The whole of the population of Western Barbary may be divided into three great classes (exclusive of the Jews) viz. Berrebbers, Arabs, and Moors. The two former of these are in every respect distinct races of people, and are each again subdivided into various tribes or communities; the third are chiefly composed of the other two classes, or of their descendants, occasionally mixed with the European or Negro races.

In the class of Beerebbers, of which I shall first treat, I include all those who appear to be descendants of the original inhabitants of the country before the Arabian conquest; and who speak several languages, or dialects of the same language, totally different from the Arabic. The subdivisions of this class are – 1st. the Errifi, who inhabit the extensive mountainous province of that name on the shores of the Mediterranean; 2dly. the Berrebbers of the Interior, who commence on the southern confines of Errif, and extend to the vicinity of Fez and Mequinez, occupying all the mountains and high lands in the neighbourhood of those cities; 3dly. the Berrebbers of Middle Atlas; and, 4thly. the Shilluh of Suse and Hàhà, who extend from Mogadore southward to the extreme boundaries of the dominions of the Cid Heshem, and from the sea coast to the eastern limits of the mountains of Atlas.