.--
El-Kesar.--Mequinez.--Fez.--Morocco.--The province of Tafilett, the
birth-place of the present dynasty of the Shereefs.

The royal or capitals of the interior now demand our attention, which
are El-Kesar, Mequinez, Fez, and Morocco.

El-Kesar, or Al-Kesar, [24] styled also El-Kesue-Kesar, is so named and
distinguished because it owes its enlargement to the famous Sultan of
Fez, Almansor, who improved and beautified it about the year 1180, and
designed this city as a magazine and rendezvous of troops for the great
preparations he was making at the time for the conquest of Granada.
El-Kesar is in the province of the Gharb, and situate on the southern
bank of the Luccos; here is a deep and rapid stream, flowing W. 1/4 N.W.
The town is nearly as large as Tetuan, but the streets are dirty and
narrow, and many of the houses in a ruinous condition, This fortified
place was once adorned by some fifteen mosques, but only two or three
are now fit for service. The population does not exceed four or five
thousand souls, and some think this number over-estimated.

The surrounding country is flat meadowland, but flooded after the rains,
and producing fatal fevers, though dry and hot enough in summer. The
suburban fields are covered with gardens and orchards. It was at
El-Kesar, where, in A.D. 1578, the great battle of The Three Kings came
off, because, besides the Portuguese King, Don Sebastian, two Moorish
princes perished on this fatal day. But one of them, Muley Moluc, died
very ill in a litter, and was not killed in the fight; his death,
however, was kept a secret till the close of the battle, in order that
the Moors might not be discouraged. With their prince, Don Sebastian,
perished the flower of the Portuguese nobility and chivalry of that
time. War, indeed, was found "a dangerous game" on that woeful day: both
for princes and nobles, and many a poor soul was swept away

"Floating in a purple tide."

But the "trade of war" has been carried on ever since, and these
lessons, written in blood, are as useless to mankind as those dashed off
by the harmless pen of the sentimental moralist. El-Kesar is placed in
Latitude, 35 deg. 1 10" N.; Longitude, 5 deg. 49' 30" W.

Mequinez, [25] in Arabic, Miknas (or Miknasa), is a royal residence, and
city of the province of Fez, situate upon a hill in the midst of a
well-watered and most pleasant town, blessed with a pure and serene air.
The city of Miknas is both large and finel