After several brief halts, requisite for collecting new and rare plants by the way, we rested for half an hour in a shady spot near a well. Up to this point our course since morning had varied between due E. and SSE.; but for the remainder of this day’s journey our general direction was about ENE. The track slowly wound its way upwards amongst hills covered with _Retam_, till it reached the brow of a rounded eminence that overlooks a wide expanse of treeless plain extending eastward to the horizon, except where some low flat-topped hills were seen in the dim distance. We had now accomplished the first stage of our journey. We had traversed the zone of hilly country lying between the coast and the great plain of Marocco, on the verge of which we here stood. Leaving out of account a few prominences to be spoken of hereafter, the plain appears to the eye quite horizontal; but in fact there is a very perceptible inclination of about forty feet per mile from south to north, as it slopes from the foot of the Great Atlas towards the river Tensift, and a further slighter dip of about ten feet per mile from east to west, between the city of Marocco and Sheshaoua. The deficiency of water at once explains the great change in the vegetation, which was speedily perceptible in detail, but obvious to the eye from the first view of the country newly opened before us. Corresponding to this is a considerable change of climate, arising from the rapid heating of the surface by day, and the no less rapid cooling by radiation at night. We are already far from the equable climate of Mogador; and although the air in the shade is only pleasantly warm, we are happy to have the protection of pith helmets covered by turbans between our heads and the direct rays of the sun. The verge of the great plain over which we rode this afternoon is far less barren than the portion which yet lay before us; and we found several species characteristic of similar situations in Spain and Africa, along with some others, hitherto undescribed, that appear to be characteristic of this part of Marocco. Thus _Artemisia Herba alba_ became conspicuous, in some places almost covering the surface. Of the more noticeable herbaceous plants here seen were _Matthiola parviflora_, _Gypsophila compressa_, _Ebenus pinnata_ (rather common throughout the low country), _Onobrychis crista galli_, an _Elæoselinum_, near to _E. meoides_, and numerous _Compositæ_, of which _Cladanthus arabicus_ is one of the most conspicuous. We did not notice the fragrant odour which some travellers have found in the flowers of this species. To the same natural Order belong several undescribed plants, which became more abundant as we advanced into the interior of the country, belonging to the genera _Anacyclus_, _Matricaria_, _Anthemis_, and _Centaurea_.