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MR. J. BxVLl's SPICILEaiTIM FLOK^ MAEOCCAlf^. 



289 



ue turned our faces towards tlie chain of the Great Atlas, which 

 rises in full view of the city. Early on the following day we 

 reached Tassereraont, and there began to make acquaintance with 

 the special flora of the Great Atlas, gathering several of the spe- 

 cies first seen by M. Balansa, as well as some others which he had 

 not met. Being unable to continue our course towards the high 

 range immediately south of Tasseremont, we turned S.W., and en- 

 camped on the same evening near a place called Ourika, at the 

 opening of a valley to which we have given the same name. This 

 valley appears to penetrate deeply the main chain of the Atlas, 

 which rose patched with snow in the background. We natu- 

 rally desired to ascend its course, and started on the 10th of May 

 for that purpose. The scenery and the vegetation were full of in- 

 terest ; and it was with much annoyance that, at the pressing in- 

 stance of our escort, who alleged an insurrection among the people 

 of the upper valley, we were forced to return to a village near 

 the opening. On the following day we skirted the base of the 

 mountains through a district called Eeraya, and encamped near to 

 a stream descending from themain chain. Itnow became clear that 

 there existed an organized plan on the part of our escort, in con- 

 cert with the native chiefs, to prevent us from accomplishing our 

 design of penetrating to the interior of the Great Atlas chain. 

 The firmness of Dr. Hooter prevailed, however, over the reluctance 

 of the escort ; and the circumstance that we were able to secure 

 the cooperation of a native Berber Sheik, finally enabled us to do 

 a good deal more than the latter originally contemplated On the 

 following day we crossed a low range dividing the stream last men- 

 tioned from a parallel one which flows through the valley, which, 

 from the name of the tribe inhabiting it, we called Ait Mesan . 



On the following day the friendly Sheik undertook to conduct 

 us to the snow ; and, as we had seen no snow save m patches on 



* To the best of mj belief the Ait Mesan valley, as well as the paraM and 



nameless one in whiei we camped on the 11th of May, -/"•'^"^'^^.^^if " J^^ 

 ., ^ A A ; n „1 V tbe labels for all Dr. Hooker s plants 



district known as Keraya ; ana accoruiiig.j- l,u- — 



collected in both valleys bear the latter name. As there '^^P^^^'^^^^^ 

 - . . . -. : . J «^^ -loT^a flmrrectlv named Alt Aiesan, 



correc 

 reserved the name Kerayi 



trayersed 



the valley first reached by us anu .u.^.^s-- '- explanation 



and departing from it. I have menhoned this, as ^'^'^°''^ ^ , 



botanists miglt hereafter suppose that plants gathered at the ame t,me and 

 , , ^ %^ , :,„_„ir„„™„frr,m two distinct locabtiea. 



