Shortly before 10 A.M. we started for an easy ride of three hours over the undulating country that lies between Mskala and the _kasbah_ of Shedma, where we were to meet Mr. Carstensen. It was an agreeable change from the bare hills, with which we had of late been familiar, to enter on a comparatively well-wooded country. The Argan trees were nowhere so near together as to form what could be called a forest, but scattered in small clumps or single trees over the surface, so that nothing but a carpet of green turf was wanting to complete the resemblance to an English park. On reaching the _kasbah_, we found that our arrival was already expected. Our former host, the Governor’s corpulent son, had two rooms within the castle walls prepared for our reception, and before one o’clock we were installed in clean quarters, with iron bedsteads of European make, and cushions covered with Rabat carpets to complete the furniture. Soon after two o’clock notice of Mr. Carstensen’s approach reached the castle; the Governor’s son, with several armed men, went forth to meet him, and before long we had the pleasure of again greeting a gentleman to whose activity and thoughtful care we felt so much indebted. Much of the afternoon was naturally employed in giving an account of our doings. When we reached the close of the story, and Hooker spoke of his morning’s interview with the aged Governor, in whose stronghold we were lodged, and the favourable impression made by his appearance and demeanour, the reply was somewhat startling even to men who had learned something of the manners of the country. ‘Yes,’ said Mr. Carstensen, ‘he is a fine-looking fellow, but he is not much better than other men of his class. Last year he poisoned two friends of mine under very discreditable circumstances.’ The victims were men of consequence, near kinsmen of the Governor, and supposed to have much influence among the Shedma people who resided in Mogador. Early in the preceding year they were induced by hospitable messages to pay a visit to their powerful relative. Familiar with the ways of Marocco, and feeling sure that his friends were objects of jealousy and suspicion to the great man, Mr. Carstensen at once wrote an urgent letter, in which he expressed his strong anxiety for the safety of the visitors. He soon received a reply written in the most reassuring terms: ‘Far be it from me,’ wrote the Governor, ‘to harm these men; I shall take every care of them, and cherish them as if they were my own children.’ A few weeks later another letter reached Mogador: ‘Nothing could exceed the Governor’s grief at having to announce that one of his guests had been taken suddenly ill, and soon after died. Such, however, was the decree of Allah, and we must all be resigned to his will.’ Mr. Carstensen was not surprised when, a little later, another letter reached him, conveying in nearly the same terms an account of the death of the second guest.