنا فرخين صغيرين من السباع فوجهناها لكم معه واعلم اناجاء لنا من عند سيدكم ثلاثة من الخيل المعدّين بحّر الكرثن مع خدامنا الذين كانوا هنالك و الكرثين يحتاج الي اربعة من الخيل يجرونه فلابد ان تبعث لنا حصاناءَ اخر من دلك الوصف ومن دلك ابحعر و من ذلك القدّ والقدر يجرّوه باربعة واغرموا لنا به ولابدّ ولابدّ والسّلام و به لبّتٌ * في السابع من ذي القعده الحرام عام ثلاثة وتسعين و الف

we sent to you our letter to Tangier, till the day that there comes an answer from him, and until the arrival of the two ambassadors aforementioned, after the aforesaid manner. As for those men, who in thy letter thou didst say were taken at sea, I neither know nor have heard any thing of them; your discourse about that matter having been with Ali ben Abd Allah, and he administered justice [to you] upon the Mooselmin who had taken these men prisoners, for the sake of him for whom you made your complaint to us, and he returned the Christians to you, and imprisoned the sailors for capturing them. Now if there shall happen to be a peace between me and you at sea, as there is for four years by land, through your mediation, and by reason of your coming to us, I will hang them, and blot out their footsteps, and be revenged on them with the most severe revenge.

Our Servant, Mohammed ben Hadu Aater, who came from your presence, told us that lions are scarce in your country, and that they are in high estimation with you. When your servant came to us, he found we had two small young lions; wherefore by him we send them to you. And know, that we have received, by our servants, from your master, three coach-horses; now a coach requires four horses to draw it, wherefore you must needs send us another good one of the same kind and size, that they may draw the coach with four horses. Oblige us in this, by all means. Farewell! We depend upon it. Written on the seventh of the sacred month Du El Kadah, in the year ninety-three and a thousand.

_Letter from Seedi Muley Soliman, Emperor of Marocco, &c. &c. to
His Majesty George the Third._

بسم الَّله الَّرحمن الَّرحيم

وهَو حسبنا و نعم الوكيل * ولا حول ولاقوة اِلا بالله العلي العظيم

من عبد الله اِمير المومنين المتوكل علي بن العالمين سُليمان بن محمد بن عبد الله بن اِسماعيل الشريف الحسَني العلوي اعلا الله امرا سلطان فاس و مراكش و سوس و درعه و تافيلالت و أتوات و جميع الا قاليم المغريبه

(L. سليمن ابن محمد S.)
بن عبد الله
غفدْ الله له زولاد

الي محب جانبنا العلي بالله السلطان جرج الثالث سلطان الاِ قاليم الملاقيه من اكرن ابرطانيه وارلنظه نزوك انبرك ابرنسبي من سلطنة دي روم و المقدس و غيره

اما بعد فانا نسال عنكم كثيرا و نريدكم تكونون علي خير دايما ازياد تكم في محبتنا اكثر ماكنت لابابكم مع اسلا فنا

TRANSLATION.

In the name of God! the all merciful and commiserating God! on whom is our account, and we acknowledge his support; for there is neither beginning nor power, but that which proceeds from God, the High, Eternal God.

From the Servant of God, the Commander of the Faithful [in Mohammed],[225] upheld and supported by the grace of God.

Soliman, the son of Mohammed, the son of Abd Allah, the son of Isma’ael, Prince of [the House or Dynasty of] Hassan, who was ever upheld by the power of God, Sultan of Fas and Marocksh, and Suse, and Draha, and Tafilelt, and Tuwat, together with all the territories of the West.

Soliman,
(L. son of Mohammed, [who was the] S.)
son of Abd Allah,
God illumine
and support
him.

To our dearly beloved and cherished, exalted by the power of God, the Sultan[226] George the Third, Sultan of the territories of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland, Duke of Mecklenburg Strelitz, Prince, descended from the dynasty of the Sultans of Rome and Palestine, &c.

This premised, we inform you that we continually make friendly and diligent enquiry about you, desiring heartily that you may be at all times surrounded by wealth and prosperity. We wish you to

الكرام رظوان الله عليهم والدي اوجبه اليكم هوا علامكم ان خديمكم دَكْثر بُفَ ورد علي حظرتنا العالية بالله واعجبنا علاجه و معرفته فاردناكم ان تعطوه امركم يبقي مقيما بقربنا بجبل طراف و مهمي وجهنا عليه ياتي الحضرتنا الشريفه سريعا من غير امهال ولاتماطل و تعطوته جميع مايحتاجه الينا من الادوية الجيدة المنتخبة اليكم و تزيدونه اكراما و تعظيما لاتيانه الينا و اغننابه بامرنا وانا نحبكم ان تكو نوا دايما بخير و عافية و السلام في 4 جُمادي الاولي عام 1221.

encrease in friendship with us, that our alliance may be more strongly cemented than heretofore, even stronger than it was in the days of our ancestors, whom God guard and protect.

Now, therefore, we make known to you, that your physician and servant, Doctor Buffé, has been in our royal presence (which is) exalted by the bounty of God, and we have been well pleased with his medical knowledge and diligent attention, and moreover with the relief he hath given to us.

We have, therefore, to entreat of you, to give him your royal order to return to Gibraltar, in our neighbourhood, well provided with all good and necessary medicines; that he, residing at Gibraltar, may be ready to attend quickly our royal presence whenever we may be in need of his (medical) assistance. We trust you will return him without procrastination to our throne, seeing that he has been of essential service to us.

We recommend you to exalt Doctor Buffé in your favour and esteem on our account, and we will always be your allies and friends. May you ever be well and in prosperity! Peace be with you! the 4th day of the month Jumad El Lule, in the year (of the Hejra) 1221.[227]

* * * * *

_Laws of Bankrupts._

The following letter is given, to explain to the commercial reader the method adopted in order to enable an European merchant to quit the kingdom of Marocco; and it should be observed, that the Mohammedan law of bankrupts is such, that an insolvent man continues liable to his creditors all his life, till his debts be discharged: but he can claim, by law, his liberation from prison, on making oath and bringing proof of his insolvency; but then, if he succeed afterwards, and become possessed of property, he is compelled to pay the debts he before contracted; so that an European should be careful how he contracts debts with the Moors, lest the misfortunes incident to commerce oblige him to remain for ever in the country.

* * * * *

الحمد لله و حده

سُليمان
L. ابن محمد بن S.
عبد الله بن اِسمعايل
&c.

خديمنا الحاج احمد ابن براهيم و السيد محمد بن الكاهيه سلام عليكم ورحمت الله و بعد فنامركما ان تتركان النصْراني جَاكصن يركب لبلاده اذا لصرتكن عليه لا حد من الناس تباعة شرعية كما كتبنا لكَم بدلك في الكتب الاخر وَان كان لا يسْالة احد حقًا فلَا تتعرضا ولهُ وَالله يعينكم وَ السلام في صفر الخير عام 1220

TRANSLATION.

Praise be to God alone!

Suliman
ben Mohammed
(L. ben Abd Allah S.)
ben Ismaael,
&c.

Our servants, El Hage Mohammed O Bryhim, and Seid Mohammed ben El Kahia, peace, and the mercy of God be with you! This premised, I command you to suffer the Christian merchant Jackson, to embark for his own country, _if it appears to you that no one pursues him in law_ (for debt), as I wrote to you on this subject in my last letter; _if no one claims of him any right by law, allow him to go, and do not impede him_.[228] God protect you, and peace be with you. 3 day of Saffer, the good year 1220. [A.C. 1805.]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 225: The words between brackets are not in the original, but implied.]

[Footnote 226: This, perhaps, is the only letter extant wherein a Mooselmin prince gives the title of Sultan to a Christian king.]

[Footnote 227: The above date corresponds with the 5th July, 1806, Christian æra.]

[Footnote 228: This repetition of the principal subject of a letter is a mode of impressing on the mind more forcibly the subject intended, and is commonly practised by the best writers in Africa.]

GLOSSARY.

_Abd_, A slave.

_Abeede Seedi Bukaree_, The Bukarree blacks of the Emperor’s army.

_Adul_, An accountant.

_Agem_, A European, or Barbarian.

_Akad El Beah_, Declaration of sale.

_Akkabaah_, Several caravans accumulated together for the purpose of crossing the Desert of Africa.

_Alem_, A white flag suspended at the top of a mosque at noon, to announce prayers.

_Bedowin_, Wandering Arabs of the Desert.

_Bu’dra_, Old butter melted, and put into earthen jars, and preserved in the matamores ten, twenty, or thirty years: supposed to contain extraordinary medicinal properties.

_Bussorah_, A city in Arabia; derived from the Arabic words Bu and Surah, i.e. father of walls.

_Cuscasoe_, Granulated wheat, or barley-meal, mixed with water, and rolled into small particles about the size of partridge-shot, and prepared for food, by steam, with meat, fowls, and vegetables.

_Deeb_, A brown fox.

_Delel_, An itinerant auctioneer.

_Diwan_, Generally called Divan; but the letter v is not in the Arabic language: the word is derived from Diwee, to converse.

_Douar_, An encampment of Arabs tents.

_El Wah_, An oasis.

_Erhella_, A day’s journey of about eight hours continual travelling.

_Ezzulia_, Small glazed tiles of various colours, with which the Moors ornament their rooms, &c.

_Fondaque_, A caravansera, or inn.

_Hashisha_, A species of hemp, the seeds and leaves of which intoxicate, and are said to produce an agreeable vacuity of mind.

_Harushe_, A stony district.

_Hassoua_, Barley-gruel.

_Hayk_, A piece of woollen, or cotton cloth, or silk, made light, and of the natural colour of the article of which it is manufactured, being about two yards wide and five long, thrown over the dress, and resembling the Roman Toga.

_Hejra_, The Mohammedan æra, which began 16th July, A.D. 622. The year is lunar, consisting of 357 days; so that in the calculation of chronological events, 103½ lunar years are equal to 100 solar years.

_Horreh_, A free born, or noble born person.

_Jimmel_, A camel.

_Kasseria_, An enclosed building consisting of many shops.

_Keyma_, An Arab’s tent.

_Kief_, The seed of the Hashisha, an intoxicating herb.

_Liali_, The period of the forty longest nights.

_Luksebba_, A citadel.

_Matamore_, Subterraneous caverns or excavations, wherein is deposited corn, which by being closed so as to preclude the air, will keep the corn sound and good thirty years or more.

_Millah_, A department of a town inhabited by Jews.

_Murristan_, A mad-house.

_Mutassib_, An officer who regulates the weights and price of meat, &c.

_M’shoar_, Place of audience.

_Naga_, A female camel.

_Niag_, Female camels.

_Semaimi_, The period of the forty longest days.

_Sfinge_, Spongy bread.

_Shebbel_, A fish similar to salmon.

_Sheik_, An Arabian chief.

_Smin_, Butter melted and preserved with salt.

_Soudanee_, A native of Nigritia.

_Stata_, A convoy through the Desert, or other unsafe country, being a Sheick, or his friend, who accompanies and protects a caravan through his territory, and delivers it to the protection of a Sheick of the next adjoining district or clan, for which he generally receives a pecuniary remuneration.

_Talb_, A man versed in the Mohammedan laws.

_Thaleb_, The red fox.

_Tibber_, Gold dust.

_Ukill_, An attorney, or agent.

_Zawiat_, Sanctuaries.

_Zemeeta_, Meal mixed with cold water; a food used by the inhabitants of Mount Atlas.

_Zibda_, Fresh butter.

_Zite_, Oil.

_Zitune_, Olives.

* * * * *

ERRATA.

Page 20, line 1, _for_ River Suse, _read_ Province of Suse.

80, note _for_ Appendix, p. 1808, _read_ Appendix, page 108.

107, line 6, _for_ plate 2nd, _read_ plate 8th, page 103.

196, — 19, _for_ Eastern part of Chinese Tartary, _read_
Eastern part of Bengal.

— 20, _for_ to the Cape of Good Hope, _read_ to
Zanguebar and Mosambique.

283, — 14, _for_ Latter, _read_ Letter.

298, — 29, _for_ three quarters of a cubit, _read_ one cubit
and three quarters.

299, — 4, _for_ Skiat, _read_ Okiat.

* * * * *
London: Printed by W. Bulmer and Co.
Cleveland row, St. James’s.

Transcriber's note:

Instances of long s-shaped kāf ڪ have been transcribed as kāf ك.

The changes listed in the ERRATA have been done.

pg 1 (footnote 7) Marruccos to: Marruecos

pg 11 sarcely ever to: scarcely

pg 16 the mose select to: most

pg 18 pefectly understand to: perfectly

pg 21 near the imperial place to: palace

pg 21 (footnote 34) Sultaun Soliman to: Sultan

pg 23 to gives a softness to: give

pg 31 No reference symbol can be found throughout this page or
the adjacent ones for footnote 40, in any of the editions that
include this passage. It has been assumed to refer to Tetuan and
a reference has been placed at the end of one of the paragraphs
that allude to this town.

pg 38 were aparments for to: apartments

pg 42 It was beseiged to: besieged

pg 64 affected with opthalmia to: ophthalmia

pg 80-81 (footnote 78) ar irresistible to: are

pg 83 or the teticle to: testicle

pg 92 he ad retired to: he had retired

pg 108 thi precaution to: this precaution

pg 152 scarcely ssuceptible to: susceptible

pg 185 this was intened to: intended

pg 209 that it i the most to: is

pg 212 Two variants of "lam-alif" were originally shown in this
table: "[lam-alif var. 1] [lam-alif var. 2]" under the "Oriental
Order" column and "[lam-alif var. 2], or [lam-alif var. 1]" under
the "Occidental Order" column. These have been changed into لا

pg 213 Mokhalla امْـَكْحلَ to: امُكْحلَ

pg 215 Eggs - Baid البَيصْ to: البَيضْ

pg 224 Shaban ﻌبان to: شعبان

pg 230 in the gronnd to: ground

pg 234-235 (footnote 183) custom is observad to: observed

pg 265 we do dot understand to: we do not

pg 275 The reference to a footnote in this page, seemingly to
footnote 192 in the First edition, has been left in (The footnote
and its reference are in pg 274 in this edition).

pg 299 (footnote 216) the manufcture of to: manufacture

Other spelling inconsistencies have been left unchanged.