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 CHAPTER XXIII

ON THE HIGH PLATEAUS

N arriving at Ujda after our rapid run of something over six hundred miles from the Atlantic to the edge of the High Plateaus that gradually merge into the Sahara, we were very much in need of a rest before setting out on our last long trip in Morocco that would carry us southward over three hundred miles to the oasis of Figig and we consequently welcomed the excuse for a short respite afforded to us by the promise of the newly arrived consul, Monsieur de Vitasse, to accompany us on his first inspection of this part of the district to which he had just been transferred from Cairo, if we would but delay our departure for three days. He not only gave us a most cordial welcome and this offer to accompany us, but also held out the very delightful prospect that Colonel and Madame Pariel were waiting to receive us in their distant oasis.

After three enjoyable days in Ujda under the kindly favor of Monsieur de Vitasse, we started south across the plain of Angad and soon found ourselves winding among the forest-covered, low mountain-ranges of El-Hamra, M'Sila and Mehasseur. Beyond these mountains, the last of which was the crest of Chekhar, began the flat