Libya

Sources from old books

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Libya hath on the East Nilus, on the West the Atlantique Ocean, 〈◊〉 the North Numidia, and on the South the land of Negroes; the •…untry altogether sandie, barren, and a desert, the inhabitants •…ogether heathenish, and therefore not worthy the conversa∣•…n of a civill Merchant, or the residence of any commerce.

1652. Cosmographie in four bookes by Peter Heylyn. OF LIBYA INTERIOR.

LIBYA INTERIOR is bounded on the North with Mount Atlas, by which parted from Barbary and Cyrenaica; on the East with Libya Marmarica, interposed betwixt it and Egypt, and part of Aethiopia Superior, or the Habassine Empire; on the South with Aethiopia Inferior, and the Land of the Negro's; and on the West with the main Atlantick Ocean.

The reason of the name we have seen before, given to this Country in regard of its contiguousness and resemblance to the other Libya; or else because descended from the children of Lehabim, by which that Country was first planted. For of King Libs, or Queen Libya (the daughter of Epaphus, and Cassiopaea) and other the like fictions of the Greeks, I shall take no notice. Distinguished from the other, by the addition of Interior, as lying more within the main land of Africa, the other being partly a Maritine Country.

Of the nature of the soyle and people we shall speak anon, when we come to take a view of its several parts. Look we now on it as it stood in the time of the Romans: when, though not so well travelled or discovered as in these last times: yet have we more particulars of it, as to the names and situation of the Rivers, Mountains, and chief Towns, then any of our later Writers have presented to us. The Rivers of most note, 1 Salathus, 2 Chusarus, 3 Ophiodus, 4 Noius, 5 Massa, 6 Sobus, 7 Daradus, 8 Stachiris, and 9 Masitholus; all of them paying tribute to the Western or Atlantick Ocean. Mountains of most note, 1 Mandrus, out of which floweth the River Salathus, 2 Sagapola, which gives being to the River Sobus. 3 Ryssadius, from whence Stachiris. 4 the Mountain called Deorum Currus (of which more anon) whence Massitholus, and Mount Capas, out of which Daradas, have their first Originals. Then there are, 5 Mount Vsurgala, and 6 Mount Girgiris, from the first of which the River Bagradas, and from the last that of Cyniphus, do derive their waters; and passing thorow the breaches of Atlas (of which these Mountains seem to be some dismembred l•mbs) cross the whole breadth of the Roman Africk, to make themselves a way to the Mediterranean. Besides these, more within the Land, we finde the famous Rivers of Gir, and Niger: of which the first maketh the two great Lakes of Nuba, and Cheloindas; the second, those as great, or greater called Nigritis, and the Lake of Libya; which makes me wonder by the way, that in a Country so well watered as this seems to be, our Modern Writers should complain of such want of water, as if there were neither Spring nor River, nor Pond, nor Lake, nor any thing to moysten and refresh the earth, but the dews of Heaven, or some pits of salt and brackish water, not worth the tasting. Ptolomy must either be mistaken, which I hardly think; or our late Travellers not so punctual in their observations, which I rather credit: or else the Rivers which were here in the time of my Author, In his arenarum vastitatibus disperduntur, must be dried up and swallowed in these sandy Desarts, as Maginus telleth us; or finally there hath hapned some later conflagration then that of Phaeton, to which the want of water may be better attributed, then it was to his. Of which thus the Poet,

Hinc facta est Libye, raptis humoribus aestuArida.—Which Geo. Sandys thus rendreth.A Sandie Desart Lybia then became,Her full veins emptied by the thirstie flame.

Places of note and name in those elder times, 1 Salathes, on the River so named, 2 Bagaxi, 3 Jarzitha, and 4 Babiba, are honoured with the name of Cities. 5 Garama, 6 Gira, and Nigira, the Metropoles of their several Nations. Then there were two Havens of some good esteem, the one called Magnus Portus, the other Portus Perphosius; besides 43 other Towns and Cities (twelve of these on the banks of the River Niger:) whose names and situation do occur in Ptolomy; which shews the Country not to be so unhabitable and void of people, as was pretended by some other (but less diligent) Writers.

Nations of most note in it in the former times, were the Getuli, on the back of Mauritania, a resolute and unconquered People, Genus insuperabile bello, as we finde in Virgil: 2 the Garamantes, dwelling South of Cyrenaica▪ and giving name to a large and spacious territory, called Vallis Garamantica; supposed to be the most remote Nation towards the South, as the Indians were towards the East, whence we have ultra Garamantas & Judos, in another Poet: 3 the Pyrrhaei, an Aethiopick Nation, on the South of the River Gir: 4 the Nigritae, originally Aethiopians also, inhabiting on the North of the River Niger; 5 the Odranguli, of the same original extraction, possessing the Country between the Mountains Capha, and Thala; 6 the Perorsori, dwelling neer the hills called Deorum Currus; 7 the Meinaci, at the foot of Mount Thala; 8 the Nabae on the West of Vallis Garamantica. 9 the Derbici, dwelling on the west of the hill Aranga. And 10 the Psylli, placed by Ptolomie amongst the Inhabitants of Cyrene, but so neer the borders of this Country, and so far from the civilities of those Nations which conversed either with Rome or Carthage, that they may more properly be thought to belong to this. Of a nature so venemous, that they could poyson a Snake. Insomuch, that when their wives were delivered, they would throw their children amongst a bed of Serpents, supposing that childe to be born of an adulterate bed, the very smell of whose body would not drive away a whole brood of the like poysonous vermine. Others there were of less note, which that Author calleth Minores Gentes; many in number, of small fame, and therefore not material to be here inserted; those of most note, the Africerones (whom some Authors call the Gampsaphantes) honoured with the Attribute of Gens Magna, the greatest as it seems of those lesser Nations. None of them of much note in the way of story, except they were these Libyans which are so famoused in Herodotus for an expedition they made against the South winde. For when this wind blowing abroad the hills and desarts of sand, had dried up those many rills and waters they had among them, they to revenge this injury, by common consent armed themselves, and went to fight against him. But they took not the South winde unprepared. For he mustered up his forces, incountred them with such a brave volley of sand, that he overwhelmed and slew them all. A better friend was the North wind to the Citizens of Rhegium, in Italy, and better was he rewarded for it; for having scattered a mighty fleet, which Dionysius prepared against them, he was by the common-councell, made free of their City. That part of Caesars war which was managed here, we shall hereafter meet with on another occasion.

Thus having took a view of the state of this Country, as it stood of old; we will next look upon it in its present condition; as comprehending the whole Provinces of 1 Biledulgerid, or Numidia. 2 Libya Deserta, or Sarra; and 3. a great part of that Country which is now called Terra Nigritarum. But because the greatest part of this last Country is to come under another Accompt, we will here only take the two first into consideration.

1. NVMIDIA.

1. NVMIDIA, is bounded on the East with Egypt, on the West with the Atlantick Ocean; on the North with Mount Atlas which parteth it from Barbarie, and Cyrene; on the South with Libya Deserta.

It was thus first called by John Leo, an African Writer, to whose description of all Africk we are much beholding; because of that resemblance which the People of it have to the old Numidians, which is after the custom of the Nomades, living without houses, under their Wagons, and Carts, as Lucan testifieth of them, thus

Nulla domus, plaustris habitant, migrare per arvaMos, atque errantes circumvectare Penates. They dwell in wains, not houses; and do strayThrough fields, and with them lead their gods each way.

And worthily may they owe their names to them, from whom they borrow so much of their nature: for the people to this day spend their lives in hunting, and stay but three or four dayes in a place, as long as the grass will serve the Camels. This is the cause why this Countrey is so ill peopled, the Towns so small in themselves, and so remote from others. An example hereof is Teffet a great City in their esteem, which yet containeth but 400 housholds, and hath no neighbours within 300 miles of it.

The Country aboundeth with Dates, whence it is called Dactylorum regio, and in the Arabick Biledulgerid, which signifieth also a Date-region. These Dates are (to speak properly) the fruit of the Palm Trees, usually growing in hot Countries, of which some are male, some female; the first bringing forth only flowers; the other fruit: and yet the male so beneficial to the increase of the Dates, that unless a flowred bough of the male be ingrafted into the female, the Dates never prove good, in case they bear any Dates at all, as before was noted. This fruit is the chief diet of the people: but this sweet meat hath sowre sawce; for it commonly rotteth their teeth betimes. As for the stones of these Dates, they feed their Goats with them, whereby they grow fat, and yield store of milk. The Aire hereof, of so sound a nature, that if a man be troubled with the French disease, he shall there, without any course of Physick, finde a present remedy.

The natural Inhabitants of this Country, are said to be base and vile people, theeves, murderers, treacherous, and ignorant of all things; feeding most commonly on Dates, Barley, and Carrion; accounting Bread a Diet for their Festival Dayes. But the Arabians who are intermingled with them, in most part of the Country, affirmed to be (comparatively with the Natives) ingenuous, liberal, and civil. The Garments of these Numidians, of the coursest cloth, so short that they cover not half the body: the richer sort, distinguished by a Jacket of blew Cotton with wide sleeves. Their Steeds are Camels, which they ride on without stirrop, or so much as a saddle; a leather, thrust thorow on hole made in the nose of the Camel, serves them for a bridle; and to save the charge of Spurs they make use of a goad. Their Religion, Mahometism, to which perverted (Christianity having once had some footing here) in the year 710. the Azanaghi and other people of those parts then subdued by the Saracens: who held them for a Nation of so little reckoning, that no man of accompt amongst them would descend so low, as to be their Prince, but left them to be ruled as in former times, by the Chiefs or Heads of their several Clans!

The chief River which is left, hath the name of Dara, and possibly enough may be the Daradus of Ptolomy: the rest which are mentioned in that Author, rising out of Mount Atlas, and falling headily this way, finding these barren wildernesses to afford them the readiest Channels, are trained along by the allurements of the Sands, and are either swallowed up in great Lakes; or being too liberal to the thirsty sands in their way to the Sea, die at the last for thirst in the midst of the Desarts.

The Principal of their Provinces (if capable of a distinction into better and worse.) 1 DARA; more cultivated then the rest, because of the River running thorow it, whence it hath its name: 250 miles in length, indifferently fruitful, where the River doth overflow and water it; and of so different a nature from all the rest, that here the Country people have some scattered Villages, the better sort their several Castles. 2 PESCARA, so called from the chief Town of it, exceedingly infested with Scorpions; the sting whereof is present death. 3 FIGHIG, so called from the chief Town also, inhabited by an industrious and witty People (in respect of the rest) some of which betake themselves to Merchandise; some to the studie of their Law, which they studie at Fesse, and grow rich upon it. 4 TEGORARIN, a large Region, and well inhabited, better then any except Dara; as having in it 50 Castles or Gentlemens houses, and 100 Villages. The people wealthy in regard of the gread trade which they drive with the Negroes; and pretty good husbands in manuring their land on which they are forced to lay much soil; and will therefore let some of it Rent-free to strangers, reserving only the dung of themselves and their cattell. 5 BILEDVLGERID, specially so called, abundantly fruitful in Dates, whence it had the name, but destitute of Corn by reason of the extream dryness of the soyle; and yet hath in it many Towns of good note among them. Of less note, 6 Tesset, 7 Segelmesse, 8 Zeb, 9 Tebelbeti, and 10 Fessen, so called from the chiefest of their Towns and Villages.

Towns of most note both now and in former times, besides those spoken of before, 1 Timugedit, in the Province of Dara, the birth-place of Mahomet Ben Amet and his three sons, the founders of the Xeriffian Empire. 2 Tafilete, in the said Province, to which place Mahomet the second of these sons and first King of Morocco of that Family, confined his eldest brother Amet, having took him prisoner, Anno 1544. 3. Teffet, a great Town of 400 houses, but so poorly neighboured that there is no other inhabited place within 300 miles of it; but of that before. 4 Techort, the inhabitants whereof are very courteous to strangers, whom they entertain at free-cost; and choose rather to marry their daughters to them then to any of the Natives. 5 Eboacah, the most Eastern Town in all this Country, distant about 100 miles from the borders of Egypt. 7 Debris, one of the chief Cities of the Garamantes, of great renown in former times for Wells or Fountain of the Sun, the waters whereof being lukewarm at the Sun-rising, cooled more and more till noon, was then very cold, and so continued untill midnight; afterwards by degrees growing hotter and hotter, as if it had a natural Antipathy with the Sun, hottest when that was furthest off; and cold when neerest. 8 Masucha, seated on a Rock, garrisoned by Jugurth for a place of refuge, but taken by Marius, in the prosecution of that War. 8 Capsa, the chief City of all this tract, said to be built by Hercules; but questionless of very great strength, anguibus arenisque vallata, made inaccessible (saith the Historian) by the thick Sands and multitudes of Serpents which were harboured in them; but easily forced by Marius in his Wars with Jugurth, and utterly destroyed by Caesar in his war against Juba.

It seems by this, that those people neighbouring Mount Atlas were much at the disposal of the Kings of Mauritania in the times foregoing; and so they have been also in these latter times! For though neglected by the Romans, who thought it an high point of wisdom not to extend their Empire beyond that Mountain; yet the Saracens had not long possessed themselves of those parts of Barbary, which was in the year 698; but within twelve yeers (Anno 710.) they subdued this Country, and planted their Religion in it, though not themselves. Nor was Amet, the first Xeriffe of Morocco warm in that estate, when he thought it best for him to secure himself in it by the conquest of this: to whose successors, the chiefes of the Tribes hereof render some acknowledgements.

2. LIBYA DESEETA.

2. LIBYA DESERTA, is bounded on the north with Numidia, or Biledulgerid, to which contiguous; on the East with Nubia a Kingdom and Province of the Land of Negroes; on the South with the land of Negroes wholly, and on the West with Gualata, another Province of these Negroes interposed betwixt it and the Atlantick.

The reason of the name of Libya we have had before. To which Deserta was added upon very good reasons, as well to difference it from the other Libya, a Province of Egypt, as to express the barren and sandy condition of it: in which respect by the Arabians called Sarra, signifying in their language a rude and inhabitable Desart, as this Country is. So truly such, that men may travell in it eight days together without finding water, or seeing any tree, and no grass at all. The water which they have is drawn out of pits, exceeding brackish, and many times those pits so covered with the Sands that men die for thirst: the Merchants therefore carrying their water with them on the backs of Camels; which if it fail, they kill their Camels, and drink a water which they wring out of their guts. And yet as dangerous and uncomfortable as these Desarts be, they are very much travelled by the Merchants of Fesse and Tremesen, trading to Agades and Tombatum, in the land of Negroes.

The People differ not much from the Numidians in shape or qualities; but if a worse of quality, it must be the Lybian. They did once worship a God called Psaphon, who when he lived, taught divers Birds which he caught, and then set at liberty, to say these words, viz. Psaphon is a great god: which the simple people hearing, and admiring at it, afforded him Divine honours. Converted at last to the Christian Faith, they remained a while in the profession of the Gospel: exterminated by the Saracens about the year 710. who having added Numidia or Biledulgerid to their former conquests, planted their Superstitions in this Country also.

This Country is divided (as others into Provinces) into five great Desarts, to which those of less note are to be referred.

1. ZANHAGA, beginning at the borders of Gualata (interposed betwixt it and the Atlantick Ocean) and extending Eastward to the Salt-pits of Tegaza; having on the South Gualata and Tombutum in the land of Negroes, so destitute of water, that there is one pit only at the end of each hundred mile, brakish and unwholsom; and in the Desarts of Azaoad and Araoan which are parts of this, but one in an 150 or 200 miles riding.

2. ZVENZIGA, extended from the Salt-pits of Tegaza Eastward, to the Desart of Targa; bounded on the North with Segelmesse and Tebelbeti, Numidian Provinces; and on the South with the Desarts of Ghir and Guber. So void of water, (especially in that part thereof which is called Gogden) that in nine dayes travell there is not so much as one drop to be seen, but what they carry on their Camels.

3. TARGA, extended Eastward to the Desart of Ighidi; and reaching from Tegorarin in the North, to the Desart of Agader in the South: the best conditioned part of all this Countrey, well watered, of a temperate A•re, and a soyl reasonably fruitfull. In length from North to the South 300 miles; and liberally stored with Manna, which they gather into little vessels, and carry to Agadez to sell. Mingled in water or with pottage it is very cooling, and drank of in their Feasts, as a speciall dainty.

4. LEMPTA, extendeth from the Deserts of Ighidi, unto that of Bordea.

5. BORDEA, which reacheth to the borders of Nubia. Of these two there is little to be said in several, but that this last was discovered lately by one Hamar, a guide to a Caravan of Merchants; who blinded with the sands wandred out of his way, and causing sand to be given him at every twenty miles end, found by the smell at last that they begun to draw nigh some inhabited Place, and told them of it 40 miles before they came to it.

Cities of note we hope for none, where we finde no water. Of such as go for Cities here, the most considerable, 1 Tegaza, rich in veins of Salt, resembling Marble, which the Inhabitants, being 20 days distant from any habitation, and consequently many times in danger to die for famine, exchange for Victuals with the Merchants of Tombutum, who come hither for it: Much troubled with the South winds, which doth so drive the sands upon them, that it causeth many of them to loose their sight. 2. Huaden, or Hoden, a known resting place, and a great refreshment to the Merchant in the midst of these Desarts. 3 Guargata on the brink of a Lake, fed by a River of hot water; affirmed to be a Town of elegant building, and inhabited by a wealthy People, 4 Toberaum, of little note, but that it serveth for a Stage or baiting place to the wearie Traveller. Of which kinde there are said to be others at the extremities or ends of each several Desarts; the Havens of such men as sail in these sandy Seas; but not else observable.

Nor is there much, if any thing, observable of them in the way of story, but that not looked after by any of the great Conquerours, either Greeks or Romans, much of the Country was possessed by Arabian Colonies (men fit enough to plant in such barbarous Nations) at such time as the Saracens planted their Religion here. The Government of the Country since, as it was before, by the Chiefs of their several Clans, or Families, who as they know no Law themselves, so do the People shew as much ignorance of it in their lives and actions: differing but little from brute Beasts, more then shape and speech.

And so much for LIBYA INTERIOR.