CH. vii, APPROACH TO THE ATLAS. 161 



was to return towards evening, and to invite us to halt 

 there for the remainder of the day. As it was now about 

 noon, this proposition was met at once by a decided negative, 

 when the chief of our Marocco escort intervened and, with 

 an air of dogged insistance, urged the necessity for a 

 halt. There ensued the first of many an altercation with 

 the same disagreeable person, in which it is needless to 

 say that Hooker's decision and firmness prevailed, and the 

 order went forth to continue our journey. 



Amongst the bushes near at hand we for the first time 

 gathered a curious, but no way ornamental, Cruciferous 

 plant, first found by M. Balansa, which exhibits the only 

 distinct generic type yet found in the interior of South 

 Marocco, and has been described by M. Cosson under the 

 name Geratocnemum rapistroides. It here grew four or 

 five feet high, with long slender branches; but in open 

 places we afterwards found it in comparatively stunted 

 condition — a foot, or less, in height. 



The country, after quitting the kasbah, gradually 

 changed its character. Scattered blocks of moderate size 

 showed themselves with increasing frequency, and seemed 

 to be of very varied composition. Some were formed of 

 a coarse-grained sandstone or fine conglomerate, others 

 appeared to be granitic, though deficient in mica, while 

 others looked like porphyry. The restrictions by which 

 we were bound prevented us from undertaking any close 

 examination, and still more from attempting to carry away 

 specimens. The predominance of silex in the soil was 

 made apparent by the vegetation. We had already often 

 admired the pretty little rose-coloured Spergularia dian- 

 dra, common on sandy soil throughout Southern Marocco ; 

 but this here became a conspicuous ornament ; its numerous 

 delicate flowers forming large cushions of bright colour 

 on the surface of the soil. Among other characteristic 

 species not before seen were Aizoon canariense and a new 

 species of Anthemis ; but the predominant element in the 

 vegetation was furnished by the Leguminosce, and espe- 



M 



