262 ANTI-ATLAS SEEN AT LAST. ch. x. 



joined by Ball nearly half an hour later. Excepting some 

 light fleecy cumuli floating over the low country to the 

 north, at a lower level than the eye, the sky was cloud- 

 less ; but in some directions a thin haze obscured the 

 details of the vast panorama. Our first glance was inevi- 

 tably directed towards the unknown region to the south, 

 and there, at a distance of fifty or sixty miles, rose the 

 range of Anti-Atlas, showing a wavy outline, with rounded 

 summits, and no apparent deep depression, rising, as we 

 estimated, to a height of from 9,000 to 10,000 feet above 

 the sea. The highest portion within our range of view, 

 and the only part with a somewhat rugged outline, bore 

 a few degrees west of due south, and corresponded in 

 position with the Djebel Aoulouse of the French map. 

 A somewhat darker shade traceable at some places on 

 the flanks of this dimly seen range, possibly indicated 

 the existence of forests, or at least of shrubs covering the 

 slopes. 



When the first impulse of curiosity was partially satis- 

 fied, we began to take more careful note of our position, 

 and to study in detail a view which had been so long 

 denied to us. The first fact that struck us, was that the 

 peak on which we stood lies a considerable way north 

 of the watershed. The axis of the main chain, which 

 here subsides into undulating masses from 2,000 to 3,000 

 feet lower than Djebel Tezah, lay between us and the cen- 

 tral portion of the Sous valley, and, even if the prevailing 

 haze over the lower districts had not veiled the details, 

 would probably have cut off the course of the stream and 

 the rich tracts that are said to fringe its banks. The 

 higher strata of the atmosphere, above the level of about 

 7,000 feet, were, however, delightfully clear towards the 

 east and west, and every feature of whatever portion of the 

 main chain lay within our range was easily traced even at 

 distances of thirty or forty miles. An extraordinary 

 change had occurred during the three days since we had 

 viewed the chain from Sektana, covered in deep snow 



