Part 1
# The Mediterranean : $b Seaports and sea routes including Madeira, the Canary Islands, the coast of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia; handbook for travellers ### By Karl Baedeker (Firm)
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BAEDEKER’S GUIDE BOOKS.
=Austria-Hungary=, including Dalmatia, Bosnia, Bucharest, Belgrade, and Montenegro. With 71 Maps, 77 Plans, and 2 Panoramas. Eleventh edition. 1911
_The Eastern Alps_, including the Bavarian Highlands, Tyrol, Salzburg, Upper and Lower Austria, Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola. With 73 Maps, 16 Plans, and 11 Panoramas. Twelfth edition. 1911
=Belgium and Holland=, including the _Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg_. With 19 Maps and 45 Plans. Fifteenth edition. 1910
=The Dominion of Canada=, with _Newfoundland_ and an Excursion to _Alaska_. With 14 Maps and 12 Plans. Fourth edition. 1922
=Constantinople and Asia Minor=, in German only:
_Konstantinopel und Kleinasien, Balkanstaaten, Archipel, Cypern._ Mit 18 Karten und 65 Plänen. 2. Aufl. 1914
=Czechoslovakia=, see _Austria-Hungary_.
=Denmark=, see _Norway, Sweden and Denmark_.
=Egypt and the Sûdân.= With 22 Maps, 85 Plans, and 55 Vignettes. Seventh edition. 1914
=England=, see _Great Britain_.
=France=:
_Paris_ and its Environs, with Routes from London to Paris. With 66 Maps and Plans. Nineteenth edition. 1924
_Northern France_ from Belgium and the English Channel to the Loire excluding Paris and its Environs. With 16 Maps and 55 Plans. Fifth edition. 1909
_Southern France_ from the Loire to the Pyrenees, Auvergne, the Cévennes, the French Alps, the Rhone Valley, Provence, the French Riviera, and _Corsica_. With 42 Maps, 63 Plans, and 1 Panorama. Sixth edition. 1914
_Algeria_ and _Tunisia_, see _The Mediterranean_.
=Germany=:
_Berlin_ and its Environs. With 30 Maps and Plans. Sixth edition. 1923
_Northern Germany_, excluding the Rhineland. With 165 Maps and Plans. Seventeenth edition. 1925
_Southern Germany_ (Wurtemberg and Bavaria). With 37 Maps and 50 Plans. Twelfth edition. 1914
_The Rhine_ including the Moselle, the Volcanic Eifel, the Taunus, the Odenwald, the Vosges Mountains, the Black Forest, etc. With 128 Maps and Plans. Seventeenth edition. 1911
=Great Britain.= _England, Wales, and Scotland._ With 28 Maps, 65 Plans, and a Panorama. Seventh edition. 1910
_London_ and its Environs. With 45 Maps and Plans. Eighteenth edition. 1923
=Greece=, the _Greek Islands_, and an Excursion to _Crete_. With 16 Maps, 30 Plans, and a Panorama of Athens. Fourth edition. 1909
=Holland=, see _Belgium and Holland_.
=India=, in German only:
_Indien_, Ceylon, Vorderindien, Birma, die malayische Halbinsel, Siam, Java. Mit 22 Karten, 33 Plänen und 8 Grundrissen. 1914
Italy: _I. Northern Italy_, including Leghorn, Florence, Ravenna, and Routes through France, Switzerland, and Austria. With 36 Maps, 45 Plans, and a Panorama. Fourteenth edition. 1913
_II. Central Italy and Rome._ With 19 Maps, 55 Plans and Views, and the Arms of the Popes since 1417. Fifteenth edition. 1909
_III. Southern Italy and Sicily_, including Malta, Sardinia, Tunis, and Corfu. With 64 Maps and Plans. Sixteenth edition. 1912
_Italy from the Alps to Naples._ With 25 Maps and 52 Plans and Sketches. Second edition. 1909
=The Mediterranean.= Seaports and Sea Routes, including Madeira, the Canary Islands, the Coast of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. With 38 Maps and 49 Plans. 1911
=Norway, Sweden, and Denmark=, with Excursions to _Iceland_ and _Spitzbergen_. With 104 Maps and Plans. Tenth edition. 1912
=Palestine and Syria=, including the principal routes through _Mesopotamia_ and _Babylonia_. With 21 Maps, 56 Plans, and a Panorama of Jerusalem. Fifth edition. 1912
=Portugal=, see _Spain and Portugal_.
=Riviera=, see _Southern France_.
=Russia=, with Teheran, Port Arthur, and Peking. With 40 Maps and 78 Plans. 1914
_Manual of the Russian Language_, with Vocabulary and List of Phrases. 1914
=Scotland=, see _Great Britain_.
=Spain and Portugal=, with Excursions to _Tangier_ and the _Balearic Islands_. With 20 Maps and 59 Plans. Fourth edition. 1913
=Sweden=, see _Norway, Sweden, and Denmark_.
=Switzerland=, together with Chamonix and the Italian Lakes. With 80 Maps, 21 Plans, and 14 Panoramas. Twenty-sixth edition. 1922
=Tyrol=, see _The Eastern Alps_.
=The United States=, with Excursions to _Mexico_, _Cuba_, _Porto Rico_ and _Alaska_. With 33 Maps and 48 Plans. Fourth edition. 1909
=Wales=, see _Great Britain_.
THE MEDITERRANEAN
[Illustration: THE MEDITERRANEAN]
THE MEDITERRANEAN SEAPORTS AND SEA ROUTES INCLUDING MADEIRA, THE CANARY ISLANDS, THE COAST OF MOROCCO, ALGERIA, AND TUNISIA
HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS
BY
KARL BAEDEKER
WITH 38 MAPS AND 49 PLANS
LEIPZIG: KARL BAEDEKER, PUBLISHER LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN, 1 ADELPHI TERRACE, W.C. NEW YORK: CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS, 153 FIFTH AVE.
1911
_All Rights Reserved._
‘Go, little book, God send thee good passage, And specially let this be thy prayere Unto them all that thee will read or hear, Where thou art wrong, after their help to call, Thee to correct in any part or all.’
PREFACE.
The present _Handbook to the Mediterranean_ describes the chief routes along the Mediterranean coasts. In his endeavour to unite within a single volume the chief points of interest in so vast a region the Editor has naturally been confronted by peculiar difficulties. These points are so numerous that little space could be afforded for more subordinate matters, so that many details have necessarily been omitted. Again as regards the selection of routes, and of places to be described, opinions frequently differ. The Editor ventures, however, to hope that on the whole he has satisfied the requirements of most of his readers. As many of the regions which are here grouped historically and geographically[1] have already been treated of in several of his other Handbooks, the Editor would respectfully refer the traveller to these for fuller details[2]. The new subjects comprise Madeira and the Canary Islands, the coast of Morocco, and Algeria and Tunisia, the materials for describing which have been collected, in the course of much travel, by several of the Editor’s friends and fellow-workers. The chief Author of the German edition, which appeared in 1909, was _Dr. F. Propping_, of Godesberg on the Rhine, who personally visited most of the places described. The present English edition has been prepared by the Editor’s old friend, emeritus _Professor John Kirkpatrick_, formerly of Edinburgh University, who fifty years ago (1861) translated the Handbook for the Rhine, and thus introduced ‘Baedeker’s guidebooks’ to the English public. In bringing the information contained in the new Mediterranean volume up to date the Editor has received valuable aid from British and United States consuls and ministers, and from other authorities, who have shown the utmost courtesy and willingness to assist. To all of these the Editor expresses his grateful acknowledgments. Many readers will be interested also in the geographical sketch by the late _Professor Theobald Fischer_ (d. 1910), one of the great authorities on the Mediterranean coast-lands.
Footnote 1:
The volume contains six separable Sections. _First_: Introduction; From England to the Mediterranean by the Portuguese Coast; Madeira and the Canary Islands (pp. i-xxxvi and 1–48).—_Second_: Andalusia; Morocco (pp. 49–110).—_Third_: Sea Routes in the W. Mediterranean (pp. 111–166).—_Fourth_: Algeria (pp. 167–318).—_Fifth_: Tunisia (pp. 319–394).—_Sixth_: Sea Routes in the E. Mediterranean; the Black Sea (p. 395 to the end of the volume).
Footnote 2:
Comp. for the W. Mediterranean _Baedeker’s_ ‘Southern France’, ‘Northern Italy’, ‘Central Italy and Rome’, ‘Southern Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia’, ‘Italy from the Alps to Naples’, and ‘Spain and Portugal’; for Trieste and Dalmatia, ‘Austria-Hungary’; for the E. Mediterranean, ‘Egypt’, ‘Palestine and Syria’, ‘Greece’, and ‘Konstantinopel und Kleinasien’ (at present in German only); for the Black Sea, ‘Russland’ or ‘Russie’.
Special care has been bestowed on the MAPS and PLANS with which the Handbook is furnished. Several of these are based on materials hitherto unpublished, and others have been locally revised and improved for the special benefit of the Handbook. In the case of Algeria and Tunisia the French spelling has been adopted in the letter-press as well as in the maps[3].
Footnote 3:
Note, however, that in the letter-press the English _j_ is used in preference to the French _dj_ (as in _jebel_, mountain), and that the German or Italian _u_ is preferred to the French _ou_ or the English _oo_ (as in _sûk_, market). So too, as a general rule, all the other vowel-sounds in the proper names follow the Italian pronunciation.
HOTELS. As in all his Handbooks the Editor has taken the utmost care to recommend none but comfortable and respectable hotels. From this, as from all his other Handbooks, advertisements, direct and indirect, are absolutely excluded. Persons calling themselves agents for Baedeker’s Handbooks are impostors and should be handed over to the police.
As many matters treated of in the Handbook are liable to frequent change and as, in the Orient particularly, trustworthy sources of information are too often lacking, the Editor will warmly appreciate any communications with which travellers may kindly favour him.
CONTENTS.
Page Introduction xiii
I. From England to the Mediterranean by the Portuguese Coast. Route 1. From England viâ Oporto and Lisbon to Gibraltar or Tangier (Marseilles and Genoa) 1 2. Lisbon 6
II. Madeira and the Canary Islands. 3. Madeira 17 4. The Canary Islands 28
III. Andalusia. 5. Gibraltar 52 6. From Gibraltar to Seville 56 7. Seville 59 8. From Seville to Cordova 68 9. From Cordova viâ Bobadilla to Granada 72 10. Granada 73 11. From Granada viâ Bobadilla to Málaga 88
IV. Morocco. 12. Tangier 98 13. From Tangier to Tetuán (Ceuta) 102 14. From Tangier to Mogador by Sea 104
V. Sea Routes in the W. Mediterranean. 15. From Gibraltar to Genoa 111 16. From Gibraltar to Naples 118 17. From (Lisbon) Tangier, and from Gibraltar, to Marseilles 119 18. From Tangier and Cartagena to Oran 123 19. From Marseilles to Oran 126 20. From Marseilles to Algiers, Bougie, Philippeville, and Bona 126 21. From Marseilles to Tunis 128 22. From Algiers to Tunis by Sea 130 23. From Marseilles to Naples 132 24. From Genoa to Naples 134 25. From Genoa to Tunis viâ Leghorn and Cagliari 142 26. From Naples to Tunis viâ Palermo 146 27. From Naples to Syracuse (Malta, Tunis, Tripoli) viâ Messina and Catania 154
VI. Algeria. 28. Oran 175 29. From Oran to Tlemcen 185 30. Tlemcen 187 31. From Tlemcen to Nemours viâ Lalla-Marnia 197 32. From Oran to Beni-Ounif de Figuig (Colomb-Béchar) viâ Damesme and Perrégaux 199 33. From Oran to Algiers 206 34. Algiers 217 35. From Algiers to Tipaza and Cherchell 236 36. From Algiers to Cape Matifou and to Aïn-Taya viâ Maison-Carrée 247 37. From Algiers to Bougie viâ Beni-Mansour 249 38. From Algiers to Tizi-Ouzou. From Camp-du-Maréchal to Tigzirt 252 39. From Tizi-Ouzou viâ Fort-National to Maillot or Tazmalt 256 40. From Fort-National viâ Azazga to Bougie 260 41. Bougie 262 42. From Bougie through the Chabet el-Akra to Sétif 265 43. From Algiers to Constantine viâ Beni-Mansour, Sétif, and El-Guerrah 269 44. From Constantine to Biskra viâ El-Guerrah and Batna 274 45. From Batna viâ Lambèse to Timgad 286 46. Constantine 297 47. From Constantine to Philippeville 303 48. From Constantine to Bona viâ Duvivier 306 49. From Constantine or Bona viâ Duvivier to Souk-Ahras (Tebessa, Tunis) 312 50. From Souk-Ahras to Tebessa 313
VII. Tunisia. 51. From (Constantine, Bona) Souk-Ahras to Tunis 325 52. Tunis 329 53. Carthage 343 54. From Tunis to Bizerta 351 55. From Tunis to Dougga (Le Kef) 354 56. From Tunis to Le Kef and Kalaâ-Djerda 358 57. From Tunis to Susa 363 58. From Susa to Kairwan 370 59. From Susa to Sfax 378 60. From Sfax to Metlaoui viâ Gafsa 383 61. From Metlaoui to the Djerid 386 62. From (Sfax) Graïba to Djerba viâ Gabes and Médenine 388
VIII. Sea Routes in the E. Mediterranean. 63. From Tunis to Malta (Syracuse) 396 64. From Tunis to Syracuse viâ Sfax, Tripoli, and Malta 404 65. From Tripoli to Alexandria viâ Benghazi and Derna 412 66. From Tripoli to Constantinople viâ Derna and Crete 415 67. From (Marseilles, Genoa) Naples to Alexandria and Port Said 417 68. From Venice or Trieste to Alexandria and Port Said viâ Brindisi 418 69. Alexandria 431 70. Port Said 436 71. From Alexandria or Port Said to Cairo 437 72. From Alexandria or Port Said to Beirut (Smyrna, Constantinople) viâ Jaffa 466 73. From Jaffa to Jerusalem 470 74. Beirut. Excursion to Damascus 481 75. From Beirut to Smyrna (and Constantinople) 489 76. From Alexandria to Athens and Smyrna (and Constantinople) 491 77. From (Marseilles, Genoa) Naples to Athens (and Constantinople) 493 78. From Venice or Trieste to Athens (and Constantinople) viâ Brindisi and Patras 496 79. Athens 502 80. From Athens viâ Smyrna to Constantinople 529 81. Constantinople 536
IX. The Black Sea. 82. From Constantinople to Constantza 561 83. From Constantinople to Odessa 563 84. From Odessa to Batum 568 85. From Batum to Constantinople 571
Maps.
(The Maps and Plans are oriented in the usual way, with the North at the top, unless otherwise indicated.)
1. General Map of the Mediterranean (1 : 8,250,000) before the title-page.
2. Environs of Lisbon (1 : 250,000), p. 14.
3. Madeira (1 : 400,000), p. 17.
4. Environs of Funchal (1 : 120,000), p. 21.
5. The Canary Islands (1 : 7,500,000), p. 28.
6. Teneriffe (1 : 450,000), p. 28.
7. Environs of Puerto Orotava (1 : 100,000), p. 28.
8. Environs of Las Palmas (1 : 250,000), p. 46.
9. Andalusia and the Straits of Gibraltar (1 : 2,750,000), p. 49.
10. Environs of Tangier (1 : 40,000), p. 98.
11. Environs of Naples (1 : 500,000), p. 141.
12. Straits of Messina (1 : 200,000), p. 155.
13. Environs of Syracuse (1 : 50,000), p. 162.
14. Algeria and Tunisia (1 : 8,250,000), W. part, p. 167.
15. Environs of Oran (1 : 150,000), p. 175.
16. Environs of Tlemcen (1 : 50,000), p. 187.
17. Environs of Blida (1 : 250,000), p. 213.
18. Nearer Environs of Algiers (1 : 100,000), p. 233.
19. Remoter Environs of Algiers (1 : 500,000), p. 233.
20. Environs of Bougie (1 : 50,000), p. 262.
21. Environs of Biskra (1 : 100,000), p. 279.
22. Environs of Lambèse and Timgad (1 : 500,000), p. 289.
23. Environs of Philippeville (1 : 150,000), p. 304.
24. Environs of Bona (1 : 200,000), p. 309.
25. Algeria and Tunisia (1 : 8,250,000), E. part, p. 319.
26. Environs of Tunis (1 : 250,000), p. 338.
27. Environs of Susa (1 : 50,000), p. 366.
28. Environs of Sfax (1 : 50,000), p. 380.
29. The Island of Malta (1 : 320,000), p. 399.
30. Environs of Tripoli in Barbary (1 : 80,000), p. 406.
31. The Lagoons of Venice (1 : 340,100), p. 419.
32. Environs of Cairo (1 : 250,000), p. 458.
33. The Island of Corfu (1 : 300,000), p. 497.
34. Environs of the Town of Corfu (1 : 60,000), p. 497.
35. Environs of Athens (1 : 150,000), p. 528.
36. Environs of Constantinople (1 : 140,000), p. 537.
37. The Bosporus (1 : 200,000), p. 557.
38. Environs of Yalta (1 : 166,000), p. 569.
* * * * *
Plans.
Page 1. Alexandria (1 : 18,000) 431 2. Algiers (1 : 20,000) 217 3. Athens (1 : 10,000) 503 4. Beirut, General Plan (1 : 25,000) 481 5. Beirut, Old Town (1 : 10,000) 481 6. Biskra (1 : 12,000) 279 7. Blida (1 : 12,000) 213 8. Bona (1 : 15,000) 309 9. Bougie (1 : 15,000) 262 10. Cairo (1 : 12,300) 439 11. Carthage (1 : 25,000) 343 12. Catania (1 : 16,700) 160 13. Constantine (1 : 14,000) 297 14. Constantinople (1 : 20,000) 537 15. Cordova (1 : 15,000) 68 16. Town of Corfu (1 : 15,000) 497 17. Funchal (1 : 30,000) 21 18. Genoa (1 : 10,000) 113 19. Gibraltar (1 : 25,000) 53 20. Granada (1 : 8700) 73 21. Jerusalem (1 : 8350) 471 22. Kairwan (1 : 12,000) 372 23. Lisbon (1 : 15,000) 7 24. Málaga (1 : 13,000) 89 25. Marseilles (1 : 14,000) 119 26. Naples (1 : 20,000) 135 27. Odessa (1 : 35,000) 565 28. Oran (1 : 18,000) 175 29. Palermo (1 : 13,000) 147 30. Las Palmas (1 : 15,000) 44 31. Philippeville (1 : 15,000) 304 32. Port Said, Harbour (1 : 50,000) 437 33. Port Said, Town (1 : 25,000) 437 34. Puerto de la Luz and Las Palmas (1 : 60,000) 46 35. Santa Cruz de Tenerife (1 : 25,000) 33 36. Seville (1 : 10,000) 59 37. Sfax (1 : 14,000) 380 38. Smyrna (1 : 18,000) 531 39. Susa (1 : 12,000) 366 40. Tangier (1 : 8000) 98 41. Timgad (1 : 6000) 289 42. Tlemcen (1 : 12,000) 187 43. Trebizond (1 : 30,000) 573 44. Trieste (1 : 16,700) 425 45. Tripoli in Barbary (1 : 12,500) 406 46. Tunis (1 : 16,000) 329 47. Valletta (1 : 64,000) 399 48. Venice (1 : 12,500) 419 49. Yalta (1 : 25,200) 569
* * * * *
Abbreviations.
Hôt., Hot. = hotel.
Alb. = albergo (hotel).
Restaur. = restaurant.
R. = room with one bed, usually incl. light and attendance.
B. = breakfast (coffee, etc.).
déj. = déjeuner, hot lunch.
D. = dinner.
pens. = pension, board incl. R. unless contrary stated.
rfmts. = refreshments.
omn. = omnibus.
N., S., E., W. = north, northern, south, southern, etc.
r. = right, l. = left.
M. = mile; sq. M. = square mile; ft. = foot, feet; yd. = yard, etc.
min. = minute; hr. = hour.
R. = route. Pl. = plan.
dr., l. = drachme, lepta.
fr., c. = franc, centime; Ital. lira, centesimo.
K, _h_ = krone, heller (Austrian currency).
_l._, _s._, _d._ = pound sterling, shilling, pence, _g._ = guinea.
mej. = mejidieh.
p., c. = peseta, centimo.
pias., mill. = piastre, millième.
s. pias. = silver piastre.
rs. = reis (plur. of real; comp. p. 6)
roub., cop. = rouble, copeck.
comp. = compare.
adm. = admission, admittance.
Asterisks (*) denote objects of special interest and hotels that are believed to be worthy of special commendation.
The number of ft. (1 Engl. ft. = 0.3048 mètre; 1 mètre = 3.281 Engl. ft. or about 3 ft. 3⅓ in.) given after the name of a place shows its height above the sea-level.
The number of M. (1 Engl. mile = 1.6093 kilomètres; 1 kilomètre = 0.6214 M.) placed before the principal places of a route indicates their distance from the starting-point of the route.
* * * * *
International Hotel Telegraphic Code.
The international association of hotel-keepers has agreed on the following code: _Alba_, room with single bed; _albaduo_, room with double bed; _arab_, room with two beds; _abec_, room with three beds; _belab_, two rooms and two beds; _birac_, two rooms and three beds; _bonad_, two rooms and four beds; _ciroc_, three rooms and three beds; _carid_, three rooms and four beds; _calde_, three rooms and five beds; _caduf_, three rooms and six beds; _casag_, three rooms and seven beds; _danid_, four rooms and four beds; _dalme_, four rooms and five beds; _danof_, four rooms and six beds; _dalag_, four rooms and seven beds; _dirich_, four rooms and eight beds; _durbi_, four rooms and nine beds; _kind_, child’s bed; _sal_, saloon, private sitting-room; _bat_, private bathroom; _serv_, servant’s room. The class of room may be indicated by _best_, _bon_, or _plain_. Day and hour of arrival must be notified (_granmatin_ is midnight to 7 a.m., _matin_ is 7–12, _sera_ 12–7, and _gransera_ 7 to midnight), and also duration of stay (_pass_ means one night, _stop_ means several days, but is not binding). Name and address of applicant must be given; if prevented from coming, ‘_cancel_‘, with his signature, suffices.
* * * * *
Bibliography.
‘Mediterranean Winter Resorts’ by _E. Reynolds-Ball_ (6th ed., London, 1908; price 6_s._) although far from exhaustive, contains much useful and practical information. The art of the Orient is admirably treated of in the ‘Manuel d’Art Musulman’ by _H. Saladin_ and _G. Migeon_ (Paris, 1907; 30 fr.). Among excellent German books are _Theob. Fischer’s_ ‘Mittelmeerbilder’ (2 vols., Leipzig, 1906, 1908; each 6 marks), and _A. Philippson’s_ ‘Mittelmeergebiet’ (Leipzig, 1907; 7 marks).
Books on Algeria, see p. 175; on Athens, see p. 508; on Cairo, see p. 444; on the Canary Islands, see p. 32; on Carthage, see p. 343; on Constantinople, see p. 542; on Cordova, see p. 69; on Granada and the Alhambra, see pp. 65, 80; on Jerusalem, see p. 473; on Madeira, see p. 20; on Morocco, see pp. 97, 98; on Seville, see p. 61; on Tebessa, see p. 315; on Timgad, see p. 289; on Tunisia, see p. 325.
* * * * *
INTRODUCTION.
Page I. Season and Plan of Tour. Health xiii II. Money, Passport, Custom House xvi III. Steamboats xvii IV. Intercourse with Orientals xxv The Mediterranean Sea and adjoining Lands, a geographical Sketch by _Theobald Fischer_ xxvii
I. Season and Plan of Tour. Health.
SEASON OF TOUR. The mildness of the climate (p. xxxv) makes travelling pleasant in the Mediterranean lands at almost any season. Even in the height of summer travellers who can stand a little heat will find residence in many of the islands and seaside resorts quite agreeable. Winter begins here much later and ends much earlier than in Northern or Central Europe, but until the end of March few regions are quite exempt from wintry days and falls of snow. March is considered also the windiest month in the year on the Mediterranean.
For the Portuguese coast, Andalusia, and Northern Morocco (Tangier) the best seasons are from the middle of March to the middle of May and the months of October and November. Granada, which lies high, is suitable for a prolonged stay from April till the middle of June. Seville and Cordova are often uncomfortably cold in December and January owing to lack of heating appliances. At Lisbon and Tangier winter is the season of the fertilizing rains, which often last till the middle of March. With regard to the best season for Madeira and the Canary Islands, see pp. 19, 32.
The weather is generally bright and genial in Algeria, Tunisia, and Tripolitania in late autumn, till the end of November, and also in March and April, though less settled. Winter is a dry season only on the E. coast of Tunisia and in the Sahara, but is sometimes cool and windy (see also pp. 170, 172, 321). It is still hot in October in Sicily, in Barbary, and in Egypt, where the sirocco (p. 321) is specially disagreeable in the early autumn, while health is endangered by malaria (p. xvi).
Of all the Mediterranean regions Egypt alone offers a dry, settled, and genial climate in winter. The traveller on the Eastern Mediterranean who wishes to avoid extremes of cold and heat should make his first stay at Cairo in January or February, start for the Syrian coast at the end of February or early in March, proceed to Palestine and Damascus after March has commenced, and visit Asia Minor and Greece in April, and Constantinople and the Black Sea in May. In autumn, from the end of September onwards, the above order should be reversed.