a large and handsome sea-port town of Africa, in the kingdom of Fez and province of Tremezen. It has fine mosques and handsome palaces, and is seated at the mouth of the river Buririgirg, almost in the mid-way between Fez and Tangier. W. Long. 5° 28'. N. Lat. 34° 40'.

Rabat, together with Sallee, which is opposite to it, was formerly famous for fitting out piratical vessels; but the late emperor Sidi Mahomet subdued them both, and annexed them to the empire; since which time the harbour of Rabat has been so filled with the sand washed in by the sea as to render it unfit to carry on such piracies in future.

The town of Rabat, whose walls inclose a large space of ground, is defended on the sea-side by three forts tolerably well finished, which were erected some little time ago by an English renegade, and furnished with guns from Gibraltar. The houses in general are good, and many of the inhabitants are wealthy. The Jews, who are very numerous in this place, are generally in better circumstances than those of Larache or Tangier, and their women are extremely beautiful.

The castle, which is very extensive, contains a strong building, formerly used by the late emperor as his principal treasury, and a noble terrace, which commands an extensive prospect of the town of Sallee, the ocean, and all the neighbouring country. There are also the ruins of another castle, which is said to have been built by Jacob Almonzor, one of their former emperors, and of which at present very little remains but its walls, containing within them some very strong magazines for powder and naval stores. On the outside of these walls is a very high and square tower, handsomely built of cut stone, and called the tower of Hassen. From the workmanship of this tower, contrasted with the other buildings, a very accurate idea may be formed how greatly the Moors have degenerated from their former splendour and taste for architecture.