250 SLEEPING QUARTERS IN THE KASBAH. CH. x. 



ducted us to a room which, at least to the eye, seemed 

 scrupulously clean. Two beds were arranged, nearly in 

 European fashion, on low bedsteads ; of other furniture 

 there was none, excepting a low carpet-covered divan. On 

 the sill of a window we found four or five Arabic books, 

 the only ones which we saw in the possession of a native 

 in this country. Our report the next morning agreed, 

 that we had not been attacked by any enemy more for- 

 midable than a few intrusive fleas. 



Our slumbers during the night were made more agree- 

 able by the satisfactory information that all the requisite 

 arrangements had been made for our excursion in the 

 Amsmiz valley, on the following day. The sheik, as we 

 were told, would provide a house for our occupation in the 

 highest village ; and though nothing definite was said as 

 to the precise limits of our expedition, we relied on luck 

 and good guidance to turn our opportunities to account. 



We rose early on the mornirg of the 21st, and em- 

 ployed some spare time in looking about us. The kasbah 

 was not nearly so large as many that we had seen, but 

 was distinguished by a certain air of neatness, and there 

 were sundry indications that its possessor was superior in 

 general intelligence and appreciation of civilised life to 

 those we had hitherto dealt with in Marocco. In the 

 court there was a small garden, wherein grew some large 

 bushes of a curious variety of the common myrtle, having 

 the young branches and leaves covered with a fine downy 

 pubescence, the leaves were of large size, and much 

 crowded together, giving the plant a peculiar aspect. We 

 did not observe the myrtle in a wild state anywhere in 

 South Marocco ; and these plants probably came from 

 some gardens in the city of Marocco. 



The sheik of the valley made his appearance in due 

 time, and we at once perceived that he was reluctantly 

 pressed into the service. He presented an example, un- 

 usual among the Shelluhs, of genuine religious fanaticism, 

 never relaxing, during the three days which we passed in 



