( 



MB. J. Bi^LL's SPTCtLEGTTJM:FLOE^ MAUOCCAT^^. 291 



throughout a steep ascent of over 3000 feet is well engineered, 

 sometimes in regular zigzags, such as are seen in Switzerland or 



J Tyrol. It is needless to saj that every step in our ascent was of 



engrossing interest ; but the weather grew steadily worse, as the 

 rain became sleet, and then snow. *We were overtaken by our 

 guides, w^ho used every means of threat and entreaty to induce 



f us to return : for a time we silenced them by some silver coins ; 



but they were in a pitiable state as we approached the summit. 



Except on some ledges of rock it was no longer possible to get at 



plants ; and the snow driven by a violent wiud made it impos- 



"^ sible to see more than a few feet. Mr. Maw alone reached the 



actual crest of the ridge, but could see nothing. I, as well as Dr. 

 Hooker, was a little lower down; and when Mr, Maw returned we 

 readily consented to forego the barren honour of touching the 

 summit, which is, by our observations, about 11,500 feet above 



the 



sea. 



On the following day we returned to our camp, the valley above 

 Arround being deep in snow, and no more botanizing being there 

 practicable. The following day was needed to arrange and pack 

 our collections ; and on the 18th we reached a place called Sektana, 

 near the base of the main range, of which it commands a very fine 

 I > - view. On the next morning Mr. Maw left us, to return to England, 



i taking with him two of our escort ; while we proceeded westward 



' by a place called Gurguri, and, after crossing the wide stony bed of a 



torrent called Oued en Fisk, reached Amsmiz, the largest place we 

 had yet seen on the skirts of the Atlas. Here, after some trouble, 

 we succeeded in making another excursion into the interior of the 

 range; and from a village near the head of the valley, where we 

 slept, we were able on the 23rd of May to ascend the highest sum- 

 mit near its head, called Djebel Tezah. The chain has here di- 

 minished considerably in height ; for while the Tagherotpass is as 

 ^ nearly as possible 11,500 feet in height, the summit of Djebel 



Tezah only attains to about 11,000 feet. Thence we were able to 

 see across the great valley of Sous, and for the first time beheld 

 the parallel range, or An ti- Atlas, some 60 miles distant, which, at a 

 rough estimate, can scarcely attain the height of lOfiOO feet. 



Eeturning to Amsmiz, our course lay through the sloping plain 

 at the foot of the mountains to Mzouda ; and on the 26th we passed 

 Keira (where M. Balansa had found a friendly reception), and en- 

 camped near the village of Seksaoua. Two days, on one of which 

 we ascended a neighbouring mountain to the height of some 



