CH. XII. CAMP NEAR MSKALA. 309 



others. Artemisia Herba-alba, and Retama Tnonosperma, 

 are in this part of the country the dominant species. 

 The monotony of the way was pleasantly broken by cross- 

 ing a little valley traversed by a mere rivulet, which, how- 

 ever, sufficed to support a more varied and cheerful 

 vegetation. From the rising ground beyond it, we 

 gained a view to the south, and saw at a distance of eight 

 or ten miles a massive pile of building crowning a low, 

 thickly-planted hill, with a large enclosed space occupying 

 part of the slope. The kasbah belonged to the Kaid of 

 Haha, and was on a scale proportioned to the importance 

 of the Grovernor of one of the largest and richest provinces 

 of the empire. We found additional reason for regretting 

 the ill-timed local war, which prevented us from paying 

 him a visit. Although guilty of frequent acts of atrocious 

 cruelty, he was said to receive strangers with the utmost 

 courtesy and hospitality. 



As evening was fast approaching, we rode hurriedly 

 through a little defile among the hills, where the rocks 

 promised plants of interest, and soon after came upon the 

 first Argan trees that we had seen since we quitted the 

 province of Shedma, on April 30. Associated as the tree 

 was in our minds with Mogador, where we had bidden 

 farewell to European life, the sight awakened feelings of 

 regret at the approaching termination of our tour, tem- 

 pered by satisfaction at the prospect of returning to the 

 usages and intercourse of civilised life. 



About seven o'clock we reached Mskala, a rather large 

 village on a stony slope, and saw close beside it an 

 extensive camp where the old Governor of Shedma, with 

 a considerable force, was, by the Sultan's order, watching 

 the progress of events in the contest between the adjoining 

 provinces. We established ourselves in a stony field a few 

 hundred yards away from the Grovernor's camp, and before 

 long an ample inona, consisting of two sheep, twenty-four 

 fowls, tea, sugar, butter, and other luxuries, followed a 

 little later by seven large dishes of cooked food, satisfied 



