CHAPTER XXIX 
ERKOWIT 
Beyond Sarrowit the encircling- heights close in and jebels 
of fantastic form adorn the sky-lines—solitary pyramids 
or grouped pyramids, varied with sphinx-like monsters 
of every conceivable eccentricity. As the altitude rises 
the euphorbias, which on the lower levels had been but 
bushes, develop into forest-trees ; and flowering shrubs 
multiply visibly. Yuccas, cacti, and aloes with gold and 
crimson blooms, red-hot pokers, and many an unknown 
plant brighten the landscape ; while minor blossoms of 
more homely type—wild lavender, pink and yellow moss- 
crops, begonias, wild geraniums on the cliffs, maidenhair 
fern, mesembryanthemum, etc.—gratify unwonted eyes. 
In a wild rock-gorge we lunched beneath a shade-tree 
that suggested a blend of palm and cactus; it was a 
“giant yucca,” io| feet in girth! Among these hills 
flourishes a weird outlandish-looking thing well named the 
dragon-tree ( Draccena ), a vegetable nightmare shown in 
photo, at p. 350; and there is the spiny cactus-like caraib 
(. Bucerosid ), with tall sanseviera or hemp-aloes, tree- 
lobelias, and bushes that resemble arbutus. Trees 
(properly so called) include hornbeam and fig, the 
latter often clad with wild vines and with a red-berried 
mistletoe; besides ilex and wild olives reminiscent of 
Spanish sierra. Clearly we were entering a New World. 
The first glimpse of Erkowit, as it suddenly flashes 
into view from the neck of a rugged pass, recalls Norway. 
The half - vertical slopes are identical, save that here 
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