and. The Spaniards, in
the utter feebleness and decadence of their power, have lately dubbed
some one or other "Captain-general of the Spanish possessions, &c. in
North Africa."

Melilla or Melilah is a very ancient city, founded by the Carthaginians,
built near a cape called by the Romans, _Rusadir_ (now Tres-Forcas) the
name afterwards given to the city, and which it still retains in the
form of Ras-ed-Dir, (Head of the mountain). This town is the capital of
the province of Garet, and is said to contain 3,000 souls. It is situate
amidst a vast tract of fine country, abounding in minerals, and most
delicious honey, from which it is pretended the place receives its name.

On an isle near, and joined to the mainland by a draw-bridge, is the
Spanish _praesidio_, or convict-settlement called also Melilla,
containing a population of 2,244 according to the Spanish, but Rabbi and
Graeberg do not give it more than a thousand. At a short distance,
towards the east, is an exceedingly spacious bay, of twenty-two miles in
circumference, where, they say, a thousand ships of war could be
anchored in perfect safety, and where the ancient galleys of Venice
carried on a lucrative trade with Fez. Within the bay, three miles
inland, are the ruins of the ancient city of Eazaza, once a celebrated
place.

Alhucemos, is another small island and _praesidio_ of the Spaniards,
containing five or six hundred inhabitants; it commands the bay of the
same name, and is situate at the mouth of the river Wad Nechor, where
there is also the Islet of Ed-Housh. Near the bay, is the ancient
capital, Mezemma, now in ruins; it had, however, some commercial
importance in the times of Louis XIV., and carried on trade with France.

Penon de Velez is the third _praesidio_-island, a convict settlement of
the Spaniards on this coast, and a very strong position, situate
opposite the mouths of the river Gomera, which disembogues in the
Mediterranean. The garrison contains some nine hundred inhabitants. So
far as natural resources are concerned, Penon de Velez is a mere rock,
and a part of the year is obliged to be supplied with fresh water from
the mainland. Immediately opposite to the continent is the city of
Gomera (or Badis), the ancient Parientina, or perhaps the Acra of
Ptolemy, afterwards called Belis, and by the Spaniards, Velez de la
Gomera. The name Gomera, according to J.A. Conde, is derived from the
celebrated Arab tribe of the Gomeres, who flourishe