For some distance the country was well wooded. Orchards and olive groves did not extend much beyond the bounds of the irrigated tract; the Callitris then became predominant, intermixed, here and there, with scattered Argan trees. In open spots the two showy species of Helianthemum seen the day before, H. halimifolium and H. lavandulæfolium, were still in full flower, and we gathered, for the first time, a charming little Eryngium (E. tenue) with extremely delicate spiny leaves and involucre. Mediterranean shrubs, such as the Arbutus and Phillyrea, growing along with such local forms as Rhus oxyacantha, Statice mucronata, and Bupleurum canescens, would have sufficiently informed a botanist that he was approaching the Atlantic coast of North Africa.
We soon after crossed a belt of land showing marks of former cultivation, where no dwellings were in sight, but where we passed close to a considerable group of earthy mounds, partly overgrown by vegetation, and showing here and there the remains of massive walls of tapia that had partially resisted the process of destruction. These ruins marked the site of the large kasbah of a former Governor. According to the custom of the country this had been pillaged and destroyed some thirty years before, when the owner fell from power. The traces of man’s former presence were speedily lost as we entered on a tract of rocky ground, where the tertiary calcareous rock lay in horizontal beds, slightly excavated in places by watercourses, and cut into irregular steps. The increasing prevalence of blown sand now gave warning of a nearer approach to the shore; the distant roar of the ceaseless Atlantic breakers fell distinctly on the ear; amid the increasing masses of sand vegetation became more and more sparse; we rode on amidst undulating dunes of sand until, at length, on reaching the summit of one of the ridges, the blue Atlantic lay before us.
With mingled feelings we cast our eyes on the waters that were so soon to carry us back within the accustomed round of civilised existence. If the prospect before us were in many ways most welcome, there was yet some inevitable regret at the termination of a journey so full of interest, and, in spite of trifling drawbacks, so full of enjoyment. We felt that the time at our disposal had been too limited, and that what we had accomplished in the way of exploration fell far short of what we had expected; but enough had been done to reward us amply for the labour expended, and we indulged, as almost all genuine travellers are wont to do, in the hope of returning again to the country we were now about to leave.
We had reached the shore at a point about five miles north of Mogador, which, however, was concealed from view by the lofty sand dunes that have accumulated on the reef of rocks that stretches out seaward on the north side of the town. For more than half the distance we rode along the flat beach, where the sand gave somewhat firmer footing than it did above high water mark. Our soldiers took the opportunity for celebrating the prosperous termination of our journey by an exhibition of ‘powder-play,’ for which the ground was admirably adapted. Starting together, but not attempting to keep line, they urge their horses to their fastest gallop; while at full speed they discharge their long guns at an imaginary foe, fling the gun up in the air, and catch it again; and finally the horse is stopped short, and thrown upon his haunches, by the sudden pressure of the severe bit used in this country.
To avoid a long detour our course to Mogador lay over the high sand dunes that encompass the town on the land side. The forms into which the sand is fashioned by the wind here attracted our attention. In many places the appearances were exactly those that are found in the higher region of the Alps immediately after a fall of fresh snow, and in truth the phenomena are nearly identical. At a temperature considerably below freezing point snow commonly falls in the condition of fine grains that do not cohere when they meet, and, in a mechanical sense, differ from those of sand only by being lighter. Our observations on the relation between the form of the larger ridges and the smaller ripple marks, and the direction of the wind, quite agree with those published by Maw.[4]
When at length we escaped from the maze of ridges and hollows, and stood upon the brow of the last sandy eminence, rather before 2 P.M., we found ourselves unexpectedly near to our journey’s end. The town of Mogador, backed by the island, with a few small coasting vessels lying in the channel between them, presented to our unaccustomed eyes an almost imposing aspect. As usual, one of the soldiers had ridden ahead to announce our approach; and when, after passing by the Christian burial-ground, we drew near to the walls, crowds of people came out to meet us, and to gaze upon the strangers, of whose adventures in the Great Atlas fanciful reports had gone abroad. At the gate several mounted soldiers, sent by the Governor as a guard of honour, joined the procession; and thus heralded, with all due state, we made our solemn entry into Mogador, and, along with our kind host, rode directly to the British Consulate.
FOOTNOTES:
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ἄξενοι γῆν νεμόμενοι θηριώδη, διειλημμένην