MR. J. BALL’S SPICILEGIUM FLORH MAROCCAN®. 289 
we turned our faces towards the chain of the Great Atlas, which 
rises in full view of the city. Early on the following day we 
reached Tasseremont, 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 Reraya, and encamped near to 
a stream descending from the main chain. It now 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. Hooker 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 in patches on 
* To the best of my belief the Ait Mesan valley, as well as the parallel and 
nameless one in which we camped on the 11th of May, is included within the 
district known as Reraya ; and accordingly the labels for all Dr. Hooker's plants 
collected in both valleys bear the latter name. As there appeared to be no 
doubt that the valley wherein we passed five days iscorrectly named Ait Mesan, 
I have adopted that name in my labels, and have reserved the name Reraya for 
the valley first reached by us and the ridges which we traversed in approaching 
and departing from it. I have mentioned this, as without such explanation 
botanists might hereafter suppose that plants gathered at the same time and 
place by Dr. Hooker and myself came from two distinct localities. 
