Part 36

The chief business street of the Kasba is the RUE RANDON (Pl. C, 2, 3; comp. p. 226), especially the S. part of it with its shops, between the Marché de la Lyre (p. 226) and the SYNAGOGUE (Pl. 24, C 2; adm., see p. 220), a building with a huge dome and three women’s galleries.

The Rue de la Girafe and Rue Caton, the last two side-streets before the Synagogue, ascend to the RUE KLÉBER (Pl. C, 2), where, at the crossing of the Rue d’Anfreville and Rue du Palmier, opposite an Arabian coffee-house, rises the small _Mosque of Sidi Mohammed ech-Chériff_ (Pl. 17; C, 2).

The Rue d’Anfreville leads to the left to the long RUE DE LA PORTE-NEUVE (Pl. C, 2, 3), a street starting from the Rue de la Lyre (p. 226). A little way down we may visit its side-streets, Rue des Dattes and Rue Médée, and then return by the Rue de la Mer Rouge to the upper part of the Rue Kléber. We may next follow the Rue du Palmier (see above) and the Rue Annibal, or its side-street Rue Tombouctou, to the long and steep RUE DE LA KASBA (Pl. C, 2), which ascends in steps from the Rue Bab el-Oued (p. 224) to the Kasba barracks.

The small square at the top of the Rue de la Kasba, adjoining the BOULEVARD DE LA VICTOIRE (Pl. B, C, 2), is a resort of jugglers and story-tellers, with their admiring audience.

Passing the _Prison Civile_ (Pl. B, C, 2; on the right), and crossing the moat, we may now visit the Mohammedan _Cimetière d’el-Kettar_ (Pl. B, 2), prettily situated on the slope above the _Frais-Vallon_ (p. 234).

The =Kasba= (Pl. B, 2; 427 ft.), originally an octagonal pile of buildings, surrounded by large gardens, was erected by Horuk Barbarossa in 1516, but was afterwards much altered. In 1816–30 it was the residence of the deys (comp. p. 221), and now serves as the Zouave barracks. The large two-storied quadrangle in the Mauro-Turkish style is a relic of the original building. The old mosque is now used as a storehouse. Adm., see p. 220.

The road to El-Biar (p. 234) leads through the Kasba and then traverses the old _Quartier des Tagarins_ (comp. p. 221), which extended to the Porte du Sahel (Pl. B, 3).

From the Prison Civile the steep BOULEVARD VALÉE (Pl. C, 2; p. 222) leads back to the town, the lower part commanding a superb *View of Algiers and its bay.

This boulevard joins the RUE MARENGO, opposite the MEDERSA (Pl. C, 2; adm., see p. 220), opened in 1904, one of the three recently founded Mohammedan colleges of Algeria, a building in an appropriate neo-Moorish style. No. 46, nearly opposite, is the pretty little Medersa of the Turkish period.

The *=Mosque of Sidi Abderrahmân= (Pl. 18, C 2; adm., see p. 220), built in 1696 and dedicated to the learned marabout Sidi Abderrahmân et-Tsalbi (1387–1468), the chief saint of the Tsaliba (p. 221), has no attraction beyond its elegant minaret, adorned with coloured tiles; but its situation near the Jardin Marengo (p. 224), and the charming view it commands, are most impressive. The kubba of the saint is bedecked, as is usual in the case of such tombs, with flags, ostrich-eggs, and other offerings. The small burial-grounds attached are relics of the chief Mohammedan cemetery (p. 224).

c. Mustapha-Supérieur and Environs.

The narrow coast-plain, here called _Plaine de Mustapha_, is the somewhat abrupt margin of the _Sahel_, to the S. of the old town, on which lie the _Quartier d’Isly_, _Télemly_, and _Mustapha-Supérieur_, where the white villas dating from the Turkish period, with their superb gardens and luxuriant orchards, are occupied chiefly by English and American residents. This is the favourite promenade of foreign visitors. Tramways Nos. 1, 2, and 3, see pp. 218, 219. To avoid ascents the traveller had better begin his walk at the terminus of line No. 2 or No. 3.

The main street of *=Mustapha-Supérieur= is the RUE MICHELET (Pl. B, A, 5–8), a street nearly 2½ M. long, in line with the Rue d’Isly. The first third of it is uninteresting. It passes the former _Académie_ (Pl. B, 5), situated on a high terrace below the Quartier d’Isly, which was converted into a university in 1909 (1442 students). Farther on the road leads through the suburb of _Agha-Supérieur_ to the (½ M.) so-called _Plateau Saulière_ (Pl. B, 6, 7; tramway-terminus, Station Sanitaire; p. 218).

The upper Rue Michelet, which, in spite of its steep hills, is the most fashionable drive in Algiers, ascends, partly in windings, past the hotels (p. 217), a number of handsome villas, and several charming points of view, to the top of the Sahel. Beyond the _Scottish Church_ (p. 220) at the first sharp bend in the road, rises, behind the view-terrace of the _Museum Garden_, the—

*=Museum= (_Musée National des Antiquités Algériennes_; Pl. A, 6, 7), opened in 1897, containing the finest collection of the kind in Algeria. Adm., see p. 220. Catalogue rather old (1899). Director, M. Stéphane Gsell.

The GARDEN contains a dolmen (of the Beni-Messous) from Guyotville (p. 237), Roman tombstones, vases, etc.

In the VESTIBULE are views of Old Algiers, from the 17th cent. onwards. Over the inner door is an early-Christian mosaic from Rusguniæ (p. 248) representing Christ as the Good Shepherd.—The COURT contains modern views of Algiers and Arabic, Jewish, and Turkish inscriptions. In the centre is a Roman mosaic from Sila, representing Scylla (p. 155) and marine deities.—On the right is—

ROOM I. The cases in the middle and most of the wall-presses contain prehistoric antiquities from the provinces of Algeria and Oran and from the Sahara, including the Flamand collection (1889–90). Along the walls are ranged casts and copies of the graffiti or rock-drawings of Tiout (p. 202), Moghrar-Tahtàni (p. 203), etc.; Libyan (early Berber) tomb-stelæ; on the end-wall to the right, a warrior on horseback, from Abizar in Great Kabylia; two cases with relics from Phœnician tombs at Gouraya (some of them imported from Greece); also Punic tomb-stelæ, etc.—In the centre are a fine mosaic from Aïn-Babouch and models of the mausoleum of Le Khroub (p. 273), of the so-called Tombeau de la Chrétienne (p. 238), and of the Medracen (p. 274).—We now pass through R. IV into—

ROOM II. In the centre are antique marbles: *Torso of a Venus (in the style of the Capitoline Venus), draped female *Statue (replica of a work of the age of Phidias; the head added later), colossal statue of Poseidon (after a Greek original of the 4th cent.), torso of Bacchus, Satyr and Hermaphrodite (after a group of the Hellenistic period; a torso), two elegant decorative pillars, all of these coming from the so-called museum of king Juba at Cherchell (p. 244); then a colossal bust of Minerva from Khamissa; bronze *Figure of a boy with an eagle, from Lambèse. By the wall next the court is a fragment of a sarcophagus-relief, Warrior with wounded Amazon (Achilles and Penthesilea?). By the back-wall are casts of the chief antiques of Cherchell, marble busts, including Jupiter Serapis and a god of the lower regions, both from Carthage. The wall-cabinets contain Greek and Etruscan vases and fragments of Roman sculptures and inscriptions. Around are mosaics: Boar and panther hunt from Orléansville; fragment of a representation of the Four Seasons, from Lambèse; Europa with the bull, Jupiter and Antiope, Oceanus and Nereids. In the centre is a relief-plan of Timgad (p. 289).—We next pass through R. V into—

ROOM III. Among the bronzes in the first case are a mask (3rd cent. B. C.) from El-Grimidi; a statuette of Venus untying her sandal, from Cherchell; adjacent, an early-Christian bronze lamp (5th cent.). Then come cases with Greek, Roman, and Mauretanian coins, lamps, etc. The case by the wall next the court contains early-Christian reliquaries (in terracotta). Along the walls are ranged Roman and early-Christian inscriptions, reliefs, and architectural fragments; by the entrance-wall is the tombstone of a bishop from Mouzaïaville (5th cent.); by the end-wall Roman busts (incl. Hadrian); a slab bearing regulations as to rights of using water, from Lamasba (Mérouana); early-Christian sarcophagus from Dellys (4th cent.).

The corner-rooms (IV and V) contain the ORIENTAL SECTION (Art of Islam), which has received considerable additions and for which five new rooms are being prepared.

ROOM IV. Berber and early Moorish works of art. In the ante-room Berber vases, tissues, and wood-carving from Great Kabylia, etc., incl. an ancient Kabylian cradle. In the central case are Berber trinkets, chiefly from Great Kabylia (Dra el-Mizan; work of the Beni-Yenni), and Tunisian vases. Cases with Algerian bronzes and curiosities from Kalâa des Beni-Hammad (p. 270; stucco-work, fragments of vases). Cases and two wall-presses containing superb Moroccan embroidery (some showing Spanish-Moorish influence), mostly from the region of Fez. A large majolica vase from Palma (Majorca). Also, on the walls, *Carpets from the district of Jebel Amour, from Kalâa (p. 207), Kairwan, Rabât, and of the tribe of the Rirha (near Sétif).

ROOM V, devoted mainly to the Mauro-Turkish art of the barbaresques. At the entrance is a marble portal of Italian workmanship. Stands with weapons (some of them in the Louis XVI. style), trinkets, richly embroidered slippers, pistol-cases, cartridge-belts, etc., and also gorgeous feminine apparel. On a stand, with gold embroidery from mosques and saints’ tombs, is placed the cast of the so-called Gerónimo (p. 225). By the walls are two superb saddles, copper vessels, furniture inlaid with mother-of-pearl, etc.; presses with Algerian *Embroidery (curtains of ladies’ chambers, bath-veils, etc.). By the back-wall, Jewesses’ costumes from Constantine. In the gallery are Smyrna carpets.

In the Rue Michelet, a few paces farther, beyond the Chemin du Télemly (see below), is a small round space with a marble _Statue of Mac Mahon_ (1808–93; governor of Algeria in 1864–70). Opposite, to the left, is the—

_Palais d’Eté du Gouverneur_ (Pl. A, 7), a fine neo-Moorish building with beautiful grounds. Adm., see p. 220.

Farther on we cross the Chemin de Gascogne or Chemin Romain, the shortest route from Mustapha-Inférieur (p. 232) to the Colonne Voirol (see below). Near the lower half of that road is the _Orphelinat St. Vincent-de-Paul_ (Pl. A, 7), on the site of a villa of Mustapha Pasha (p. 225), to whom this quarter owes its name.

Following the Rue Michelet farther to the S. we pass, on the right, the new _English Church_ (p. 220), in the Moorish style. The cost of building, which amounted to 7000_l._, was defrayed by the French Government in compensation for the site of the former English church which was required for the new post-office (p. 226).

Beyond the bifurcation of Boul. Bru (p. 231) the Rue Michelet takes a sharp turn to the N.W. and leads along the margin of the so-called _Bois de Boulogne_ (Pl. A, 8, 9), a sparse pine-wood, to the _Colonne Voirol_ (689 ft.; tramway-terminus, see pp. 218, 219), a monument in memory of General Voirol.

* * * * *

One of the finest and easiest walks at Mustapha-Supérieur is the *=Chemin du Télemly= (Pl. A, B, 6–4), which diverges to the right from the Rue Michelet just beyond the Museum garden (p. 228) and leads along the slope of the Sahel, halfway up, passing through several verdant ravines (_Ravin des Sept-Sources_, etc.), to the (1¾ M.) _Quartier d’Isly_ (Pl. B, 4, 5), a charming, loftily-situated villa-quarter. This road affords several splendid views of the bay.

From the Quartier d’Isly we may either descend by the Rue Edouard-Cat and Avenue Pasteur to the lower Rue Michelet and the Rue d’Isly (p. 226), or we may follow the main road as far as the town-wall, between the Boul. Laferrière (p. 226) and the Porte du Sahel (p. 233).

Side-roads connect the Chemin du Télemly with the _Campagne Bellevue_ (see below) on one side, and with _St. Raphaël_ (p. 234) on the other.

As the road, mostly bordered with hedges, which leads from the Colonne Voirol (p. 230) to (1¼ M.) _El-Biar_ (p. 234), passing the _Campagne Bellevue_ (794 ft.) halfway, is monotonous, the =Chemin de Maclay=, leading from the Colonne Voirol to (1¾ M.) _Château-Neuf_ (p. 234), is far preferable. It passes through the upper valley of the _Oued Knis_ (see below), verdant with fruit-trees, eucalypti, and pines, runs to the N.W. to the (½ M.) _Café d’Hydra_, and at the (½ M.) _Café-Restaurant du Retour de la Chasse_ joins the highroad coming from Blida.

A little way to the S.W. of the Colonne Voirol, on the road from Algiers to Douéra and Boufarik (p. 216), is the beautiful _Château d’Hydra_, once a country-seat of the Deys, but now private property.

From the Colonne Voirol we may now walk through the _Bois de Boulogne_ (p. 230), or follow the road to the S.E. in the valley of the _Oued Knis_, past the sanatorium of Dr. Verhaeren and the _Villa des Grottes_ (curious rock sculptures, among others the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise), to (1 M.) the poor agricultural village of =Birmandreis= (354 ft.; Café-Restaur. des Platanes). From Birmandreis we have the choice of two routes. We may walk through the _Ravin de la Femme Sauvage_ (to the N.E. and E.), as the cool and shady lower Oued Knis valley is popularly called, to (1¾ M.) the village of _Le Ruisseau_ (tramway No. 4, p. 219), ½ M. beyond the Jardin d’Essai (p. 232). Or we may take the road (to the S.E. and E.), through orchards and market-gardens, and across a fine open hill, to the (1¼ M.) poor village of _Vieux-Kouba_ and (½ M.) _Kouba_ (p. 233).

From the Rue Michelet the =Boulevard Bru= (Pl. A-C, 8, 9; p. 230; tramway No. 3, see p. 219) leads between villas, affording near the farther end a beautiful view of Algiers, to (¾ M.) the _Cimetière de Mustapha_ (Pl. C, 9), incorporating the _English Cemetery_. Here at the tramway-terminus the Boul. Bru joins the Chemin de Fontaine-Bleue, a road coming up from Mustapha-Inférieur (p. 232). We follow the latter road straight on to its junction with the Chemin Shakespeare or des Crêtes, beyond which, in the same direction, the Rue Laurent-Pichat brings us to the (¼ M.) _Villa Sesini_ (Pl. D, 9), superbly situated above Belcourt (p. 232). Straight on we follow the Rue de Béhagle, a narrow field-road diverging from the Rue Laurent-Pichat; this road after 5 min. leads to the left, through a small oak-copse and past the _Fort des Arcades_ (Pl. D, 9), to the verge of the plateau (*Bench with view) and then, taking the name of Chemin des Arcades, goes on to the hill-garden of the _Jardin d’Essai_ (see p. 232).

d. The S.E. Suburbs.

The only attractions here are the Mohammedan Cemetery at Belcourt (near the Marabout station of tramway No. 4; p. 219) and the Jardin d’Essai. It is best to go to the latter by the inner line, just mentioned, and to return by No. 5, the outer line.

The suburbs of _Agha-Inférieur_, with its railway-station (p. 217) and the new Arrière-Port (p. 223), _Mustapha-Inférieur_, _Belcourt_, and _Le Hamma_, together with the adjacent little town of _Hussein-Dey_, are the industrial quarters of Algiers.

Along the coast, beyond Boul. Laferrière (p. 226), run the Rue Baudin (Pl. C, 5), in line with the Rue de Constantine (p. 226), and the RUE SADI-CARNOT (Pl. B-E, 5–8), over 2½ M. long, from which, at the N.E. angle of the _Champ de Manœuvres_ (Pl. C, 7; also a race-course), diverges the RUE DE LYON (Pl. B-E, 7–9), 2 M. in length, the route of the inner tramway-line (No. 4).

The unattractive Rue de Lyon leads to (about ¾ M.) the =Cimetière Musulman de Belcourt= (Pl. D, 9), the finest Mohammedan burial-ground in Algiers, containing a number of handsome monuments and the picturesque _Kubba_ of Sidi Abderrahmân Bu-Kobrin (d. 1793), a famous Algerian saint, a native of Great Kabylia. Adm., see p. 220. As a rule only the side-entrance in the Rue Colonel-Combes is open.

The so-called _Grotte de Cervantes_ (Pl. D, 9), with a bust and memorial tablet of the famous Spanish author, who lived in captivity at Algiers in 1575–80, is said to have been his hiding-place when attempting to escape. Ascending a road from the end of the Rue Col. Combes beyond the cemetery, we follow a (5 min.) path to the left, and turning to the left again, somewhat downhill, we reach the (9 min.) grotto.

The Rue de Lyon next leads through the suburb of _Le Hamma_ to the (½ M.) *=Jardin d’Essai= (Pl. E, 9; adm., see p. 220), or _Jardin du Hamma_, the botanic garden of Algiers and at the same time a nursery-garden and public promenade. Founded by government in 1832 and frequently extended, it became the property of the Compagnie Algérienne (p. 219) in 1878. In wealth of vegetation it vies with the botanic gardens of Palermo and Lisbon, which, however, have been more advantageously laid out. It consists of two sections: a hill-garden on the verge of the Sahel plateau and the main garden in the once marshy, but now extremely fertile coast-plain.

Opposite the S. ENTRANCE of the main garden, in the Rue de Lyon, is the dilapidated Mauro-Turkish _Fontaine du Hamma_ (16th cent.). From this point, near the small _Hôt.-Restaurant du Château Rouge_, the Chemin des Arcades (p. 231) ascends to the =Hill Garden=, a wooded park, with tall araucarias, huge eucalypti, and other trees.

Through the =Main Garden= a magnificent avenue of planes runs from the chief entrance towards the sea. Halfway is a circular space with a café. The W. half of the garden, to the left of the avenue, is occupied by the less interesting nursery-garden.

[Illustration: BAIE D’ ALGER]

[Illustration: BAIE D’ ALGER]

The E. half of the garden is intersected by shady walks at right angles to each other. Parallel with the main avenue are the narrower dragon-tree and palm avenue and the magnolia and fig-tree avenue. The chief cross-walks, parallel with the Rue de Lyon, are the date-palm, the bamboo, and the dwarf-palm and rose avenues. From the S. entrance we turn at once to the right into the date-palm avenue, where, from the steps opposite the offices (‘administration’), we have a charming view of the dragon-tree and palm avenue. Then, passing the magnolia and fig-tree avenue, we go straight to the S. angle of the garden, where we are struck with the profusion of tropical plants, outstanding among which are the huge Ficus nitida with its exposed roots and a group of yuccas (the rare Yucca draconis and other palm-lilies). A little lower down, near the artificial island with its aquatic plants, are a group of *Strelitzias and (beyond a tall Livistona australis) a beautiful little palm-grove. We next follow the *Bamboo walk, and from it turn to the right into the *Dragon-tree (p. 30) and palm avenue, which leads towards the sea. Farther on, to the left, beyond the dwarf-palm (Chamærops excelsa) and rose avenue, is the small _Zoologie_ (adm., see p. 220), with a few specimens of Algerian animals.

Opposite the N. ENTRANCE, in the Rue Sadi-Carnot, at the station of the outer tramway-line, rises a group of date-palms, where the cafés _Oasis des Palmiers_ and _Closerie des Palmiers_ are much frequented by the citizens in the afternoon (déj. 2½, D. 3 fr.). Beyond the railway line, from the shore near the sea-baths (p. 219; restaur.), we obtain a delightful *View of Algiers. When the wind is to the N. or N.W. the breakers here are grander than at the Rampe de l’Amirauté (p. 223).

The Rue Sadi-Carnot ends at the _Oued Knis_ (p. 231), on the outskirts of the small town of =Hussein-Dey= (Hôt. de la Gare; railway and tramway station; see pp. 217, 247), where the _Tobacco Factory_ has swallowed up the villa of the last deys of Algeria. The inhabitants (5700) are mostly Spaniards from the Balearic Islands (‘Mahonnais’), who grow early vegetables.

From Hussein-Dey to _Maison-Carrée_, see p. 247.

From the village of _Le Ruisseau_ (p. 231), at the end of the Rue de Lyon and at the mouth of the Ravin de la Femme Sauvage, a road ascends in windings to the (1¼ M.) village of =Kouba= (427 ft.; tramway No. 4, see p. 219), in a charming, well-wooded site. At the entrance to the village, on the site of a kubba, stands a _Church_ with a long flight of steps. The flat roof of the _Grand Séminaire_, a training-college for priests founded by Card. Lavigerie (p. 346; adm. by leave of the Superior), commands an extensive *Panorama of the Mitidja, the Atlas of Blida, and the Jurjura range.

From Kouba vià _Vieux-Kouba_ to _Birmandreis_, see p. 231.

e. El-Biar and Bouzaréah.

TRAMWAY (No. 6, p. 219) to El-Biar and Château-Neuf. From Château-Neuf diligence several times daily to Chéraga and six times daily to Bouzaréah (notices are posted in the Place du Gouvernement, at the corner of Rue Bab-Azoun).

A favourite circular trip for one day (motor-cars and carriages, see p. 218) embraces El-Biar, Château-Neuf, Chéraga, Staouéli-Trappe, Sidi-Ferruch (p. 237), Guyotville (p. 237), Pointe-Pescade (p. 237), St. Eugène (p. 236), and Algiers. A popular drive for half-a-day includes Bouzaréah, Forêt de Baïnem, Bains Romains (p. 237), Pointe Pescade, and Algiers.

(1). The road to EL-BIAR leads from the old town through the Kasba and the _Porte du Sahel_ (Pl. B, 3; comp. p. 228). Walkers may note two possible digressions. To the left, just outside the gate, a path descends in 10 min. to _Boul. Laferrière_ (p. 226). To the right, 2 min. farther, diverges the Chemin de Fontaine-Fraîche (Pl. A, 3, 4), the road to (10 min.) the charmingly situated village of _Birtraria_, whence one may either ascend to the S.W. in 20 min. to _El-Biar_ (see below), or walk to the N.E. through the pretty _Frais-Vallon_ and then descend the Avenue du Frais-Vallon (Pl. A, B, 2, 1), on the right bank of the _Oued M’Kacel_, to (½ hr.) the _Quartier Bab el-Oued_ (see below).

The highroad passes near the foot of the _Fort l’Empereur_ (Pl. A, 4; 689 ft.), almost hidden by trees. This was the site of the camp of Charles V. (p. 221), and on it was built the _Mulaï Hassan Fort_ (1545), which was partly blown up by its Turkish defenders when bombarded by the French in 1830. The road then winds up to the tramway station of _St. Raphaël_ (788 ft.), whence a charming road branches off to (1¼ M.) _Mustapha-Supérieur_ (to the left, and after 3 min. to the left again, joining the _Chemin du Télemly_ close to the Hôt. Continental).

The large village of =El-Biar= (784 ft.), 2 M. to the S.W. of the Porte du Sahel, and the village of _Château-Neuf_ (*Hôt.-Restaur. Mallard, pens. from 6 fr.; a favourite Sunday afternoon resort), lying on the monotonous plateau ½ M. beyond El-Biar, uninteresting in themselves, are the starting-points of the roads to the _Colonne Voirol_ and to _Bouzaréah_ (p. 235).

A road leads from Château-Neuf to (5½ M. from the Porte du Sahel) _Chéraga_ (650 ft.; Hôt. des Voyageurs, humble), a pleasant village among fruit-trees, and (3 M.) _Staouéli-Trappe_ (p. 237), situated on a shelf-like terrace above the coast, where the French first encountered the troops of the dey in 1830. The old Trappist monastery founded here in 1843 was purchased in 1904 by the Swiss Consul Borgeaud, who has converted the abbey-lands of about 3000 acres into a model farm (no admittance). The burial-ground contains the tomb of Col. Marengo (1787–1862).

From Staouéli-Trappe a road descends to the N.W. to (1 M.) _Staouéli_ (p. 237). The highroad joins the Castiglione road at (11 M.) _Sidi-Ferruch_ (p. 237), a station on the steam-tramway.