CH. XIII. QUESTIONABLE IDENTITY. 329 



whole plant on a reduced scale, shows the thick fleshy 

 branches, with four angles, as we had seen them in the 

 specimen given to Hooker by the Kaid at Mesfioua; while 

 the right-hand figure, showing a fragment of the natural 

 pize, represents the end of a branch, with numerous 

 (about ten) projecting fleshy ribs, beset with spines. 

 Hooker came to the conclusion that there were possibly 

 two quite distinct plants known to Jackson, and on return- 

 ing to Mogador he proceeded to make inquiry on the 

 subject. 



Before long a nati\e was brought to us who appeared 

 to be well acquainted with the Agadir plant, and who 

 declared that it grows in abundance about half-way 

 between that place and Mogador. Upon this Hooker 

 became anxious to start at once for the purpose of person- 

 ally examining the suspected plant, and securing live 

 specimens for Kew. To this Mr. Carstensen felt it necessary 

 to object. Matters, as he informed us, had been getting 

 from bad to worse in the great province of Haha, which 

 includes the whole sea-board between Mogador and Agadir. 

 Between the discontent caused by repeated acts of unpro- 

 voked cruelty on the part of the Governor, and the results 

 of the war still proceeding between him and his neighbours 

 in Mtouga, the province had lapsed into a complete state 

 of anarchy, and a European attempting to travel at such 

 a time would be exposed to serious risk. It was reluc- 

 tantly agreed by Hooker that our native informant, with 

 a companion, should depart for the spot, which he pro- 

 fessed to know, charged with the commission to bring 

 back a donkey-load of specimens of the living plant. 



June 5 was a day of some anxiety in Mogador, and 

 the news which we received at breakfast brought full 

 confirmation of Mr. Carstensen's apprehensions as to the 

 disturbed state of the country. We had already noticed 

 that the camel-drivers arriving from Marocco, or other 

 places in the interior, are used, after discharging their 

 goods in the town, to litter their camels outside the wall 



