the court of Morocco. The
disorder contracted by ill usage and confinement in prison, brought
on a disease which, after applying various remedies to no purpose,
carried him off, and he died at Rabat. The house of the French
consul and those of some other European consuls who formerly
resided here, are conveniently situated on the southern banks of
the river Buregreg, which divides Rabat from Salee. Ships of one
hundred tons, that do not draw much water, may pass the bar and
load close to these houses; but larger vessels must come to anchor
in the offing, and take in their cargoes by boats. The country
about Rabat and Salee is wonderfully abundant in all the finest
grain, leguminous plants, fruits, vegetables, and cattle; the
orange, lemon, Seville, or bitter orange, and citron plantations
are here very extensive and extremely productive. Several ships
might be loaded here with oranges in October and November, before
the gales of the latter half of December and the month of January
set in. One hundred fine large oranges may be had for a drahim, a
silver coin worth 6_d._ sterling. The orange plantations of Rabat
are of incalculable extent; the trees are as large as a
middling-sized oak; the vineyards and cotton plantations are
likewise most abundant; and nothing can exceed the good quality of
114 the grapes, figs, oranges, citrons, apricots, peaches, and
water-melons; the quality of the latter is peculiarly _sweet_, they
are called _Dilla Seed Billa_; the seed of which might be
advantageously transported to our new colony, the Cape of Good
Hope. The vineyards of Rabat are very extensive; the vines are
cultivated in the Arabian system, on the ground, which is a light
sandy soil: the immense numbers of turtle-doves that are in these
vineyards is such, that a bad sportsman cannot fail killing a dozen
or two at every shot; they rise just before you in thousands, and
the foulahs, or vine cultivators, express their gratitude to the
Christians who go to shoot them. These birds, from being
unmolested, are so tame and so abundant, that they destroy an
incalculable quantity of the best fruit.

[Footnote 112: The muden is the man who ascends the tower of
the Mosque and announces prayer.]

On the 14th, the Comte de Fourban accompanied me, and we crosse