Be That As It May, I Found Them Such Very
Troublesome Companions, That I Preferred The Night Air To The
Prospect
of being devoured before morning; I therefore wrapped myself up in a
thick blanket, and slept, unmolested, in the
Open air, till after
daybreak, when I found myself sufficiently refreshed to pursue my
journey. Crossing the river, we passed through a ruinous walled town,
called _Arzilla_, commanded by an Alcaid, under the Governor of
Larache. This, which is a maritime town, lies at the mouth of the
above river, and was, according to Strabo, Pliny, and others, a
_Phoenician colony_; it was afterwards successively in the hands of
the Romans, Vandals, Arabs, and occupied by _Aphonso_, King of
Portugal, surnamed the _African_. It was abandoned by the Portuguese
in 1471, when it fell under the power of the kings of Morocco.
I observed several ruins in this town and its vicinity, but could not
stay to inspect them, It is inhabited by Moors and Jews, and is
surrounded by gardens abounding with lemon, orange, and grape
trees. On the evening of the same day we reached this place. I shall
defer the account of my reception here, and the state in which I found
the Governor, till my next.
LETTER III.
Conducted to the Governor - Medical Hint from his Secretary - Governor
recovers - Larache - Its Harbour, Shipping, and Inhabitants.
Larache, February 1806.
On our arrival at this place, we were met, at the gates of the
garrison, by the Governor's public Secretary, who conducted us to a
house belonging to Mr. Matra, and afterwards accompanied me to the
castle to visit my patient.
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