cu. IX. COURIER FROM EL GRAOUI. 211 



of the same element in the higher region rises to one- 

 fifth.' 



We were especially struck by the complete absence of 

 new generic types. There were, indeed, but two species 

 seen in this valley belonging to North African genera — 

 CaUitris and Lotononis — that do not extend to Europe. 

 All the rest are referable to European types, of which the 

 large majority extend to the central and north-western 

 parts of our continent. No representatives of tropical 

 and sub-tropical types, such as are seen in Arabia, Persia, 

 and Northern India, are here to be found. 



During our absence on the 13th, a courier had arrived 

 from JMogador, with letters from M. Carstensen. The 

 man had first gone to Marocco, and thence, for the most 

 part following our track, had found us in our Atlas head- 

 quarters, and was well pleased with the trifling pay of a few 

 shillings for the journey. To-day another courier made 

 his appearance, bearing answers to the letter despatched 

 to El Graoui, on the morning of the 12th, so that we had 

 no reason to complain of remissness on his part. Probably 

 for the purpose of shifting an unpopular measure from his 

 own shoulders, the wary old Grovemor forwarded a letter 

 from the Viceroy, expressly sanctioning our stay in the Ait 

 Mesan valley, for as long a time as should be required for 

 the objects of our journey. Along with this. El Graoui 

 wrote to Hooker, expressing a hope that our stay would 

 not be prolonged more than was really necessary, inasmuch 

 as the villages of the valley were very poor. Further 

 provision was made to meet Maw's desire to return to 

 England, and an order sent that two soldiers should be 

 detached from our escort to accompany him to Mogador. 



It was curious to observe that whenever literary know- 

 ledge was in request, whether for reading and fully under- 

 standing letters addressed to us in Arabic, or for the 

 composition of letters to be addressed by us in the same 

 language, the member of the expedition always most 



' For further particrilars as to the mountain flora, see Appendix E. 



