aside his musket, and asked Scott who he was. His question was briefly answered, when the Moor advancing, took Scott by the hand, told him he was safe, led him to his house, and gave

him food.

He afterwards desired Scott to write to the English Consul at Mogador; and Scott did so. This man, leaving Scott under the care of his brother and his son, set off with the letter; and after an absence of eight days, returned with a letter from William Willshire, Esq. the English Consul at Mogador *, who sent a horse for Scott to ride upon, and 27 dollars to buy provisions.

After recruiting himself for three days longer, Scott, accompanied by the Moor, set off, and arrived safe at Mogador in five days, during which they travelled at the rate of at least thirty miles per day.

As the place where Scott encountered the Moor is not above a mile and a half from Wadnoon, that place may be considered as about 150 miles from Mogador. Near the Moor's house was a river as large as canals usually are in England. This river flows through the town of Wadnoon, and is fresh until it meets the tide from the sea.

From the neighbourhood of Wadnoon, Scott saw to the eastward mountains whose tops were covered with snow, which he was told remained on them all the year round +.

At Mogador and at Wadnoon, the language spoken is called (by Scott) Schlecht. He received every kind attention from Mr Willshire, during his stay at Mogador, who paid his ransom to the Moor, on account of the Ironmongers' Company of London. Scott reached Mogador on the 31st August, left it on the 11th of November, in the Brig Isabella of Aberdeen, Captain James Cummings, and got to London on the 9th of December 1816.

The humane attention of this amiable gentleman is gratefully acknowledged by Scott, Riley, and other unfortunates, and the willingness with which the Moor entered into Scott's restoration to freedom, is the best proof of the fidelity with which the important office of redeeming Christians from slavery, is executed hy the representative of Britain at Mogador.

The ridge of Atlas.

Major Rennell thinks this may be Shilha.

ART. II.-Observations on the Geography of Mr Scorr's Routes in North Africa. By Major RENNELL, F. R. S. &c. &c.

THE Geographical notices contained in this narrative are

scanty, but appear to contain internal evidence of their truth. The most important part of them relate to the nature of the Sahara, in the place where the traveller crossed it; that is in its widest part; and which no other European, that I know of, has hitherto given an account of. We have been accustomed to regard the Sahara as having a continuous surface of loose sand, of forty to fifty caravan journeys across; but here it appears that nearly two-thirds of it have a much firmer surface than sand and valleys occur in which large trees are growing. However, no grass, nor any drinkable water, is found there, (on the surface at least), the soil being highly impregnated with salt, which is, indeed, the common character of the northern belt of Africa.

:

The place where the Montezuma was wrecked can only be approximated, and that by an inquiry which may appear tedious to ordinary readers. But it happens that the place of the wreck, is the only point of departure that can be referred to in the arrangement of the position, from whence the route across the Great Desert or Sahara sets out. Scott himself only says generally, that the ship was wrecked between the Capes of Nun (or Noon) and Bojador, and within the province or district of Sachal. This is one of four contiguous provinces in this quarter, whose positions are described in the narrative: it is included between Till on the north, and El Ghiblah on the south; all the three extending along the coast of Africa, to the southward of Morocco; and having a small portion or tongue belonging to the fourth province named Zerrohah, (which lies inland) intervening so as to form a common boundary between Till and Sachal. This narrow portion of Zerrohah consists of a Wad or valley, which has a streamlet of water in it, and serves as a communication between the body of the province itself and the sea coast. It is named from the province to which it belongs, the Wad or Valley of Zerrohah.

The shipwreck took place at eight or nine hours camel travelling, (or about twenty English miles) from this valley; and to the southward of it, of course, because the shipwreck happened on the coast of Sachal, of which the valley itself has been described to be the northern boundary.

The province of Till is known to extend northward to the neighbourhood of Nun, (a cape and town well known in African geography); and southward it includes the valley of Ourerah, often mentioned in the course of the narrative, and from whence Scott finally escaped to Nun, after four days and nights travelling, and a part of the fifth day; and probably as fast as he could go. Allowing, then, that he went in direct distance 100 to 110 geographical miles in a direct line, this will place Ourerah at that distance to the south-west of Nun, and directly opposite to Fortaventura, the nearest of the Canary Islands to the Mainland of Africa; and a little to the northward of Cape Juby*. How far the province of Till may extend to the south of Ourerah, is not known, but probably not far, as so large a part of it lies beyond Ourerah, to the north-east; as also from the circumstance of the general trending of the coast in that quarter, as it bore on the supposed cause of the shipwreck. For this was doubtless the operation of a south-easterly current on the ship, which had carried her gradually, though imperceptibly, towards the land, all the way from the parallel of Cape Finisterret. As her course would naturally be south-westward, that part of the coast which trends to the westward, was more likely to have arrested the ship's progress, than that which has a southerly direction; and this change of position takes place not far from Cape Juby. It seems probable, therefore, that the ship was stranded thereabouts; (and, indeed, most of the shipwrecks happen in this quarter). Had the ship been farther to the south, its course would have carried it parallel to the coast, and within sight of land, during the preceding day; whereas it was probably to the north of Cape Juby, during that day, where the land retires far back to the eastward, and out of sight.

It may be that the Arca of M. Delisle is meant for Ourerah. + See the remarks on this current in the following Article.

Thus, we are induced to look for the place of shipwreck, and in consequence for the valley of Zerrohah, in the quarter of Cape Juby; and which opinion receives strength from the circumstance of Ourerah being in the vicinity of Cape Juby.

By the narrative it would appear, that seventeen days were employed between the place of the wreck and El Ghiblah, an encampment not far from the sea-coast, in the province of the same name, and stated to be the southmost of the four provinces occupied by the wandering Arabs, with whom our traveller had communication. If this journey of seventeen days is cal culated on the ordinary rate of caravan travelling, 250 or 260 geographical miles in a straight line may be allowed; and these will reach to the River Del Ouro of the Portuguese. If fifteen instead of seventeen days, be the true reading, (as it ap pears doubtful in the MS.) thirty miles should be deducted; and the camp of El Ghiblah placed so much farther to the northward. But this will scarcely affect the general line of the route across the Great Desert. Caravan rate is here taken, because the party was so small; it consisting only of one family, attended by three camels; whereas the journey across the desert was performed by a large party, with 2500 animals of different kinds; and, moreover, was continued more than six times as long. The time employed in this journey is roundly given in months, with the exception of three intervals of eleven, five and two days; of course no accuracy is attainable. Most probably the new moons regulated his time; but, after all, the memory was to be trusted, and it would be unreasonable to expect a more consistent result than the one about to be reported.

The total number of days may be taken at 106, unless the three days halt in the wood, are to be included in the gross number of days given for the march *.

Considering that the party was composed of 115 to 120 persons, men, women and children, (Patriarch fashion), and that the latter classes did not always ride; moreover that there were

The time given for their journey back, does not materially differ from the other; it being, as well as the loose manner in which it is given (and probably could only be given) only a few days short of it. This tends to shorten the surplus distance arising on the calculation which follows.

about a thousand goats, (besides as many sheep, and 500 or 600 camels), which goats could only keep up with the camels when they had sufficient food; that camels travel only at the rate of 2 English miles per hour; it is probable that 2 or 2 might be the rate of march, since the slowest goers must of necessity regulate it. It must also be taken into the account, that nearly two-thirds of the way was not sandy, and therefore not so well suited to the feet of the camels, a great number of whom were loaded. No halts are spoken of, (except the three in the wood, on an extraordinary occasion); and it appears probable, that their daily marches were so short, as to enable them to persevere, without incurring such a degree of fatigue as would induce the necessity of frequent halts.

Perhaps, then, their rate was below that of great armies, which has been calculated at a mean, on marches of long continuance, at about 14 British miles on ordinary roads: and when reduced to direct distance and geographic miles, at about 10 each day. Perhaps, in this case, 10 may be amply suffi

cient.

This report of the general direction of the line of the route, cannot be expected to be more accurate than that of the distance, perhaps less so. The sun, however, would furnish him with a good mark, mornings and evenings, if he made allowance for its great declination at that season; for it was about the month of June when they set out. At their outset, it is said that their route was a little to the southward of east, and gradually inclined more to the south as they advanced, which is as clear as could be expected. If, then, we suppose a curve of this kind, it will terminate in the direction of the Lake Dibbie of Mr Park, and will not even err very widely in point of distance, considering that the geographical construction on both sides is made up of calculations on very extended lines of distance; for the place of the Dibbie Lake rests on its proportion of the distance, reported to Mr Park, between his lowest stations. on the Niger, and Tombuctoo; whilst this latter is placed by the meeting of lines of distance from Morocco, Tunis and Tripoli;

* The sheep, it appears, travel faster than the goats in that quarter.