CHAPTER XXIX 



ERKOWIT 



BEYOND Sarrowit the encircling heights close in and jebels 

 of fantastic form adorn the sky-lines solitary pyramids 

 or grouped pyramids, varied with sphinx-like monsters 

 of every conceivable eccentricity. As the altitude rises 

 the euphorbias, which on the lower levels had been but 

 bushes, develop into forest-trees ; and flowering shrubs 

 multiply visibly. Yuccas, cacti, and aloes with gold and 

 crimson blooms, red-hot pokers, and many an unknown 

 plant brighten the landscape ; while minor blossoms of 

 more homely type wild lavender, pink and yellow moss- 

 crops, begonias, wild geraniums on the cliffs, maidenhair 

 fern, mesembryanthemum, etc. gratify unwonted eyes. 



In a wild rock-gorge we lunched beneath a shade-tree 

 that suggested a blend of palm and cactus ; it was a 

 "giant yucca," loj feet in girth! Among these hills 

 flourishes a weird outlandish-looking thing well named the 

 dragon-tree (Draccena), a vegetable nightmare shown in 

 photo, at p. 350 ; and there is the spiny cactus-like caraib 

 (Bucerosia), with tall sanseviera or hemp-aloes, tree- 

 lobelias, and bushes that resemble arbutus. Trees 

 (properly so called) include hornbeam and fig, the 

 latter often clad with wild vines and with a red-berried 

 mistletoe ; besides ilex and wild olives reminiscent of 

 Spanish sierra. Clearly we were entering a New World. 



The first glimpse ef Erkowit, as it suddenly flashes 

 into view from the neck of a rugged pass, recalls Norway. 

 The half -vertical slopes are identical, save that here 



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