CH. IT. TRIAL OF OUR TENTS. 77 



was raised in the course of the day. We followed local 

 advice, confirmed by our own previous experience in warm 

 countries, in choosing mules in preference to horses. On 

 a long journey they are far less liable to be laid up, and, to 

 a scientific traveller who has frequent occasion to dismount, 

 they give less trouble. Their obstinate temper iS, how- 

 ever, often annoying, and, though sxirefooted, they some- 

 times have a very unpleasant trick of tripping or stumbling 

 over stony ground. 



A precaution which we took this day is much to be 

 recommended to travellers. This was to make a trial of 

 pitching our tents on a piece of rough open ground. 

 People readily suppose that a tent that is easily set up 

 in an English lawn must answer their expectations on a 

 march, and have little notion of the amount of discomfort 

 caused by trifling defects. We speedily found that the pegs 

 supplied in England are not nearly hard enough to pierce 

 the stiff-baked clay or stony paste that forms the pre- 

 vailing soil in this country ; and it was fortunate for our 

 comfort that we took from Mogador an ample supply of 

 rough pegs, made from the wood of the argan tree. We 

 were each provided with a tent which satisfied our indi- 

 vidual wants, but scarcely corresponded with the native 

 ideas of what befits personages of distinction. We were 

 well aware that in this country prestige was an essential 

 element in success, and therefore willingly accepted the 

 liberal offer of a large handsome native tent made by the 

 local agent of Messrs. Perry & Co. of Liverpool. This 

 was available only for the journey across the plains between 

 Mogador and Marocco, as it was very heavy, forming a load 

 for two camels, and therefore not suitable for a hilly 

 country. It supplied a comparatively spacious saloon, 

 wherein we passed our evenings very pleasantly, before 

 retiring to our separate quarters for the night. 



The next matter requiring attention was our costume. 

 It was foreseen that during some part of our journey, at 

 least, it might be expedient to adopt the native dress, or 



