CH. II. MOUNTAIN EXCUESION, 41 



quired, and no difficulty was raised about the requisite 

 official permission to ascend the Beni Hosmar, as the 

 mountain mass is called, which forms the end of the chain 

 extending northward from the Beni Hassan. 



One of our party had already succeeded in ascending 

 about half the height of the mountain ; but the only 

 European known to have reached the upper ridge was the 

 late Mr. Barker Webb, the author of the ' Phytographia 

 Canariensis,' and other important botanical works. He 

 effected his object by liberal expediture, having begun by 

 a present of 4:01. to the Grovernor, besides handsome re- 

 wards to those who were sent with him. 



We had no occasion to follow this example. The pro- 

 tection of the British Grovernment, and the interest shown 

 in our journey by the British Minister, were quite suffi- 

 cient arguments on our behalf, and with the courteous 

 assistance of the Spanish consul the arrangements for our 

 excursion were soon settled. The requisite orders were 

 issued by the Kaid, and two soldiers were appointed, along 

 with our Tangier men, to escort us on the following 

 morning. 



In spite of the usual delays, we started in good time on 

 the morning of the 1 1th, and, descending over successive 

 ledges of tufa, forming terraces for gardens and orchards, 

 soon reached the level of the river, which was easily forded. 

 The air was cool (55° Fahr. at 6 a.m.), the sky bright, and 

 the hedges gay with the evergreen rose {R. sempervirens), 

 and the large-flowered form of the hedge convolvulus (C. 

 sylvatica), which in the South replaces our more modest 

 Northern form, C. sepium of Linnaeus. A short ascent 

 among trees and high hedges took us clear of the culti- 

 vated land, and the aspect of the country at once changed. 

 The upper part of the mountain is disposed in tiers of 

 limestone crags, irregularly disposed, and therefore offering 

 no difficulty for the ascent ; but round the base are rather 

 steep and very arid slopes, formed, in great part, of old ac- 

 cumulations of debris fallen from the upper crags. The 



