ATI.A8. 



chain, which runs nearly parallel to the principal chain, and make 

 their way through the Utter. 



The lateral chain, which may be considered as the western continua- 

 tion of the Lssssr Atlas, probably separates from the principal range 

 where it enters the Desert of Angad, and runs along the shores of the 

 Mediterranean Sea at a distance of about 80 miles, and even less. It 

 terminates opposite to Gibraltar in the bold Cape of Ceuta, called by 

 the natives Jebel d'Axute (Mountain of Monkeys), and in Cape Spartel. 

 This chain is thought to rise only to about 2600 feet above the sea in 

 the highest part, and is the only one which traverses the extensive 

 country lying to the west of the principal range. 



The numerous branches which lie to the south of the Lesser Atlas, 

 and cover the country between it and the Great Desert, are imper- 

 fectly known as to their height, extent, and connection with one 

 another. It would seem that the most northern of these chains, that 

 in which the large rivers (the Shellif, Seibouse, and Mejerda) take 

 their origin, and which contains the Zackar Mountains, is the highest, 

 and that they lower as they approach the Sahara. 



One branch, called the Jebel Hadrar, or Southern Atlas, separating 

 from the principal chain and extending towards the Sahara, runs 

 south-west and terminates at Cape Nun. It divides the country 

 about the rivers Sus and Wad Heeaa, which flow into the Atlantic 

 from the region drained by the river Draha, which is absorbed in the 

 loose sand of the Sahara. It is nearly unknown, but probably rises 

 only to a moderate height. 



Our information concerning the geology of the Atlas Mountains is 

 limited to the fact that the lower skirts of the ridges are formed by 

 secondary limestone, and that this formation probably covers the 

 mountains to an elevation of 3000 or 4000 feet. What constitutes the 

 basis of the mountain masses is unknown. No traces of volcanic 

 agency have yet been discovered. As to the more striking features 

 of external form, it is generally agreed that they differ considerably 

 from the Alps. The Atlas does not exhibit pointed peaks, or narrow 

 and aharp edges, but its form everywhere shows a decided tendency 

 to extensive table-lands, broad ridges, and rounded summits. On 

 each side of its declivity the range supports two, three, or more 

 table-lauds, at different elevations above the level of the sea, and 

 separated from one another by rather steep slopes. The summit 

 of the range however is formed by great masses of rock which are 

 generally inaccessible, or nearly so ; in many places they rise perpen- 

 dicularly. In a few places these rnsssos are rent asunder by long and 

 narrow crevices, through which the mountain-passes lead from one 

 side to the other. Jackson states that only two such passes exist 

 between Morocco and the province of Sus, and he calls them Bcbavan 

 and Belavin ; the difficulty of passing through them with an army 

 reodets the possession of the provinces situated to the south and 

 south-east of the principal chain precarious to the emperor of Marocco. 

 This description applies more particularly to the Greater Atlas ; but 

 in part also to the Lesser Atlas : Shaw states that the mountains in 

 Algiers generally rise with a gentle acclivity, and are covered with a 

 succession of groves and ranges of fruit and forest trees, and that only 

 occasionally a rocky precipice of more difficult access occurs. Yet he 

 notices in his topographical description several very difficult mountain 

 pass it, as the mountain pus of Becban, through which the great road 

 between the town of Algiers and of Constantina lies. This peculi- 

 arity in the form of these mountains offered one of the greatest diffi- 

 culties which the French encountered in subjecting the territories of 

 Algiers. [Auifcatc.] 



As the Atlas Mountains hi some places rise above the line of per- 

 petual congelation, and in many others approach this line ; and as at 

 the some time the southern declivity is turned towards, and is as it 

 were contiguous to, the Great African Desert, where the greatest 

 quantity of heat Is developed on the surface of the globe, it is to be 

 presumed that on the sides of the Atlas the greatest extremes and 

 variations of temperature occur. Little definite information on the 

 subject however has been obtained. We learn from travellers that on 

 the low plains at the southern foot of the mountain, and within itx 

 lower ranges, the date palms cover extensive tracts ; that the higher 

 lands abound in gum-trees, almonds, olives, and other productions of 

 the hotter countries ; that the lower table-lands produce apples, pears, 

 cherries, walnuts, apricots, and other fruits common to the southern 

 countries of Europe ; and that, proceeding higher up the ranges, the 

 plains are covered with pines of an Immense size, with a species of 

 oak called the ' belute,' the acorn of which 1s used as food and is 

 ptefeiied to the Spanish chestnut, and with ferns, elms, mountain-ash, 

 and several species of juniper. Higher up Urge forests of firs form 

 theprincipal vegetation. 



The metallic riches of these mountains are not much better known 

 than the botany. Rich mines of different kinds exist in that lateral 

 range which separates the province of Sus from the countries on the 

 rinr Draha ; it abounds especially in iron, copper, and lead. Ketewa, 

 * j 1 " * **** ' Tarudant, contains rich mines of lead and brimstone ; 

 and saltpetre of a superior quality abounds in the neighbourhood of 

 Tarudant itself. About 60 or 60 miles south-west of that town are 

 nine* of Iron of a very malleable quality, equal to that of Biscay in 

 Spun. At Elola, in the same ridge of mountains, are several rich 

 mines of copper, some of which are impregnated with gold ; and in 

 the MOM place there is alto a rich sflrer mine. Mines of antimony 



ATLAa aso 



and lead are likewise found in Bus. In the bed of the rivor \V,,d 

 Messa particles of silver may be collected. In other parts, as in the 

 Lesser Atlas, mines of iron, lead, and sulphur are found. Salt is 

 collected in many places, the soil being strongly impregnated with it. 



These mountains are inhabited by lions of the fiercest kind and the 

 largest size ; and they abound in antelopes, monkeys of different 

 species, and in porcupines : but their zoology has never been 

 investigated. 



Having taken a general view of the principal features of this exten- 

 sive range, we shall briefly describe the nature of the countries which 

 may be considered as included in its bosom. 



The countries to the south of the principal range, and west of the 

 meridian of London, may be divided into two regions, one of which 

 contains the provinces, of Tafilet and Draha and the other SUB. The 

 first belongs to that region which is known as Beled el Jereed (Land of 

 Dates), and extends along the southern declivity of the whole system. 

 It consists of gently-inclined sandy plains, which spread to the f 

 the mountains, and along which are found numerous detached oases 

 (wadys) where palms chiefly prevail, but other fruit-trees grow like- 

 wise. The fruit of the date, with camels, horses, and cattle, are the 

 sole wealth of the inhabitants of this region. 



The province of Sus in divided from that of Draha by a range 

 f mountains, and displays quite a different character. It is well 

 watered, and abounds in every sort of agricultural produce, and espe- 

 cially in different kinds of fruits. The plantations of dates are 

 numerous, and those of olives still more extensive. The country may 

 be considered as a plain with some small hills dispersed up 



The country included by the Greater Atlas, by that lateral branch 

 which terminates at the Strait of Gibraltar, and by the Atlantic 

 Ocean, may be considered as a plain, which exhibit* at its southern 

 and northern extremities extensive level and low countries ; its < . 

 between the rivers Seboo and Oom-erbegh, is occupied by an elevated 

 table-land, which descends in regular terraces towards the ocean. 

 The distinguishing features of these three divisions will be given 

 under the article MAROCCO. 



The countries to the east of the principal chain display a much 

 greater diversity in their nature. They may be divided into two 

 parts, of which the northern comprehends the Tell, or the land 

 adapted to agriculture ; the southern is partly comprehended 

 the name of Beled el Jereed, though, as Shaw observes, it is called by 

 the natives the Sahara, which name cannot be applied to it in the 

 sense in which that term is understood in Europe. M. Carotte also 

 observes that the only distinction which the natives recoguiso is that 

 of the Tell and the Sahara ; the Tell being the region of cereals and 

 the Sahara the region of palms. 



_ The Tell comprehends all the countries which are watered by the 

 rivers falling into the Mediterranean. Ito northern half is occupied 

 by the highlands of the Lesser Atlas, and presents only a succession 

 of mountains, declivities, and narrow valleys, without any plain of 

 considerable extent intervening, except between the cape of Has 

 Acconnatter (Cape Caxinus) and Cape Matifu, on both si-. 

 the south of the town of Algierx, when the country exhibits only 

 moderate hills rising on a rather level country. I'.ut to the .-omit of 

 the Lesser Atlas, and between it and the mountains in which tin- 

 large rivers take their origin, the country extends in large level plains 

 along both sides of the rivers; these plains abound in every produce 

 of agriculture and horticulture. But as these plains open out in the. 

 north-west of Marocco they lose their fertile character, assuming more 

 and more that of the S:, 1 



To the south of the Tell lies a country which in many respect* 

 may be considered as one of the most remarkable on the surface of 

 the globe. It consists of a succession of complct. K -do-, .1 -, alleys, 

 with a temporary or permanent lake in their hollows th< 

 of the waters that flow down from the adjacent mountain*. It w..uM 

 seem that such volleys extend from the low the Lesser 



Syrtis, through the whole region, up to tue chain of the <:. 

 Atlas ; and doubtless they rise in height as they proceed toward the 

 west The most eastern of these closed valleys is that of the lake 

 called Sibhah or Shibkah-ol-Lowdeah (properly Sal .oidi. 



that is, the salt morass of the volleys), the Tritonis of the ancient 

 geographers (the Lake of the Marks), which is separated from the 

 Leaser Syrtis by a sandy tract of apparently no great elevation, and 

 to the south-oast of which, at no great distance, are the Nofusa or 

 Xifzowah Mountains, the moat eastern branch of the Atla.t system. 

 The lake is 20 miles long and miles broad ; yet it is not altogether a 

 collection of water, there being several dry tracts interspersed all over 

 it, which look like so many inlands. In the dry season the water 

 entirely disappears, and the bottom of the lake is passed by the 

 caravans, for the direction of which paloi-trunks are plant- 

 distances, because the ground contains many dangeruun pits and 

 numerous quicksands. Hence it is called the Lake of Marks. The 

 of the lake is not inferior to that of the sea in saltness, and its low 

 shores consist of sand ; they however are partly covered by extensive 

 groves of date-palms. It receives only a few torrents from the moun- 

 tains, which inclose it on the north and south. The second close 

 valley is that of the Melgigg or Mclrir, or the country called Zaab, 

 Zaban, or Zcbe. This is a narrow tract of land which extends from 

 east to west through the middle of the territory of Algiers, and U 



