MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE ECONOMY

SAHARA
DESCRIPTION GEOGRAPHIC, COMMERCIAL, AND AGRICULTURAL. FROM CABO BOJADOR TO WHITE CABO, TRIPS TO THE INTERIOR, GENERAL INHABITANTS OF THE DESERT AND CONSIDERATIONS MINISTRY OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE ECONOMY

By P. EMILIO BONELLI Regal commissioner in the western coast of Africa, Captain Teniente de Influencia

Official edition.
MADRID TIPOLITOGRAFIA OF L PEANT AND CHILDREN

Cart of San Jernimo, 13 and Atocha 67. 1887

MAIN DIRECTORATE OF AGRICULTURE, TRAINS AND COMMERCE

AGRICULTURE

Presented/displayed this directive Center by D. Emilio Bonelli, regal Commissioner of the western coast of Africa, a geographic, commercial and agricultural study of the region included from the Bojador to Cabo Blanco, which contains data and the news whose knowledge matters in great way to our producers and can doubtlessly contribute to the development of the commercial relations between Spain and that one part of the African territory, this Main directorate has decided that it becomes a distance of 500 units of the referred work and maps that accompany, whose amount will be paid at the expense of chapter 12, art to him, 2. of the effective budget.

Quo I communicate to V.S. for its knowledge and other effects.

God keeps to and. S. many years. Madrid 25 of February of 1887. - The Chief of a main directorate, BENIGN QUIROGA. - Mr. Ordenador of payments by obligations of this Ministry.

INTRODUCTION The way to completely modify radically the political and social aspect that today presents/displays the African continent, remote of the progress that the civilization prints to our time, and where are numerous memories of the events more transcendental than it registers the history of the humanity, is not easy to anticipate nor can be locked in a picture of fixed rules while the distrust, protected by the religious fanaticism that dominates in the Muslim followers, opposes so formidable obstacles to the study of the different races that populate those extensive regions. The development, every more flourishing day, of the European industry and the commerce, imposes the necessity to solve with pressure, and the knowledge indispensable for the best guarantee of success, the diverse problems posed by the international diplomacy with respect to the colonization, dominion and probable future of this vastsima region of the globe, inhabited by a considerable number ele million souls submissive the iron yoke of the ignorance and the barbarism. The solution of so important questions offers, nevertheless, difficulties of diverse nature that they justify, partly, the lack of decision of the governments to undertake companies that have the privilege to provoke distrusts of other nations, to demand expensive sacrifices and that generally have in their principles all the characters with the adventures with the Average Age. He is doubtless that the commerce, with its powerful means, will save, in some regions, the barrier, apparently insurmountable, that those people try to oppose to all idea of progress, because its exaggerated mistrust imagines it like in opposition to the religion and to its independence; in other parts it will be precise to go to the Armed Forces, capably directed, to contain cough wild instincts of the natives. Where traditional hatreds of race have been origin of bloody retaliation, only one capable policy will be able to vanish exaggerations of the past and marking new map courses to the passions that dominate to the sectarians of the Prophet where the Muslim religion reigns; but always it will exert major influences and decisive superiority in the inhabitants of that vast

continent that owns the perfect knowledge of its language and customs, prints to its conduct the equitable energy that as much it seduces to the races pressed by despotic tyrannies and undergoes with resignation the indispensable sacrifices and deprivations until obtaining the affection and the dominion of so displeased towns. To size, then, that comes near the unextendable term in which is to undergo complete transformation the general aspect of the African continent, conquering to the rational life multitude of beings who are shaken in impure chaos of abjections, and whose existence 110 is conceived without diminution of the cultured towns; as these events receive the failure of history with indispensable slowness to so large company, major is the necessity to know the conditions of that one country, and greater to have of guarding incessantly by certain interests that, according to inescapable laws and as a result of our geographic situation, keep Straits connects with the future reserved to the Iberian Peninsula. Not is necessary to back down to times distant neither to escudriar kindly influence that has exerted in different periods from our history races dominating across of Straits to justify part decisive that our mother country must to take in complications that can arise, that indispensably has to arise, in the northern region of Africa. In that extensive region, that we could well limit in the opposite borders or of Algeria and the Senegal, one is, not only the future of Spain, but also the greater danger to the independence of our ground, according to the phrase of an informed geographer and historian, fortunately generalized enough. All Spanish who spends some moments to the study of the international questions, to the foreign policy that corresponds to our mother country, caresses these ideals like fundamental objective axiomatic truth and of legitimate aspirations for the defense of our territory and development of the multiple sources of wealth which they hoard our ground and the special conditions of our race. In this concept it would seem unnecessary to increase in price the importance that locks up whatever happens in the deranged empire of

Morocco, and the attention that must deserve to our statesmen all act that tends to modify, to replace or of transforming its political and social state. But, in our humble concept, this patriotic forecast would be incomplete if the remaining part neglected ele the western coast, from the end Guer, true limit of the dominions of S.M. Sheriffiana, or from the Dra river, where that one sovereign tries to have jurisdiction, to the border determined by the possessions that operate our neighbors of beyond the Pyrenean one in that one coast. From limit western of dominions of emperor of Morocco, to dominions French in Senegambia, exists region well-known generally with name of desert of Sahara, colonized by number very considerable of inhabitants, fanatics Muslim in state inconceivable of savagery, without authority neither government to who they render formal observance, constituting tribes nomadic in constant fight with his neighbors, and lacking of all commerce, because they lack markets where to place its products and to acquire the merchandize that need, less than to cross passages of two hundred either the more leguas, setting out to all sort of humiliations and upsettings. The part of coast of this region owns immense banks of fishing grounds, so abundant, that they are compared to the most famous ones of Newfoundland; and if we did without the importance that, it considers it gives politically, it has for Spain that one region, where powerful commercial arteries with the center of Africa must concur, would be equivalent to, in addition, to destroy the advantages that the operation of the African coast has to report to the Canary Islands, calls very deservedly the lucky people, because in their steep ground are the most select and variable products of the Earth, and with their incomparable climatologic conditions would have to constitute the waiting room of the Paradise if their inhabitants used the gifts that the nature has wasted on that one archipelago. It will seem strange, perhaps inopportune, to indicate, even though is very slightly, the importance of the Canary Islands in these

considerations on the sahrica region submissive the protectorate of Spain. Nevertheless, the privileged position that enjoys in the Ocean that one archipelago, their influence as stopping point in long navigations and the development of interests which they would be created if a naval base of first order got to form, also depend on the increase of commercial relations with the African coast, from the limits ele the jurisdiction of sultn of Morocco to the gulf of Guinea. To the Eastern department of these islands, in which those of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are included/understood, it corresponds the main center of supplying of the colonization in Africa and would have to be the barn of that immense sahrica region, rather more colonized with. what it is created generally, but where the cereal harvests are not enough in the years of drought for the consumption of the population. Of the canary archipelago, to sum up, they have to leave all class indispensable aid to the factories that in the African coast settle down. After these light digresiones, that during this work have to obtain ampler development, we will resume the preliminary study of the African coast. The region that includes/understands the coast, of the Sahara, from end ador Boxwood to White end, has been theater, of horrible crimes. Figure like one of the regions where the greater antipathy to the European race takes shelter, where the rancor of the passions produces more terrible consequences, where the traditional fanaticism and hatreds to the Christians have major root, where the savagery of its inhabitants has truly repugnant characters, and is distinguished, in short, by the series of shipwrecks happened in that one coast and the iniquitous undergone treatments therefore displeased since it has been needed to look for a refuge in the beach to get rid of an inevitable death if he remained taken root to the last rest of his boats, destroyed by invincible elements. Some exaggeration will be able to exist in these appreciations, in its majority, however, founded on the repeated upsettings of the sectarians of Mahoma; but it agrees to analyze the causes origin of so many crimes and misfortunes before judging the present conditions of that one country.

The operation of the banks of fishing grounds, calls from remote canaryAfrican times, constitutes the main element of life of the population of that one archipelago, where the accommodated class less of the society makes a great consumption of salty fish and toasted maize gofio-flour. To this industry they dedicate thirty and so many pailebot, of twentyfive to seventy tons, with a crew of thousand five hundred men. Even though rarely they came near to the beach, before declaring the Spanish protectorate in the sahrico coast, is doubtless that to these fishing sailors corresponds great part of responsibility by the rancor arraigadsimo that exists between canaries and natives of the desert. Instead of to try an intelligence, that so beneficial had been for the Moors of the coast and the crew of the fishing ships, a situation of ambushes, ambushes has stayed violent, full and perfidias, until on both sides producing the reconcentrado hatred and the greatest distrust: in resemblance been, only after some time, when the memory of cruel retaliation disappears and antagonisms are exiled that never had to exist, can obtain the Pacific dominion and the reestablishment of sincere harmony, so indispensable for the commercial increase in that one region. The difficulties that are to expire until reaching this result do not keep proportion with the magnitude and the importance from this company. It is necessary to assure for the future of Spain, without doing without the Canary Islands, great commercial currents and the operation of you banks of fishing grounds; it is precise to establish bows of close union between the wild tribes of the desert and the commercial establishments that are constructed in the coast, fusing them in our civilization and our customs; to attract the wealth elements that lock up that one country vastsimo to the most favorable points of the coast for the creation of good ports, and to take root between the commercial believers, that do not know all principle of authority and boast of a brutal independence, habits that become general easily in all region where the Muslim element reigns, that is distinguished by its speculative spirit. These intentions, caressed by whatever take care of the subjects of Africa, and that forms in forward edge between the national ideals, they will not find, surely, fast solution without confronting the risks and

tenebrosidades of a company considered by some like surrounded in the uncertainty of the adventure, y' without the sacrifices that the colonization imposes at our time ele a country, with so different systems to which they used our ancestors to the discovery of America. But all these difficulties, risks and slips, will be put ont the edge easily if to intelligence at first accompanies the energy, the perseverancia in the sacrifices, the prestige acquired already between the natives and the accumulation of the elements necessary to secure an aim of vastsimos results.

WESTERN COAST OF AFRICA

CHAPTER FIRST Geographic description from Bojador end to Cabo Blanco. Examining navigation charts of the western coast of Africa, and observing the denomination of the ends, bays, embosomed the more remarkable roads either of the coast, is a quite embarrassing confusion between the official technicality, so to speak, and the names that the canary fishermen have given to diverse points of the coast, like true practitioners of her. The hydrographic letters that have major authority, to be formed with iodines collected the national and foreign data from the first recognitions practiced by different scientific commissions, lack many not known important points officially; and so that this study is more complete, I consider advisable to add to the data already published those that we have obtained on the march or in the inspection of the land. We will also try to review, in this description of the African coast that includes the protectorate of Spain, the sites more frequented by the swiftsailing ships that cross those seas, because of his knowledge, even though he is incomplete, could obtain benefits for the commerce, once assayed the advantages that offers to the provisional facilities, refuge or halting points of the boats against the weathers. Cabo Bojador. Form this one small projection, in the main directorate of the coast, the northern limit of the dominions of Spain in that one region, and is to 27 50 ' 17 North latitude and 8 ' length, according to the meridian of San Fernando. This point, known by the canary practitioners with the name of the Prchele, determines an extensive road, open to all the winds, and, therefore, of very little shelter for the ships of any class and great difficulties for the disembarkation, because in an extension of 3 kilometers that includes the cove, a small beach only exists, it does not

exempt of terrible stumbling blocks, to berth the boats. Since all that one coast is very fought by the great tides of the Northwest, the waves beat with impetuous violence the steep rocks that serve as valladar to the imposing masses of water which they threaten to destroy whatever find in his gigantic march. The most salient end to the North of this cove is called False confused Bajador end for being during long time by some navigators with the true end; she is quite low and of sandy ground in his majority, which facilitates the disembarkation in contadsimas occasions that allow it to the sea. The remaining part of the cove has major elevation in the coast, because it reaches heights of 30 and 35 meters, very escarped, made bristle of formidable stumbling blocks and where it is impossible to approach with no class of boats, During six days we remained in an occasion cast anchor in the road of Bojador end without being able to disembark, seeing us forced to leave the anchorage leaving an anchor and 30 meters of chain, in order to avoid an imminent disaster, dice the magnitude of the waves, that threatened to break within our boat. This brief review of the road of Bojador end will be sufficient, in my opinion, to put of relief the difficulties whereupon it has to encounter a commercial installation while the construction of ports, whose cost has to be very considerable, does not modify the conditions of security and gives guarantees of disembarkation in the majority of the days of the year. Inconvenient, or perhaps worse analogs, offer all the coast to the North of Bojador end until the limits of the territory where it reaches the sovereignty of sultn of Morocco.

The Bumbalda.
Fortunately for the commerce and operation of the sahrica region, the part of the African coast submissive the protectorate of Spain reunites very estimable advantages. Sailing in the direction of UNDER., and separated of the coast so. only one mile, because the bottom is great and very clean, is, to 22 miles of end Bojador, a small cove with excellent

shelter, that can easily replace to previous by its good beach and easy wharf, indicated in navigation charts with the name of the well-known Bumbalda and also by < Anchorage of the Pitones. We will not pause to review this point, whose occupation so far does not seem probable, being been to hope that, during long time, it will still serve solely as shelter to pailebot of the fishing against the forts brisotes that slow down the landfall in the Canary Islands or make it very difficult.

The Corral, Plateau of the Gull and the Returns.

In a space of 10 miles next are three anchorages, with points for a easy disembarkation and the advantage short-distance to find potable water of the coast. The land that surrounds to these anchorages, and the one that is controlled being placed in one of the small elevations that are in that one ground, whose extension can be considered in a space of six to seven kilometers to the interior, offers a relatively considerable vegetation, with shrubs of two meters of peak altitude and susceptible land of varied productions in the rainy years, using the elements that the study of earth offers to agriculture.

The Teeth.
Also it is due to the canary fishermen the name of both points that form equal number of anchorages, little importance and usable only by pailebotes in their diverse tasks for the packed salt meat and of the fishing that they obtain daily.

The Roquete, Monito, Nose and bay of Garnet

The two first roads only deserve to be known by the facility to disembark, whenever winds of outside do not reign, and the advantage to find brackish water in the environs of the coast, where are some wells done by the natives.

The bay or Nose of Garnet, well-known also by Tormo End, where a small denominated entrant Angra of the Ruivos dances itself, are point that frequents the fishing ships, so many mentioned times, by the abundance of the fish and insurance anchorage, except with great weathers of the West.

Good Garden.
To 80 miles to the Sud of end ador Boxwood is an excellent denominated bay Good Garden by the great vegetation of its environs, that contrasts remarkably with the dryness that characterizes the ground of the sahrica region. It meets to east point most special conditions, and deserves, in my opinion, lengthy study like position where an establishment or commercial colony would find considerable advantages, in relation to other points. Formerly it was Good Garden point inhabited by 800 souls, and served as stage or rest the caravans that, coming from Morocco, Uad-Nun and Tarudant, crossed the coast with merchandize and they went into until finding to Atar and Shingueti, where they finished the sale generally. Until year 1851, the Ulad-Delim and Ulad-Arrosiyin owned in this bay, or deep precipice - because its configuration affects this form different from the general aspect of the surface of that one ground - numerous flocks of wool cattle, joist and camels, where at present only are many gacelas, jackals, vixens and wolves in considerable number. The disappearance of this species of village of the desert data of that one time at which the terrible whip of the rage considerably reduced the population of the canary archipelago. A fishing ship of the class of pailebotes, like that now they are used, went by that one time to the coast of Africa to cross the banks of fishing grounds and to dedicate themselves to its customary industry, without suspecting that to his I embroider took the germs of the terrible epidemic that so many damage it was causing in the Gran Canaria. During navigation, the rage acquired all their development, following one another without interruption the

deaths until the point of which the crew, who formed of 37 men when leaving the port of Las Palmas, was reduced to nine individuals, in her majority estenuados by the fatigue and so desconsoladora situation. The most horrible panic seized of those poor devils, and considering the overcome one too slow until gaining some port of the islands, decided to attack the ship in the coast to leave that one helmet that, with difficulty, maintained to them on the waves, and where the death had made devastating prey. In this way they tried to reach its salvation, by laborious that was, between the muslmicas followers of the desert. As soon as the natives who lived in Good Garden saw embarrancado in the beach pailebot canary, they went on board, eager to take advantage of whichever that one shipwreck offered to its instincts predatory, inficionando itself terribly of the disease that was to depopulate those feracious fields coa relation to the others of the Sahara. By the conditions of the life of the Muslim, its little cleaning and absolute ignorance of the hygienic rules, the believing rage, ntrelos, have always originated imposing disasters, and in this case it makes sure that nor one at least of the natives who resided in Good Garden canary fisherman survived to the 30 days of the shipwreck of pailebot. This history, heard to refer to the same natural ones, has all the characters of probability and it is transmitted between the natives of parents to children, without a doubt to conserve indelible and in all their purity the aversion or fear to the cove where they are there buried whatever they lived. Cabo Lebn (or They weigh). It is this road, well-known also by Restinga of the Stone, another position where the fishing ships are lodged, but of little shelter. The disembarkation is easy by the small cove that forms the stone, of where has origin its second names.

The environs present/display that so frequent vegetation in the desert, but has not been well some in the verified excursions, nor seems to be relying to the information of the natives.

Elbow end.
Before arriving to this end small projections exist that the practitioners designate with the name of the Battlements, being well-known also the Elbow end by puna of the Cotobelo or Nose of San Pedro. This position, that offers a good shelter with winds of the first quadrant, presents/displays however great contrariedades for the commercial installation, because spending considerable sums in the construction of a wharf the support could only be assured communications with the colony in all time, previous and indispensable condition of the operation in that one region.

Angra to horse.
The great bend formed by the Sud part of the end or Elbow end, and the projections from where Monte either Roque of the Deception is controlled, has been called cove of Angra to horse or of the Yuncas, that does not offer great security to the ships nor owns easy wharf, except in calm times, in spite of being brackish water in abundance very next to the coast. The fish appears in truly amazing amounts in this bend, that's why very it is frequented by the canary ships, unique boats that, so to speak, cross those waters. This point of the coast is in addition remarkable by several happened marine wrecks in the first third to the present century, according to affirm the inhabitants of the environs.

Peninsula of Gold River.

The advantages that the situation of this peninsula presents/displays, outstanding of the continent to way of sentry advanced in the Ocean, were the main cause of being designated for the first commercial

establishment Or factory erected in all the African coast of the coast of the Sahara, where Spain exerts the protectorate. On the other hand, the fear that inspires the inhabitants of certain regions of Africa imposed the necessity to choose a position for the establishment of any class of European colony where the defense offered more advantages, the precautions could give to major security guarantee and the monitoring would be exerted more easily and with better results. All these objects it seemed natural would concur in a land language of little width, and, therefore, of easy dominion; but we do not have to never do without the character of the natives, of its excessive pride, incomparable pride and of the moral force that is lost indicating certain distrusts that satisfy their foolish aspirations of power or supremacy on another any race that does not militate in the Muslim followers. And as the commerce is not obtained but from the harmony of relations between both town, and of the progressive increase of communications, necessary it is to agree upon that the average defensives put in practice in that one region have to harmonize themselves with the indispensable conditions to the commercial development of the colony that settles down there. The peninsula of Gold River, together with the continent by a sandy isthmus and of malsimo transit, affects a really singular form. Of the main directorate of the coast a land language of 37 kilometers in length by 2 to 5 of width follows, in its greater part, lifting only 6 meters on the level of the sea, except in several datum points with diverse names. One is, therefore, to a level rather lower than the remaining coast, and embraces an extensive one laughs of 22 miles in length by 5 of width, navigable in his two third parts, with 24 meters basic maximum and 8 minimums in the main channel. As everything laughs of some consideration, it has the disadvantage of the bar, to which we do not grant great importance, because only with temporary forts of the West, fortunately very little frequent the waves acquire frightful proportions; but this is not an obstacle for navigation, because the channel either greater channel has in the bar six meters and average basic in low tide, and, therefore, sufficient to boats of great

tonnage, however, the bottom, very irregular laughs of it, will make navigation quite difficult until perfectly buoying the channel the more next to the peninsula of Gold River, or the one that happens licking the coast almost of the continent. The outer port, whose anchorage is very uncomfortable, but surely while the alseos winds reign, can be disastrous and of difficult disembarkation with winds of the Southwest. It laughs inside it have the ships completes security with all the times, because solely the flow and ebb tide of the tides, that get to reach three miles of current per hour, helped by the constant breeze, raise some very continuous surge, but only annoying to the small boats or boats of candle. Incidentally we have said it laughs that it of Gold River offers two navigable channels, and to complete their description, being also mentioned the low ones that guards in low tide, well-known with the names of the Careenage, Small and Great Galeoto, and indicating the other stumbling blocks that are to find the ships for navigation, would be necessary-to go to a study of soundings, unfortunately limited until now, to one reduced part it laughs of it and only usable when it can connect with the other points as it bases of his hydrographic knowledge. The practiced drillings the direction of the channel next to the peninsula of Gold River is known, and the low ones, some of great extension, that laughs it has it until the Herne island, formed of mud, seaweed or sand dragged by the current. The bottom laughs of it presents/displays one vastsima embosomed, that in low tide is almost in the open in a space of 10 kilometers, surrounded by infinite precipices formed by successive loosenings of the land, but by no side signal is discovered remotely some that it indicates, nor, the existence of a river, as it appears in all the navigation charts and seems to come off itself the name given from old times to this part of the coast of the Sahara. Of which it is deduced that the origin of the name of River of Gold given to this peninsula is completely imaginary or fantastic, to lack river some

and not to be in its environs, nor to long distances, that precious fundamental and constant objective metal of the insatiable human greed. And I have to increase in price the necessity to make public these data, in order that the squeamish characters, paying attention to the attractiveness of the name of this peninsula, do not squander sacrifices based on erroneous calculations and that they also result in loss of prestige than as much it matters to conserve and to develop in the interests of our commerce. The Herne island is at heart located of this laughs, surrounded by marshy land and in communication with the continent, in low tide, because the beach immediate to the isthmus is open pie in about 2 kilometers. It has the mentioned island thirteen small hills of quite irregular conical form, in ascending steps, direction UNDER. to NE, from 3 meters to the 40 next that measure of the highest height, than one is in the first third of line NE. to UNDER, that they determine, being its width or space that occupies of a little kilometer. The natives call to the Herne island Trok-whose translation is equivalent to the step or way-by being almost on the isthmus of entrance to the peninsula, and is very well-known in all the desert because in his environs they take shelter millares of crustaceans (amdjun), that transport to Ualata, Timbuct and Benigram, for the sale by gold, ivory and slaves. The peninsula of Oro River, well-known by the people of the Sahara with the name of Dajala-is-Saharia (incoming of the desert), is extremely level and with little vegetation. The great and small Arciprs and the end Nose, that includes/understands near 30 kilometers of the peninsula from the Durnford end, are remarkable elevations only in] to invariable plain of this position. Once exceeded the western and penetrated end in the outer port, is a beautiful beach, with excessive abundance of sand and in a level rather lower than the general ground of the peninsula; after crossed the bar, all the inner coast is of rock and conchuela, difficult by some sites, but always reasonable by its little elevation, that usually does not exceed 5 meters.

To about 23 kilometers of the Durnford end is a land with greater vegetation, cultivated field of wild flowers in the spring, more colonizing with gacelas and where a fresh water well exists, whose conditions would be very appreciable if some cleaning were observed. Doubtful origin must be granted to this well, truly providential to help the first works of the colony that settles down there. Some natives confess that she was constructed by Christians, and does not seem ventured to give credit to this report, because the work who reveal themselves there is not work of those natural ones. It is precise to suppose that this well has been done by the shipwrecked wretches who so terrible luck have experimented in those inhospitable beaches from remote times. He confirms this hypothesis, in addition, the fact that the circular form of the well finishes to the three meters of depth, in which the water is acquired easily and disappeared the strong rock land to mix itself with sandy part that the liquid element has been undermining slowly until producing a cave of some extension, where at present corrupted matters are accumulated, giving to the water a stinking scent and little hygienic conditions, except for the natives of the Sahara, whose physical organization, formed by means in which they live, allows all class them of abuses without remarkable alteration in her health. The amount of water that can be obtained from this well is very considerable. Having needed to provide with water the existing colony in Gold River, it was precise to come to the possible most scrupulous cleaning, and that one occurred by finished to eleven in the morning, when still they were small residues of the springs of the walls of the well. Closely together of the one of afternoon the water extraction began and to six they had been obtained more than 2000 liters. To eight kilometers of the described well it finishes, the terreas not hard or of rock to become great sand dunes, very moving and extremely it bothers for the march, constituting this space the isthmus of the peninsula. As one advances towards the continent, that rises majestic on that one sandy ground, in some sites lower than the level of the sea, the width of

the isthmus falls of a progressive way, until being reduced to a little average meter and in high water. Before arriving at the continent a relatively enormous stone, of 16 meters of height and 22 of extension, together with the peninsula by narrow sand language is in the coast of the Ocean that is covered in the great tides. This stone appears in the maps with the Mount name of the Deception and fishermen know the canary it by Roque Cabrn, having deserved these denominations by the aspect that presents/displays view from the sea and that appears completely like isolated of the continent. In their environs several marine wrecks have happened. Some of the natives who populate the peninsula with Oro River still remember the shipwreck of a birk-boat American-according to all the indications happened in the small cove that forms to the shelter of Monte Decepcin, whose shipwreck they assure those believers who were saved the eight crew who came to his I embroider and that, embarked in a fishing ship, returned d land of Christians. But I consider useless to add that all whatever the sea threw to the beach, or the Moors could gather on board going and to I swim in the calm days, was distributed and profiteer by those sectarians of the Prophet, with great contentment and row, according to the satisfaction whereupon they even remember this marine disaster. The established Spanish factory in Gold River is next located to 12 kilometers of the Durnford end and on the coast it laughs of it. In the election it has presided over the idea to obtain next and safe anchorage, harmonizing this condition with the advantages that the site reports for the construction of the jetty wharf, as useful as indispensable to the commerce that is developed there. Despite this study, the ships will not be able to never approach to smaller distance of 5oo meters of the beach. Well-known the position where a building serves already I gave birth to indicate the dominion of Spain and to maintain with relative honor its pavilion, is very necessary to describe the coast of opposite, whose conditions have to take advantage when the commerce acquires true development, to demand it .as the same natives.

Few exigencies will be more just. The great advantage offers that one coast of which the ships can cast anchor very many next of earth and with the same shelter. Channel is enough greater, but prisoner requires study to recognize well steps that he has by the bar and stumbling blocks of the navigation laugh within it, which it will not be able to be used without these recognitions practice, in order not to jeopardize the numerous boats in the low ones which they would find in his march. The obstacle, at first sight considerable, of its greater elevation presents/displays this coast of the continent, than it oscillates between 40 and 50 meters, the great inclination of his slopes, and the abundance of stony land, because it is advisable neither possible to take advantage of the spaces sand, where it will be the more difficult to form ways or inclines of ascent for the operations of load and unloading of the ships. Overcome these disadvantages, that only represent major work and wastes of some quantity, the results would soon compensate the sacrifices of the installation of a factory or commercial center. The distance is lessen in two days that are to cross the natives to arrive to our market, e! land is more susceptible of culture, the grass are more abundant and, therefore, they can maintain the camels while the natives remain in the factory, the cattle that acquires itself will have more safe grass during the time which they impose the communications, true disadvantage of all project of colonization, bases of the commerce on the Sahara and difficult solution by the expenses that originate. In order to complete these ideas it would agree to determine the point of the coast of the included continent to the beautiful one laughs of Gold, where a commercial nucleus with all the buildings indispensable to the transactions and to the necessary system of defense had to settle down for the security of the colony; but also it would be exposed to detrimental errors to advance judgments without the previous knowledge of the steps that to the boats laughs offers it, because these appreciations must harmonize with the exigencies of navigation and the advantages of the land for commercial facilities.

Once overcome this difficulty, great studies are not required to designate one of the many coves or bends where are almost the main bases for the construction of a jetty wharf that, even providing to him with all the modern advances, had to be very economic.

Curvature.
The coast of the sahrica coast, from Bojador end to the Durnford end, does not offer stumbling block some to the ships of any openwork, and the sailors sail very trusting in view of the coast, which can inspect easily from on board, and only at night usually move away to 8 or 10 miles by always praiseworthy precaution. The same in the coast between the peninsula of Gold River does not happen, once exceeded the end of the Fisherman and White end. The bottom is quite irregular and when it is sailed in view of earth must be observed the greater monitoring, because as soon as the sun hides its last rays behind the horizon, it becomes very difficult to recognize the coast to one mile of distance, by his unalterable equality and little elevation. Some times the practitioners in those seas recognize, the existence of little bottom and the Earth proximity by the color of the water; in this case the canary fishermen usually practice some drillings, to flood candles, and, finally, to drop an anchor like preventive measure, if the sea disturbance allows it, and to hope the first dawn in the morning to know the situation the ship. It is not enough to enjoy Full Moon to border these disadvantages, that as much fear they instill to the canary practitioners and whom they try to avoid almost always moving away too much of the coast, with great damage of the march. To 30 miles next of the end of the Fisherman is the bay of Curvature, that still conserves the name of that one illustrious Portuguese sailor, victim of its native enthusiasm and martyr of science. He was Gonzalo de Cintra the first who recognized this bay, quite open one to winds of outside, but with excellent anchorages for all class of ship. The entrance is very extensive, even though nonfree of stumbling blocks, and the development of coast measures 47 kilometers, being very

counted the sites where it is possible to be disembarked, by the cliff of the beach and impulsiveness whereupon they break the waves pushed by the different movements from the Ocean. To the North of this great bay restinga or salient of stones exists one, where the rompientes are constant, and like the direction of this projection she is the same that follows all the coast, offers a shelter, in whose bottom usually it disembarks without exhibition. The first practiced recognitions and the works done for the rise of the plane of this important bay were, extremely exposed and caused to sad consequences for us and the crew of the boat, that it tried to stay to the possible next distance of the beach. When trying to gain the boat one became precise to fight with the disadvantages of a beach very steep and with imposing and continued waves, that in this way broke within the boat with overwhelming force, making difficult all our operations and studies. The construction of a wharf in this bay, has to originate great sacrifices, because the suitable site more, according to the simple inspection of the land, lacks the sufficient stone for this object and the indispensable constructions to a commercial installation. The environs of the landing point are of sand, forming great dunes, and of muddy, impassable land partly. Only to about five kilometers of the beach is the elevated coast, where the stone is abundant and the vegetal earth ground in its majority. The natives designate to the region that surrounds the bay by Curvature with the name of Killing.

Bay of San Ciprin.

To the distance of 48 miles, to the Sud de Cintra, is another called bay of San Ciprin, not always usable. The great cove that forms safe from end Beards there has been denominated by the canary fishermen bay of the Hardships, by the difficulty to find easy exit with winds of outside or with the heavy seas

of the Northwest, that come to finish in enormous water mountains in this inhospitable point of the sahrica coast. Both shipwrecks happened in this bay and the bitterness that isolation with the coast represents for the navigators, from fear of the natives and the impossibility to put to sea with winds of the third quadrant, without crossing the imposing waves that form to the entrance of the bay, totally justify the name of bay of the Hardships that has deserved of the coastal sailors.

Bay of Corey or Corveiro.

The disadvantages that concur in the cove already described of San Ciprin, serve to make the advantages estimable of the bay as Corey, very frequented by pailebotes of the fishing, considers that it as excellent port of refuge against the weathers of outside, because in his reduced cove they enjoy complete security, they have an excellent anchorage and they can be dedicated with relative calmness to the salt meat operations and packs of the fish gathered during the day. This bay also reunites the advantage of being able to form a wharf without great sacrifices, because he is completely safe from the forts brisotes, the movement of the sea is very smooth and its anchorage rather cleaner than the one of Curvature. Like in this one, the beach is generally steep, but it has several points of easy disembarkation, and the environs of the coast reveal nondespicable conditions for the vegetation, the sand is-enough little and exist great probabilities of finding water potable to very short distance. In our concept, this point must be object of lengthy recognitions perhaps, because it was necessary to take advantage of his conditions, and to even improve them to little cost, to form the last establishment that to the Sud of the sahrica coast represents the Spanish commerce, if of the result of the opened diplomatic negotiations with France indisputable one is not known our unreasonable and right to occupy the bay of the Galgo.

White Cabo.

After the bay of Corveiro, the coast does not offer salient point nor of shelter some until the false and true White end, located to 20 47' 55 North latitude and 10' length, according to the meridian of San Fernando, having to consider east point like the limit of our dominions in the western coast of the Sahara. The situation of this most important point, under the different aspects political, commercial and fishing, cannot be defined so that it facilitates his understanding without describing the two denominated bays of the West and the Galgo, by the special form that the extensive one affects and sandy language that has received the name of White end. Always sailing to 2 miles of the coast, a projection is discovered firstly, that the False White end has been called from remote times, and overcome this end an extensive bay is warned, that finishes later in the end of the earth language indicated with the name of White end. Between these two projections is a well-known bay by the bay of the West, and next in its center a rock of 14 meters of altitude above sea level exists, of flat surface, measuring a linear extension of 90 meters in length by 60 of thickness. This rock, that seems placed by the Providence for the first works of installation, with all the tempting defensive conditions, is united to the continent by a narrow sand isthmus and forms a small cove, where the movement of the waves is almost imperceptible and whose sand bottom offers a comfortable wharf. Pailebotes canary, dedicated to the fishing in those seas, casts anchor of ordinary in the bay of the West, while they do not appear in the look indications of weathers or winds of the Southwest. In this case they look for shelter in the beautiful and incomparable bay of the Galgo, once exceeded the end of White end, whose bay, going into in direction Northeastern in an extension of 20 miles, present/display diverse and very excellent anchorages, known with the name of Tired end, port of the Rest, the Ostrich, etc., protected of all time and with superb positions for the easy construction of a wharf, indispensable requirement of the commercial establishments that are based on that one African coast.

The position of White end, by its relative proximity to the centers more colonizing with the Sahara, offers major future to the European commerce; but the sacrifices that impose will be also more considerable. The great distance that separates to White end of the Canary Islands, center, in our opinion, of general supplying of the colonies of Africa, and 3a potable water deficiency nterin not practices works in order to find this precious one and indispensable element for the life of the man, is the contrariedades majors that are urgent to remedy before establishing a factory. The increase of communications seems to be unique the average one to guarantee the existence to which they settle down there; but these communications cannot trust to the candle ships. The crew of pailebotes that goes to the fishing of White end calculates overcome in the twenty or twenty-five days, exception done of the extraordinary chances. As they sail just by a compass, whose indications do not deserve whole security by their bad conditions, when undertaking the return begin to put the prow to the West the Northwest, in order to obtain the major result of brisotes or tradewinds that reign generally in that one coast. After the six days, most bold they give first embroidered to gain the coast and to recognize the true situation in which they are. In this way they are able to dominate to the Parchel, fighting with the wind and the currents, always opposite, soon to go in demand of the Eastern department of the Canary Islands. Aside from these two contrariedades, whose importance hardly can be exaggerated, it is necessary to also consider that all the peninsula of White end forms an immense sandy ground, of escassima vegetation and laborious transit. Ever since one disembarks appears in view of the observer a great sand seeded hill extension, in the form of cones, that the wind, anxious and wicked what geniecillo, destroys and returns to construct there where a small obstacle exists that stops moving sands. Before this perspective, truly incomparable, in view of a as barren field as detrimental for all attempt of the colonization, most optimistic one feels dominated by a spirit of sadness or melancholy. Silos winds would

not be so constant, would even be usable east land; but then one would trip over the disadvantage of the temperature, that of the 22 to 25 centigrades, happens quickly to the 40, once the beneficent influence of the breeze stops. It is precise to go into, to look for the bottom of the bay to found the commercial establishments next to the land of culture and to the sites where it will be easier to find water potable. He is indispensable in addition to resolutely confront the sacrifices that this imposes to give to major guarantee of success to the factory that settles down in the Sud limit of our protectorate and whose position tries to dispute our neighbors to us of beyond the Pyrenean one.

Islands of Arguin.
They do not form these islands, nor the great banks surround that them, in the demarcation that includes the protectorate of Spain; but having be object of erroneous appreciations, too much disclosed unfortunately, we considered necessary to make a slight description of its conditions and situation to move away all reckless project in future companies. After the bay of the Galgo are those most dangerous banks of Argun, that measure more than 40 miles of extension and that 110 still have been perfectly defined nor recognized by the infinite obstacles that present/display until for the smallest boats. The unique news that of these banks are had and whose exactitude deserves major guarantee, are those that some provide, very counted, practical canaries; then although several channels have been known when the islands of Argun were occupied by European colonists, the sea currents have radically modified the situation of the low ones, making so far navigation without exposing itself to fatal consequences impossible. A fast glance by the map that accompanies to these descriptive notes will be enough to form exact concept of the position that occupy these renowned islands and of the difficulties that surround to their occupation. Aside from these disadvantages, nondespicable, it is precise

to add that their hygienic conditions are quite unfavorable in opposition of whatever happens in the remaining coast already described. The fear to the natives has been the cause of which the Portuguese firstly, and soon Dutch and the French, would settle down themselves in the past century and principles of the present one in the famous island of Argun, in whose environs the imposing shipwreck of the Mduse took place, of imperishable memory in pomp the marine ones by the terrorficas scenes to which it gave rise that one human hecatomb. But easily it is included/understood that the establishments before mentioned intended the operation of the riqusimos banks of fishing grounds, without the dangers that offered the deal with the natural ones of the country, because it is evident that the formation of markets and commercial centers is obtained isolating themselves of the producing forces and demonstrating a distrust that cannot be harmonized with the mercantile operations. Of here the importance that has been wanted to give to the island of Argun, considered, in our concept, like the most detrimental position, free of advantages and overwhelmed with all sort of disadvantages. Of the three small barren islands that determine this point only the one of means it offers guarantees for a solid construction, and, indeed, have been being there still formidable ruins of old buildings, because they must his foundation to the first occupants, the Portuguese, for more than two hundred years; also are two guns in complete abandonment, many excavations and a well of brackish water that soon used European Colonizing Dutch and the French, or the natives who have inhabited this island when they counted on boats or boats, acquired in some shipwreck of which she registers the history of that one coast. The sterility of the done sacrifices to conserve this island from remote times perhaps, since their abundant banks of fishing grounds were discovered, confirms and justifies the detrimental thing that it had been to extend our protectorate until occupying a possession that they have left the French since the beginning of the century, and the little

satisfactory results that offer for the commerce, base of our territorial conquests on Africa.

CHAPTER II

Tribes and populations of the Sahara.

The study that under different aspects presents/displays all the sahrica region included between the parallels 21 and 27 North latitude, and the whose coast is described already, must form, in our opinion, the base of guarantee for the future of the commercial companies called to develop its Colonizing projects in this African region. Unfortunately, the difficulty to recognize whatever locks up that one vastsimo continent, where the natives boast of a wild independence, prevents to indicate, with unimpeachable data, the different phases that can appear in the exposition and solution of so important problems for the civilization of Africa. The dangers of all class that always surround to the travellers and explorers, the great sacrifices whom a supplied and directed expedition originates perfectly, and the innate distrust in the Muslims, increases the hypotheses or suppositions, justifies the disclosed errors, sterilizes praiseworthy efforts and is always permanent obstacles for the true knowledge of determined parts of the African continent. In this occasion, the self-denial, effectively seconded by the fortune, has been able to save the main stumbling blocks, and the obtained news are sufficient to be able to strengthen with solidity the work already initiated by us, to raise their foundations and to give it to term with the majors success probabilities. Of the recognitions done by the coast; of the trips realized to the interior; of the correspondence maintained with the heads of more important tribes, Ma-el-Ainin and Ueld-el-Aida, to remove to all aggression or fear to old retaliation by and lamentable scenes; of the information

communicated by the natives, by those who one has been able to inspire a confidence and affection superior to the hopes conceived by most optimistic, and the propaganda realized with great advantages for the prestige of Spain, it is come off that the region whose limits we have indicated not only it locks up a numerous population, but also elements and products for considerable a commercial movement. After the territory of His and Uad-Nun, with a development whose limit is not easy to determine and that it is clear like border region, but feudataria of sultn of the Maghreb, are several nuclei of inhabitants, scattered according to the conditions imposed by the fight that to each other maintain and put under nominally to sherifff whose importance always keeps proportion with the number of subjects placed conditionally to its orders. In the territory of Tekna, more the North of Bojador end, these small groupings, whose political denomination begin it is almost impossible to establish, given the irregularity or, better still, the deficiency of fixed principles on which they are based, and that in last term is solved for the natives in the precision to live in complete slavery on more hard and undergoing the most incredible humiliations. The factory that an English retailer has settled down in Juby end, fights, for its existence and development, with the division of forces between the caciques of the country, the antagonistic spirit that among them exists and the little security who enjoy the same natives, by ways and paths, when leading its merchandize. Reason by which the commercial operations are made very hardly, because where some to the property does not exist respect it disappears, consequently logical, the interest by the acquisition. In the interval of end Juby or Tarfaya - as 11a- m.an to this position the natives - Bojador end is enough, inhabit many Muslim families of different origin, who, besides other small caciques, recognize by superior commander to sherifff call Mohammed-the-IDA, which is tributary as well of the Ulad-Hosein, and the Beiruk, so that their people can communicate, with relative security, with Uad-Nun, Tarudant and

Morocco, without this garantit gives to pay to them, in all the transits where population groupings exist, the tithe of whatever lead, by sale and buys, with others gabelas that consume the merchandize and annihilate the producing forces of the infatuados ones sectarians of the Prophet. As one advances towards the South, the groupings of huts or jaimas belong to other completely independent tribes. From end Bojador to end White, and in extension of 500 kilometers to interior, finds Ulad-Delim, Ulad-Tsederari, Ulad- Amar, Ulad-el-Lab, Ulad-Sid-Siyed, UladArosiyin, Ulad-Erguibats, Ulad-Sid-Mobammed, Ulad-Salem, Ulad-elGazal and Ulad-Vas, that dominates the important region of the Adrar with another small kbilas, whose smaller number of inhabitants reduces to the importance of sus' conditions, even though deserve special study by the advantageous situation which they occupy and the facilities that can offer to the commercial currents that settle down there. The absolute lack of rivers, precipices either streams, because these last ones only form when rains are very abundant and serve to nourish great lagoons, and the relative shortage of propitious lands to a flourishing vegetation, forces to the natives to choose sites for its flowing traveling villages where they are to proximity, fresh or brackish water wells, in order to take care of to the needs of the life. As also the water appears with a frightful shortage in great passages, the populations almost impossible in squared spaces of 3o and 40 leguas, seeing itself forced the travellers to replace the water by she-camel milk to also extinguish to the thirst, providing it to the horses and muas that they use in his marches. Fortunately the great plains where the vegetation is almost null and in which will lack water while artesian wells are not constructed, are relatively little, given the amplitude of that one region. The great oases abound, of steep land, with long mountain ranges, in whose valleys the waters take shelter, forming lagoons of considerable extension, with vegetal land of excellent conditions; and in the proximity of these points the inhabitants of the desert for the care of great flocks of cattle reconcentrate themselves that throughout finds sufficient grass by the

almost constant humidity of the ground the year. The conditions of that one land have made the dissemination necessary of the individuals of the tribes who, mixed with the other, are going to occupy the privileged sites of the land in order that all enjoy their advantages and can surely offer asylum to their same coreligionists, when by any cause they need to cross those territories. Without needing moving away to great distance of the coast, a relatively considerable vegetation is observed in many points of the so vast coast, with plants that offer sufficient I graze to great flocks of camels, wool cattle and joist, being more abundant as it advances towards the interior, where the population centers are majors and more productive the land. But they are not invincible obstacles for that one race - Recognition to the interior. (Of photography) wretch, whose sobriety and resistance do not admit comparison term, the terrain conditionses and the difficulties of the life, because they propagate his species and they scatter the population throughout, mixing its houses with people of different tribes, who, since they do not keep to each other narrows harmony, extend the most indispensable considerations to avoid shocks of always unfortunate results. The coast between the bay of San Ciprin and White end is the one that really presents/displays the aspect that comes near more to the concept disclosed in Europe with respect to the desert of Sahara. All whatever from the coast includes the view is, apparently, sterile completely; the great sandy spaces cuya1 configuration is always at the mercy of winds, only produce some plants, very watery to a large extent, but that barely can feed the flocks on gacelas, antelopes, gamos, corzos, vixens and wolves, that flee to the presence of the man by the active persecution which they suffer of the natives. Tristsima impression receives the observer when disembarking in White end and to contemplate that one vast sandy plain, cultivated field of small sand elevations that the wind accumulates on an object, stone or plants, forming a series of cones that soon is pleased in destroying or will transport other places in its untiring one and unproductive work to drag

whatever does not offer strong resistance to its overwhelming race. In that great earth language, so important for the commerce with the interior, the nature has scrimped of such way its gifts, that agriculture will never find seat, and only by force of great sacrifices will be able to obtain the necessary water for the inhabitants of the mercantile establishments and the floating population that all commercial movement demands. And, without it obstructs of the laborious impression that one region produces, we cannot completely consider vacated it nor sterile for the mission reserved to the cultured towns in the African continent. When describing concientiously, with the terrible sensation that always produces the lacking reality of fine clothes that conceal its non-uniform details, moves to us, in first term, the eagerness to separate all enthusiastic and false concept, of always sensible consequences, and mainly the necessity to provide to the difficulties and sacrifices of all sort that impose the Colonizing companies, with any class which they are considered, that directs their efforts to the commercial conquest, and, therefore, pacific, with the Muslim, dominating race of most of the center of Africa. In this concept it is not only enough to know the conditions of the coast nor the little population that is there, but we needed to extend our operational range to the interior, by where they are had to form the true commercial routes, for whose object we will review next the trips of propaganda and exploration practiced and the obtained results that allow to trust the complete success the more of the ideals that Spain caresses with respect to the future of so vast continent.

Trips to the interior.

He is doubtless that the means practitioner to more assure the commercial operation the Sahara, to root our dominion between the inhabitants of the desert, to secure indispensable the moral influence on all fanatical race, to form a true commercial propaganda between those

followers of the Prophet and to obtain a detailed description of all the geographic, climatologic and social conditions of so vast region, obtain solely by the continuous rubbing with the natives and the meticulous recognition of the land. But the Muslim, in his deal with the European, always demonstrates to a distrust or only justifiable distrust by his love to the independence that enjoys and the attachment to its traditions, accepted like faith dogma, and that considers in imminent danger from the moment at which a civilized nation develops its legitimate influence by regions whose inhabitants only know the rules Mahoma, remarkably corrected, weakened of the character that imprimiera its founder and increased to them by its sectarians. The believers of the desert do not form an exception of this general rule, and perhaps they are victims of majors preoccupations by its greater distance of the cultured towns and because the defense of its home is protected solely by its most special conditions for the war of small games, because perhaps race does not exist some that can surpass to them in sobriety, energy, self-denial and loosening of the life when the religious laws protest because they are governed. The constant fight between different tribes and the great distance separates that them of the mercantile or producing centers impose to them, however, the necessity to seek and to protect the creation of a commercial port that responds to all exigencies and avoids the infinite damages that at present them irroga the lack of relatively guaranteed communications. To this cause the satisfaction must be attributed whereupon our exploratory assignment was received, the declaration of the protectorate Spanish in that one coast and the origin of the promises of observance and decided support to the authority of Spain done by diverse chejes and characterized people more between the natives, but letting glimpse certain exigencies that patentizan the arrogance and indomitable character of that race that so shining pages registers in the history of the

humanity and whose state of degradation, or physical and intellectual misery, is not comparable with the one of any town. In the impossibility to obtain the exact and complete news of the interior of the Sahara, by references or conversations with the natives, the first authority of Shingueti tried to convince to me, in a conference that with him maintained in Gold River, of the facility whereupon all the difficulties could be put ont the edge that needed to win until securing the creation of a good port, insurance of the success of our company, because it would soon get to persuade to me of the advantages that these works would report by an apparently very simple procedure. With reasonings, that if they did not reveal an illustration superior, they let glimpse with clarity a practical sense unfortunately little generalized enough, sherifff Brahim-el-Marrakshi, demonstrated to include/understand the just doubts and hesitations that were to slow down the construction of a small town in the peninsula of Gold River, with their corresponding branch station or in the coast of opposite and with all the elements necessary to absorb the commerce of that one region, whose limits very difficult and would be ventured to determine in these first moments. And in order to avoid all sort of difficulties, it proposed to accompany with numerous friendly, being taken the escort and cavalries to me that could need to cross many hundreds of kilometers, to know the centers where the commerce can find more incentives, the regions where the cattle is more abundant, the susceptible territories of good culture, populations as important as To tie, Shingueti, Uadan, Ualatay until Timbuct and Benigran, if it showed interest in it, consequently it would form a very approximate calculation of the inhabitants whereupon each tribe and of the probable consumption counts that they would represent the diverse population centers that visited for the commerce and the Spanish industry. With similar procedure it could deduce of a indubitable way if the sacrifices that impose the construction of a commercial port and the propaganda necessary to implant and to root the transactions would be in proportion of the advantages that in nondistant term had backs water to obtain. According to them they assured, the payments very soon would be

compensated by the products that the commercial movement that was developed there, under a direction intelligent and vigorous would reach, from whose supposed they left to demand, once secured this interesting accumulation of knowledge that ensured the success of all the later works, the fast creation of our establishments, without omitting no class of expenses until equipping them with all the means and elements indispensable for the commerce, in order to obtain major prestige and confidence in the indigenous element, main base of the mercantile colonization. Surely nobody will be able to not know the great results that these works had reported to the dominion of Spain in that one vastsima African region. But this excursion, that so many studies had to include, would produce disastrous consequences by for want of resources to realize it; to appear to the natives in the middle of its homes, being revealed a poverty almost greater than hers, extremely had to be detrimental to the prestige of Spain, causes of great disrepute and reason so that, raised those fanatizadas imaginations by the feeling of the superiority of its race on all the others that populate our planet, they committed upsettings of all sort, doing more difficult the civilizadora company that Spain has taken to its position. It was precise to look for by other average analogous results. although in smaller scale, to circumscribe our operational range to the elements whereupon we could arrange, v with this object comision to the Moor rifeo that was to my orders, Mohammed-el-Madani, soldier of the section of gunners of the Rif, so that, accompanied by the Jameida sheriff, of great it influences in the country, pertaining to the tribe of Ulad-Vas, and in who I have the most complete confidence with respect to its interest and enthusiasm by Spain, they would cross a considerable part of the desert, would give the greater possible development to the commercial domination that it is tried there to establish and picked up all the data indispensable for the study and knowledge of that one region, like preliminary works that would be to complement themselves in nondistant day.

First trip.
The 13 of September of 1885, finished the preparations of the march, undertook their trip the Jameida sheriff and the Madani, taking only two camels, food for about ten days and gifts of escassima importance. The Jameida sheriff was tenaciously against to take to major amount of provisions, because in the way they would find in abundance in jaimas or huts of his friendly and their family. In this way it tried to demonstrate the great interest that deserved the propaganda to him that realized with this trip in favor of the progresses for a true and beneficial commercial colonization. Once passed the isthmus of the peninsula of Gold River, whose description already we know, they walked only about 10 kilometers by land of very little vegetation, choosing bushes where to spend the night, without shelter of no species nor defense against the wild animal of different class that teem by those environs. To following day, before the sun appeared in the horizon, they left so little hospitable shelter to reach famous well Tishekten distant about 43 kilometers, where they could be provided with excellent fresh water, rather more good of the one than it uses the reduced colony of River of Gold, and in whose environs1] inhabits 27 families of the tribe of, with great
flocks of wool cattle and joist, good number of camels and regular grass,

In this day they followed a direction almost constant of THAT., finding little sandy land and some passages cultivable. Bu-Love received with noticeable samples of displeasure the presence of the Madani, to that they supposed commissioner by the Christians to meet the authors the murders whereupon it was stained of Spanish blood the Dajala-ET-Saharia ground, peninsula of Gold River. It was precise that the Jameida sheriff prevailed in so serious situation to desires of those treasonous at the same time as timorous sectarians of Mahoma, and would threaten terrible retaliation if they did not leave the
1 To this tribe belongs the natives who in the morning of the 9 of March of 1885 undertook to the Spaniards who were in Gold River, assassinating to you see and robbing whatever to them they owned.

hostile attitude that they had adopted, and that would only serve to increase the reasons for one more a more just and indispensable revenge instead of to try the pardon of Moors and Christians, interested in the best success of the commercial company that they sponsored. The threats and reflections of Jameida produced an excellent result; but with the purpose of to avoid new suspicions and contrariedades, the Madani vi needed to change of suit, adopting the one that the believers of the desert take. The sheriff advised with insistence would cut the hair braid to him that, starting off of the center of the head, is the symbol of all the Moors pertaining to the Kabila of the Rif; but this condescendencia was considered by the Madani like too degrading, and rejected with similar arrogance proposal, because that one braid of hair, with as much taken care of care, had more importance than its own life. This fact, trivial and apparently insignificant, can serve to justify the difficulty to know and to appreciate, in its true value, the human preoccupations. In the third day, following an inclined direction something more of the Sud, very crossed passages populated with trees, in their majority thorny-acacias doubtless-that produce excellent gum arabic, and others whose crust is used by the natural ones for the tanning of skins. Some of these trees reach heights of 4 and 5 meters, 20 centimeters of diameter in their extremity inferior, and only by chance are of greater corpulencia. At dusk point inhabited by groupings of natives pertaining to the tribes of Bu-Omar, Ulad-Delim, Tsederarin arrived at the Fudj, and Erguibats, being quite numerous the population because in rainy years the grass is very abundant, the hay acquires 5o centimeters of height, and, therefore, the support of great flocks of wool or bovine cattle is easy. Nevertheless, the water that these people use is brackish, with the exception of the period of rains, in which considerable rafts or lagoons form that disappear quickly by the heats of the summer. In another day, that can be computed in a medium range of 40 kilometers, they reached the Jaud, following the same direction,

although in the evening they twisted completely to the Sud, in a two passage of leguas. Land crossed in this day is very level, of floor resistant sometimes, but more generally of sand moving, heat did of all point unbearable, because rays of sun dismissed so intense fire that until the natural ones of that one burning ground they tried to take to place setting all the body, even face, with linen cloth blue used in his dresses, because only thus they avoided the continuous and progressive irritation that produces the excessive heat on the skin, despite being accustomed to the rigors of the climate. The Jaud is located between two hills, whose peak altitude can calculate in 50 meters. Valley forms enough pleasant, because it breaks the monotony of the land surrounds that it in a great extension, has potable water in sufficient amount to maintain a number respectable of people, but in spite of this advantage and of its vegetation, although something little, it was completely uninhabited when they arrived there, to spend the night and to provide themselves with water, our expeditionary ones. To 35 kilometers, next, of the Jaud, is Ifernan, in an almost constant direction of the Southeast; and in their environs the trees abound, in their majority without thorns., of little elevation and resistance. The aspect of a forest low and clear, in land of little undulations and very stony has that one site. In the following day they twisted something to the Sud more to go in search of a brackish water well, to give to drink to the camels and to prepare themselves to the most laborious march of two days by land very level, free of vegetation and water of no class. He would be tedious to especially enumerate the sufferings that these marches caused, to the Madani, that crossed that one region for the first time; but all the obstacles expired with great animosity and perseverancia, arriving our expeditionary ones to Tenuaka, where they rested a day to acquire new forces, of which so needed were. In Tenuaka a great valley formed by two hills exists that follow the direction almost constant of E. to Or.; in their slopes the trees abound

with the same class already mentioned, and at heart is a white layer and crystalline of rock salt, very consistent, whose thickness assures is quite deep. It seems unnecessary to add that in Tenuaka nor in its environs is potable water, that's why Jameida and the Madani broke the march to the dawn of the following day, in the same Southeastern direction, to spend the night in Teris, that only is about 40 kilometers of Tenuaka, and to rest of the difficulties undergone in the three last days and of the suffocating heat that reigns at this time of the year in all that one region. Teris can be considered like a relatively considerable and productive oasis. A leafy valley, very abundant in grass forms this position among others, distinguishing itself brackish plants a grass that the natives call skaf and that is very appreciated of the cattle. In huts of thistles, weeds and trunks of trees, or of fabric of esparto and palm-although the number of these huts are enough minor-inhabit fifty families of the tribes of Ulad-Delim and Ulad-Azuz, who own great flocks of wool cattle and joist, and a considerable number of camels. Our travellers rested a day in Teris, referring to those inhabitants the advantageous projects that Spain when implanting sheltered its flag in the coast of so vast region, and once vanished all the distrusts that the presence of a Christian in Muslim territory always instills between the sectarians of the Prophet, moved away of the contact with the cultured towns, went in search of a well with excellent fresh water that, following the direction Southeastern, is to 3o kilometers. There they found 5o indigenous with more than 1,000 camels, to give them to drink and to make storing of water. This considerable number of camels does not have to surprise to which they do not know the sort of life that becomes in the Sahara, and, as a rule, in all the Africa, that conserves, by rare exception, the customs of his first settlers. The desert of Sahara would be uninhabitable, and also unapproachable during many lustrums or centuries, without the powerful assistance that the camel renders in order to cross enormous distances and to put in communication . great separated tribes by completely sterile considerable spaces, with escassima water and put

under of ordinary to high temperatures. The camel is not used exclusively for the transport of trading travellers with its merchandize, but their females maintain with milk to great number of believers who dominate that one region; of his woolly hair they make special weaves whereupon they cover the head; its meat serves as food and is very coveted by the natives, and of the skin they form pampanillastaparrabos-of the people who take undresses the remaining part of their body, or use this skin in other multiple services imposed by the necessity. For these reasons the young of as useful as resistant animal constitutes one of 'the more lucrative traffics of the natives of the desert, despite being his appraised quite reasonable in relation to the importance of its services. From the well already mentioned the expeditionary ones followed their march, inclining more to the Sud, and in a day they crossed the Djuad mount, whose greater height is of 150 meters, which very several prolonged branches are come off, and in its elevated part more it has an enormous stone, to cap way, whose cause is known him with the name of Guetaia or Bu-Guetaia, extending this denomination to all that one region in an extensive radius. To the following day, after brief march, they were to spend the night next in a meeting of huts known with the name of the tribe of Guetaia and inhabited by 3o families. From Guetaia to Bulariaj-point excessively windy-they used two little days, which makes suppose a distance at least of 70 kilometers. The land crossed in this passage has grass in abundance and is quite resistant finding several tracks of horses, and descrying, although at a distance, many gacelas, antelopes, gamos and corzos, that are persecuted with extreme cruelty by the vixens, jackals and wolves. The majority of the inhabitants of Bulariaj, whose number 110 will exceed 15o, belongs to the tribe of the Ulad-Demisats, mixed with some of the one of Ulad-Delim, and owns great flocks of black wool cattle and cattle joist in quite greater amount and of excellent class.

Bulariaj is foretold located in the borders of the Adrar, extensive region of the desert, better conditions under all the aspects in which is considered it. From this position our travellers, after providing itself with fresh water, undertook the march by sometimes barren land, but in other points with shrubs and ebullient vegetation, to arriving to Daits-elBegar, that is about 45 kilometers. It is the inhabited point more than they found until this day the expeditionary ones, because around a pluvial water lagoon, that next measures 30 meters in length by 20 of width, are enough huts, where 300 souls are lodged, dedicated to keep great flocks from wool cattle and joist, with good number of camels, that they sell in very distant markets. The people who live in Daits-the-Begar-surrounded of the oxen belong to the tribes of Ulad-Demisats and Ulad-Sid-Siyed, and as very they are known Jameida, they welcomed to the travellers with great entertainments, receiving with unequivocal samples of satisfaction the news that they were carrying with respect to the intentions from Spain when establishing his dominion in the coast. The Jameida sheriff, urged on its friendly, arranged to remain three days in Daits-el-Begar, time that the Madani used with true interest in resting of the many penalties undergone in so long trip, undertaken without no class of resources, neither even with the indispensable elements the more. Passed the term of three days they broke the march, in the direction of the Sud. in search of Languiya Berry, that is about 40 kilometers of Daitsel-Begar, and where a deep fresh water lagoon exists, of three kilometers in length by one of width, whose environs are inhabited by 6000 souls, pertaining to the tribes of Ulad-Sid-Siyed, U. - Sid-el-Hadj, U. - Sid- AbdAllah, Ulad-Azuz, Ulad-Amran, Ulad-Delim and U. - Demisats. There the Habuli resides great part of the family of the sheriff, personage very considered by its coreligionists, of good natured treatment, of conversation, very pleasant, of relatively careful education and that is accompanied in its trips with several books by orations, Literature and history. So illustrated believing of the desert it was in the peninsula of Gold River, demonstrated great interest by Spain and in his visit to the schooner military Ceres it presented that it had frequented some French

ships in the ports of the Senegal. Also several well-off retailers have their residence in Daya Lanquiya who cross great distances to take the traffic to Timbuct, Morocco and French possessions, offering all the greater support to the Spanish domination in that one coast if the sacrifices for the establishment of the port were not scrimped that meets all the conditions indispensable as guarantee for the commerce. The environs of Daya Lanquiya are quite fertile and leafy. The abundance of grass favors the support of great flocks of sheep, goats, some horses, asses and camels, these last ones in excessive number. Short-distance, in the direction of the Sud, another lagoon, the whose environs exists they populate the Ulad- el-Lab, Arosiyin, Ulad-Guilan, Eznail, that owns much cattle; Ahel-el-Mami, also proprietors of cattle and wool target, and the Trarza. To about 4 kilometers to the North they inhabit the Ulad-the-Gazal-children of the gacelas-dedicated ones exclusively to the promotion of the cattle, being able to next calculate the population of this region in 14,000 souls, that live, in its majority, in huts of weeds and thistles, or of linen cloth of palm with mud plinth. Three days remained the travellers in this region, finding out meticulously to everybody the commercial projects that Spain shelters, advantages of our dominion and facilities that would find in the transactions, being welcomed these new ones with demonstrations of sincere enthusiasm, and indicating great confidence in our behavior.