126 PALM GROVES. cii. tu 



portion of the country at the foot of the mountains in- 

 habited by a Shelluh population. El Graoui, as we knew, 

 lived in the city of Marocco, but outside his own juris- 

 diction. The Governor of the city and its immediate 

 neighbourhood was Ben Daoud, a man notorious for his 

 dislike to strangers and especially to Christians, and it 

 was to him that we had to look for our reception, on our 

 arrival. 



From whatever side it be approached the city of 

 Marocco presents an imposing appearance. The western 

 side presented an outline about a mile and a half in 

 length. Massive walls, some thirty feet in height, with 

 square towers at intervals of about 120 yards, completely 

 enclose it, and on two sides at least it is girdled by a wide 

 belt of gardens in which the date-palm, olive, and fig are 

 the most conspicuous trees. Here, as elsewhere, the date- 

 palm flourishes in a sandy soil where the roots plunge 

 into a more compact subsoil kept moist by infiltration. 

 On the north-west side the palm groves, which we passed 

 on our left, are so close and continuous as to give the 

 effect of a forest, while along our route they alternated 

 with other cultivated trees. The effect of the scene as 

 we approached was peculiar and new. The luxuriance of 

 the vegetation that at intervals screened from view the 

 great range of the Atlas, the majestic old olive trees, the 

 rough trunks of the tall palms on which stood many a 

 motionless chameleon ; the walls and towers of the great 

 city seen at intervals as we wound among the gardens 

 and groves, combined to form a striking and highly pic- 

 turesque scene. It was near 4 o'clock when, as we were 

 drawing near the walls, we were startled by the sudden 

 appearance of a party of well-mounted Moors in flowing 

 haiks, whose horses leaped in succession through a gap in 

 an adjoining fence and advanced to meet us. Our sur- 

 prise was increased when the foremost of the party greeted 

 us in English with a friendly welcome. This gentleman, 

 whose outward appearance was quite undistinguishable 



