During this and the following days much time was consumed in long discussions respecting our future plans and arrangements. During the remainder of his stay in Marocco Mr. Hunot was kind enough to devote most of his time to us, and in his visits he was generally accompanied by Si Mohammed Hassanowe and Si Boubikir, who sat gravely by, rarely taking any part in the conversation. One of the subjects requiring mature consideration related to the manner in which the objects of our journey might best be made intelligible and satisfactory to the Moorish authorities. The matter had already been under discussion at Mogador and during our journey, but its importance was now much more obvious when it was clear that our farther progress would depend on the view that El Graoui might take of our character and intentions. We were well aware that anything so simple as the statement that the object was to gratify our curiosity as to the vegetation of the Great Atlas, would at once be set aside as a false pretext, intended to cover some sinister design. That one man should be crazy enough to make a long journey for such a purpose might have been thought within the range of possibility; but to suppose that three should all at once be smitten with the same form of insanity was plainly too ridiculous. To endeavour to explain that Hooker, as Director of a great national establishment such as Kew Gardens, should be anxious to enrich it by the introduction of new, rare, or useful plants, was not likely to be more successful. The existence of any public institution having a claim to attention apart from the personal will or caprice of the sovereign could not be made intelligible to the native mind. It was clear that if we did not present ourselves as persons in some way carrying out the direct orders of the Queen of England, we should have no claim to respect, and should be regarded as adventurers prompted by some motive we did not care to avow.