, VI. DIPLOMATIC CONVERSATION. 147 



r or work mines, extreme jealousy is felt I'est strangers 

 ould be attracted by the prospect, and attempt, in con- 

 :(uence, to establish themselves in the country. In point 



fact, we were obliged to refrain from any overt attempt 



collect even the commonest rocks, and the fragments 

 lich we carried away were picked up and pocketed — as 



by stealth — when removed from the watchful eyes of 

 ir followers. 



El Graoui, with apparent frankness and good-humour, 

 id that he should have much pleasure in carrying into 

 Feet the intentions of the Sultan in oui- regard, and that 

 3 should have full liberty to go where we pleased in the 

 )rtions of the Great Atlas where the authority of the 

 iltan is recognised, orders being given that the local 

 ithorities should provide food for us and our followers, 

 ais brought us at once to a question of pressing im- 

 )rtance. Up to this moment we had no notion as to the 

 nits that might be set to our journey by the Marocco 

 ithorities, though too well aware that Hooker's en- 

 igements in England would not under any circumstances 

 low us to carry our explorations very far. In answer 



our inquiries, we were told that we were free to travel 

 I the northern slope of the mountains that send their 

 iters to the plain of Marocco. The names of various 

 stricts were mentioned, several of which were strange to 

 ir ears, and not to be found on any map ; but we retained 

 ose of G-laoui, Ourika, and Eeraya, the latter two being 

 terwards familiar to us. Further than this, we were 

 formed that we might travel eastward through the 

 ■ovinces of Demenet and Ntifa, both apparently high 

 ountain regions, whose waters run northward to the 

 iim-er-bia. We were emphatically told that we must not 

 tempt to cross the chain southward in the direction of 

 e Sous valley, and we gave a distinct promise to abstain 

 3m doing so. The actual decision as to our future route 

 is far too important a matter to be disposed of on the 

 lot by men so imperfectly prepared as we necessarily 



L 2 



