21. From Marseilles to Tunis.
555 M. Steamboats (agents at Marseilles, see p. [120]; at Tunis, p. [331]). 1. North German Lloyd from Marseilles to Goletta (Alexandria) every second Wed. foren. (returning Sat. even.), in 30½ hrs. (90–150 or 60 marks).—2. Comp. Générale Transatlantique from Marseilles to Tunis direct (Malta, R. 63), Mon. at noon (returning Frid. aft.), in 31½ hrs. (96 or 69 fr.); viâ Bizerta to Tunis (Sfax and Susa, R. 64), Frid. at noon (returning Wed.), in 41 hrs. (81 or 59 fr.).—3. Navigation Mixte (Touache Co.) from Marseilles to Tunis direct (Sfax and Tripoli, R. 64), rapide mail-steamer Wed. at noon (returning Mon. afternoon), in 39 hrs. (75 or 50 fr.); cargo-boat viâ Bizerta to Tunis (Palermo, R. 26), Sat. evening (returning Thurs. at noon), in 49 hrs. (60 or 40 fr.).
Marseilles, see p. [119].—After remaining for some time in view of the coast of Provence as far as Cape Sicié (comp. p. [132]), the vessel steers to the S.E. and loses sight of land.
Off the Isola di Mal di Ventre we may catch a glimpse of the peninsula of Sinis, which lies on the N. side of the large Gulf of Oristano, on the W. coast of Sardinia, and at whose S. end once lay the Phœnician colony of Tharros. The bare and monotonous hills of the S.W. coast, with the well-known lead and zinc mines of the Iglesiente, the region round Iglesias, are only visible in clear weather. The steamer rounds the islands of San Pietro and San Antioco (p. [118]), with its capital of the same name on the E. coast, occupying the site of the Phœnician Sulci. We pass the Golfo di Palmas, with the uninhabited islets of La Vacca, Il Vitello, and Il Toro (p. [118]), and then Cape Teulada (p. [118]), after which Sardinia is soon lost to view.
To the S.W. appears the distant Ile de la Galite (p. [132]); then, on the coast of Tunisia, we descry the low spurs of the Tell Atlas (p. [320]), with the headlands of Râs el-Koran, Râs Engelah (lighthouse; the northmost point of the African continent), Cap Blanc (lighthouse; the Promontorium Candidum of antiquity), and Cap de Bizerte or Cap Guardia (853 ft.; lighthouse). To the S.E. another lighthouse marks the rocks of ‘I Cani‘.
Some steamers call at Bizerta (p. [352]); the others steer to the left, past the Cani and the island of Pilau (p. [132]), towards the little Ile Plane (lighthouse), which lies off Cape Farina (Arabic Râs Tarf; the ancient Promontorium Apollinis), where we come in sight of the broad Gulf of Tunis, with the island of Zembra (p. [153]) in the background.
We now cross the Bay of Utica (p. [353]) to the S., which since ancient times has been largely filled up with the deposits of the Medjerda (p. [320]), pass Cape Kamart (p. [351]) and La Marsa (p. [351]), and then reach the picturesque Cape Carthage (p. [351]), with its lighthouse and the sea-baths and white houses of Sidi Bou-Saïd. We now enter the *Inner Bay of Tunis, commanded on the E. by Jebel Korbous (p. [364]) and on the S. by Jebel Bou-Kornin (p. [363]), Jebel Ressas (p. [358]), and Jebel Zaghouan (p. [359]); we pass close to the castle-hill of Carthage (p. [344]), crowned with the cathedral, the sea-baths of Le Kram, Khéreddine, and Goulette Neuve (p. [344]), and reach Goletta (or La Goulette; p. [343]), a small seaport, situated on the tongue of land separating the Lac de Tunis or Lac Bahira (p. [332]) from the open sea.
The steamer here enters the canal, 5½ M. long, 110 yds. wide, and about 20 ft. deep, constructed across the lake in 1893, where we have a good view of the white houses of Tunis. On the right lies the island of Chikly, with relics of a castle built by Emp. Charles V. The surface of the lake is sometimes enlivened by flamingoes. The steamer, at half-speed, takes another hour to reach Tunis (p. [329]).