254 JEW'S HOUSE AT IMINTELI. ch. x. 



The weather being now settled, our observations for alti- 

 tude above the sea give nearly the same results when com- 

 pared with Mogador or with Amsmiz, and that adopted 

 was 4,418 feet (1,346"5 m.). The house of a Jew had been 

 cleared out for our reception. It was of rather more solid 

 construction than that in which we lodged at Arround, in 

 the Ait Mesan valley, but similar in plan. It appeared to 

 be tolerably clean, though on closer scrutiny a few bugs 

 were detected, but in far less numbers than we have seen 

 in Sicily and some other places in Europe. In pursuance 

 of the sheik's order, the Shelluh inhabitants of this place 

 kept carefully aloof from all communication with us ; but 

 there were several Jew families who were clearly well 

 disposed towards the Christian strangers. When we sallied 

 forth, soon after our arrival, to examine the vegetation of 

 the rocky slopes above the village, one of these Jews 

 volunteered to accompany us. Conversation either in 

 Hebrew or Shelluh being unfortunately out of the ques- 

 tion, our intercourse was necessarily of the most limited 

 character ; but we could not fail to be struck with the 

 man's air of intelligence and friendliness. 



The character of the rocks throughout this valley is 

 altogether different from that of the more lofty range 

 which we had previously visited. The red sandstones, 

 there so prevalent, are here absent, and the strata are, 

 without exception, schistose, though seemingly varying 

 much in mineral composition. In some places, and es- 

 pecially on the ridge above Amsmiz, mica is present to an 

 appreciable extent ; in others, and notably in the mass of 

 Djebel Tezah, the rock would pass under the old designa- 

 tion of clayslate ; while in this part of the valley calca- 

 reous schists prevail. Intrusive dykes and bosses of por- 

 phyry and other igneous rocks were seen in many places, 

 but not to such an extent as to affect much the general 

 aspect of the surface. The stratification appeared to be 

 very irregular, but in general the beds are inclined at a 

 liigh angle to the horizon. 



