APPKOACH TO CITY OF MAROCCO. 125 



CHAPTER VI. 



Approach to the City of Marocco — Pleasant encouriter — Halt in an olive 

 garden — Interior of the city — Difficulty as to lodging — GoTernor 

 unfriendly — Camp in the great square — Negotiations with the 

 Viceroy — Successful result— Palace of Ben Dreis — Diplomatic 

 difficulties — Gardens of Marocco — Interview with El Graoui. 



After vainly waiting nearly two hours for the return of 

 our soldier, we determined to push on towards the city of 

 Marocco, though somewhat uncertain what the character 

 of our reception might be. This was not merely a matter 

 affecting our personal comfort during our short stay, but 

 was certain to have an important effect on the success 

 of our subsequent journey, and it was a most fortunate 

 circumstance that Hooker's long experience in contend- 

 ing with the jealousies and suspicions of the native au- 

 thorities in Nepal and the border States of North-eastern 

 India, and his thorough knowledge of the character of 

 people, who, though far removed, very much resemble the 

 Moors in their ideas and maxims of policy, had prepared 

 him to deal with them successfully. We had gained the 

 iirst essential condition for exploring the unknown valleys 

 of the Great Atlas, by obtaining the consent of the Sultan ; 

 but it was impossible to guess the precise tenor of the 

 orders forwarded by him to the local authorities, and, 

 whatever these might be, the ultimate result would largely 

 depend on the good or ill faith of the latter in carrying 

 them into effect. The person whose favourable disposi- 

 tions it was chiefly important to secure was El Grraoui, 

 who exercises under the Sultan a wide authority as Gover- 

 nor of nearly all the tribes of the Great Atlas that recog- 

 nise the imperial authority, extending over a considerable 



