Volume 1

Travels, or observations relating to several parts of Barbary and the Levant / By Thomas Shaw.

  • Thomas Shaw
Date:
1738
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Travels, or observations relating to several parts of Barbary and the Levant / By Thomas Shaw. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    fortified Towii of about a Mile in Circumference. It is built upon the Declivity* and near the Foot of a high Mountain* which overlooks It from the N. and N. W; and* upon the Ridge of This Mountain* there are two Cattles* that command the Town* with the Mers el Seigh-hre* on the one Side; and the Mers el Kebeer, with the Bay* on the Other. Lefs than half a Furlong to the Weftward of This Mountain* there is an¬ other* (the Mazetta, I think* they call It) in a Situation fome- what higher than the Former; but* there lying a large Vale between Them* Their refpe&ive Ridges are fo remarkably dif- united* that They not only form a moft convenient Land-mark for Mariners* but render alt Approaches to the Cattles* from the Mazetta* impracticable. To the S. and S. E. there arer^Mazetta’ two other Cattles* erefted upon the fame Level with the lower Part of the Town* but feparated from It by a deep wind¬ ing Valley. This may be coniidered as a natural Trench to Thevautyavd ° J J % Rivulet of the S. Side of the City; and in the upper Part of It* at three warr an. Furlongs Diftance from the Town* there is a Spring of excel¬ lent Water* more than a Foot inDiameter. The Rivulet* form¬ ed by This Fountain* conforms It’s Coijrfe to the feveral Wind¬ ings of the Valley* and* patting under the Walls of the City* plentifully fupplys It with Water. We fee* at every Opening of the Valley* fuch a pleafingly confufed View of rocky Preci¬ pices, Plantations of Orange Trees* and Rills of Water trickling down from Them* that Nature rarely difplays Herfelf in a greater Variety of ProfpeCts* and cool Retreats. Near this Fountain* there is another Cattle* which forbids all Approaches of an Enemy; and* at the fame Time that It guards the Mat- tamoves** dug under the Walls of It to the Southward* is an important Defence to the City. Three of the Cattles* I have mentioned* are regular Toly-Th* CaP-f * * ° - and Fortifier gons: viz. the Loweft of the Two upon the Ridge; the Cattle tions of It. of the Fountain; and the Weftermoft of the Two before the Town. But the other Two; viz. the Higheft upon the Ridge; and the Eaftermoft of Thofe that lye before the Town* are of a different Fafhion: a great Part of the Latter being built ^ recentioribus, nam alii Madaurum, alii Aeram, Auranum nonnulli vocant; Afri hodie Gu- haran appellant. Omnia autem hxc nomina locum acclivem, [ from wah-ar [we may fuppofe) that fignifes a Place very difficult to be come at] & ventis expofitum (ignificant. Gome- cius de rebusgeftis Fr. Ximenii. I.4. p.1022. Franc. 1603. $0* * Fovea fubterra- nea, crypta, in qua frumentum reconditur. vid. Gol. in Voce. A Pit under Ground wherein the Arabs depofite Their Corn. G like
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