242 GRAND VIEW OF THE GBEAT ATLAS. ch. i. 



of fleecy cumuli, and we -were not prepared for the 

 grandeur of the panoramic view that was spread before 

 our eyes, as we sallied from our tents in the early morning. 

 A large portion of the range of the Grreat Atlas of 

 Marocco stood robed in glittering snow down to a height 

 of about 7,000 feet above the sea level, only the project- 

 ing ribs of rock appearing through the white vestment 

 along the higher and steeper ridges. In the annexed 

 sketch is shown the part of the range nearest to our camp, 

 lying between the head of the Ait Mesan valley, and that 

 of the next adjoining (much shorter) valley that opened 

 neaxly due south from our station. The view, however, 

 extended in both directions far beyond the nearer part of 

 the range. The high peaks of the Ourika district were 

 sharply cut against the sky, but so crowded together that 

 their relative position was not apparent. Farther east 

 were other high peaks, probably belonging \ o the district 

 of Glaoui. Turning westward, it was seen that to the 

 right of the high group shown in the sketch, the valley 

 which feeds the main branch of the Oued Nfys runs deep 

 into the main range, which here sinks to the comparatively 

 low level of about 7,500 feet. Towards this valley the 

 high snow-clad mass before us fell with comparatively 

 easy slopes, nowhere difficult of access ; and we indulged 

 in the hope that, by fixing our camp pretty high up, we 

 should be able to effect another ascent. 



To the west of this great gap the main chain rises 

 again to a considerable height, but less by at least 2,000 

 feet than that of the central range which we were now 

 about to leave. The western range also differs in being 

 less continuous ; the peaks are comparatively isolated, and 

 of massive, conical form ; and the intervening passes do 

 not seem to rise above the level of tree vegetation. We 

 observed that, even allowing for its lesser elevation, the 

 western range showed much less snow, whether because 

 during the recent bad weather the precipitation was more 

 considerable on the eastern group, or because in the 



