oosega
River--Curious Towers of Defence--Custom-house-Female Dress--Enter
Tetuan over a Road of unlevelled Rock--Disagreeable Streets--Well
received by the Governor--Public Markets--Socco--An Auction Market._

Tetuan; March 14th, 1806

One of His Majesty's brigs having been appointed to convey me either
to Tangiers or Tetuan, the wind blowing due west, we sailed for this
port. As the ship drew near the shore, I had a full view of this wild
coast. The tops of the lofty mountains are prodigious barren rocks,
while their base is interspersed with broom and box. The hills and
dales are covered with myrtles of various kinds, assuming different
shades of lovely green. The towers and castles, which are of a
delicate whiteness, rising in the midst of these groves of myrtles,
render the scene interesting. The plaster made use of in the erection
of these towers is, of itself, extremely white; but the Moors are not
satisfied with this, and they add a whitewash of lime.

The towers are harmless as fortifications, since, for want of skill in
the manufacture of gunpowder, the Moors are very deficient in that
necessary article. No present therefore is more acceptable to them
than a few cartridges of it.

After firing two or three guns by way of signal to the Vice-consul,
announcing my arrival, as the Captain had directions only to put me on
shore, and to proceed to sea immediately to join Lord Collingwood's
fleet, my baggage was put into a large Moorish boat, and I entered the
river _Boosega_ (commonly called St. Martin) in the Captain's barge.
This river is defended by a castle of singular construction, the
entrance to which is by means of a ladder to a door in the upper
story, and which ladder is occasionally drawn up. The four angles of
the building are finished with small turrets, capped with clumsy
domes, and having several ports for cannon. Near this place many of
the Emperor's gallies anchor, and winter.

Having proceeded a considerable way up the river, we landed at another
castle, called the Custom-house. On my landing, I was received by the
Vice-consul (an opulent Jew, and a native of Barbary), accompanied by
the commanding officer and his troop. They conducted me to the
Custom-house, which is built of stone, and whitewashed, arid, at a
distance, appears to very great advantage. We entered this public
building by an arched gateway, and proceeded through a winding passage
into a quadrangle, in the centre of which is