Chapter XVIII: Appendix: B

_Itineraries of Routes from the City of Marocco through the Great
Atlas._

The information respecting the routes here given was supplied by a Jew named Salomon ben Daoud, an inhabitant of the city of Marocco engaged in trading operations with the natives of the portions of the Great Atlas wherein the authority of the Sultan is recognised. In the absence of more accurate reports, it appears desirable to publish this slight contribution to the topography of a country altogether unknown to Europeans, excepting so far as we were able to visit a few of the places enumerated. To assist those who may hereafter seek to follow any of these routes, the names of places inserted in the French map of Marocco by Captain Beaudouin, or in the map annexed to this volume, are distinguished by an asterisk. The distances are reckoned by hours, one of which may be counted as equivalent to four miles in the plain, and to a somewhat lesser distance in the mountain. A day’s journey usually varies from eight to ten hours. The spelling of the names is made to agree with that adopted throughout this work, the vowels having the same sounds as in most European languages, and not those peculiar to our country.

ROUTE 1.

_Marocco to Demenet, and Excursion from Demenet to places in the
neighbourhood._

Marocco to Ain el Berda 3 hours.
„ *Sidi Rahal 5 „
„ *Oued Tessout (ford the river) 4 „
„ *Tidli (a mountain) 2 „
„ Draha 1 hour.
„ *Demenet 3 hours.
--
18 „

This road is undulating, with hills and valleys, or hollows.

From Demenet cross over the river Emhasser, and proceeding for one hour on the mountain you will reach a place called Iminifri, on a high mountain, which contains an opening or pass only just large enough for one person to creep through on his hands and knees, the length of the pass being about 100 yards; and when through it you will find open ground on the top of the high mountain. There will be seen remains (ruins) of old Christian buildings, in which live many birds. From the upper part of this mountain overhanging parts (or cliffs) branch out downwards against the mountain, towards the River Tor, of 500 yards long; but these overhanging parts do not reach the water of the river.

[The places here spoken of apparently lie N.W. of Demenet—the El Acchabi of the French map. The river Tor is probably the Oued Lakdeur of the same map.]

ROUTE 2.

_Demenet to the Sources of the Oued Tessout._

Demenet to Aït Cid Hassan (between mountains) 4 hours.
„ *Aït Emdoual 1 hour.

In Aït Emdoual is a river one day’s journey long. There are inhabitants along the river. From this to Aït Affan one day’s journey over barren desert ground uninhabited.

From *Aït Affan to Ansai (contains some inhabitants) ? hours.
„ „ Aït Kassi 2 „
„ „ Tel Khedit 2 „

Tel Khedit is a mountain, and contains the source of the river Tessout; and on this mountain the snow remains both in summer and winter.

[This route agrees in many respects with the indications of the French map. The name Aït Chihatchen, there laid down south of Demenet, is probably the Aït Cid Hassan of the itinerary. It appears, however, that the importance of the mountain chain on the north side of the upper valley of the Tessout must be much exaggerated by the hill-shading on the map. The main chain of the Atlas is undoubtedly that on the southern side of that valley. The head of the valley is, on the French map, united to the province of N’tifa. _A priori_ probability and the wording of the itinerary suggest that it all belongs to Demenet.]

ROUTE 3.

_Marocco to N’tifa._

Marocco to Zourt ben Sessy 2 hours.
„ Ras el Aïn 2 „
[Here is a mountain called Bou Surkar, or stony.]
„ *Tamlelt 3 hours.
„ *N’tifa 1 day.

[None of these places seem to be laid down on the French map, unless Tendalet be the same place as Tamlelt. N’tifa is properly the name of the province. The particular place so named by our informant, is probably the residence of the Kaïd, or Governor. It seems likely that this is very near the place marked Bezzou on the French map.]

ROUTE 4.

_Demenet to N’tifa._

Demenet to Aït Mazan (valleys and hills) 3 hours.
„ *N’tifa 3 „
---
6 „

On this road is found the Gum Euphorbium plant, or tree, and the trees producing the brown gum arabic. From N’tifa forward is the country of the tribe Aït Attab where there is little or no government among the people.

ROUTE 5.

_Tour in the Mountains East and South-east of Marocco._

Marocco to Zourt ben Sessy 2 hours.
„ Ras el Aïn 8 „
„ *Tagana 2 „
„ Aït Zehad (on the mountain in Mesfioua) 4 „
„ Iminterrat 2 „
[Here are found some ruins of Christian buildings of old times.]
Marocco to Tasselt 2 hours.
„ Tel Eizrat 2 „
„ Tighidoun Idioum 4 „
„ Aït Izzel (high mountain) 4 „
„ Assefrag (Lasfaour) 6 „
„ Imin Gagar 6 „
„ Imin Zadin 2 „
„ Tasghinout (Tasseremout?) 3 „
„ Aït Absalem 3 „
„ Tidiren 2 „
„ Ohamma ? „
„ Aïn Hehia 2 „
„ Gries (Gers?) 3 „
„ Ohida 3 „
„ Tigardoun 2 „
„ Tigola (Tougla?) 2 „
„ Tabia (Aït Tieb?) 2 „
„ Tamzart 4 „

These being the mountains of the Mesfioua country.

ROUTE 6.

_Tour in the Mountains South of Marocco._

Marocco to Amreen (plain, orchards) 4 hours.
„ Resmat 2 „
„ *Ourika ? „

There is the river Ourika passing between mountains. Crossing, and going up to the left, the first village is Achliz. The chief, or sheik, who governs Ourika lives here, he being under the orders of his superior, Ibrahim el Graoui, who lives in Marocco. From Achliz you go to Azrou Miloul, and from this to Tourit. Here are salt wells or springs. From Tourit you go to Agadir which is on the top of the mountain, from this to Timluzen, and from this to the Zaouia. The before last stages from Ourika are all half an hour’s distance one from the other. From Tourit to Sissag on high mountains. [Apparently Sissag is the name of the Zaouia.] These are the villages on the left side of the river until Sissag. The villages on the right hand side of the river are as follows:—The first is Alzli; from this you go to Tafzhia, and from this to Anrar, and from this to Amsin; from this to Assgher, and from this to Arzballo; from this to Egremon, and from this to Ashni, and from this to Esurgraf; this mountain is covered with snow. These are the Ourika mountains near to Marocco town, besides the higher mountains which are above these we have mentioned.

[All the places here mentioned are in the Ourika valley. The left and right sides are those on the left and right of the stream to a person ascending the valley, contrary to the usage in European countries where those terms are supposed to refer to one following the course of the stream.]

ROUTE 7.

_Description of the Roads of Ghighaya._

Marocco to Tahanout 6 hours.
„ Tasslamat ½ hour.
„ *Souk el Ad (of Moulai Ibrahim) 2 hours.

From this to El Anraz; here is a village called Amareen, three hours distant—it leads to Immaregen; and from this one hour’s journey will bring the traveller to a place called Agadir Tagadurt el Bour, and from this last is the commencement of the road or highway to the province of Sous.

[There can be no doubt that the district here rendered Ghighaya from the Hebrew, is the same as we wrote down as Reraya, the _r_ in the latter name having a guttural sound without an equivalent in any European language known to us. The Souk el Ad, or Sunday Market, is of course somewhere near to the Sanctuary of Moülai Ibrahim. Although we fail to identify any of the villages named above, it seems probable that the place spoken of as Agadir Tagadurt el Bour, is the same as Arround, where we passed two nights.]

ROUTE 8.

_Description of the Road between Ghighaya and Ourika._

Marocco to Tahanout. 6 hours.
„ Tedroura 1 hour.
„ Ourika 1½ „

This being a road to a mountain containing snow, in the country of Ghighaya. From Tranghert, six hours’ journey to a mountain called Ousertik, within the jurisdiction of the Governor, Kaïd Ibrahim el Graoui.

[The writer here gives an alternative route from Marocco to Ourika, slightly longer than the direct way given in Route 6, and then refers, obviously not from personal knowledge, to a mountain path connecting Ourika with one or other of the two valleys included in the district of Reraya or Ghighaya. Tranghert is probably a village in the western branch of the Ourika valley.]

SALOMON BEN DAOUD.

* * * * *