CH. XII. CAMP AT AiN EL HADJAE. 317 



were agreeably surprised at the verdure and freshness of 

 the spot. Our camp was pitched among large olive trees, 

 near to the stream flowing from the principal spring. The 

 position somewhat resembles that of the so-called fountain 

 of Elias near Jericho, well known to travellers in Palestine ; 

 hut the contrast offered by the vegetation was remarkable. 

 If a few plants close to the stream appear to thrive about 

 the waters of Elias, the surrounding vegetation is meagre, 

 and amid the straggling bushes of exotic aspect that sur- 

 round the spot the traveller seeks in vain for effectual 

 protection from the sun. Here, besides the gigantic olive 

 trees that must have been planted at a remote period, the 

 white poplar grows to a great size, and wild herbaceous 

 plants were still green, many of them in flower as well as 

 fruit, at this advanced season. At a time when the sum- 

 mer heat has become intolerable at most places in North 

 Africa the thermometer in our tents stood at about 70° F. 

 an hour before sunset, and the nights were even cooler 

 than some might have wished. Something was no 

 doubt due to the unusual amount of rain that had fallen 

 during the month of ~SLaj; but if the climate of the 

 coast region of South llarocco were altered so as to re- 

 semble that of other places in the same latitude, much of 

 the existing vegetation would soon disappear. On dry 

 sandy slopes above our camp the effects of the late rains 

 were plainly seen, and before nightfall we collected a con- 

 siderable number of annual species in flower, sprung from 

 seeds borne by the first crop, and ripened two or three 

 months before. 



We did not visit the remains of ancient miners' work 

 that are visible at several places about the base of the 

 hill ; but we found scorise in abundance, and some frag- 

 ments of the ironstone from which the mountain takes its 

 name. It is not easy to conjecture the date at which 

 these iron mines can have been worked. There is no rea- 

 son to believe that any jNIoorish ruler ever attempted to 

 turn them to account ; and although the Portuguese once 



