Part 58

18 M. _Oued-Chaffar._ 22½ M. _Maharès_ (pop. 1000), a fishing village and market for the _Mehadla Tribe_, is the last fruit-tree oasis to the S.W. of Sfax. Above it rises an old fortified Bordj. On the left, close to the shore, near the Gabes road (R. 62), is seen the castle of _Ounga_, with its eight towers, which is said to have been built by the knights of Malta (p. 398).

Leaving the coast the train runs to the W., through an almost uninhabited sandy waste, to (39½ M.) _Graïba_ (Rail. Restaurant), from which a diligence plies to Gabes (p. 389).

In the distance appears the bare S. Tunisian hill-country, with _Jebel Bou-Hedma_ (2559 ft.). On the left lie the flats of the large _Sebkha en-Nouaïl_.

61 M. _Mezzouna_, at the N. base of _Jebel Mezzouna_ (1329 ft.), where alfa abounds. 76½ M. _Maknassi_ (hotel), a village of colonists, with olive-groves, and an important alfa station, lies in the _Bled Maknassi_, a monotonous plain on the N. spurs of _Jebel Maknassi_ (1332 ft.). To the N.W. appears _Jebel Majora_ (2871 ft.).

98 M. _Sened_ (1575 ft.), the highest point on the line, with large alfa-stacks, is the station for Sened (1706 ft.), a village 5 M. to the S.E., on the olive-clad slope of _Jebel Biadha_ (3248 ft.).

We now descend through cactus plantations, and in spring through corn-fields, to the _Bled el-Hamra_, a lofty plain to the N. of _Jebel Oum el-Alleg_ (3839 ft.), in the territory of the great nomadic tribe of the _Hamama_. 110½ M. _Aïn-Zannouch_, the only station with good drinking-water. On the right are extensive dunes, formed by disintegration.

The train rounds _Jebel Orbata_ (p. 385) and then enters the valley of the _Oued Baïech_.

127 M. =Gafsa.=—The STATION (about 1000 ft.) lies on the left bank of the stream, 2¼ M. to the S.E. of the old town (diligence twice daily in ½ hr.).

HOTELS. _Hôtel de France_, Place de la Kasba, R. 3–5, B. ¾, déj. or D. 3, pens. 8–10, omn. 1 fr., plain; _Buffet-Hôtel_, at the station.

POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE, Place de la Poste.

CARRIAGES (limited in number), 20–25 fr. per day; to Tebessa (p. 315) or to Kairwan (p. 372) 120 fr.—DILIGENCE to Tebessa, see p. 318.—HORSE or MULE (3–5 fr. per day), best obtained through the Contrôle Civil, where tickets for the mosques also are obtained.

_Gafsa_ (1067 ft.; pop. 4500, incl. about 1000 Jews and 360 Europeans), the ancient _Capsa_, is a peaceful little oasis-town, with two hot springs (88–91½° Fahr.) and several cold, rising in or near the river-bed. The old town lies on the edge of the plateau, on the right bank of the Oued Baïech, which almost everywhere else is dry. It has formed a valley about 3 M. broad, between _Jebel Orbata_ (3839 ft.; p. 385), on the E., and the spurs of _Jebel Bou-Ramli_ (3609 ft.) on the N.W., this being the only considerable pass between the S. Tunisian steppe and the shotts (p. 320). The town is sheltered by _Jebel Ben-Younès_ (3002 ft.) and _Jebel Assalah_ from the cold N.W. and N. winds, and like El-Kantara (p. 276) is a portal of the desert. Its mild climate and beautiful oasis render it a fine winter residence for persons of moderate requirements.

Capsa is said to be one of the oldest towns in the interior of Tunisia. Owing to its remote situation in the extreme southern part of his dominions Jugurtha (p. 321) made it one of his headquarters and his treasury; but one morning at dawn, after a nine days’ march from Lares (p. 360), so graphically described by Sallust, it was surprised by Marius and razed to the ground in 106. Under Augustus the town was still in ruins, yet in the 2nd cent. it vied with Thelepte (Feriana, p. 371) as one of the wealthiest towns in S. Tunisia. Through Capsa ran the important caravan-routes between Tebessa and Gabes, those to Feriana, Sbeïtla, and Susa, and viâ Tozeur to the Limes Tripolitanus (p. 412). With the exception of the Piscinæ (see below) all the Roman structures have been demolished for modern building purposes. The town-walls were rebuilt by Solomon (p. 315) in Justinian’s reign, and in the Moorish period were succeeded by a triple mud-built wall, of which scarcely a trace is left. The Byzantine citadel, built of Roman materials, was succeeded by the Moorish Kasba, which the French have now converted into barracks. Since the entry of the French troops in 1881 the mosques have been regarded as desecrated.

From the new _Gafsa-Gare_ quarter a street leads to the Oued Baïech, crosses it, where native washerwomen and thirsty camels often present an entertaining scene, and ascends on the border of the oasis (p. 385) to the old town, dominated by groups of palm-trees and two minarets.

The large Champ de Foire and the _Fondouk_ (p. 281), on the E. side of the town, are full of life when caravans arrive with their dates from the Djerid (p. 386). The corn-market in the _Halle aux Grains_ also is of some importance.

From the Place du Marché (market on Wednesday), at the S. end of the Champ de Foire, the Rue du Gén.-Philebert leads through the town to the Place de la Kasba. Here, on the W. side, rises the _Kasba_, with its towers and white pinnacled walls, once the chief sight at Gafsa, but now the barracks of military convicts. View from the Poste Optique (adm. on application). The _Jewish Quarter_ with its narrow streets, lies to the N.E. of the Place de la Kasba, on the N. side of the town.

The dilapidated Roman PISCINÆ (Arabic _Termid_, from ‘thermæ’) are still used as baths. The Jewish Bath is fed by the Kasba spring. The largest basins, supplied by the hot spring outside the Kasba and chiefly used by the Moslems, are in the _Dâr el-Bey_, to the S.E. of the Place de la Kasba. The men’s bath (Termid er-Rayel), where the children love to dive for sou-pieces, is worth seeing. In the beautifully clear water tiny fish (Chromis, occurring also in the underground waters of the Sahara), little black snakes, and small tortoises disport themselves among the bathers.

A little to the S. of the Piscinæ are the _Souks_. Foremost among their wares are bright-coloured blankets (frechias), burnouses, and carpets (guétifs), mostly made by the _Hamamas_ (p. 383).

The _Sidi Yakûb Mosque_ (Grande Mosquée), to the S.W. of the Dâr el-Bey, one of the oldest in Tunisia, is noteworthy for its interior with nave and eighteen aisles, in the style of the Sidi Okba mosque at Kairwan (p. 374). The minaret, especially towards evening, affords a charming *View of the town and the oasis, and of the finely shaped hills and the yellow desert to the S.

The **=Oasis=, nearly 4 sq. M. in area, the richest and greenest palm-oasis in all Barbary, offers many delightful walks. Most of the paths conveniently overlook the little gardens lying below them, watered by numerous runlets from the Piscinæ.

In the shade of the palms grow apricots, peaches, figs, pomegranates, quinces, almonds, pears, and olives, and here and there oranges and lemons. The vine, with its vigorous and picturesque tendrils, climbs up the palm trees or the nettle-trees (Celtis australis) planted for its support, yielding ripe grapes as early as June. Below all these trees the soil is carpeted, in the cooler season, with vegetables, melons, wheat, and barley. The W. margin of the oasis, however, where water is scarce, yields olives only.

Fine points of view are the hill of _Sidi Bou-Yahia_, crowned with a kubba, on the N.W. margin of the oasis, the _Ksour Nala_, a spur of Jebel Ben-Younès, and, separated from the latter by the depression of the _Foum el-Maza_, _Jebel Assalah_, whence we survey also the steppe stretching to the N. to Jebel Sidi Aïch.

From Gafsa to _Maâjen Bel-Abbès_ (Feriana), see p. 372; viâ Feriana to _Tebessa_, see p. 318.

A ROAD leads to the S.E. viâ the olive-oasis of _El-Ksar_ to (3¾ M.) _Leïla_, a charming little palm-oasis; then, aside from the _Sebkha d’el-Guettar_, to (12½ M.) =El-Guettar= (952 ft.; two caravanserais; pop. 1800), a palm and olive oasis at the S. base of _Jebel Orbata_ (3839 ft.; fine view from the Poste Optique; ascent by bridle-path 2½–3 hrs.). The route from El-Guettar to (83 M.) _Gabes_ (p. 389), leading almost all the way through an arid wilderness, is fit only for those who are used to fatigue and privations. (Poor quarters at _Bir Saâd_ and _El-Haffey_ only.)

Beyond Gafsa the train crosses the Oued Baïech and beyond the oasis it enters the sandy and stony waste between the salt-marsh _Garaet el-Oglal_ (on the right) and the chain of _Jebel Rosfa_ (1411 ft.) and _Jebel Jellabia_ (1346 ft.; to the S.). Beyond the dry bed of the _Oued Melah_ the long range of _Jebel Tarfaoui_ (p. 388) appears far to the left.

We skirt the S. base of _Jebel Stah_ (2953 ft.), _Jebel Tarfai_ (2166 ft.), and _Jebel Metlaoui_ (1805 ft.), all rich in phosphates. These hills, overgrown with alfa-grass only, are, like those near Gafsa, a favourite haunt of the gazelle; the maned sheep (p. 277) also occurs.

151 M. =Metlaoui= (643 ft.; Hôt. Rey, R., déj., D., 3 fr. each, quite good), Arabic _Metlâwi_, on the S. slope of _Jebel Seldja_, not far from the _Oued Seldja_ (p. 372), lies in the heart of the S. Tunisian phosphate-region, which extends to Redeyef (p. 372), to Aïn-Moularès (p. 372), and to Jebel Mrata on the Algerian frontier. The phosphate is detached from the hill-sides by blasting (foudroyage) and then spread out to dry on the ground, where it is turned over several times by ploughs. The works employ about 5000 hands, mostly Italians and natives, and yield about 800,000 tons per annum. Adm. to the ‘Grande Recette’ of the works by leave of M. Bursaux, the manager.

Interesting walk or drive to the (3 M.) *=Gorges du Seldja=, a wild rocky defile (about 4½ M. long) between Jebel Seldja and _Jebel Alima_ (2559 ft.).

For the new railways to _Henchir Souatir_, _Redeyef_, and _Aïn-Moularès_, see p. 372.

61. From Metlaoui to the Djerid.

ROAD viâ (35½ M.) _Tozeur_ to (51 M.) _Nefta_ (railway to the former under construction). A carriage may be hired at one of the inns at Metlaoui, but as the road is bad a mule is preferable. It is best to ride direct to Tozeur (carrying provisions, wine, etc.). Nefta may be visited from Tozeur, El-Oudiane best on the way back from Tozeur to Metlaoui (early start required).

The *=Djerid= (Arabic _Belad el-Jerid_), the narrow isthmus between the _Chott Djérid_ (65–80 ft. above the sea), the largest salt-marsh in Barbary, and the _Chott Rharsa_ (65 ft. below sea-level), with its four picturesque oases of _Tozeur_, _Nefta_, _El-Oudiane_, and _El-Hamma_ (_du Djérid_), is the largest date-palm region in N. Africa. The number of palm-trees is estimated at about a million, but nearly half belong to the ‘hakhana’, an unfruitful species. The yield of dates is 12½–15,000 tons annually, of which 500 tons only are of the transparent variety. They are exported chiefly viâ Gafsa and Sfax. The mildness of the climate (p. 321) adapts Tozeur in particular for winter residence, but malaria is prevalent in summer. The population (about 30,000), which is said to have included scattered remnants of Christian communities down to the 18th cent., is chiefly of Berber origin, but with the Arab nature fully developed.

_Metlaoui_, see above. The road leads to the S.W., through an almost bare waste, at first near the left bank of the Seldja and then down its dry bed.

15½ M. _Bordj Gouïfla_ (269 ft.; no drinking-water), a deserted caravanserai, lies at the junction of the Gafsa road, beyond the influx of the Oued Seldja into the _Oued Melah_ (p. 387). We then skirt the spurs of _Jebel Tarfaoui_ (p. 388). The road to El-Oudiane (p. 388) branches to the left.

Not far from the delta of the Oued Melah we near the _Chott Rharsa_, which in the hot season is reduced to a few streamlets and pools, and next reach the E. border of (30 M.) the oasis of =El-Hamma du Djérid= (164 ft.; Bordj, quarters 1 fr.). This oasis, the smallest in the Djerid, with 900 inhab., about 54,000 palms, and a few olive-trees, has of late had mud-walls (tabias) built to shelter it from sand-drift. The _Hammâm_, a piscina in a kind of palm-hut, whose water (109° Fahr.) is in high favour with the natives, is of Roman origin.

The road crosses the (32½ M.) downs of _Drah Tozeur_ or _Drâht en-Nadour_ (269 ft.), and reveals a striking *View of the green oasis of Tozeur and the glittering surface of the _Chott Djérid_.

35½ M. =Tozeur= (197 ft.; Hôt. Bellevue, R. 3, B. ½, déj. or D. 3 fr., unpretending, with attentive landlady; pop. 10,000, incl. 65 Europeans), the ancient _Tusuros_, Arabic _Tûzer_, is the seat of the authorities of the Djerid. The houses, mostly one-storied, built of crude (tobs) and burned bricks, have a peculiar geometric ornamentation in brick network, which differentiates them from most of those in the other oases. The _Souks_ are less important than those of Nefta (see below). Interesting *Views are obtained from the minarets of the _Zaouïa Sidi Abid_ and the new _Sidi Mouldi Mosque_ (tickets at the Contrôle Civil).

The *OASIS, which is hardly inferior to that of Gafsa in richness and variety of vegetation (p. 385), contains about 420,000 palms. Several hours may be pleasantly spent in riding to the chief points of interest. Leaving the town we ride to the W., viâ _Chabia_ village, with its curious huts of palm-logs, to the _Râs el-Aïoun_, where 194 springs unite to form the _Oued el-Mechta_. We then skirt the S.W. border of the oasis and descend viâ the villages of _Zaouïet-Sahraoui_, _Djehim_ or _Djem_, and _Abbas_ or _Abbès_ to the kubba of _Sidi Ali Bou-Lifa_, near the shott, with a huge and venerable lotus-tree. Thence we should return to Djehim and ride to _Bled el-Adhar_, a village in the W. half of the oasis. The interesting mosque here, the oldest in the Djerid, stands on the site of a Roman temple, which is said to have been converted into a Christian basilica. The *Mihrâb, or prayer-niche, unfortunately whitewashed, dating from 1194, is most elegantly decorated in stucco. We return thence to Tozeur, where the half-dead lotus-tree and the little mosques present a picturesque bit of scenery.

A ROAD, with fine points of view, leads from Tozeur to the W., viâ _Chabia_ (see above) and along the S. margin of the dunes of _Koudiat Oum el-Arouah_ (558 ft.), to (51 M.) =Nefta= (200–300 ft.; Djerid Hotel, R. 3–4, B. 1, déj. or D. 3–4, pens. 8–10 fr., quite good; carr. at the Khalifa’s only; pop. 14,000, incl. many Jews but only a few Europeans), the Roman _Aggarsel Nepte_. The houses resemble those of Tozeur in style, but blocks of gypsum from the vicinity also have been used as building-material. We are struck with the great number of small mosques and zaouïas, among which is the zaouïa of the Kadria (p. 361), the most important in S. Tunisia and a religious house of the Rahmania order. The souks, which are much patronized by the Sahara caravans, offer all the products of the Djerid, such as white frechias (p. 385), burnouses (‘djeridi’), silk haiks, etc.

Before riding through the *=Oasis= (2–3 hrs.; mule with guide 3–4 fr.), the finest in the Djerid, with its 187,000 palms, we proceed from the souks to the so-called *_Corbeille_ (Arabic _Kasr el-Aïn_, ‘castle of the springs’), a grand gorge in the middle of the town, where the copious springs (152, it is said) unite to form a brook. We then ride to the N.W., past the _Zaouïa of the Kadria_ (p. 387) and along the mud-walls (p. 387), to the _Parcelle Forestière_ (fine view), or to the _Poste Douanier_, another good point of view. We then return, past the mosque of _Sidi Merzoug_ and the palm-garden of _Ghitane ech-Chorfa_, to the _Barrage_, a Roman dam below the Corbeille (at the weir, a little lower, good bathing-place), and visit the elegant kubba of _Sidi Bou-Ali_, in the heart of the oasis.

=El-Oudiane=, the eastmost oasis of the Djerid, with 6000 inhab. distributed among six villages, lies 6¼ M. to the N.E. of Tozeur and 3 M. to the E. of El-Hamma (p. 387), on the slope of _Jebel Bou-Hellal_ (624 ft.), the W. offshoot of _Jebel Tarfaoui_ (1821 ft.). This oasis, 4½ M. long, watered by a number of small springs, possesses about 185,000 palms and 25,000 olive-trees, while numerous orange and lemon trees add a special charm. The chief village is _Deggach_ (180 ft.; pop. 3000), built partly of stone. Thence we ride past _Zaouïet el-Arab_, with its minaret (fine view), and _Kriz_, on the slope of _Jebel Nadour_ (519 ft.), to the walled village of _Cedadda_ (230 ft.). At _Guebba_, a village adjoining Kriz, close to the shott, are some Roman ruins.

The _Trik el-Oudiania_, a caravan route once used by the Romans but sometimes impassable after heavy winter rains, leads from Kriz across the Chott Djérid, to the S.E., to the _Caïdat du Nefzaoua_, a part of the S. Territories (p. 390) between the shott and the Erg Oriental (p. 285). The first oasis beyond the salt-marshes is (30½ M.) _Debabcha_, on the peninsula of that name. 43 M. _Telmine_, the ancient _Turris Tamaleni_, was the westmost frontier-fortress on the Limes Tripolitanus (p. 412). 47 M. =Kebilli= (quarters in the Bordj), the ancient _Vepillium_ (?), is now the chief town in the Nefzaoua, with 5000 inhab., a market well attended by the Sahara caravans, and the finest palm-oasis in this region.

ROADS lead from Kebilli: (1) To the N.E., through the waterless sandy waste between the _Chott el-Fedjedj_ (p. 389) and _Jebel Tebaga_ (1608 ft.) and past (9½ M.) _Limagues_ and (34½ M.) _Oglet Nakhla_, to (53 M.) =El-Hamma= (quarters at the Bordj), the ancient _Aquae Tacapitanae_, with hot springs (118° Fahr.) and a charming palm-oasis; then past the S. base of _Jebel Dissa_ (492 ft.; Poste Optique) to (74 M.) _Gabes_ (p. 389).—(2) To the S.E., through the desert on the S. side of Jebel Tebaga (see above), past _Henchir Bou-Garfa_ and _Tamezred_, to (about 68 M.) _Matmata-Kebira_ (p. 391).

62. From (_Sfax_) Graïba to Djerba viâ Gabes and Médenine.

HIGH ROAD from Graïba viâ (52 M.) Gabes to (101 M.) Médenine. Diligence to Gabes, in 9 hrs. (starting at 11.30 p.m., returning at 5.15 p.m.); thence to Médenine, in 8 hrs. ROADS from Médenine to the two starting-points for the island of Djerba: one viâ (37½ M.) Zarzis to (52 M.) Marsa el-Kantara; the other viâ (17½ M.) Djorf Bou-Grara to (30 M.) Marsa el-Adjim.—ROADS from El-Kantara (15½ M.) and El-Adjim (14 M.) to Houmt-Souk.

A motor-car should be hired from Sfax (p. 380) to Médenine, or all the way to Marsa el-Kantara. Or we may drive thither from Graïba, by carr. previously ordered from Gabes. At Médenine it is advisable to telegraph to Houmt-Souk for a carr. to meet the traveller at El-Kantara (or El-Adjim, as the case may be).—Houmt-Souk is a steamboat-station between Tunis and Tripoli (comp. R. 64).

From Sfax to _Graïba_ (39½ M.; railway in ca. 2 hrs.; fares 7 fr. 5, 5 fr. 35, 3 fr. 80 c.), see p. 383.

The ROAD leads to the S. from Graïba to (5½ M.) _Archichina_, a caravanserai on the W. side of the _Sour Kenis Bay_, where we join the main road from Sfax. It then traverses a desolate sandy waste on the W. side of the _Gulf of Gabes_ (p. 405), inland from the little seaport _Skira_ (for the alfa trade).

On the (28 M.) _Oued Akarit_ we enter the province of _Arad_. Between _Jebel Roumana_ (564 ft.) and _Jebel Dissa_ (p. 388), offshoots of the hills around the shott region, extends the flat _Isthmus of Gabes_, 12½ M. broad, bridging the space between the bay and the _Chott el-Fedjedj_ (76 ft. above sea-level), the E. continuation of the Chott Djérid (p. 386). In 1873 Ferd. de Lesseps (p. 437) suggested that, by cutting a canal through the isthmus, the whole of the shotts, as far as the Chott Melrir (p. 284), might be converted into a great inland sea; but several of them lie much above the sea-level.

34 M. _Domaine de Oued-Melah_, an olive and palm oasis (10,000 palms), on a brook generally dry, is partly watered by the oldest artesian wells in Tunisia (1885).

To the right, a little off the road to Gafsa (p. 383), lie the palm-oases of _Oudref_ and _El-Methouia_, and to the left _Ghennouch_. Near the (49½ M.) poor oasis of _Bou-Chemma_ we join the road from Kebilli (p. 388).

Our road leads through the palm-oasis of Gabes (p. 390) and past _Djara_ (p. 390) to (52 M.) _Gabès-Port_.

* * * * *

=Gabes.=—ARRIVAL BY SEA (comp. R. 64). The steamers anchor in the open roads (at low-tide over ½ M. from the fishing-boat harbour). Landing or embarking, especially in summer, in N.E. or E. wind, is often impossible.

HOTELS (comp. p. 324; sometimes crowded with motorists in spring). _Grand-Hôtel_, _Hôt. des Voyageurs_, both at Gabès-Port, ½ M. from the pier.

CAB from the pier to Gabès-Port 40 c. (for several pers. 20 c. each); one hour 1½ fr., each addit. ¼ hr. 25 c.; day of 10 hrs. 10–12 fr.; carr. and four horses, for long excursions, 20 fr. a day.

BRITISH CONSULAR AGENT, _C. Calleja_.

_Gabes_ or _Gabès_ (Europ. pop. 900, mostly Italians and Maltese; total, incl. oasis, 10,200), the ancient _Tacape_, the chief harbour on the stretch of coast called _Emporia_ by the Greeks and a rival of Leptis Magna and Tripoli (comp. p. 407), is now the capital of the _Arad_ and headquarters for the S. Territories, which are still under military rule. It is the only harbour of importance on the S. coast of the _Gulf of Gabes_ (p. 405). The chief exports are the sponges of the bay, alfa or esparto grass, dates, and woollen goods. In the war annals of 1881 the bombardment of Gabes from Menzel (see below) and the protracted resistance of the inland tribes are memorable. It was here that Gen. Logerot intercepted the tribes of the E. coast who tried to pass through the Arad to Tripolitania.

The small _Harbour_, for fishing-boats only, at the mouth of the _Oued Gabes_, protected by two stone piers, is exposed to every wind and choked with sand.

To the N.W. of the estuary, on the border of the oasis, which is here protected from sand-drift by palisades, rise low dunes; to the S.E., near the lighthouse, is an admirable bathing-beach.

The modern GABÈS-PORT, adjoining the _Camp Militaire_, contains no attraction except the garden of the _Cercle Militaire_. It is garrisoned with 160 native horsemen (Spahis or Cavaliers du Maghzen), who guard the Tripolitanian frontier of the S. Territories. The tradespeople are mostly Jews.

Beyond Gabès-Port, also on the barren right bank of the river, lie the large Berber villages, partly built of Roman materials, of DJARA (_Grand-Djara_; pop. 3500) and MENZEL (pop. 4500, incl. about 1000 Jews). The market-place of Djara, a square enclosed by primitive arcades with shops, is frequented chiefly by the S. Algerian caravans.