Part 41

_Fort Barral_ (Pl. B, 2; formerly _Fort Moussa_), to the E. of the Rue du Gouraya (p. 265), dates from the Spanish period. Behind the Hôpital Civil are the _Citernes Romaines_ (Pl. B, 1; 509 ft.), which have been frequently altered. These and a few fragments of the _Roman Town Walls_ are the sole memorials of antiquity.

The Rampe des Spahis (Pl. B, 2, 1) descends to the _Cinq-Fontaines_ (Pl. C, 1), a Mauro-Turkish fountain in the valley, whence the Chemin de Bridja leads to the _Porte du Cimetière_ (Pl. C, 1), the town-gate on the Bridja Hill.

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.