When the time for our departure drew near, a fresh, but not quite unforeseen, cause for delay presented itself, by the appearance in our camp of a crowd of native applicants for medical advice. Before leaving England we had been advised not to neglect the surest means for conciliating the good will of an African population, and had fortunately provided ourselves with a sufficient stock of common medicines. Even an ordinary traveller, with no more knowledge of medicine than the elementary notions possessed by most educated persons, may safely apply simple remedies in many of the cases of sickness that commonly occur among uncivilised people; but in our case there was no occasion for rash experiments, as Hooker’s medical knowledge and skill were more than sufficient for the needs of the patients who flocked in considerable numbers to ask for advice. From this time forward, except in one or two places where the people were withheld by the bigotry of the authorities, this became one of the daily demands upon his time and patience. To judge from our own observation of the Shelluh people, and the experience of French travellers among the Kabyles, it seems probable that a traveller having some knowledge of the Bereber language, and a little medical skill, who could once make his way among the independent tribes of East Marocco, might safely explore the unknown portions of the Great Atlas. The first condition would be, that he should be able to overcome or evade the obstacles that would be put in his way by the Moorish authorities; and the second, that he should avoid treating any case that was likely to have a fatal termination. The position of an infidel stranger who might be supposed to be accessory to the death of a native of one of these wild tribes would doubtless be very perilous. The only branch of natural history that could be followed by a traveller under such conditions would be botany. In collecting plants he would be supposed to be following his proper avocation; whereas the slightest attention given to stones or minerals would be set down to a search for treasure.