139 
At one in the afternoon we passed a high wood of 
lentisks, after that another of holm oak and wild almond 
trees, which were in blossom. \ 
The only being alive was a magnificent butterfly, he 
was resting on one of the oaks, and I took him easily. 
The weather cleared up towards set of sun; at six in 
the evening the thermometer was atlO° 8'* and the hy- 
grometer at 98 °. 
We were close to some marshes, where a prodigious 
quantity of frogs treated me with a vocal concert with 
as much zeal of exultation as if it had been sum- 
mer. 
Saturday, 3d March. The day began with rain, but 
the weather was very unsettled; my caravan renewed its 
journey at half past ten W.S.W. which we continued 
with a trifling deviation to S.W. 
At a quarter before three we passed the small river 
Tilifle, which at this spot runs W.N.W. and at four 
o'clock we fixed our tents near a douar. 
The country is composed of small hills, intermixed 
with vast valleys. The soil was a reddish sand, with 
some little vegetable earth. 
Vegetation was in proportion to the season. At ele* 
ven in the morning we got into a wood of very high 
holm oak, large broom, and almond trees in full blos- 
som. These were all so abundant from the spontane- 
ous efforts of nature, that I am sure, if the inhabi- 
tants were to cultivate this branch of agriculture and 
commerce, they would be able to furnish the markets 
of a part of Europe with provisions; but notwithstand- 
ing these riches of nature, they live almost in a state of 
nakedness, or are merely covered with rags, sleeping on 
the ground, or at the utmost on miserable mats. 
* Fahrenheit 55° 
