Chapter VI: Algeria (7)

A charming walk is afforded by the road from the gate just named, passing the _Jewish Burial Ground_ (Pl. D, 1), and descending in windings through olive and carob groves and ruins of old fortifications, to the beautiful =Anse de Sidi-Yahia=. Thence, at the lime-kiln and cement-works, we may either turn to the right and go through the tunnel under Fort Abd el-Kader (p. 263) back to the harbour, or we may follow the coast-road (p. 265) leading to the E. to the bay of Les Aiguades.

* * * * *

The *EXCURSION TO CAPE CARBON (there and back 3½–4 hrs.) is best made on foot or by mule (3 fr., attendant 1 fr.). We leave the town by the Porte du Cimetière and follow the rough road to the N.E., passing (on the left) the _Catholic Cemetery_ (Pl. C, D, 1), and ascending amidst rich vegetation on the E. slope of _Jebel Gouraya_ (p. 265).

Passing the pleasant path which diverges to the Petit Phare (482 ft.) on _Cape Bouak_, we soon reach the _Vallée des Singes_, whence we look down on the peaceful _Anse des Aiguades_ (p. 265), and the (1 hr.) _Pic des Singes_, on whose steep rocky slopes we may often see monkeys disporting themselves (comp. p. 171). Just beyond the short rock-tunnel, where the road ends, we obtain a superb **View of =Cape Carbon= (722 ft.), whose limestone precipices, descending sheer on every side, are crowned with a semaphore and the old lighthouse. We cross the low saddle between the _Anse des Salines_ (see below) on the left and the bay bounded by Cape Carbon and the Cape Noir (p. 130) on the right, and ascend past the _Old Lighthouse_ to the (20 min.) *_Semaphore_, from whose flat roof we have a splendid survey of the bay and of the bold coast of Great Kabylia as far as the _Ile Pisan_ (p. 130).

From the saddle just mentioned a path descends to the _New Lighthouse_ at the foot of Cape Carbon.

The beautiful new *COAST ROAD leads round the _Anse de Sidi-Yahia_ (p.
264), passing the marabout of that name and the large quarries and
skirting the abrupt slopes of _Cape Bouak_ (p. 264). It pierces the
point of the cape by means of a short tunnel, and ends, beyond the old
pumping-works, at the *=Anse des Aiguades=. Its extension to the new
lighthouse at Cape Carbon is projected.—When the sea is calm we may
row from the harbour of Bougie (4–5 fr.; bargain necessary), past Cape
Bouak and through the _Roche Percée_ at Cape Carbon, to the _Anse_ and
the _Pointe des Salines_, with the _Grotte Ste. Anne_. On the return
we may for variety land in the Anse des Aiguades and walk back to
Bougie by the coast-road.

The ascent of =Jebel Gouraya= (2166 ft.) takes 2–2½ hrs. on foot or 1¾ hr. by mule (3 fr., and fee of 1 fr.). We first follow the Rue du Gouraya and Chemin du Gouraya, or else a road on the Bridja Hill above the _Faubourg des Cinq-Fontaines_, to the Porte du Grand Ravin (Pl. B, 1). A steep road ascends thence in windings, through underwood, to the _Plateau des Ruines_, where there is a _Pénitencier_ for military convicts. Hence a path leads in ½ hr. to the small _Fort du Gouraya_, within which is the shrine of _Lalla Gouraya_. We then ascend to the right, round the fort, to the cairn on the W. peak, where we are rewarded with a charming view of the bay, the lower Sahel valley, the coast of Great Kabylia as far as Cape Sigli (p. 130), and Jebel Arbalou (p. 262).

Excursion to _Toudja_ (carr. 20–30 fr.), and drive viâ Taourirt-Ighil
to _Azazga_ (and Fort-National), see pp. 262, 261.

42. From Bougie through the Chabet el-Akra to Sétif.

72 M. ROAD. Motor-omnibus (p. 262) from Bougie at 6 a.m., in 7½ hrs.
(to Kerrata, déjeuner station, in 4¾ hrs.); from Sétif at 7 a.m., in
6½ hrs.; fare 25 fr. 20 or 12 fr. 20 c. (to Kerrata 11 or 4 fr.);
luggage at the rate of 10 fr. per 100 kilos (220 lbs.) for every 100
kilomètres (62 M.). Also a diligence to Kerrata, both from Bougie and
from Sétif: from Bougie at 3.30 a.m., in 7½ hrs., from Sétif, at 5
a.m., in 6 hrs. (allowing an hour for lunch at Kerrata, 11–12); fare
for the whole journey 15 fr. (intérieur 8 fr.). Those who do not care
for the unattractive drive from Kerrata to Sétif, where there is
direct correspondence in the direction of Constantine and Biskra only,
or who are bound for Djidjelli, will return at once from Kerrata to
Bougie.—Private carr. from one of the hirers at Bougie (p. 262) to
Sétif about 100–140 fr. (or to Kerrata and back 50–60 fr.). Motor-car
at Vogelweith’s (p. 262) ½ fr. per kilomètre Carr. from Sétif to
Bougie 120, half-open (calaffe) 100 fr.; it is possible to drive all
the way in one day, but in the reverse direction (Bougie to Sétif) it
is best to spend a night at Oued-Marsa or Kerrata.

The road skirts the gulf of Bougie (p. 130) all the way to the deep
depression of the Agrioun Valley. Between Bougie and Kerrata it passes
through the finest scenery of =Little Kabylia= or _Petite Kabylie_, a
wooded hill-region, thinly peopled by Berber tribes. The _Chaîne des
Babors_, the higher mountains, unlike those of the Jurjura (p. 258),
rise but little over the intermediate hills. The _Chabet el-Akra_ is
the grandest mountain-defile in Algeria.

_Bougie_, see p. 262. The ROAD leads through the suburb at the station and then to the S.W. across the plain of the _Oued Srir_ (p. 252).

Passing through the featureless plain on the right bank of the _Oued Sahel_ (p. 251), we obtain retrospects, growing finer as we advance, of Bougie and Cape Bouak and then of Cape Noir and Cape Carbon also. We soon reach the vine-clad coast-plain on the verge of the wooded hills of _Little Kabylia_, where the cork-oak abounds, and for a time turn away from the sea.

Halfway between Bougie and Cape Aokas the coast-plain narrows. High above the rocky shore the road mounts a spur of the _Beni Mimoun Djoua Mts._, and then the (10½ M.) _Pointe Tichi_, an offshoot of the _Beni Amrous_ hills, beyond which it descends, in view of the picturesque Cape Aokas and the coast as far as Cape Cavallo (p. 267), into the vine-clad valley of the _Oued Djemâa_. At the (12½ M.) bridge over the stony bed of the stream, we observe up the valley the _Beni Slimane Mts._ (4160 ft.) and those of _Beni Bou Aïssi_, with the lofty _Jebel Imoulentaour_ (5715 ft.).

Beyond the Djemâa valley begins one of the finest parts of the coast. The hills again come down close to the shore. The road passes the handsome _Villa Poizat_, with its great wine-cellars, and crosses the wild _Oued Zitoun_. On the slope above the torrent is a pretty farm-dwelling, nestling among eucalypti, bananas, and bamboos. We next round the _Cône d’Aokas_ (1519 ft.), precipitous all round, and come to a bend in the road at (15 M.) _Cape Aokas_, where we have a beautiful *View of the whole bay.

Just before the village of _Oued-Marsa_, 6 min. beyond the cape, is the prettily situated little _Hôt. du Cap Aokas_ (R. 2½–3, B. 1, déj. or D. 3½ fr., quite good). The road now enters the broad coast-plain between the _Oued Marsa_ and the Oued Agrioun, lately brought under cultivation, overlooked by the _Beni Hassain Mts._ (4567 ft.), and still showing a few vestiges of the primæval _Forêt d’Acherit_, a swampy region notorious for malaria.

We cross the _Oued Sidi Réhane_ and pass the village of that name, with its kubba shaded by venerable trees. A double tunnel under the bed of the torrential _Oued Sidi Resgoun_ next brings us to the broad mouth of the _Oued Agrioun_.

22 M. _Souk et-Tenine_ (Hôt. des Voyageurs, déj. 1½ fr., poor), the Monday market of the Beni Hassain, lies on a low hill at the entrance to the Agrioun valley. The road ascends on the left bank of the valley, flanked with cork-trees and beautiful underwood.

The road to _Djidjelli_ diverges at the 36th kilomètre-stone (22½ M.) to the left from the Sétif road.

The beautiful DJIDJELLI ROAD (from Bougie 60 M.; motor-omnibus daily,
fare 14 fr. 30 or 10 fr. 30 c.; diligence daily at 5 a.m., in the
reverse direction at 4 a.m., in 12 hrs., fare 10 or 7 fr.; provisions
should be taken for the journey) continues to skirt the bay of Bougie,
passing at places through fine old forest of cork-trees, pines, etc.,
thickly overgrown with creepers. It crosses the Oued Agrioun beyond
the 36th kilomètre-stone and the _Oued Boulzazène_, and then returns,
to the N.E., to the coast.

Near the 42nd kilomètre-stone (26 M.) begin the *_Grandes Falaises_, a
series of bold cliffs, extending along the coast for 1¼ M., through
which the road is tunnelled at places. Fine view of the bay behind us,
as far as Jebel Gouraya. We next skirt two secluded bays, separated by
_Jebel Afoerer_ (473 ft.), pass the _Pointe Ziama_ (450 ft.), and
cross the _Oued Ziama_.

32 M. _Ziama_ consists of a group of settlers’ dwellings near the site
of _Choba_, a Roman seaport, where there are still considerable
remains of the Roman town-walls, of baths dating from 196 A. D., and
of the Byzantine ramparts.

Beyond the cliffs of _Pointe Mansouria_ (hotel), off which rises the
rocky islet of that name, we come to (37½ M.) the mouth of the _Oued
Guelil_ or _Dar el-Oued_, near the stalactite _Grottes de Mansouria_
or _de Dar el-Oued_, discovered in 1901. The chief grotto, 165 yds.
long and 16 ft. high, is lighted with acetylene (adm. 1 fr.).

Passing several caverns on the coast, we next skirt the small _Anse de
Taza_, at the mouth of the _Oued Taza_, which, farther up, has carved
out a grand defile through the S. margin of _Jebel Taounnart_ (2546
ft.). Partly through cuttings and tunnels, the road now leads to (47½
M.) the village of _Cavallo_, near _Cape Cavallo_ (p. 130), the E.
limit of the bay of Bougie. Near it are large granite-quarries.

Off the rocky coast lie on the left the islets of _Grand_ and _Petit
Cavallo_ (p. 131). 50½ M. _Montaigne_ or _Agadie_ is the only European
settlement on this part of the coast. A little beyond the _Oued
Kissir_ a road diverges to the left to the lighthouse on the _Râs
Afla_ (p. 131). Our road skirts the wooded flanks of _Jebel Mes Ritan_
or _Mezritane_ (1294 ft.), and at the _Anse el-Kalâa_ sweeps round to
the S., inland. Lastly, passing the small _Anse des Beni-Caïd_ (see
below), it reaches the Porte de Bougie, the W. gate of—

60 M. =Djidjelli= (Café de France, R. 2 fr., déj. or D. 2 fr., quite
good; pop. 6400, incl. 5000 Mohammedans), a poor seaport, consisting
mainly of two streets planted with fine plane-trees. This was the
ancient _Igilgili_, once an important mart of the Carthaginians, which
in the middle ages long retained its trade as the seat of a Genoese
factory, but after its occupation by Horuk Barbarossa (p. 221) became
a mere den of pirates. The small _Harbour_, open towards the E., and
inadequately sheltered on the N. and N.E. sides, admits lighters and
fishing-boats only. On the adjacent _Crique de l’Ouest_ rise the
_Citadel_ and the _Poudrière_, an old fort. At the _Vigie_, the
clock-tower on the neighbouring aloe-clad hill, we enjoy a charming
view of the hill-region around, noted in spring for its gorgeous
wealth of flowers, backed by _Jebel Sedderts_ (3153 ft.) to the E. and
by the inland hills of Little Kabylia. To the W. of the town,
particularly on the headland between the Anse des Beni-Caïd and the
Anse el-Kalâa (see above), are many _Punic Rock Tombs_, now empty.

A highroad leads from Djidjelli to (42½ M.) _El-Milia_, (84½ M.)
_Collo_ (p. 131), and (95½ M.) _Robertville_ (p. 303; motor-omnibus in
10 hrs., fare 25 fr. 30 or 20 fr. 30 c.); another viâ (66 M.) _Mila_
(Hôt. du Commerce, R. 2 fr., déj. or D. 2 fr., tolerable), the Roman
_Mileum_ (with an interesting, well-preserved Byzantine town-wall), to
(102½ M.) _Constantine_ (p. 297).—Railway viâ El-Milia and Mila to
Constantine projected.

The SÉTIF ROAD ascends gradually to the S., on the left bank of the wooded Agrioun valley, at the E. base of the hills of the Beni Hassain (p. 266). On the opposite bank, on the slope of the finely shaped _Jebel Beni Bou Youssef_ (3061 ft.), runs the new mineral railway of Tadergount (see below). 25 M. _Aux Deux-Fontaines_ (about 410 ft.; inn).

The road ascends more steeply, high above the river-bed. At a bend just before the 43rd kilomètre-stone we have a splendid survey of the central Agrioun valley, enclosed in a semicircle by the lofty and barren crests of the _Chaîne des Babors_. The road then descends to the S.W. into the valley again. To the left we look into the lateral valley of the _Oued Tiraz_, with the iron-glance mines of _Tadergount_, on the slope of _Jebel Beni Felkaï_ (4452 ft.). Wild oleanders abound in the bed of the Agrioun. On the wayside are several Kabylian huts with orange and fig-gardens.

Beyond the 49th kilomètre-stone we see, high above us, on the right, _Beni-Ismaïl_ or _Smaïl_, a mission-house of the White Fathers (p. 247) called after the tribe of that name, placed near a waterfall between Jebel Imoulentaour (p. 266) and _Jebel Takoucht_ (6221 ft.).

Beyond the 50th kilomètre-stone (31 M.) two massive pillars of rock mark the lower end (about 590 ft.) of the **=Chabet el-Akra=, the grand ‘ravine of death’ (4½ M. long), between the bold and partly bush-clad Jurassic rocks of Jebel Takoucht, on the W., and _Jebel Adrar Amellal_ (5817 ft.) and _Kef Randek_, on the E. An inscription on the rock to the right records the construction of the extremely costly road (1863–70). Monkeys (p. 171) are sometimes seen on the hill-sides.

Near the 54th kilomètre-stone (33½ M.) the road crosses the stream, which dashes over huge rocks far below the bridge, whence we have a fine view down the valley. About ½ M. farther the valley again contracts to a narrow defile. An inscription on a slab of rock in the bed of the stream recalls the first march of French troops through the gorge (1864). In the foreground rises a great rocky cone called the *_Pain de Sucre_ (Arabic _Drâ-Kalawi_), apparently closing the valley. Passing some strange rock-dislocations, with vertical strata, we reach (35½ M.) the upper end of the gorge.

37½ M. =Kerrata= (1575 ft.; Hôt. du Chabet, R., déj., D., each 2½–4 fr., very fair; Hôt. de Kerrata, humble; Tues. market), a village of the _Beni Meraï_ tribe, lies in a bleak hill-plain, adjoining the stony S. slope of the Chaîne des Babors.

FROM KERRATA VIÂ AÏN-ABESSA TO SÉTIF, 34 M., pleasanter, by carr. or
cycle, than the main road viâ El-Ouricia, particularly in the reverse
direction. This road leaves the highroad near (3¾ M.) the mouth of the
_Oued Atteba_, one of the sources of the Agrioun, ascends its valley,
and crosses a pass to (17½ M.) _Aïn-Talaouart_. Here to the right
diverges the so-called Route des Caravansérails to the little town of
_Aïn-Roua_ (3806 ft.), at the foot of _Jebel Anini_ (5243 ft.), noted
for its mineral wealth, and to the sulphur-baths of _Hammam-Guergour_
or _Sidi el-Djoudi_, in the _Massif de Guergour_, which were already
known to the Romans. From Aïn-Talaouart our road turns to the S.E. and
ascends past the (20½ M.) village of _Aïn-Abessa_ (3616 ft.; Hôt.
Copel) to the saddle (4019 ft.) between _Jebel Megriss_ (5700 ft.) and
_Jebel Matrona_ (4679 ft.). Descending to the _Oued Bou Sellam_ (p.
251) the road here rejoins, a little before (30 M.) _Fermatou_ (see
below), the main road to (34 M.) Sétif.

The highroad ascends out of the Agrioun valley, soon offering a glimpse of _Jebel Babor_ (6575 ft.) on the left, and mounts in windings, to the S.E., through a once wooded hill-region to the (48 M.) _Tizi N’Béchar_ (2910 ft.), 1¼ M. below the large Berber village of _Takitount_ (3448 ft.), and 2 M. to the W. of _Aïn el-Hamda_, a village noted for its mineral water, known as ‘eau de Takitount’. We descend from the pass to (52½ M.) _Amoucha_ (Hôt. des Voyageurs, déj. 3½ fr.), in the upper valley of the Agrioun.

A road leads to the S.E. from Amoucha to (7½ M.) =Périgotville=, the
chief village in the Canton de Takitount, on the _Oued Aïn-Kebira_. It
lies on the site of the small Roman town of _Satafis_. The school-yard
contains a few antiquities. Diligence viâ _El-Ouricia_ (see below) to
_Sétif_ (p. 271).

As the road ascends we have another view of Jebel Babor. It winds up to the S. to the (59½ M.) _Teniet et-Tine_ (3806 ft.), a pass on the N. margin of the plateau of Sétif (p. 271) commanding fine views, and then descends to (64½ M.) _El-Ouricia_ (3543 ft.), a village near the head of the _Oued Bou Sellam_ valley (p. 251), with a few vineyards. 68 M. _Fermatou_, at the mouth of the brook of that name.

72 M. _Sétif_, see p. 271.

43. From Algiers to Constantine viâ Beni-Mansour, Sétif, and El-Guerrah.

288½ M. RAILWAY (comp. p. 173). Two express trains daily in 12¼–12¾
hrs. (fares 51 fr. 95, 37 fr. 10, 27 fr. 85 c.), one in the morning
(with dining-car), the other in the evening (sleeping-berth 15 fr.
extra). _El-Guerrah_ is the junction for Biskra (R. 44); _Le Khroub_
for Bona (R. 48) and Souk-Ahras (and Tunis; RR. 49, 51). Railway
Restaurants at Bouïra, Beni-Mansour, Sétif, El-Guerrah, and Le Khroub.

From Algiers to (107 M.) _Beni-Mansour_, see R. 37. The train now leaves the Sahel valley (p. 251), enters, to the S., the valley of the _Oued Mahrir_, and passes through a series of gorges flanked with blackish limestone rocks, between the hills of the _Beni Abbès_ on the left and the _Beni Mansour_ on the right, here almost uninhabited. To the left we have a final glimpse of the Jurjura range (p. 258) behind us.

115 M. _Les Portes-de-Fer_, the first station in the province of Constantine, with a Sunday market, lies at the entrance of the two passes over the _Chaîne des Biban_ (pl. of _bâb_, gate) or _Chabet es-Sétif_. These are the *_Grande-Porte_ (Arabic _Bâb el-Kebîr_), through which flows the _Oued Chebba_, the main branch of the Oued Mahrir, and the _Petite-Porte_ (_Bâb es-Serîr_), the ravine of its tributary the _Oued Bou-Ketoun_. The train runs through the former of these passes, a grand defile, where the rocks are curiously stratified.

125 M. _Mzita_ (1811 ft.) lies in a bleak plain on the S. margin of the Chaîne des Biban. The train now ascends rapidly to the S.E., between _Jebel Mzita_ (4813 ft.) on the left and _Jebel Kteuf_ (6109 ft.) on the right, to (130 M.) _Mansoura_ (2297 ft.), a village of immigrant peasants, with a sulphur-spring.

Leaving the Chebba valley, we next pass, to the E., through a tunnel of 2405 yds. (5 min.) into the _Medjana_, a lofty and unattractive plain on the N. borders of the _Monts du Hodna_ (see below).

149 M. =Bordj-Bou-Arréridj= (3002 ft.; Hôt. des Voyageurs, unpretentious; pop. 3500, incl. many Alsatian settlers; Wed. market), a small town adjoined by a large Berber village.

This is the best starting-point for the highly attractive TOUR TO
BOU-SAÂDA, which vies in interest with the excursions to Figuig (p.
204), Ghardaïa (p. 216), and Biskra (p. 279). The road (78 M.;
diligence at 4.30 a.m., in 17 hrs.; fare 10 fr. 10 or 6 fr. 60 c.;
returning from Bou-Sâada at 5 p.m.) turns to the S. into the valley of
the _Oued Ksob_, flanked on the W. and E. by _Jebel Gourin_ (3400 ft.)
and _Jebel Mâadid_ (6112 ft.). The stream, having forced a passage
through the _Monts du Hodna_, the N. borders of the lofty steppe,
where phosphates abound, is afterwards called _Oued M’Sila_ and falls
into the Chott el-Hodna (see below). In the E. side-valley of the
_Oued Oucedjiit_, 2 M. off the road, and 8 M. from Bordj-Bou-Arréridj,
lies _Lecourbe_ or _Ouled-Agla_, with scanty vestiges of the Roman
_Equizetum_ (?). On the S. edge of Jebel Mâadid, about 9½ M. to the E.
of the road, or reached from Bordj-Bou-Arréridj by diligence viâ (19
M.) _Bordj-R’dir_ (very poor inn), lie the extensive ruins (palaces,
minaret, etc.) of the Berber town of _Kalâa des Beni-Hammad_, the
residence of the Hammadites in 1001–90 (p. 263).

At (36 M.) the little town of _M’Sila_ (1539 ft.; Hôt. Duhoux, Hôt.
Reyre, both poor) we reach the _Plaine du Hodna_, a vast steppe, very
hot in summer, notable for its abundance of game and the thousands of
camels which browse on the extensive pastures. We cross several
river-beds, where curious rose-shaped crystals, ‘roses of the desert’,
are often found, and descend gradually past several artesian wells to
the S.E. to the _Chott el-Hodna_ (1312 ft.), a vast salt-lake, 44 M.
long and 12½ M. broad at its widest part, whose swampy shores are
enlivened by countless water-fowl. Between this lake and Bou-Saâda we
pass several shifting sand-hills.

78 M. =Bou-Saâda= (1903 ft.; cafés-hotels: Bailly, R. 2½–3, B. ¾–1,
déj. or D. 2½–3, pens. from 5 fr., all according to bargain; Aragonés;
pop. 7000, mostly Arabs, Mozabites, as to whom see p. 216, and Jews),
the chief scene of the ‘lettres familières’ of Col. Pein (p. 175) and
for ages a favourite resort of French painters of Oriental subjects,
is most charmingly grouped round the Kasba hill (a fine point of
view). The dates of its little *Palm Oasis rival those of the Sahara.
Busy Monday and Tuesday markets.

An important caravan-route (69½ M.; diligence every other day in 15
hrs.; 12 or 10 fr.; provisions necessary) connects Bou-Saâda with
_Djelfa_ (p. 215). To the E. of the road, 9½ M. to the S. of
Bou-Saâda, on the Oued Bou-Saâda, lies the zaouïa of _El-Hamel_, a
famous seminary for priests, where good quarters are obtainable.

From Bou-Saâda to _Aumale_, see pp. 251, 250.

The train now turns to the S.E., in view of the Hodna Mts. (p. 270) to the right, crosses several affluents of the _Oued Ksob_ (p. 270), and passes unimportant stations.

164 M. _Aïn-Tassera_ (3395 ft.). Thence to the N.E. to (168 M.) _Tixter-Tocqueville_, the station for _Tocqueville_ (Arabic _Râs el-Oued_), 8½ M. to the S., the ancient Roman _Thamalla_, with remains of a Byzantine fortress, and beds of phosphate near it.

On the left, farther on, we have a view of the _Massif de Guergour_ (p. 269), usually snow-clad in winter. We then enter the valley of the _Oued Bou Sellam_ (p. 251). 176½ M. _Hammam_; 184½ M. _Mesloug_, in the _Plateau de Sétif_, one of the granaries of Algeria, but often bitterly cold in winter.

191½ M. =Sétif.=—_Rail. Restaurant._—HOTELS (comp. p. 174), all in
the Rue de Constantine: _Hôt, de France_, R. 3½–4, B. 1½, déj. 3½,
D. 4, omn. 1 fr., well spoken of; _Hôt. de Paris_, R. from 2, déj.
or D. 2 fr., plain but quite good; _Hôt. d’Orient_, similar
charges.—_Brasserie Gambrinus_, in the Hôt. de France.—MOTOR OMNIBUS
viâ Kerrata to _Bougie_ (comp. p. 265).—DILIGENCES to _Bougie_, to
_Hammam-Guergour_ (p. 269) viâ Aïn-Roua, and to _Périgotville_ (p.
269).

_Sétif_ (3596 ft.; pop. 21,790, incl. 7800 Mohammedans and 1800 Jews), on one of the highest sites in Algeria, stands on a slight eminence to the N.W. of the station. It was the _Sitifis_ of the Romans, which became the capital of the new province of _Mauretania Sitifensis_ in 297 (comp. p. 244), but after the irruption of the Arabs it lost all importance. Horse-breeding is one of the chief resources of the natives, and the horse-races are famous.

From the suburb near the station we enter the town through the Porte de Constantine. Near the Porte d’Alger, in the Place Nationale, adorned with a fountain, rise the _Hôtel de Ville_ and the new _Mosque_. In the _Jardin d’Orléans_, outside the Porte d’Alger, are a few Roman antiquities (altars, tombstones, etc.). The old Byzantine fortress with its eleven towers, to the N. of the town, has been converted into the _Quartier Militaire_. Outside the Porte de Biskra, where the Marché Arabe is held daily, lies a large _Berber Village_ with thatched houses.

On the old Roman road to Saldæ (Bougie), which runs past the E. side
of the Jardin d’Orléans (see above), about 1 M. to the N.W. of the
town, rises the _Mausolée de Sétif_ (popularly called Tombeau de
Scipion), a rectangular edifice, 10 by 8 yds., on a basement with two
steps, one of the best-preserved Roman tombs in Algeria.

From Sétif through the _Chabet el-Akra_ to _Bougie_, see R. 42.

The region between Sétif and El-Guerrah is one of the dreariest in Algeria. 200 M. _Chasseloup-Laubat_ (3445 ft.).

210½ M. _St. Arnaud_ (3117 ft.; Hôt, de la Gare, poor), a small town of 2100 inhab., on the N. border of the barren _Plaine des Eulmas_, with its small salt-lakes, continued to the N.E. by the _Plateau des Sbakh_ (p. 274).

The EXCURSION TO DJEMILA, 19 M. to the N. of St. Arnaud, toilsome but
very repaying, is best made in one day, as there are no good
night-quarters on the route. We start very early, by mule, carrying a
supply of food. We follow the highroad to _Sillègue_ (diligence in the
aft.) as far as the (12 M.) crossing of the bridle-path from Sétif,
and ride thence to the N.E. in about 2 hrs. to =Djemila=, a poor
Berber village on a narrow and lofty plateau amid barren mountains.
This was once the Roman _Cuicul_, whose ruins, partially excavated of
late, are the finest memorials in Algeria of the late-Roman epoch. The
W. entrance to the forum was the _Arch of Caracalla_, a single gateway
40 ft. high, of the year 216, recently marred by a buttress for its
support. On the S.E. side of the forum is a _Temple_, of which part of
the peribolos (55 by 37 yds.) and the walls of the cella alone
survive. To the N.W. of the forum are remains of a _Fountain_. In the
S.W. part of the ancient town are the ruins of _Thermae_. The
*_Theatre_, which originally had 24 tiers of seats, is remarkable for
its well-preserved stage, 37 by 8 yds., and still 19 ft. in height,
the front-wall being similar to that of Timgad (p. 293) or of
Khamissa, etc.

220 M. _Navarin_ (3170 ft.; Arabic _Bîr el-Arkh_); 228 M. _St. Donat_ (2812 ft.), on the _Rhumel_ (p. 297).

239 M. _Mechta-Châteaudun_, station for _Châteaudun-du-Rhumel_ (2625 ft.), a small town 5½ M. to the N., on the Sétif and Constantine road, with a great Thursday cattle-market. Near it are extensive pastures, enlivened in summer by thousands of Sahara nomads with their herds of camels.

250½ M. _Oued-Séguin-Télergma_ (2480 ft.), in the _Plaine de Télergma_, where the neighbouring garrisons have their summer training. It is the station for (5½ M.) the little town of _Oued-Séguin_ (2474 ft.), on the river of that name, a tributary of the Rhumel, and for _Oued-Athménia_, with the splendid thermæ of the Roman villa of Pompeianus, and _Aïn-Smara_, with its marble quarries, two villages on the Sétif and Constantine road.

265½ M. =El-Guerrah= (2412 ft.; Rail. Restaurant; Hôt. de la Gare, R. 3, D. 3½ fr., quite good), junction of the line from Constantine to Batna and Biskra (R. 44), lies on the _Garah_ or _Guerrah_, one of the sources of the Oued Bou Merzoug (see below). The station occupies an isolated site on a steppe enclosed by barren mountains. Extensive view to the S.W. towards Batna.

The Constantine train descends to the N.E. into the _Oued Bou Merzoug_ valley.

271½ M. _Ouled-Rahmoun_ (2264 ft.; Rail. Restaurant, plain), around which are many megalithic tombs.

FROM OULED-RAHMOUN TO AÏN-BEÏDA AND KHENCHELA, 91½ M., narrow-gauge
line in 5¾–6¼ hrs.; fares 15 fr. 80, 11 fr. 75, 8 fr. 85 c. (change at
Aïn-Beïda). The line traverses a hilly steppe, ascending to the S.E.
along the Oued Bou Merzoug, the main stream of which is called _Oued
Kleb_ farther up. 7½ M. _Sigus_ (2523 ft.), on the site of the Roman
town of that name, with scanty relics of a forum-basilica with three
halls. Near it are a Roman and a contemporaneous Berber burial-ground,
the latter containing many dolmens (p. 324) and also remains of old
quarries. Beyond (20½ M.) _Aïn-Fakroun_ (3032 ft.) we ascend rapidly
to the _Col d’Ourkis_ (about 3480 ft.), which crosses one of the
offshoots of the _Plateau des Sbakh_ (p. 274). 41 M. _Canrobert_ (3041
ft.; Arabic _Um el-Buaghi_), at the S. base of _Jebel Sidi R’gheïss_
(5341 ft.; with argentiferous lead-mines). The line runs to the E.,
across an upland plain where ruins abound.

58 M. =Aïn-Beïda= (3307 ft.; Hôt. d’Orient, Hôt. de Paris, both
rustic; pop. 2400), in the territory of the _Haractas_, a large Berber
tribe differing but slightly from Arabs, is the starting-point of a
road (diligence in 11 hrs.; railway under construction) viâ (20 M.)
_Meskiana_ to (52½ M.) _Tebessa_ (p. 315). The _Jardin Public_
contains several Roman inscriptions.

From Aïn-Beïda the line turns to the S.W. towards the spurs of the
_Aurès Mts._ (p. 278). Stations unimportant. 72½ M. _Tarf_, near the
salt-works of the great salt-lake _Garaet et-Tarf_ (2723 ft.). Far to
the left rises _Jebel Tafrent_, rich in phosphates. 83 M. _Baghaï_
(2914 ft.), on the _Oued Baghaï_, formerly _Bagai_, was one of the
chief towns of the Donatists in the 4th cent. (Thamugadi being the
other, p. 289), where in 394 a council of 310 Donatist bishops was
held, but after the 12th cent. it fell to decay. The only memorial of
its ancient importance is the ruinous _Ksar Baghaï_, a Byzantine
fortress (built in the time of Justinian, after 539), 360 by 335 yds.,
with 25 towers. On the N.W. side is a castle dominated by a keep 84
ft. high.—The line then winds up to—

91½ M. =Khenchela= (3730 ft.; Hôt. de France, Hôt. du Square, both
poor), a little town of 2900 inhab., once the Roman _Mascula_, the key
of the E. Aurès passes, and still the starting-point of important
caravan-routes to the Sahara. It carries on a thriving art-industry
(manufacture of trinkets, etc.) and holds a busy Tuesday market. The
Roman ruins were swept away when the present town was founded about
1860; but there is a small collection of antiquities (conservator M.
Catalogne).

Road to Timgad, Lambèse, and Batna, see p. 286. From that road another
diverges to the left to (4½ M.) _Aïn-el-Hammam_ (about 3940 ft.),
prettily situated in the wooded valley of the brook of that name, with
a hot chalybeate spring (158° Fahr.). This was the _Aquae Flavianae_
of the Romans, whose *_Thermae_, probably erected under Vespasian, and
restored under Septimius Severus in 208, the best-preserved in
Barbary, are now again in use. We note specially the round hall, once
domed, with its circular piscina 26 ft. in diameter, and the large
open piscina, 45 by 33 ft., with two vaulted lateral passages, flanked
with side-rooms and basins.—A bridle-path leads to the S.W. from
Aïn-el-Hammam to (12½ M.) the forester’s house of _Aïn-Mimoun_ (4413
ft.), amidst fine cedar-woods (p. 210), whence we may descend to the
N.E. to _Foum-Tizourit_ on the Batna road.

278½ M. =Le Khroub= (2051 ft.; Rail. Restaurant; Hôt. Victoria, near the station; Hôt. d’Orient; pop. 9700, all Mohammedans but 500), the next station on the Constantine railway, has an important cattle-market. On a stony hill to the E. of the town (2527 ft.), about 1 hr. from the railway, rises the _Mausolée du Khroub_, called by the natives _Sauma_ (tower), the tomb of a Berber prince of pre-Roman times, built of huge blocks of stone in the Græco-Punic style. The square pedestal, resting on a basement in three steps, and part of the groundfloor adorned with round shields still exist. The upper story, which consisted of a hall resting on eight Doric columns with a grooved cornice, and the conical (?) summit were probably destroyed by an earthquake.

From (Constantine) Le Khroub to _Bona_, see R. 48; to _Souk-Ahras_
(_Tebessa_, _Tunis_), see R. 49.

Near (281½ M.) _Oued-Hamimin_ we sight the suburbs of Constantine to the left. To the left rises also _Jebel Chettaba_ (p. 297). 286 M. _Hippodrome_, station for the Constantine race-course.

287 M. _Sidi-Mabrouk_, a villa-suburb of Constantine. To the left, on the Batna road, are five arches of the *_Roman Aqueduct_, once extending from Ras el-Aïn Bou Merzoug (near Ouled-Rahmoun, p. 272) to the Coudiat-Aty (p. 297), a distance of 23 M.

At the foot of the _Plateau de Mansoura_ (2303 ft.) the train enters the _Rhumel Valley_. On the left are the blue-washed houses of the native quarter of (288½ M.) _Constantine_ (p. 297).

44. From Constantine to Biskra viâ El-Guerrah and Batna.

149 M. RAILWAY. Through-train, including a 1st class saloon carriage
(10 fr. extra) with ‘wagon-restaurant’ in winter, in 7 hrs.; ordinary
train in 8¾ hrs. (fares 26 fr. 85, 19 fr. 20, 14 fr. 40 c.). Views to
the right as far as Fontaine des Gazelles. Railway Restaurants at
El-Guerrah, Batna, and El-Kantara.

Among the intermediate stations _Batna_ is important only as the
starting-point for Lambèse and Timgad (R. 45). _El-Kantara_ deserves a
stay of some days for the sake of its own scenery and as a base for
excursions to Tilatou, the Maâfa valley, etc.

From Constantine to (23 M.) _El-Guerrah_, see above and pp. 273, 272. Passing (31 M.) _Aïn-M’Lila_ (2527 ft.), we reach the _Plateau des Sbakh_, the great steppe of E. Algeria, with its numerous salt-lakes, ‘dreary in the extreme, yet grand in its motionless repose, with tufts of grey-green alfa growing here and there on the salt soil, backed by the bold precipices and pinnacles of bare rocky mountains’. Appropriate accessories are, however, furnished now and then by the huts or tents of nomadic tribes with their herds.

On the right rises the bare _Jebel Nif-Ensser_. Farther on we obtain, especially by morning light, a fine view of the salt-lake of _Tinsilt_, backed by the spurs of the Sahara Atlas (p. 170).

42½ M. _Les Lacs_ (2592 ft.), on the neck of land between Lake Tinsilt and (on the left) _Chott Mzouri_. We now traverse a long embankment crossing Lake Tinsilt, which is often enlivened by flamingoes and wild-duck. 53 M. _Aïn-Yagout_ (2891 ft.).

58 M. _Fontaine-Chaude_ (about 2790 ft.), with a few tents of nomads, near the small _Oued Mader_.

Just before the station we observe on the left the =Medracen= (Arabic
_Madghasen_), a pre-Roman royal tomb (of Masinissa?), the finest of
the kind in Algeria after the Tombeau de la Chrétienne (p. 238). The
huge monument (reached by a field-road from the station in 1¼ hr.)
stands in an ancient Berber burial-ground on the flat saddle between
two low, bare ranges of hills, about halfway between Fontaine-Chaude
and the (6 M.) _Sebkha Djendeli_, the ancient _Lacus Regius_. The
Medracen, one of the few existing tumulus-tombs in the Græco-Punic
style, consists of a massive cylindrical basement, 64 yds. in diameter
and only 14½ ft. high, on which rises a conical pyramid in twenty-four
steps, crowned with a platform of 12½ yds. in diameter (the total
height being 60 ft.). The sixty unfluted Doric half-columns recall the
oldest Greek temples of Sicily, while the concave moulding above the
architrave is Egyptian in character. The rude engravings on the
basement, as well as the Libyan and late-Punic inscriptions, are
ancient. Of the vestibule, 26 by 16 yds., but few vestiges are left.
The straight passage leading to the two small tomb-chambers in the
centre of the building collapsed in 1865. The two other shafts were
bored by treasure-hunting natives.

In the lofty valley of the Oued Mader we now reach the N. fringe of the Sahara Atlas, between the spurs of the _Bellezma Mts._ on the W. and _Jebel Bou Arif_ (5728 ft.), a range parallel on the N. with the Aurès Mts. (p. 278).

62½ M. _El-Mader-Pasteur_ (2851 ft.) is the station for _El-Mader_, the Roman _Casae_, a village with a little Byzantine fortress, situated 5 M. to the S.E., at the foot of Jebel Bou Arif. A road leads from this station also to (8 M.) _Pasteur_ and (19 M.) _Zana_.

The village of _Pasteur_ (two inns), on the _Oued Seriana_, was the
ancient _Lamiggiga_. In the market are Roman and early-Christian
relics.

=Zana= (no inn), the Roman _Diana Veteranorum_, a considerable colony
of veterans, has several interesting ancient buildings. A triumphal
arch of 165 A. D. is well preserved with the exception of the attica.
An arch of Macrinus (217 A. D.) formed afterwards part of a small
Byzantine fortress. The portal of a temple is still standing. The
ruined Byzantine church in the forum was built chiefly of materials
from Roman ruins.

The train mounts a steep gradient to (66½ M.) _Fesdis_ (3032 ft.), in a defile scantily overgrown with bushes, between _Jebel Azeb_ (4485 ft.; on the left) and the Bellezma Mts.

73 M. =Batna.=—_Rail. Restaurant_, déj. 3, D. 3½ fr., good.—HOTELS
(sometimes crowded in the season): _Hôt. des Etrangers_, Rue de Sétif.
R. 3–4, B. 1½, déj. 3–3½, D. 3½–4, omn. ¾–1 fr.; _Hôt. de Paris_, Rue
de Constantine, next the town-hall, R. 2½, B. 1¼, déj. 2½, D. 3, omn.
½ fr., plain but good; _St. Georges_, Rue de Sétif, unpretending
(attentive host).

_Batna_ (3412 ft.; pop. 7500, incl. 2400 Mohammedans and 700 Jews), founded in 1844 as a military base for the advance upon Biskra, and now the chief military station in S. Constantine and the key to the important Sahara pass of El-Kantara, is a peaceful country-town with regularly-built streets, and offers no attraction save perhaps the ‘_Village-Nègre_’ (comp. p. 181), to the S.E. of the Quartier Militaire. It lies near the sources of the Oued Mader in a broad valley, often very cold in winter, between the wooded Bellezma Mts. on the W., Jebel Azeb (see above) on the N.E., and the spurs of the Aurès Mts. (p. 278) on the S.

Tho finest point of view is =Jebel Touggour= or _Pic des Cèdres_ (6870
ft.), to the W. of tho town, a grand pyramid belonging to the Bellezma
group. A rough road (mule 4–5 fr.), leading close past the station,
ascends the valley to the W. and then the _Ravin des Gardes_, between
Jebel Touggour and _Jebel Bou Merzoug_ (5840 ft.), to (7½ M.) the
_Maison Forestière Oued Hamla_. Thence a bridle-path on the richly
wooded S. slope of Jebel Touggour; lastly a climb, towards the N.E.,
through ancient but neglected cedar-forest (p. 210), to the (4 hrs.)
summit. The immense panorama embraces tho Bellezma group and the
distant Hodna Mts. (p. 270) to the W., the Plateau des Sbakh and the
Tell Atlas near Constantine to the N.E., the long range of the Aurès
Mts. to the S.E. and S., and part of the Sahara to the S.W.

From Batna to _Lambèse_ and _Timgad_, see R. 45.

Beyond Batna the train crosses the watershed (3543 ft.) between the Plateau des Sbakh and the Sahara. Far away to the S.W. are seen Jebel Metlili and the depression of the pass of El-Kantara (see below). 80 M. _Lambiridi_ (3527 ft.), near the scanty ruins of the Roman town of that name.

We descend the broad valley of the _Oued el-Ksour_ or _Oued Aïn Touta_, one of the sources of the Oued Biskra (p. 279), to (94 M.) _Mac-Mahon_ (3002 ft.; Arabic _Aïn-Tuta_), a poplar-shaded oasis and alfa station (p. 171), originally founded by Alsatians. The next part of the line, through a steppe furrowed by the brook and the winter rains, is curious and interesting.

99 M. _Les Tamarins_ (about 2460 ft.) is not far from the famous gorge of the stream, here called _Oued Tilatou_ (comp. p. 277).

The train next threads tunnels and cuttings through the saddle between the Tilatou valley and that of the _Oued Fedhala_ or _Guebli_, the second feeder of the Oued Biskra, whence we descend in a wide bend to the E. to (103 M.) _Maâfa_ (about 2130 ft.), at the influx of the brook _Maâfa_ into the Fedhala (excursion to the Maâfa valley, see pp. 277, 278).

In the foreground we again sight the bold rocky slopes of El-Kantara. We recross the Oued Guebli, which, below the mouth of the Tilatou (see above), is named _Oued el-Kantara_, skirt the S.E. base of the Metlili (p. 277), and cross the stream to—

114 M. =El-Kantara.=—_Rail. Restaurant._—HOTEL (comp. p. 174). *_Hôt.
Bertrand_, with view, R. 3–3½, B. 1, déj. 3–3½, pens. 10, omn. ½
fr.—POST OFFICE, opposite the hotel.—CARRIAGE 2½ fr. per hour.—MULE
with English saddle, per day 5 fr., with Arabian saddle 3½ fr. (in the
villages of the oasis 2½ fr., when not ordered through a guide).

_El-Kántara_ (1772 ft.; ‘the bridge’, so named from its Roman bridge), the Roman _Calceus Herculis_, one of the most important caravan-stations in E. Algeria prior to the opening of the railway, owes its fame to the grand gorge of the Oued el-Kantara, called by the natives _Fumm es-Sahara_ (‘mouth of the desert’). The river here suddenly emerges from a wild Alpine region, flanked by the red limestone rocks of _Jebel Gaous_ and _Jebel Essor_, into a highly picturesque palm-oasis, below which it skirts the spurs of the _Aurès Mts._ (p. 278) and careers rapidly down to the Sahara.

From the station the road on the left bank, overlooking the river-bed, with its profusion of wild oleanders, and the charming orchards on the floor of the valley, descends in 10 min. to the _Hôtel Bertrand_, situated at the finest and wildest point of the ravine, in a basin almost entirely shut in by grey rocky slopes. A few hundred paces farther, just before the mouth of the *Gorge (here barely 45 yds. wide), is the _Roman Bridge_, which was too thoroughly restored in 1862 under Napoleon III., carrying the old road, now partly destroyed by a landslip, from the right bank of the river to the left. From the bridge we enjoy a peculiar and striking view across the palm-oasis to the red weather-worn rocks of the Montagne d’Albâtre (p. 278). A similar view is offered by the _Iron Bridge_, 8 min. lower down, whence we may look back also into the ravine with Jebel Metlili rising behind it.

The neighbouring *OASIS (pop. 3500), with its three mud-built villages, inhabited exclusively by natives of Berber descent, is, next to Bou Saâda (p. 270), the northmost palm-oasis in Barbary. From the iron bridge the road leads past a kubba and cactus-gardens to (12 min.) _Dahraouïa_, the only village at the foot of the red rocks of the right bank of the stream, named also _Village Rouge_ from the red mud-walls of the houses at its W. end, below the old burial-ground. The flat roof of the lower mosque, situated on the steep bank of the stream, affords a splendid view of the village and of the oasis as far as the Village Noir (see below).

We now descend through luxuriant gardens to the right bank of the El-Kantara, above which the village extends picturesquely, cross the stream 10 min. lower down (by mule, or wading, or carried by a native), and then, from the generally dry bed of the _Rivière Blanche_ (p. 278), mount to the right to _Bourabès_ or _Village Noir_. From the N. end of this village we ascend the valley in 8 min. to _Gueraguère_ or _Khrekar_, known also as the _Village Blanc_, the largest village in the oasis. We may walk through it and regain the hotel in 20–25 minutes.

If the El-Kantara is swollen we must return from Dahraouïa to the iron bridge and visit Gueraguère and Bourabès from the left bank. By carriage (7½ M., in 1½ hr.) we drive viâ Dahraouïa to the S. end of the oasis, and return on the left bank viâ Bourabès and Gueraguère. In the villages themselves we alight that we may better appreciate the novelty of the scene.

The *=Jebel Metlili= (4900 ft.), a range of hills to the N.W. of
El-Kantara, scantily overgrown with scrub and alfa-grass (p. 171),
commands a splendid view of the steppe of El-Outaya (p. 278) and the
Sahara, as well as of the fringes of the Sahara Atlas as far as Jebel
Ahmar-Khaddou (p. 284). The clearness of the air and the wonderful
effects of light and shade enhance the fascination of the scene. The
mule-track (2½–3 hrs.) leads to the W. through the valley of the
generally dry _Oued Chebba_ and then winds up through a gorge and over
the hill-side to the summit. On the way are sometimes seen gazelles
and aoudads or maned sheep (Ovis tragelaphus, Arabic arwi;
occasionally even at El-Kantara).

The excursion to the *=Gorges de Tilatou= takes a whole day, or about
5–6 hrs. only if we go by train to _Les Tamarins_ (p. 276), sending
mules thither beforehand (provisions should be taken). Travellers from
Biskra should go by the morning train to El-Kantara and proceed thence
on mule-back to Les Tamarins, where they arrive in time for the
afternoon train to Constantine.—The very picturesque entrance to the
Tilatou valley is about 3 M. to the N.W. of El-Kantara. The grandest
part of the gorge is at the Berber village (dasbera) of _Tilatou_,
with its curious, still partly inhabited rock-dwellings. The village
lies about halfway between the mouth of the river and the station of
_Les Tamarins_.

A visit to the _Maâfa Valley_ takes a whole day from El-Kantara, or
from the _Maâfa_ station (p. 276), with the ride back to El-Kantara,
6–7 hrs. at least. The mule-track leads past the S. base of _Jebel
Groun_ (3905 ft.) and the small mosque of _Sidi Yahia_ to the
rock-villages of _Fetatcha_ and _Ameradsa_, inhabited by the Chaouïa
(see below), at the entrance to the wildest parts of the ravine. Good
riders may return to El-Kantara viâ _Beni-Ferah_ (see below).

The =Aurès Mts.=, the _Mons Aurasius_ of antiquity (Arabic _Auras_),
inhabited almost exclusively by the _Chaouïa_ (‘shepherds’), a Berber
tribe, not subdued by the French until 1845, rise to the E. of
El-Kantara, culminating in _Jebel Chelia_ (7634 ft.) and _Kef Mahmel_
(7615 ft.), the two highest peaks in Algeria. This grand
mountain-region, with the wild and interesting valleys of the _Oued
Abdi_ and the _Oued el-Abiod_, is as yet almost inaccessible to
tourists, no quarters being obtainable except by the courtesy of the
French officials or of the natives. A tour here, especially in winter,
necessitates almost as tedious and costly preparations as travelling
in Morocco (comp. p. 97). Better communication will, however, be
provided by the new, still unfinished road from _Markouna_ (p. 289) to
_Biskra_ (p. 279), by way of _Medina_ (4780 ft.) and _Aris_ (3842
ft.), opening up the head of the Oued el-Abiod valley, thence
following the line of the ancient Roman road through the grand _Ravine
of Tighanimine_, and descending from the zone of the cedar-forests to
_M’chounech_ and _Droh_, the palm-oases on the _Ahmar-Khaddou_ (p.
284).

A glance at the wild scenery of the Aurès Mts. is obtained by riding
past the _Jebel Haouidja_ (see below) to (10 M.) _Aïn-Zatout_ or
_Beni-Ferah_ (about 2950 ft.), a picturesque hill-village of the _Beni
Ferah_ tribe. Strength permitting, we may ride thence to the S. to
(17½ M.) *_Djemmorah_ (quarters at the sheikh’s) and (29 M.) _Branis_
(988 ft.), two palm-oases in the lower Oued Abdi valley, belonging to
the _Ouled Ziane_, the only Arab tribe in the Aurès, and to (42½ M.)
_Biskra_ (p. 279).

After leaving El-Kantara the RAILWAY passes through three short tunnels into the _Gorge of El-Kantara_ (p. 276). Near the Roman bridge we obtain a striking glimpse of the _Palm Oasis_, which, farther on, beyond the bed of the _Rivière Blanche_, we survey in its full extent. Looking back, on the right, we have a fine view of the red rocks in the gorge.

Running to the S.W., generally close to the Oued el-Kantara, the train skirts the slopes of the _Montagne d’Albâtre_ or _Kef ed-Darsa_, a spur of _Jebel Haouidja_ or _Jebel Kteuf_, which are geologically interesting and have a splendid red glow in the sunshine.

125 M. _Fontaine des Gazelles_ (1280 ft.) lies in a stony waste between _Jebel Selloum_ (2569 ft.), the S.W. buttress of Jebel Haouidja, and the singular _Jebel Kroubset_. The small sulphur-baths of _Hammam Sidi el-Hadj_, ½ hr. to the S.E. of the station, used by the natives only, occupy the site of the Roman _Aquae Herculis_; an elliptical Roman piscina, 107 yds. in circumference, still serves as a bath. The spring (97° Fahr.) rises at the N. base of _Jebel el-Melah_ or _Gharribou_ (2057 ft.), noted for its rock-salt.

Nearing (131 M.) _El-Outaya_ (905 ft.), we survey on the right the extensive steppe of _El-Outaya_ (‘the plain’), a kind of forecourt of the Sahara, bounded on the S. by the Chaîne de Sfa (p. 282) and Jebel Matraf. The soil is white with saltpetre in places. To the left, beyond the station is a small palm-grove.

A little before (138 M.) _Ferme Dufourg_, the station for a modelfarm 2½ M. to the W., on the right bank of the stream, we sight on the left the hills of _Ahmar-Khaddou_ (p. 284), sometimes snow-clad in winter, the landmark of Biskra.

We cross the _Plaine de Dar-Raous_ or _Dar el-Aroussa_, often enlivened by gazelles; it lies between the Aurès streams _Oued Bou Gatou_ and _Oued Abdi_ (p. 278), which here fall into the El-Kantara, now called _Oued Biskra_.

Beyond the ‘_Col des Chiens_‘, a barren gorge at the foot of _Jebel el-Mlaga_ (p. 282), we observe on the left the _Barrage_ of the Oued Biskra, constructed in 1897 and guarded by a block-house. On the right lies the Catholic cemetery and in the distance are the palm-oases of—

149 M. =Biskra.= The STATION (Pl. A, 1) is at the N.W. end of the
town, 8–12 min. from most of the hotels. Sleeping-car office at
_Bouillard & Simon’s_, Rue Berthe.

=Hotels= (comp. p. 174; often crowded in Feb. and March). *ROYAL HOTEL
(Pl. a; C, 3), Avenue Delacroix, at the S. end of the town, with
garden-court, terrace, belvedere (p. 281), and restaurant, R. 4–20, B.
1½–2, déj. 3½–4, D. 5–7, pens. 13–25, omn. 1 fr., closed May-Oct.;
*PALACE HOTEL (Pl. b; B, C, 4), next the Casino (see below), well
situated, with pretty garden, R. 6–20, pens. 16–25 fr., closed 16th
April to 30th Nov.; GRAND-HÔTEL EXCELSIOR (Pl. g; B, C, 4), with
garden, R. 3–10, B. 1½, déj. 3–4, D. 4–5, pens. 12½–25 fr., closed
16th May–31st Oct., well spoken of.—*HÔT. VICTORIA (Pl. c; A, 2),
Boul. Gambetta, with small garden, R. 3–6, B. 1½, déj. 3, D. 4, pens.
11–15, omn. ¾ fr., closed 16th May to 14th Oct.; *HÔT. DU SAHARA (Pl.
e; B, 2), Rue Berthe, with restaurant and garden-court, R. 3–7, B. 1¼,
déj. 3½, D. 4, pens. 9–10, omn. ¾ fr.; HÔT. DE L’OASIS (Pl. d; C, 2),
Rue du Card. Lavigerie, with restaurant, R. 3–5, B. 1, déj. or D. 3,
pens. 9–12, omn. 1 fr., patronized by the French, open the whole year,
good; HÔT. DES ZIBANS (Pl. f; C, 2), Rue du Card. Lavigerie, R. 2½–5,
B. 1, D. 2½, pens. 8½–10 fr., plain.

=Cafés.= At the _Casino_ (see below); _Glacier_, Rue du Card.
Lavigerie.

=Carriages= (stand in Square Dufourg; Pl. C, 3). From station to town
with luggage 1½, per hour 2½, to Chetma or the Dunes of Oumache 10, to
Sidi-Okba or Droh 20, to Oumache or Bordj Saâda 25 fr.—The tariff is
high, but a bargain may often be made for much less, if without the
intervention of hotel-porters or guides.

=Horse= or =Mule=, 3–6 fr., according to distance.—CAMEL, with
attatouch (p. 174) for ladies, 4 fr. per day; attendant ½–1 fr.

=Tramway= from the Casino (see below) every ½–1 hr. on the Route de
Touggourt (Pl. C, 4, 5) to Old Biskra (in 12 min.; 10 c.; terminus
near the Kasba Hill); also four times daily viâ Beni-Mora to Hammam
es-Salahin (in 50 min.; 50 c.)—DILIGENCE to Sidi-Okba (at 8.30 a.m.;
returning at 3 p.m.); also to Touggourt (comp. p. 284).

=Physicians.= _Dr. Couillaud_, Rue Malakoff 15 (2–4 o’cl.); _Dr.
Dicquemare_, at the Gr.-Hôt. Excelsior.—CHEMIST. _G. Isaac_, Rue
Berthe.—MOORISH BATH (Pl. C, 4), Route de Touggourt.—PHOTOGRAPHS at
_Fréchon’s, Bougault’s_, and _Maure’s_, all in Rue Berthe.

=Post & Telegraph Office= (Pl. B, 2), Rue Saad 3.

=English Church Service= (Jan.-April) at the former Cercle Civil (Pl.
1; B, C, 2), Rue Graillet.

=Amusements.= _Casino Dar-Diaf_ (Pl. B, C, 4; p. 281), Route de
Touggourt, with theatre and concert-room; varieties, dances of the
Ouled Naïl, etc.—_Ouled Naïl_ dancing-girls (originally of the nomadic
tribe mentioned at p. 215), and other native artists perform at the
small native cafés in the Rue Arcelin and Rue Lapeyrouse (Pl. B, C,
3); visitors pay 1 fr. (incl. cup of Arabian tea or coffee).