Some said, “John, print it,” Others said, “No;” Some said, “It might do good,” Others said, “Not so.”

Whatever weight I might have been inclined to attach to the fluctuating expressions of friendly opinion contained in the above lines, there is at all events one ground on which I have been nearly tempted to allow the “noes to have it,” and that is the length of time which has elapsed since the return of the Mission.

The delay has been a matter of great regret to me; and its cause—viz. the long continuance of a severe fever, contracted either amid the scenes of which I write, or in that valuable but pestilential possession of Her Majesty, the Rock of Gibraltar—must also be my excuse for any imperfection of style or composition which may be found in this volume.

The work itself is merely an elaboration of my diary kept from day to day during my residence in the Sultan’s “happy realms;” and though the interest of the events recorded is not of a sensational or startling character, I think I may safely assert that truth—if nothing else—is to be found in the following pages.

I may mention that Leo Africanus, whose work on Marocco I have several times quoted, was a Moor of Granada, who fled to Fez when that city was besieged in 1492. He was patronised by Mulai Ahmed, founder of the present dynasty, and later in his career was captured by Christian corsairs, and taken to Rome. Here he was well received by Pope Leo X., who is said to have induced him to embrace Christianity, and to have baptized him under his own name. His book was translated into Latin and Italian, and was published in Venice in 1563 by Ramusio in his famous work, “Delle Navigationi e Viaggi.” In this form it found its way to England, and was, in 1600, rendered by Master John Pory into the quaint English of his time.

I obtained the outline of my map by enlarging that of the “Carte de l’Empire de Maroc,” executed in 1848 for the French War Department. The filling in of the interior on either side of the route we followed is from observations of my own, supplemented by information taken from a map by M. Tissot, lately French Minister at Tangier, and now Ambassador at Constantinople, to the extreme accuracy of whose work, as far as I could judge of it, I am able to testify. Upon the latter source, also, I am chiefly dependent for the geography of that part of the country, remote from our route, which I have not visited, but which is doubtless as correct as that which I was able to verify for myself. It is possible that my rendering of Arabic spelling into English may be thought pedantic or incorrect; but allowing for the corrupt form of Arabic spoken in Marocco, I have approached, as nearly as was feasible, to the now authorised Anglo-Oriental system. For the benefit of those who may be unacquainted with the “spelling of the future,” I may mention that

á sounds like a in harm, ú „ „ oo „ goose. í „ „ ee „ seed. î „ „ i „ smile. a „ „ u „ but. u „ „ u „ full. i „ „ i „ bit.

My sincere thanks are due to the Hon. D. Lawless, Rifle Brigade, for placing at my disposal the negatives of photographs he took during our tour. Of the very successful results obtained from them by Mr. Alexander Rivington, Lansdowne Road, Tottenham, readers of this book will judge. The peculiar appearance of the arch opposite page 242 is due to some photographic eccentricity; but as the details of the building are clearly brought out, and the crookedness of the picture does not lessen its architectural value, I have thought it best to retain it among the illustrations.

I am further much indebted to Sir Joseph Hooker, C.B., K.C.S.I., for his kindness in furnishing me with a list of the plants collected for him by Miss Drummond Hay during our wanderings, and which will be found in the Appendix. To others, also, who have tendered their advice or assistance in matters about which I was doubtful, I beg to offer my grateful