366 MOROCCO. 



the whole, however, the zone consists of pasture land inhabited by 

 nomads and seniinomads. The number of herds of cattle, sheep, and 

 camels is fairly considerable, especially because in summer, when the 

 vegetation of the stej^pes, like a glorious carpet in late ^^■i]lter and 

 spring, is scorched by the sun, the herds find nourishment either in 

 the mountains or in the agricultural districts of the coast plain. 



The most inland zone coincides with what I have called, from the 

 character of the soil, the sub-x\tlantic high plateau. This stretches 

 along the base of the mountains for a distance of 330 km. and main- 

 tains a breadth of 30 to 40 km. All streams emerging from the moun- 

 tains cross it. Mainly influenced, perhaps, by the ancient underlying 

 strata, especially the Djebilet, these streams unite to form the two great 

 drainage channels, the Tensift and the Um-er-Rbia. The w^atershed 

 of the rivers is in the sub- Atlantic plateau itself, but as it is formed 

 entirely of detritus, it is hardly distinguishable and probably under- 

 went various essential dislodgments in the pluvial period. The detri- 

 tus of the Atlas streams, probably accumulated for the most ]:)art 

 in the pluvial period, though the process still continues, forms the 

 predominant constituent of the soil in the sub-Atlantic zone. In this 

 regard the zone recalls the valley plain lands of the Po, notably in 

 Piedmont. All the Atlas streams afford enormous water supplies for 

 purposes of irrigation, and are used for it even at the present time, 

 although only a small fraction is accomjilished of what might be done. 

 The water supply is increased by underground sources, which are col- 

 lected and brought to the surface by the so-called Chattaras, under- 

 ground drainage canals, similar to the Kanat and the Kariz of Iran, 

 the Sahrig of Yemen, and the Feggagir of some oases in the Sahara. 

 Thus, the yellow steppe is dotted with dark oases along the streams and 

 especiall}^ on the lower edge of the high plateau. In the largest oasis 

 is the cajDital Marrakesh, a true oasis city, lying in a grove of date 

 palms, the fruit of which ripens even at this elevation of 500 m. above 

 sea level. It is the fruit trees that lend character to the oases and 

 make this zone the least treeless of a treeless country. Beside,s the 

 date palm there is the olive tree, the fig tree, the pomegranate, the 

 orange, the lemon, the apricot, the peach, and the almond. Immedi- 

 ately under the fruit trees and in the vicinity of the groves, where the 

 soil can be watered only in winter, grain, vegetables, and the like are 

 cultivated. The zone to a large extent could be turned into an agi-i- 

 cultural country, and w^ater power for electric motors is abundant. 

 Fortunately, the three zones of the Atlas A^orland might complement 

 each other: The one produces breadstutfs in plenty, the other cattle, 

 and the third fruit. 



The moinitain folk are dependent for their sustenance upon the 

 Vorland, just as in Algeria the inhabitants of the desert are depend- 

 ent upon the lands lying between the Tell-Atlas and the Mediterra- 



