CH. vui. A COUKIEfi DESPATCHED TO EL GEAOUI. 185 



Hasbi's language was decidedly vague and confused, and, 

 after the experience of the last few days, there was no 

 reason to feel the slightest confidence in his assurances. 

 Hooker therefore decided on bringing matters to a point 

 by informing El Hasbi that if any further difficulty was 

 made, he should despatch a courier with letters for El 

 Grraoui and the Viceroy at Marocco, saying that the com- 

 mander of our escort has failed to carry out the Sultan's 

 orders, and requesting that another should be sent in his 

 place. As this was the last thing to suit El Hasbi's book, 

 he became profuse in assurances of devotion to our wishes, 

 and for some days, at least, we had no reason to suspect 

 him of further machinations to defeat our plans. 



In point of fact, a courier was sent on the following day 

 with a letter for El Graoui. It was desirable to obtain the 

 direct sanction of the authorities for our intention to re- 

 main several days in the district we had now reached, and 

 to make it understood that this would be essential for the 

 object of our journey. 



A further topic requiring some previous arrangement 

 arose from Maw's desire to return to England as soon as 

 possible, after effecting the desired ascent to the higher 

 region. 



Our camp, which stood at 3,160 feet (963"1 m.) above 

 the sea, was in a pleasant and sheltered position, and 

 the temperature was thoroughly enjoyable. The relative 

 coolness of the nights was not, indeed, so remarkable here 

 as in the plain, for the actual temperature was pretty 

 much the same, while that of the shade of day, which at 

 this season, there usually rises somewhat over 80° Fahr., 

 rarely exceeded 70° in the lower zone of the Grreat Atlas, 

 however powerful might be the direct rays of the sun for 

 several hours in each day. Towards dawn the air was 

 usually keen, often almost cold ; and at the hour which, 

 when possible, was selected for observation — about one 

 hour after sunrise — Fahrenheit's thermometer, as well in 

 the plain as in the main valleys of the Atlas, usually 



