A PRODUCTIVE COUNTRY. 195 an eminence in this spacious tent, resembled what we should imagine the patriarch Abraham to have been, entertaining his friends ; or Saul upon his throne, with his javeUn in his hand. He had twelve lanciers, six on each side of him in a row, standing with their lances erect, the Prince having one in his hand. It appears that this is the Arabian etiquette ; and the Arabs appeared much gratified that the prince had personified their sheik, with all the paraphernalia of royalty. His Royal Highness, whose mind seemed moved with the beauty of this country, sent for the Doctor and myself, and asked us if we had ever seen such a country before. We frankly confessed we had not. The prince smiled, and said, that the (jsehell) plain we were on, although extremely populous, and full of douars, could grow seventeen times as much corn as the inhabitants could consume ; that there was then corn enough in the matamores "" of this plain, to supply {El garh hamel) the whole of El garb, L e. the country north of the river Morbeya. * • The matamores are subterraneous depositories for corn, in which they preserve the wheat sound and good thirty years; but when a matamore is once opened, it is expedient to consume the corn immediately, otherwise it contracts what is called the matamore twang. These depositories are indispensable in countries exposed to drought, scarcity, or locusts, and should be adopted in our colony of South Africa, The art of constructing them is very peculiar, and I devoted some time in learning it.

* See the map of West Barbary.

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