OH. II. MID-DAY HALT. 29 



somewhat later, when the heads are approaching the 

 flowering state, they are extensively consumed as food for 

 the human population, the end of the stem and the recep- 

 tacle being eaten raw, as artichokes are in naany parts of 

 Southern Europe. 



Though, to judge from the extent of tillage, the popu- 

 lation cannot be very small in this part of the country, we 

 saw but few habitations, and those of the most miserable 

 description — chiefly low mud hovels in small groups, 

 seemingly built with a view to avoid observation in out-of- 

 the-way spots, and never near to the main track. In this 

 region the natives are of mixed race, partly Moors and 

 partly of Bereber stock, descendants of Eiff people, who 

 have come down from their mountains to settle in the 

 low country. 



"We made our mid-day halt in a rich green level tract that 

 lies between the first and lower hills, and a second and more 

 considerable range which connects the Angera Mountains 

 on the north with the higher mass of the Els' Mountains 

 south of Tetuan. The drainage of this broad valley seems 

 to flow southward till it falls into a considerable stream, 

 descending from the high peaks of Beni Hassan and its 

 neighbouring summits, that reaches the sea on the west 

 coast some eighteen miles south of Cape Spartel. Our eyes 

 were here gratified by the sight of comparatively fine trees, 

 everywhere so scarce in Marocco. Of these the most con- 

 spicuous is a southern species of ash, very like the common 

 tree. It is the Fraxinus oxyphylla of Bieberstein, which 

 extends from Southern Eussia and the Levant to Spain 

 and Marocco. The leaves and fruit are smaller, but in 

 this district the tree rivals in stature our native British 

 species. Poplars are comnjon beside the streams, which 

 are fringed by tall oleanders and willows, and in drier 

 spots the fig, carob, and olive grow to a large size. The 

 almond tree is also common, but does not appear to have 

 naturalised itself. 



Animal life does not seem to be abundant ; but some 



