cu. VIII. HALT IN THE AIT MESAN VALLEY. 193 



tlian liad hitherto been supposed, was more and more con- 

 firmed ; and we were soon able to certify that M. Balansa's 

 expectation that any of the higher points might be 

 reached in a single day from Moulai Ibrahim was based 

 on miscalculation of the scale of these mountains. 



Our short mid-day halt was in a pleasant spot, under 

 the shade of some very fine carob and olive trees, in view 

 of a village with large quadrangular windowless buildings, 

 that seemed to show that the mountaineers here are far 

 better lodged than the people of the plain. The nearer 

 hills, and one of the higher but nearer peaks, displayed 

 long unbroken lines of escarpment, formed by the exposed 

 edges of thick beds of rock (doubtless sandstone), of a 

 deep red colour, indicated in the annexed plate. We here 

 noticed the first indication of one prominent characteristic 

 of the Great Atlas flora — the reappearance of many of the 

 common field plants of Europe, which are not seen in the 

 lower region. Among others, we gathered three species of 

 Ranunculus (R. arvensis, R. parvifiorus, and R. muri- 

 catus) beside our halting place. 



We were soon again in the saddle, and every step as 

 we advanced disclosed some new object of interest, either 

 in the scenery that gradually opened before us, or in the 

 vegetation close at hand. We passed close to a village 

 where the demeanour of the people was more distinctly 

 friendly than we had yet experienced since we landed at 

 Tangier. The whole population — men, women unveiled, 

 and children — turned out to see the cavalcade pass, and 

 something approaching to a smile was seen on many a 

 countenance. It appeared that the fame of Hooker's 

 skill as a haJcim had travelled before us, and during the 

 following days his patience was often tried by the numbers 

 who flocked to consult him. In this and the other neigh- 

 bouring valleys there are a good many Jews, who appear to 

 find life among the Shelluhs less hard than among the Arabs 

 of the plain. True to the instinct of race, they contrive 

 to make a living as brokers, by conducting the sale of the 



