Page:Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Volume 1 (2nd edition).djvu/165

Rh and west of her; and altitudes of the moon when in the prime vertical,— the mean of the results of which give the longitude of our garden at the south-west angle of the city:—

Long. 7° 30′ W. of Greenwich.

Lat. 31° 37′ 20″ N. Mean of about 20 mer. alts. of the sun.

Var. 20½° westerly,—by numerous observations by Schmalcalder's compass.

The remarkable stillness of the air in this plain must be noticed. Morning and evening generally a dead calm; light winds during the day; little or no rain, and this in the months of December and January; atmosphere usually clear.

The inhabitants of this country may be divided into six classes—Moors, Arabs, Shellūhs, Berēbers, Jews, and Negroes.

The Moors, degenerate race of noble ancestors, are the descendants of those who were driven out of Spain when the conquest of Granada by Ferdinand and Isabella, and the flight of Boabdii el Chico, put an end to the Moorish dynasty in that country; these chiefly inhabit the towns, fill the high offices under government, and form the military; their language, the Mogreb, or occidental Arabic, intermixed with Spanish.

The Arabs, originally from the desert, overspread the plains, living in tents usually pitched in a circle, hence called Douars, and following a pastoral life. When the soil is unproductive, the herbage scanty, or their tents so full of fleas and vermin, that they can no longer rest in quiet, they decamp and seek another spot, a spring of water, or a saint's tomb, generally influencing the selection. The Arabs are hospitable, and when they promise may be trusted; yet, otherwise, they are great thieves. They are a hardy race, slightly made, and under the middle size; the girls, when young,