FEZZAN

FEZZAN is a kingdom in the anterior of Africa, placed in the vast wilderness as an island in the ocean. The following account of it was given to Mr Lucas the African traveller by an old thereof, a native of Fezzan; and that account was confirmed by the governor of Mesurata, who had himself visited Fezzan, and who, having treated the traveller with great kindness, ought not to be suspected of having wantonly deceived him. According to this account, Fezzan is situated to the south of Mesurata (see MESURATA in this Suppl.), and the traveller from the latter place to the former arrives in eight days at Wadan, where refreshments are procured for the caravan. From thence in five hours they reach the desert of Soudah, where no vegetable is seen to grow but the talk, a tree from which the lemon-coloured wood is taken which forms handles for tools. The passage of the desert takes up some days, when the traveller finds a miserable village, producing nothing but dates, brackish water, and Indian corn; from this village a day's journey conducts to the town of Sebbah, where are the remains of an ancient castle, and other venerable ruins, and in four days more he reaches Mourzouk, the capital of Fezzan. This city is situated on the banks of a small river, surrounded by a high wall for defence, and is distant from Mesurata 390 computed miles. Eastward of Mourzouk is the town of Queela, in which are the remains of ancient buildings; the size of the cisterns, and the construction of the vaulted caves, exhibit instances of ancient splendor. South of which place is Jermah, distinguished by numerous and majestic ruins, on which are many inscriptions. Tefouwa lies eastward, near which was a river which the thereof remembers, but is now overwhelmed in the moving sands. N. E. from Mourzouk, distant about 120 miles, is the large town of Temmiswa, where the caravans of pilgrims from Bornou and Nigritia, by way of Cairo to Mecca, provide their stores for the desert. In the town or province of Mendrah is a large quantity of irona, a species of fossil alkali, that floats on the surface or settles on the banks of its spreading lakes, great quantity of which is sent to Tripoli and shipped for Turkey, Tunis, and Morocco; at the latter place it is used as an ingredient in the red dye of the leather. Mendrah is about 60 miles south of Fezzan. The territory of Fezzan extends but little westward, being confined by barren mountains. The smaller towns of this kingdom are said to be about one hundred; these towns are chiefly inhabited by husbandmen and shepherds; in every town a market is regularly held; mutton and goat's flesh are sold by the quarter, usually from thirty-two to forty grains of gold, or from four to five shillings English. The flesh of camels is dearer, and divided into smaller parts. The houses are of clay, with flat roofs composed of branches Fezzan. branches of trees, on which earth is laid; this is sufficient in a climate where it never rains. The heats in summer, from April to November, are intense, and the hot winds blow from the south-east, south, and south-west, with such violence as to threaten suffocation; when it changes to the west or north-west a reviving freshness ensues. The dress of the inhabitants is like that of the Moors of Barbary, consisting of a large pair of trowsers, a shirt which hangs over the trowsers, a kind of waistcoat without sleeves, and a jacket with tight sleeves; over the jacket is a loose robe which reaches below the knee, a girdle of crimson, and a long cloth called a barrakon or albaque, like a highland plaid, is worn; stockings of leather, laced like half boots, and slippers; on the head a red cap and turban; sometimes over the whole they throw a long cloak with a hood, called a burnoose. In summer they throw off all but the shirt and the cap. The people bear very high degrees of heat, but any cold affects them sensibly. Their diseases are chiefly of the inflammatory and putrid kind; the small pox is common. Their old women are their principal physicians. For pains in the head they cup and bleed; for those in the limbs, they bathe in the hot lakes. They have a multitude of noxious and loathsome animals; the air is crowded with mosquitos, and their persons are over-run with the vermin which affect the beggars of Europe. In their persons they incline to the negro, of a deep swarthy complexion, with curly black hair; they are tall, but indolent, inactive, and weak. In their common intercourse, distinction of rank seems to be forgotten; rich and poor, master and man, converse, eat, and drink, together; they are, however, generous and hospitable. An extensive plain composes the kingdom of Fezzan: the soil is generally a light sand, the springs are abundant, and few regions in Africa exhibit a richer vegetation. The land produces the tusk, the white-thorn, date trees, the olive and lime, apricot, pomegranate, and fig: Indian corn and barley are the favourite objects of cultivation, of wheat there is little raised. The tame animals are, the sheep, cow, goat, and camel; and the wild are, the ostrich, antelopes of various kinds, one of which is called the huadee, which when chased plunges with address from a precipice, and lights on its hams. The food of the lower class consists of flour of Indian corn, seasoned with oil and fruit; those of superior rank eat wheat bread and flesh. Fezzan produces much salt; the water has in general a mineral taste, but the favourite beverage is a liquor from the date tree, which acquires, when fermented, an intoxicating strength. In religion they are rigid Mahomedans, but tolerant. Their government monarchical; their present king is descended from one of the sheerefs of Tassilet, who about 400 years since obtained the crown. Till the present century the kingdom was independent, when the Bashaw of Tripoli conquered and made it tributary; the reigning sovereign has nearly thrown off this yoke. In Fezzan, the descendants of the prophet are highly privileged, their property and persons are inviolable; they are exempt from certain punishments. This class are in general either princes or merchants. The revenue is composed of a tax on towns and villages, a tax on every camel load of goods (except provisions) which enters the capital, fines for offences, lands of persons dying without heirs, and a tax on gardens and date trees. Gold dust by weight is the chief medium of payment; but for convenience they are furnished with small papers of gold dust of different values, from two warbes or one and a half upwards; for smaller articles corn or flour are used as a medium. One grain of gold is equal to 1/2 d. sterling. The Fezzan grain is the same as in England. The justice of the sovereign is highly extolled; small offences are punished by the bastinado, and the punishments increase to fine, imprisonment, and death. Trusting to their natural defence, their towns are without guard, and they have no standing forces. The only war the sheerefs remembered was undertaken against a people inhabiting the mountains of Tibesti, which is separated from the people of Fezzan by a wide and sandy desert. These people are wild and savage, and had plundered a caravan belonging to the king, who sent an army of between 3 and 4000 men against and subdued them. The country of these people produces much fenna. The vales of Tibesti are said to be fertile in corn and pasture for cattle, particularly camels. The people live in huts, and profess various religions, some the Mahomedan, others are attached to their ancient idolatry. The people of Fezzan carry on a considerable trade with Tripoli, Bornou, Nigritia, &c. At the end of October, when the heats are abated, the caravans depart from Mourzouk in small parties of ten or twelve, unless in time of war. They lay in provisions of dates, meal, and mutton salted, dried in the sun, and boiled in oil or fat. The merchants have agents in the chief towns, to whom they send the slaves they purchase. The caravans to Tripoli carry the irona, fenna, gold and slaves brought from the southern countries; and in return bring back cutlery, woollen, silks, dollars, copper, and brass. That to Bornou carries brass and copper, for the currency of the country, imperial dollars, and various manufactures; but of their own produce only a preparation of dates, and meal of Indian corn, and they take in return slaves, gold dust, and civet. To Cashna, an empire in Nigritia, they carry cowries, brass to make rings and bracelets, horses, several kinds of manufactures, and the Goooro nuts; and in return take gold dust, slaves, cotton cloth, dyed goats skins, hides, fenna, and civet, for the countries south of the Niger, where also they convey fabre blades and Dutch knives, coral, brass beads, looking glasses, dollars, &c. and receive back gold dust, slaves, cotton cloths, goat skins, Goooro nuts, cowries, and ivory. A caravan of pilgrims sets out likewise in the autumn of every second or third year from Mourzouk, the capital of Fezzan, to Mecca. They proceed to Temessa, over the mountain of Ziltan, and thence to Sibbul, a place subject to Tripoli; and thence nearly in a line with the Mediterranean sea to Cairo, and thence to Mecca by the customary route. As not one celestial observation has been taken to determine any latitude between Benin and Tripoli, all the positions are fixed by estimation, reckoning fifteen or sixteen miles for a day's journey. Mr Rennell places Mourzouk, Mourzouk, the capital of Fezzan, in lat. 27°. 20', or 260 miles from Mafurata.