We had now entered the district of Reraya, which is under the rule of El Graoui, represented by one or more deputies. The whole population, excepting some miserable-looking Jews, is Shelluh; but here, as everywhere among the Berebers, these are divided into tribes or clans, who are often at feud, and always jealous and suspicious of each other. There is generally a superior chief or sheik, having a wide, but ill-defined authority over the whole clan; but among those that recognise the Sultan’s paramount temporal as well as spiritual supremacy, this is subordinate to that of the Governor. In this part of the Great Atlas, the clans, as well as the districts named after them, preserve the Shelluh patronymic of _Aït_; but the Bereber tribes of the high ranges E. and SE. of Fez have generally adopted the Arabic _Beni_, as with the powerful tribes, Beni Mtir and Mghill. One of the many difficulties of the geographer in this country arises from the practice of naming each district from the tribe that inhabits it, and the fact that, either from compulsion, or a taste for migration, it is not uncommon for a tribe to remove from one valley to another. The next valley to that where we now were was called at this time Aït Mesan; but if the Aït Mesan should take possession of some neighbouring valley, or be driven out by a stronger tribe, the traveller who visits the country some years hence may find the Aït Mesan valley in quite another place from that which we have described. Our chief anxiety now, was to ascertain that the promise held out, of penetrating to the inner recesses of the Great Atlas in the district of Reraya, was to be realised. We were told that in the next adjoining valley we should reach a place only two hours’ journey from the snow, and that the sheik of that valley had been summoned, and would arrive on the next morning. At the same time, whether from ignorance or a design to mislead us, El Hasbi’s language was decidedly vague and confused, and, after the experience of the last few days, there was no reason to feel the slightest confidence in his assurances. Hooker therefore decided on bringing matters to a point by informing El Hasbi that if any further difficulty was made, he should despatch a courier with letters for El Graoui and the Viceroy at Marocco, saying that the commander of our escort has failed to carry out the Sultan’s orders, and requesting that another should be sent in his place. As this was the last thing to suit El Hasbi’s book, he became profuse in assurances of devotion to our wishes, and for some days, at least, we had no reason to suspect him of further machinations to defeat our plans. In point of fact, a courier was sent on the following day with a letter for El Graoui. It was desirable to obtain the direct sanction of the authorities for our intention to remain several days in the district we had now reached, and to make it understood that this would be essential for the object of our journey.