The night was overclouded, dark, and almost cold, and we were on foot at an early hour on the morning of May 30. The _kasbah_, standing on an elevated plateau, 3,085 feet (940·3 metres) above the sea-level, does not, owing to the undulating character of the surface, command any extensive view. Close beside it, a stream from the Atlas has excavated a broad trench, similar in structure to Aïn Tarsil, but very different in aspect. A streamlet here meanders along the flat bottom between walls of rock some 40 feet in height, and the more constant supply of moisture suffices to cover the floor of the miniature valley with a carpet of vegetation, and to support a fringe of tall water plants along the banks. We might probably have added several species to our lists if we could have devoted a day to botanising along the course of the stream; but in the existing state of the country that could not be thought of, and we contented ourselves with a morning stroll over the ground surrounding the _kasbah_, and along the neighbouring banks of the stream. As we wandered separately, Hooker was assailed with extraordinary vehemence by a negro woman. Not a word could, of course, be understood; but the objurgations of a virago are to some extent intelligible in every language. It was not possible to guess what induced this outpouring of threats and abuse, but it seemed probable that a botanist might unconsciously have done something to clash with the superstitious feelings of the natives. It is clear that the religion of Mohammed reaches but skin deep with the Bereber population, while traditional observances, derived from far more ancient religious systems, are still deeply rooted among them. Much to the relief of our escort, whose first anxiety was to get away from the troubled district, we started about 10 A.M. The Kaïd sent another message, again excusing himself from a personal interview. We afterwards learned that he had made a present of four dollars to each of our escort, of course with the object of procuring some degree of support and countenance at head-quarters.