Atlas, Mountains

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Atlas, a Mountain in Africk, divided into the Greater and and Lesser: The Greater, by the Natives call'd Ayduacal, parts Barbary from Biledulgerid, the Lesser call'd Errif, extends it self all along the Coast of the Mediterranean Sea, from the Streights of Gibraltar, to the Kingdom of Tunis. The Greater in several places is full of Desarts, and extream cold; but where the Air is more Temperate, the Towns are well Peopled. They have no Spring nor Autumn, the Winter lasting from October 'till April, all the rest being Summer. The Nubian Geographer, p. 75. Tells us, this Mountain near its rise is called, Mount Dara, which exceeds most of the Mountains of the World in height, fertility, length, and the plenty of its Castles and other buildings: It begins from the W. Ocean in the Borders of the Kingdom of Sus to the S. and runs E. as far as Tripoli, where it ends, the most Eastern part of it being called Nafsua. There is upon this Mountain above 70 Castles and Strong holds: The most unaccessable of which is Tanimal. The Truth is, this Mount begins at Cape de Non or Nao, in 28. 40. Lat. between the Desarts of Zanhaga to the South, and Tesset to the North, and running East to almost 15 Degrees of Long. it turns N. E. as far as the Borders of the Kingdom of Fez, separating Tesset, Sus, and Marocco, on the W. from Biledulgerid, to the E. at 29 Degrees of L. it turns N. E. and divides Barbary to the N. from Biledulgerid to the S. and thô about Tripoli it takes the Name of Servai, yet it continues its course by various turnings to the Red Sea, parting the Kingdom of Nubia from Egypt where the Nile crosseth it. It is called Giandel, and it ends at Bugie on the Red Sea. This Mountain is inhabited still by the old Natural Africans, who speak their ancient Tongue, and thô they are Tributaries to the Arabians, are still under their own Princes, and some are perfectly free, and they continue in the Pagan Idolatry of their Ancestors; this is also true of the other Mountainous Countries, Leo p. 26. They worship the Sun and Fire which have had stately Temples, wherein they maintained Fires that were never suffered to go out. Marmol de L' Afrique, Lib. 1.