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which I have before mentioned, and surrounded by high 
mountains wholly destitute of vegetation. The plain is well 
cultivated, and even embellished by some olive-trees. On 
our arrival, the inhabitants, all Moors, opened a market, 
where we found in abundance bread, meat, raisins, and figs, 
which were all sold by weight. Near this market is a kind 
of caravansera, where travellers are received on payment of 
a small remuneration for the animals only ; these are lodged 
in little galleries constructed for the purpose, and the men 
sleep near them on the ground. 
As the dates presented to me by my host of Boheim 
were now exhausted, and I had nothing whatever to eat, I 
determined to beg some, not of the towns-people, for as the 
palm-trees do not grow in the vicinity they are dear here, but 
of a young Moor of our own caravan, who obligingly gave 
me some. 
On the 9th, we set out at five in the morning, directing 
our route to the north; about seven we turned to the 
W. N. W, ascending hills from one hundred to one hundred 
and twenty-five feet above the surface of the plain. In 
every direction similar eminences meet the eye, all exhibiting, 
with the exception of a few cork-trees, complete sterility. 
Exhausted with fatigue, I feared that it would be impossible 
to continue my journey ; my limbs bent under me, and I was 
compelled to sit down continually ; my courage was ready 
to forsake me : this ascent was indeed a terrible task for 
my enfeebled powers. By the blessing of God we attained 
the summit by nine o'clock ; and thence descended into an 
extensive and beautiful plain, surrounded by high lands, 
which were mostly barren of vegetation. Four times in the 
course of the day our caravan was stopped by the Arabs, 
who had encamped by the road- side, to obtain payment of the 
passage dues, which was made in dates, and bread baked a 
second time in the oven ; I was told that they acted under the 
sultan's orders. Some Berbers as we passed spread a pagne 
