There remained a point of some botanical interest, which it was very desirable to clear up before our departure. The curious cactoïd _Euphorbia_, producing the Gum Euphorbium,[1] written of by Dioscorides and Pliny, grows in the interior provinces of South Marocco. The only modern writer who has given an account of it is Jackson,[2] who, though no botanist, was a careful and conscientious observer. In his account of the plant, and the accompanying plate, we had been struck by some apparent discrepancies. The gum, as he says, is obtained from the plant growing on the lower region of the Atlas; but the same plant is, according to him, abundant about Agadir, and is carried thence to Mogador for the use of the tanners. The Agadir plant, however, he declares to produce no gum. Further than this, in the plate annexed to his description, the left-hand figure, giving a view of the whole plant on a reduced scale, shows the thick fleshy branches, with four angles, as we had seen them in the specimen given to Hooker by the Kaïd at Mesfioua; while the right-hand figure, showing a fragment of the natural size, represents the end of a branch, with numerous (about ten) projecting fleshy ribs, beset with spines. Hooker came to the conclusion that there were possibly two quite distinct plants known to Jackson, and on returning to Mogador he proceeded to make inquiry on the subject. Before long a native was brought to us who appeared to be well acquainted with the Agadir plant, and who declared that it grows in abundance about half-way between that place and Mogador. Upon this Hooker became anxious to start at once for the purpose of personally examining the suspected plant, and securing live specimens for Kew. To this Mr. Carstensen felt it necessary to object. Matters, as he informed us, had been getting from bad to worse in the great province of Haha, which includes the whole sea-board between Mogador and Agadir. Between the discontent caused by repeated acts of unprovoked cruelty on the part of the Governor, and the results of the war still proceeding between him and his neighbours in Mtouga, the province had lapsed into a complete state of anarchy, and a European attempting to travel at such a time would be exposed to serious risk. It was reluctantly agreed by Hooker that our native informant, with a companion, should depart for the spot, which he professed to know, charged with the commission to bring back a donkey-load of specimens of the living plant.