File:Travels in the Atlas and southern Morocco. A narrative of exploration (1889) (14592716250).jpg

Identifier: travelsinatlasso00thom (find matches)
Title: Travels in the Atlas and southern Morocco. A narrative of exploration
Year: 1889 (1880s)
Authors: Thomson, Joseph, 1858-1895
Subjects: Morocco -- Description and travel Atlas Mountains
Publisher: New York : Longmans, Green, and co.
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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heirirrigating waters. In somewhat more than throe hours we reached theAsif el Mel, a mountain stream of no great dimensionsin the summer, but which later on becomes a ragingimpassable torrent, as the depth and character of thechannel sufficiently showed. At this )3oint we turned sharply south into themountains by way of the glen of the Asif el Mel.The scenery along our route calls for no detaileddescription. The glen winds in many sharp shortcurves, with slopes comparatively smooth and even,rising to a height of two to three thousand feet over-head. The formations are clay-slates with a cappingof cretaceous rocks, the escarped faces of which helpto break the monotony of the view. Midway up the glen we jiassed the village ofAlbedur, and shortly after mid-day a second, calledTiginsdel, at the commencement of the tiny Kaidshipof Marossa. At 1.30 we reached the head of the glen of theAsif el J\(el, and the residence of the Kaid. We foundthe Kaid and his people up in arms. All the inhabi-
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MAROSSA AND Till ASH- liL MHL. Z^i tants of the i^lens beyond were at war wilh liiui, andonly a sliort time before liad burned liis house to theground and carried off nearly everything lie possessed.Naturally he was by no means pleased to see us, asonly adding to his responsibilities. He would nothear of our pitching my tent outside, as he was in dailyexpectation of further attacks. With some diflicultya room was found for me—alive with vermin, as usual—and there I took up my quarters. At )\Iarossa the Atlas springs up very abruptly fromthe 5000 feet of its lower ranges to more than doublethat height, or from io,000 to ll,ooo feet. At thesame place the glen of the Asif el Mel divides into threeprofound gorges—those of the Wad Ait Gair runningsouth-west, and of the Wad Amsmctirt, to the south,cutting deep into the heart of the range. The third,or defile of the Wad Erght, is of less imposing depth,and runs east along the line of junction of the upperand lower heights. Between the

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