Part 46

From the Rue Perrégaux we may descend by the Rue de l’Arc and (to the right) the Rue de l’Alma, or direct by the Rue Morland, under the new bridge, to the small kubba of =Sidi-Rached= (Pl. B, C, 6; 1752 ft.). From the adjacent rocky height we have a grand view of the upper Rhumel ravine. Opposite, near the old _Pont du Diable_ (Pl. B, C, 6), is the _Rocher des Martyrs_, bearing an old inscription in memory of the Christian martyrs of 259.

* * * * *

The **=Gorges du Rhumel=, the grandest ravines in the Tell Atlas, present a most impressive scene, especially during the melting of the snow or after heavy rain, but in summer much of their charm is lost owing to the lowness of the stream and the stench of the tanneries. The gorge was first made accessible in 1895 by the _Chemin des Touristes_, a path 1¾ M. in length, constructed by the engineer Fr. Rémès. From the S. entrance (Pl. C, 6; 1811 ft.), near the new bridge, it descends parallel with the Chemin du Rhumel (10 min. above the station), close past the main entrance (see below) and under the El-Kantara bridge and the new Suspension Bridge to the lower end of the ravine (1512 ft). It is to be connected with the new N. entrance (Pl. B, 2), on the Corniche road (p. 302), by a side-branch. Tourists pressed for time may go direct from the station to the S. entrance, walk down the gorge as far as the grottoes, turn back there, and then leave by the main entrance. A ticket for the day (2 fr., or for repeated visits ½ fr. each time) admits also to a bath in the Bains Rémès.

The main-entrance, near the so-called Porte Vitruve (1730 ft.), is reached from the Boul. de l’Est, 45 yds. to the N. of the old El-Kantara gate (p. 298), by an uncomfortable path descending in steps; another descends from the Corniche road on the opposite side (‘Entrée’; Pl. D, 3), 3 min. below the bridge.

Before entering the gorge we may glance at the remains of the _Roman Bridge_, which crosses the river at the narrowest part, 66 yds. across. The sculptures, two elephants and a weather-worn relief of Africa, belonged perhaps to a still older bridge.

From the ticket-office we first walk upstream, on the right bank, by the UPPER PATH, often up and down steps. The rocky sides of the gorge are enlivened by numerous storks, pigeons, and hawks; far below us the river dashes down its stony bed. High above peep the picturesque houses of the native quarter. On the left bank are the _Bains Rémès_, with a hot spring (90° Fahr.), and remains of a Roman _Aqueduct_. They are reached by a side-path to the right, ca. 220 yds. beyond the ticket-office. The baths, or _Piscinae_, originally Roman, have been entirely renewed.

Farther up (¼ hr.), a path in steps ascends to the left, under the new bridge, not far from the Pont du Diable and the Pointe de Sidi-Rached (comp. p. 301), to the S. entrance.

We now return to the chief entrance, and near the office descend to the left, by a path with steps and iron stairs, to the *_Grottoes_, 230 ft. high at places, through which the river flows, mostly underground, for a distance of 330 yds.; the huge dome of rock is specially impressive when viewed from the middle of the iron footbridge. A winding staircase next descends to the LOWER PATH, with its wire-fence and benches. Passing below the new Suspension Bridge (p. 300) we reach the last arch of rock (retrospect of the grottoes) and in a few minutes the lower (N.W.) end of the gorge, above the _Cascades_ (Pl. B, 2).

Those who do not care to return to the El-Kantara bridge may ascend direct from the last archway to the Corniche road.

The Rhumel Fall, dashing over rock-terraces to a depth of 212 ft., the precipice below the Kasba, and the Rocher Sidi M’Cid (see below) are all admirably viewed from the =Moulins Lavie= (Pl. A, 2), on the left bank, 10 min. from Square No. 2 (p. 299).

The traveller should not omit to take a short walk on the superb *=Route de la Corniche= (Pl. D-B, 3–1), starting from the El-Kantara bridge. Below the _Hôpital Civil_ (p. 300) two short tunnels carry the road through the _Rocher Sidi M’Cid_, an offshoot of Jebel Sidi M’Cid (2575 ft). The finest point is (¼ hr.) a small projecting platform at a bend in the road, whence we look down on the Rhumel Fall and the baths of Sidi M’Cid.

In a dale at the N. base of the Rocher Sidi M’Cid lies the pleasant _Hammam Sidi M’Cid_ (Pl. B, 1), with saline springs and two large swimming-baths.

The ‘GRAND TOUR’ (1–1¼ hr.; carr. 3–4 fr.; bargain advisable) is a favourite drive by the Route de Sétif (Pl. A, 5, 6; affording a fine retrospect of the Quartier Perrégaux), and across the uppermost Rhumel bridge, to the _Roman Aqueduct_ (p. 274); thence from the Route de Batna to the right to the _Pépinière_, in a dale full of fruit-trees, and charming in spring; lastly over the pine-clad _Mansoura Hill_, crowned with a fort, and back by the Chemin de Mansoura (Pl. D, 5) to the bridge of El-Kantara.

From Constantine to _Algiers_, see R. 43; to _Bona_, see R. 48; to _Biskra_, see R. 44; to _Philippeville_, see R. 47; to _Djidjelli_ (_Bougie_), see R. 42; to _Souk-Ahras_, see R. 49; to _Tunis_, see RR. 49, 51.

47. From Constantine to Philippeville.

54 M. RAILWAY in 3–4¾ hrs. (9 fr. 75, 7 fr. 30, 5 fr. 35 c.). Railway Restaurant at Col-des-Oliviers.

_Constantine_, see p. 297. Running to the N., the line pierces the _Rocher Sidi M’Cid_ (p. 302) by tunnels, proceeds high above _Hammam Sidi M’Cid_ (p. 302) and the Rhumel, with a splendid retrospect of Constantine, and then curves round to (4½ M.) _Le Hamma_ (1614 ft.), station for the _Oasis du Hamma_, a luxuriantly fertile dale with countless fruit-trees, watered by the Hamma and several springs.

8 M. _Bizot_ (1805 ft.). It then descends to the _Oued Smendou_, a tributary of the Rhumel, and ascends its right bank to (17 M.) _Condé-Smendou_ (1838 ft.).

We cross several feeders of the Oued Safsaf (see below) and pass through the _Hills of El-Kantour_ in several tunnels, below the pass of that name, now called also _Col-des-Oliviers_.

25½ M. _Col-des-Oliviers_ (1365 ft.; Rail. Restaurant), station for a group of small villages inhabited by immigrant farmers. Thence a steep, winding descent, in a hill-region denuded of its forest, to (31 M.) _Bougrina_, like Robertville, a station for the large village of _El-Arrouch_.

35½ M. =Robertville= (348 ft.; several inns), a village on the _Oued Ahmar_, is the starting-point of the fine hill-roads through the _Massif de Philippeville_ viâ (23 M.) _Bordj Tamalous_ to (40 M.) _Collo_ (p. 131; diligence twice daily in 8 hrs.), and to _Djidjelli_ (p. 267; motor-omnibus, see p. 267).

The train now descends into the valley of the _Oued Safsaf_, where wild olives, poplars, and cork-trees abound.

42½ M. _St. Charles_ (138 ft.; Hôt. du Lion d’Or), the oldest farming settlement in the district, founded by Germans and Belgians in 1840, was at first defended by four small forts.

FROM ST. CHARLES TO BONA, 61½ M., railway in 4–5 hrs. (7 fr. 50, 5 fr. 5, 4 fr. 5 c.). 9 M. _Râs el-Ma_, with a quicksilver-mine; 15½ M. =Jemmapes= (312 ft.; Hôt. d’Orient; pop. 2800), on the _Oued Fendek_, a little town founded in 1848, the chief place on the roads from Philippeville to Bona and to Guelma (p. 308); 19½ M. _Oued-Hammimine_, a small bath-hotel (pens. with bath 6 fr.), with three hot sulphur-springs (95–115° Fahr.; season Sept.–Nov. only); 41 M. _Aïn-Mokra_ (85 ft.), on a slope near the malarious flats of _Lac Fetzara_, a swamp of about 35,000 acres, and the now abandoned iron-mines of the Comp. du Mokta el-Hadid; 45½ M. _Aïn-Daliah_, for the new mine of _Marouania_ belonging to the same company. 61½ M. _Bona_, see p. 309.

We descend the narrow Safsaf valley to (47½ M.) _Safsaf_. 50½ M. _Damrémont_ (33 ft.) is the station also for _Valée_ (122 ft.), a village on the vine-clad right bank, on the Bona and Guelma road (see above).—The train leaves the Safsaf, crosses its tributary _Oued Zeramna_ (p. 305), and passes through a tunnel under the W. slope of _Mont Skikda_ (p. 304).

54 M. =Philippeville.=—The STATION (Pl. C, 2; no buffet) is not far from the quay, a few paces from Place de Marqué.

ARRIVAL BY SEA (comp. RR. 20, 22). The steamers of the Gén. Transatlantique (agent, Fauré, Place de Marqué) moor at the quay; those of the Transports Maritimes (agent, Caffa) and of the Navigation Mixte (agents, Daprela & Campiglia, Place du Commerce) anchor in the Grande Darse (Pl. C, D, 1). Cab-fares, see below. Portefaix (porter) for articles under 20 kilos (44 lbs.) to the station 25, to the town 40 c.; trunk 50 or 75 c.

HOTELS (comp. p. 174). _Grand-Hôtel_ (Pl. a; C, 2), Place de Marqué, with fine views, R. 3–5, déj. 2½, D. 3, pens. 8½ fr., good; _Hôt. Foy_, same square (Pl. B, 2), new, R. 3–6 fr., B. 60 c., déj. or D. 2½, pens. from 8 fr.; _Hôt. de France & de la Marine_ (Pl. b; B, 2), same square, No. 3, R. 2–3, B. ¾, déj. 2½, D. 3 fr.; _Hôt. Léger_, Rue Nationale, R. 2–5, B. ¾, déj. 2½, D. 3, pens. 6–7 fr., plain but good; _Nouvelle Poste_ (Pl. d; B, 2), Place du Commerce, _Cinq Nations_ (Pl. e; C, 3), Rue de Constantine, corner of Rue Gambetta, both plain.

CAFÉS-RESTAURANTS. _Café de Foy_, at the hotel (see above); _Boutin_, Plage du Château-Vert (in summer).

POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE (Pl. 5; B, 2), Place du Commerce.

BANKS. _Banque de l’Algérie_, Avenue du Troisième-Zouaves; _Comp. Algérienne_ and _Crédit Lyonnais_, Rue Nationale 30 and 51.

BATHS in the _Grand-Hôtel_; also _Tenienski_, Rue Buffon.—SEA BATHS. _Bassin du Château-Vert_ (see below); at _Stora_ (p. 306), etc.

THEATRE. _Théâtre Municipal_ (Pl. 7; B, C, 3), Place Corneille (sometimes Italian pieces).—BAND on Sun. in the Place de Marqué.

CABS (stand, Place Corneille). Drive 1 fr.; first hr. 2½, each addit. hr. 2 fr.; half-day 10, whole day 18 fr.—DILIGENCE to Stora (50 c.), St. Antoine (25 c.), etc.

BRITISH VICE-CONSUL, _W. H. Miller_, Rue Téophile Réguis.

_Philippeville_ (Arabic _Skikda_; pop. 26,000, incl. 16,000 Europeans, mostly Italians and Maltese, and 4800 Mohammedans), the youngest Algerian seaport, was founded by Marshal Valeé in 1838 as a harbour for Constantine. It lies on the fine _Gulf of Stora_ (p. 128), about 1 M. to the W. of the mouth of the Safsaf (p. 303), in a ravine between _Mont Skikda_ (548 ft.) to the E. and _Jebel Bou Yala_ to the S.W. Its site is that of the ancient _Rusicade_, once a Phœnician town, but founded anew by the Romans in 45 B.C. Under the empire, as the _Colonia Veneria Rusicade_, it belonged to the league of Cirta (p. 298), but, according to local tradition, it had ceased to exist by 484. The chief harbour in the gulf, being well sheltered, was formerly the neighbouring _Asthoret_, now _Stora_ (p. 306), but it has been superseded by that of Philippeville, constructed in 1860–80 at a cost of some 20 million francs.

The =Harbour=, after Bona (p. 309) the chief outlet for the produce of the province of Constantine, consists of an excellent inner basin of 50 acres (_Grande Darse_; Pl. C, D, 1) and an _Avant-Port_ (Pl. A, B, 1) of 75 acres. The _Grande Jetée du Nord_ (Pl. D, 1), running out from Cape Skikda, is 1 M., the _Jetée du Château-Vert_ (Pl. A, 1), on the W. side, ¼ M. in length.

The best points for viewing the harbour and bay are the _Place de Marqué_ (Pl. B, C, 2; popularly _Pl. de la Marine_), the pretty _Petit Bois_ or _Jardin de l’Hôpital_ (Pl. C, 2), adjacent on the E., and the lofty _Place des Zouaves_ (Pl. D, 2, 3; drilling-ground).

Past the Place de Marqué runs the RUE NATIONALE (Pl. B, C, 2–4), the main street, connecting the chief gates, the N.W. _Porte de Stora_ (Pl. B, 2) and the S. _Porte de Constantine_ (Pl. C, 4), whence issue the Constantine, Bona, and Guelma roads. The narrow gorge affords room for only a few parallel streets. The side-streets ascend the hill-sides partly in steps.

The _Théâtre Municipal_ (Pl. 7; B, C, 3), in the narrow Place du Commerce, on the W. side of the Rue Nationale, stands on the foundations of a Roman temple. A little farther, on the E. side of the street, is the pretty _Square Carnot_ (Pl. C, 3).—To the W. from this square the Rue Gambetta leads to the _Collège Communal_ (Pl. B, 3). On the N.E. slope of Jebel Bou Yala, behind the school (apply to the concierge here, 30–50 c.) lies the—

=Roman Theatre=, the largest in Algeria, erected at the earliest under Hadrian; but as it was used as a quarry for building the modern town, little of it is now left. Of the cavea, 90 yds. wide, which held 5–6000 spectators, only a few steps, two passages, and relics of vaulting remain. The stage is below the school-building.

From the Rue Gambetta the Rue Valée (Pl. B, C, 3, 4) leads through the heart of the Mohammedan quarter to the Rue St. Augustin and the—

=Museum= (Pl. 3; C, 4). The collections include some valuable Roman antiquities. Adm. daily, 8–6; Sun. and Thurs. free; on other days 1 fr.; catalogue (1901) 1 fr. 10 c.; curator, M. L. Bertrand.

The GARDEN contains numerous Roman columns, statues, etc.

The PAVILLON CENTRAL has archæological collections on the groundfloor. In the centre, 173. Roman milestone, from Hadrian’s road from Rusicade to Cirta (p. 298); 151. Antoninus Pius, in marble. In the first wall-press are objects from Roman tombs, mostly from Rusicade; 687. Genius, a statuette in marble. Detached, 749. Punic tomb-stela. In the second wall-press, Roman vases and lamps; also, *805. Bust of a youth, after an Attic work of the age of Praxiteles; 806. Bust of Agrippina the Elder; 778. Punic stela of the goddess Tanit, from Carthage; 779. Mithras stone; 783. Boy’s head; 904. Clay statuette of a woman bathing; 968. Bust of Hadrian. By the following end-wall, Roman inscriptions and altars. At the other end, one early-Christian (293) and two late-Roman sarcophagi (224, 331), Roman inscriptions, etc.—The 1st Floor contains ethnographical and natural history collections and pictures.

The PAVILLON NORD contains coins and medals, the PAVILLON SUD a small collection of weapons and flags.

EXCURSIONS. Bearing a little to the left from the Porte de Constantine (see above), we cross the large Place des Chameaux (Pl. D, 4), where an interesting _Cattle Market_ is held on Thursday mornings, and then follow the S. slope of Mont Skikda (p. 304), past the _Cemetery_, to (½ hr.) the =Château Landon= or _Domaine des Lions_, which has a beautiful garden. (Visitors require the permission of M. Gallard, the superintendent, Rue Galbois.)

The St. Charles (and Constantine) road leads through the _Faubourg de l’Espérance_ in the fertile dale of the _Oued Zeramna_, past the (2½ M.) _Ecole Pratique d’Agriculture_, to the prettily situated village of (3¾ M.) _St. Antoine_ (33 ft.; diligence 25 c.).

From St. Antoine we may visit, viâ the Route de Praxbourg, the _Oued Amida_, or upper valley of the Zeramna, a hill-region where cork-tree plantations abound, and a favourite resort of wild-boar and jackal hunters. Or we may follow the Chemin de la Carrière Romaine across the _Col Chambœuf_, on _Jebel Soubouyou_ (1050 ft.), to _Damrémont_ (p. 303).

To the W. of the Porte de Constantine a picturesque road leads viâ _Montplaisant_ to the dale of _Beni Melek_, famed for its wine. We may return thence viâ the Porte des Citernes (Pl. A, 3) and Rue d’Orléans, or descend the Chemin du Beni-Melek to the Route de Stora.

For a visit to =Stora= we may take the *_Route de la Corniche_, the beautiful new shore-road which starts from the Place de Marqué (Pl. B, C, 2) and at places is tunnelled through the living rock (ca. 2 M.; diligence). Or we may follow the picturesque _Route de Stora_ (2½ M.), the old upper road, beginning at the Stora Gate (p. 305). _Stora_, a fishing-village with sea-baths, is now inhabited chiefly by Italians. The fine view hence extends to Jebel Filfila and the Cap de Fer (p. 131). On the steep shore are fragments of an _Aqueduct_, partly underground, and several _Cisterns_ (restored), relics of the Roman Asthoret (p. 304). A vault now used as a laundry probably belonged to a _Nymphaeum_ or fountain.

48. From Constantine to Bona viâ Duvivier.

135½ M. RAILWAY, in 7–8¾ hrs. (24 fr. 65, 17 fr. 60, 13 fr. 20 c.). The morning train has a dining-car between Le Khroub and Duvivier. Buffets at Le Khroub and Duvivier. The only intermediate station of interest is Hammam-Meskoutine.

From Constantine to (10 M.) _Le Khroub_, see pp. 274, 273.

Our line diverges to the E. from those to Algiers and Biskra (RR. 43, 44) and ascends between low hills in the bleak valley of the _Oued Berda_, a tributary of the Oued Bou Merzoug (p. 272).

18 M. _Bou-Nouara_ (2330 ft.) has an ancient _Berber Necropolis_, whose dolmens and rock-tombs, 1¼ M. to the N. of the railway, extend along the spurs of _Jebel Mazela_ (3412 ft.).

25½ M. _Aïn-Abid_ (2822 ft.), the highest point on the line, lies on the watershed between the Oued Berda and the _Oued Zenati_, one of the feeders of the Seybouse (p. 308). 35 M. _Aïn-Regada_ (2487 ft.), also in a dreary steppe.

42 M. =Oued-Zenati= (2268 ft.; Hôt. de France), pleasantly situated on a partially wooded hill-side, the only large village before Guelma, has a busy market (Sun., Mon., Thurs.).

The ROAD TO GUELMA (28 M.; diligence in 4¼ hrs.) leads to the N.E. through a pretty hill-country direct to _Medjez-Amar_ (p. 308), just before (14¼ M.) _Aïn-Amara_, and below _Thibilis_ (p. 307).

Road and railway make a long bend to the W. round the hill-region of _Bou Hamdan_. Beyond (52 M.) _Bordj Sabath_ (1759 ft.), where, below the influx of the _Oued Sabath_, the Zenati is called _Oued Bou Hamdan_, the scenery changes. The valley, whose slopes are richly overgrown with olive-trees and underwood, contracts. In the stony river-bed grow many wild oleanders.

59 M. _Taya_ (1312 ft.), a pleasant oasis with fruit-trees and eucalypti, lies near the stalactite grottoes, not easy of access, in the limestone hill of _Jebel Taya_ (3963 ft.). The valley again contracts in the two _Gorges de Taya_.

68 M. =Hammam-Meskoutine= (1312 ft.; *Hôtel des Bains; R. 5–6, B. 1½, déj. 3½, D. 4, pens. 14, motor-omn. 1¼–1½ fr., open 15th Nov. to June), the Roman _Aquae Thibilitanae_, is now one of the most noted baths in Algeria. The ‘indifferent’ springs are strongly impregnated with chloride of sodium and sulphate of lime; one, containing iron, has a temperature of 187° Fahr., the others 226°. The latter form the *_Grande Cascade_, 5 min. from the station, on the way to the hotel, falling over a terrace of calc-sinter 42 ft. high, a miniature edition of the terraces of Yellowstone Park, or of Hierapolis (in Asia Minor). Below the terrace rise date-palms and splendid olive-trees, while the bed of the _Oued Chedakra_ with its profusion of oleanders further enhances the peculiar charm of the scene. The curious limestone cones, a few paces to the E., relics of old eruptions, have given rise to the Arabian legend of the petrified wedding party, from which the place derives its name (‘Baths of the Petrified’). Smaller springs rise beyond these cones and also 3 min. to the E., near the railway.

Enclosed by the houses of the bath-hotel is a charming _Garden Court_, with orange and lemon trees. Most curious among the numerous Roman antiquities (stelæ, funerary inscriptions, etc.) placed here is the house-altar of the Antistii, from Thibilis (see below), on the S. terrace, shaded by a venerable terebinth. The ruined _Piscinae_ are the only relics of Roman buildings.

EXCURSIONS. To the S.W. lies the (¾ hr.) _Lac Souterrain_, a pond 88 ft. deep, in a cavern formed in 1878 by a landslip. In sunshine (best 2–4 p.m.) the water assumes a beautiful blue colour.—To the S., a little aside from the lake just mentioned, we may ride on mule-back, or walk, viâ _Aïn-St. Charles_ and _Aïn-Amara_ (see above) to (2 hrs.) _Announa_, the Roman =Thibilis=, lying on a narrow hill (ca. 2300 ft.), high above the _Announa Valley_, where excavations have been made since 1905. We note specially the _East Gate_, the _Entrance Arch_ of the forum, vestiges of the _Market Basilica_, the house of _Magister Pagus_, and the sadly ruined _South Gate_, the only two-arched Roman gateway in Algeria. Outside the late-Byzantine town-walls, on the S.W. side of the little town, is the _Byzantine Basilica_ built of fragments of Roman buildings; in the semicircular choir-recess are five rows of seats for the clergy, with the bishop’s place in the centre.—A new road (carr. 12 fr.) leads to the N.W. to (9½ M.) the ancient Berber _Necropolis of Roknia_, on the W. slope of _Jebel Debar_ (3442 ft.), with many dolmens (p. 324) and rock-tombs, sadly damaged of late.

The train next makes a wide bend to the S., round the wooded hills of the _Beni Addi_, past the influx of the _Oued Cherf_ into the Bou Hamdan, which now takes the name of _Seybouse_. 72 M. _Medjez-Amar_ (958 ft.), amid fine hill scenery.

80 M. =Guelma= (916 ft.; Hôt. d’Orient, Rue Sadi-Carnot, tolerable; Hôt. de l’Univers; pop. 10,200), a pleasant little town, in a broad olive-clad basin, was founded on the site of _Calama_, in 1836, when the _Byzantine Town Walls_ of the time of Solomon (p. 315) were partly used to build the French camp. The striking ruins of the Roman _Thermae_ (2nd cent. A. D.), with walls still about 33 ft. high, and the _Jardin Public_, with Roman antiquities, are worth seeing. There is a small collection of antiquities also at the _Mairie_. The restoration of the _Roman Theatre_ was begun in 1907 but never finished.

Guelma holds the greatest _Cattle Market_ in E. Algeria (Mondays; chief of all, last Sunday in April). The poor-looking oxen, mostly light-grey, of the E. districts as far as the Tunisian frontier, are known as Guelma cattle.

An interesting excursion may be made from Guelma by carriage (12 fr. whole day) to _Thibilis_ (p. 307).

As the train proceeds, we have a fine view, to the right, of _Jebel Mahouna_ (4630 ft.), often snow-clad in winter. 82½ M. _Millésimo_ (755 ft.); 86 M. _Petit_, amidst pleasant wooded hills.

93 M. _Nador_ (430 ft.), with the poor huts of the natives half-hidden by cactus-hedges, is the station for the zinc-mines on _Jebel Nador_ (2418 ft.), owned by the Vieille-Montagne Company.—We next traverse the _Gorges du Nador_, clad with underwood.

101 M. =Duvivier= (312 ft.; Rail. Restaur.; Hôt. Lagarde, poor; pop. 2000), below the mouth of the _Oued Melah_ (p. 312), junction for Bona, Souk-Ahras (Tunis, Tebessa; RR. 49–51).

Our line now runs to the N. through the Seybouse valley. 103½ M. _Boudaroua_, 105½ M. _Oued-Frarah_, 110 M. _St. Joseph_, all on the W. border of the wooded hills of the _Beni Salah_.

On the right, just before (117 M.) _Barral_, is the new reservoir of the _Canal d’Irrigation de la Seybouse_. The chief branch of the conduit runs on the left bank through the plain of Bona. A minor branch, along with the highroad, crosses to the right bank, below the picturesque village, by the iron _Pont de Barral_.

We now enter the _Plaine de Bône_, the broad, largely marshy flats of the Seybouse, a picture of luxuriant fertility in spring, with their extensive vineyards, flower-carpeted meadows, tall aloes, and picturesque clumps of trees.

120½ M. _Mondovi_ (72 ft.; Hôt. Honorati), the agricultural centre of the district, with many thriving farms.

124 M. _St. Paul_, junction of a branch-line to (7 M.) _Randon_. To the left appears the _Massif du Beleliéta_ (876 ft.), in front of Jebel Edough (see below); then, between (127 M.) _Duzerville_ and (130½ M.) _Allélik_, is seen the low _Massif du Bou Hamra_ (499 ft.), with its very ancient iron-mines, now worked by the Mokta el-Hadid Company (p. 303).