98 SHELLUH ENGLISH. oh. t. 



in open places, and on the outer skirts of the forest, there 

 grows in abundance a peculiar species of Thyme {T. 

 Broussonnetii), with broadly ovate leaves and bracts that 

 are coloured red or purple, and the characteristic strong 

 scent of that tribe. It is interesting to the botanist as an 

 endemic species, occupying almost exactly the same geo- 

 graphical area as the Argan. As we afterwards found, 

 it is replaced in the interior of the country by an allied, 

 but quite distinct, species. Its penetrating odour seems 

 to be noxious to moths, as the dried twigs and leaves are 

 much used in Mogador, and found effectual for the pre- 

 servation of woollen stuffs. 



Not many flowering plants were seen in the shade of 

 the Argan trees ; the only species worthy of note being a 

 very slender annual Asphodel {A. tenuifoUus), and Garum 

 Tnauritanicum— a plant somewhat resembling our British 

 pignut. 



Meanwhile carpets had been spread under the shade 

 of one of the largest Argan trees, and a copious breakfast 

 was displayed. Fully an hour had been consumed be- 

 tween eating and conversation and the parting cigar, 

 when, bidding farewell to our friends, we finally started 

 on our road for the interior, under the guardianship of the 

 worthy old Kaid who commanded our escort. Separated 

 from our interpreter and our luggage, we felt ourselves 

 at first strangely isolated ; but thanks to the cheerful 

 readiness of our Shelluh attendants, and especially of 

 Omback, who had been specially assigned to Hooker, this 

 impression soon wore off. Our men had been engaged 

 in unloading cargo from English ships in the port of 

 Mogador, and had commenced the study of the English 

 tongue by picking up about a dozen words from the 

 sailors. They at. once showed themselves anxious to add 

 to their store, and the result was that all, but especially 

 Omback, gained such a smattering of the language as 

 served our purpose for many of the ordinary pitrposes of 

 life. ' Catch him flower ' became the ordinary way of 



