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).