298 ENFORCED CHANGE OF ROUTE. ch. xi. 



mountains in the direction of Agadir, but this is probable. 

 Future travellers may be able to ascertain more about 

 them than we were able to do. To whatever date their 

 construction be referred, it is clear that they were erected 

 either by the people inhabiting the low country to restrain 

 the incursions of mountain tribes, or by the latter to repel 

 attacks on their independence, the former being, in our 

 opinion, the more probable opinion. 



"We returned to camp between 5 and 6 P.M., and 

 found that a courier from Mogador had arrived with letters 

 from Mr. Carstensen. The whole province of Haha was, 

 he assured us, in a most disturbed state; and besides, the 

 war with Mtouga was complicated by the insurrection of 

 some of the tribes in Haha against the authority of their 

 own Grovernor. He strongly urged that we should abandon 

 the intention of travelling along the skirts of the Atlas 

 through Haha, and make up our minds to return from 

 Mtouga by way of Shedma, telling us that he proposed 

 to meet us at the Icashah of the G-ovemor of that province 

 on the last day of May. We were very loth to forego the 

 promise of seeing a district new to travellers, and far more 

 interesting than any lying on the direct way from Mtouga 

 to Mogador ; but we felt it impossible to persevere in the 

 face of Mr. Carstensen's strong opposition. It was, in- 

 deed, open to question whether, under the aegis of the 

 Sultan's protection, we might not without serious risk have 

 carried out our original intention. Whatever might be 

 the intestine troubles of the country, it could not suit any 

 of the contending parties to provoke encounter with the 

 paramount authority of the Sultan ; but we felt that we 

 had no right to take a course directly opposed to the 

 advice of the official representative of our Grovernment, 

 and especially of one to whom we felt under so many ob- 

 lio'ations. 



