37. From Algiers to Bougie viâ Beni-Mansour.
162 M. Railway, in 7¾. hrs. By the Constantine morning-express (p. [269]) in 4¾ hrs. to Beni-Mansour (Rail. Restaurant; meals at Bouïra or at Bougie should be ordered beforehand) where carriages are changed; thence by ordinary train to (3 hrs.) Bougie (fares 29 fr. 20, 20 fr. 85, 15 fr. 65 c.). The Constantine night-express (p. [269]) may be taken as far as Bouïra, where in this case the rest of the night must be spent.—Or we may take the Motor Omnibus from Algiers to Bouïra.—Sea Voyage from Algiers to Bougie, comp. R. 22.
From Algiers to (7½ M.) Maison-Carrée, see p. [247]. Here our line, which forms part of the main E. Algerian line to Constantine (R. 43) and Biskra (R. 44) diverges from the Oran line (R. 33) to the S.E. The train crosses the Harrach and skirts the S. side of the hills near Maison-Carrée. View, to the right, of the Tell Atlas and the serrated Jebel Bou-Zegza (3386 ft.).
Beyond (12 M.) Maison-Blanche (36 ft.) the plateau adjoining Cape Matifou (p. [248]) appears on the left. We cross the Oued el-Hamiz.
16 M. Rouïba (60 ft.; Hôt. Glacier; Hôt. de France), a large village in the most fertile part of the E. Mitidja, with many vineyards. Diligence to (4½ M.) Aïn-Taya, see pp. [247], 248.
20 M. Réghaïa. We cross the Oued Réghaïa and pass through the so-called Forêt de la Réghaïa, with its sparse cork-trees.
24½ M. Alma (66 ft.; Hôt. du Cheval-Blanc; Hôt. d’Europe, etc.), ¾ M. to the S. of the station, occupies an idyllic site among hills on the left bank of the Oued Boudouahou.
The High Road leads from the right bank of the Boudouahou in long windings through the beautiful hill-country of the Sahel, which flanks the N. side of the Tell Atlas. Passing mostly through underwood it crosses the Oued Corso, and leads viâ the villages of Ste. Marie-du-Corso (125 ft.) and Belle-Fontaine (p. [250]), on the left, to Ménerville (p. [250]).
The railway, carried partly through cuttings, intersects the Sahel to the N.E. 26 M. Corso-Tahtâni (118 ft.), ¾ M. from the sea, near the mouth of the Oued Corso. To the left we have a brief outlook towards the sea. In the foreground rise the hills of the Sahel as far as Cape Djinet (p. [253]).
The train leaves the coast, passing at places through cuttings and between pleasant hills planted with mimosa, and enters, to the S.E., the vale of the Oued Bou Merdès, resplendent in spring with its mantle of golden broom.
30½ M. Belle-Fontaine (167 ft.); the village lies on a fine open hill to the right (466 ft.). We next pass between mimosa-clad hills, backed by wooded mountains, and through a defile which forms the portal of the Isser valley and Great Kabylia (p. [252]).
34 M. Ménerville (492 ft.; Hôt. Blanchard, plain but good), on the Col des Beni-Aïcha, a dirty village of 3000 inhab., is the junction for Tizi-Ouzou (R. 38).
Our line descends to the S.E. into the valley of the Isser, and then ascends on its left bank. 38 M. Souk el-Haad (230 ft.).
Beyond (40½ M.) Beni-Amran (420 ft.) begins the grand Ravine of the Isser (Gorges de Palestro or des Beni-Hinni), which pierces the Massif des Beni-Kalfoun, 4½ M. long, rivalling the gorge of the Chiffa (p. [215]). Views chiefly to the right; but owing to the numerous tunnels we see little of the bold limestone rocks.
48 M. Palestro (525 ft.; Hôt. de France, déj. 2 fr., Hôt. du Commerce, both humble), a poor village of 600 inhab. (with Wednesday market), defended by a fort, lies in the fertile central section of the Isser valley. Near it rises Jebel Tegrimoun or Tegrimont (3373 ft.), the highest of the Massif des Beni-Kalfoun (see above), commanding the famous view of the Jurjura Mts. (p. [258]).
Beyond (55 M.) Thiers (624 ft.) the train leaves the Isser, offering a glimpse of the head of its valley to the right, and turns to the E. into the tame valley of its tributary Oued Djemâa.
61½ M. Aomar-Dra el-Mizan (778 ft.), station for Aomar (1266 ft.) and (7½ M.) Dra el-Mizan (p. [254]; diligence).
The train runs to the S. E. along the foot of the Beni Smaïl Mts. (p. [254]), and then, curving far round to the E., ascends rapidly to the head of the valley of the Djemâa, here called Oued Bezzit, and to the Col de Dra el-Khemis (1962 ft.), the saddle between the W. Jurjura range and the hills of Aïn-Bessem (see below). Threading a tunnel the train then descends to the S. to the Plaine du Hamza, the upper region of the Oued Eddous valley (called Oued Sahel lower down; p. [251]).
76½ M. Bouïra (1722 ft.; Rail. Restaur.; Hôt. de la Colonie, R. 2–3, B. ¾–1, déj. 2½, D. 3 fr.; Hôt. des Voyageurs; pop. 7500), a small town with an old Turkish fort and a great Saturday market largely attended by Kabyles (p. [252]), is connected by hill-paths with Boghni (p. [254]) and Fort-National (p. [257]).
A Road (diligence twice daily) leads to the S.W. from Bouïra through the valley of the Oued Lekhal to (15½ M.) Aïn-Bessem (2221 ft.) in the Plaine des Aribs, and thence to the S. to (29 M.) Aumale (2907 ft.; Hôt. Grossat, R. 2½, déj. 3, D. 3½, pens. 10–12 fr.; Hôt. Raveu; pop. 6100), a little town on the N.E. spurs of Jebel Dira (5938 ft.). This was the ancient Auzia, an important station on the Roman road to Mauretania (p. [124]), of which numerous epigraphical monuments are now in the Museum.
A beautiful road (p. [248]) leads from Aumale to L’Arba and Algiers; another to (20 M.) Sidi-Aïssa and (84 M.) Bou-Saâda (p. [270]; diligence at 11 a.m., in 22 hrs.).
The train now descends to the E., on the right bank of the Oued Eddous; on the left tower the rocks of the Jurjura (Jebel Haïzer and Jebel Akouker, p. [258]). 85 M. El-Esnam. 93½ M. El-Adjiba (1247 ft.), near the influx of the Oued Zaïane into the Eddous, which now takes the name of Oued Sahel (the ancient Navasath).
From El-Adjiba across the Tizi n-Assoual to Fort-National, see p. [258].
100½ M. Maillot (1477 ft.; Hôt. des Voyageurs, R. 2 fr., déj. or D. 2 fr., Hôt. de la Poste, Hôt. de l’Union, all poor), a small village 2½ M. to the N. of the station (about 1050 ft.; diligence meets some of the trains), lies on the slope of the Lalla Khedidja (7572 ft.; p. [259]), the highest peak of the Jurjura, famed for its cedar-forests (comp. p. [210]).
From Maillot viâ the Tirourda Pass to Michelet, Fort-National, and Tizi-Ouzou, see R. 39; viâ Fort-National to Azazga (Bougie), R. 40.
107 M. Beni-Mansour (948 ft.; Rail. Restaurant, déj. or D. 3 fr., good), junction of the main line to Constantine and Biskra (RR. 43, 44) with the Bougie branch, lies on the boundary between the provinces of Algiers and Constantine. Near it is the finely situated old French fort, Bordj de Beni-Mansour, now a school. Sunday market near the station.
The Bougie line (change carriages) crosses the Oued Mahrir (p. [269]), near its influx into the Oued Sahel, and crosses the latter near the mouth of the Oued Tixiriden (p. [260]).
112 M. Tazmalt (902 ft.; Hôt. des Voyageurs), ½ M. to the N.W. of the station, the first village in the province of Constantine, with extensive olive-groves, lies near the Oued Beni Mellikeuch. This, like Maillot, is a station for the Tirourda Pass (R. 39).—To the S. of the railway rise the Beni Abbès Mts.
Below (115 M.) Allaghan (774 ft.) the Sahel valley contracts. On the left rises the Piton d’Akbou, crowned with a late-Roman tomb of the 3rd cent, (a step-pyramid on a square base), but not visible from the train. On the right, beyond the mouth of the copious Oued Bou Sellam (p. [269]), which rises in the mountains of Little Kabylia (p. [266]), the serrated Jebel Gueldaman (2638 ft.) juts far into the valley.
122 M. Akbou (1050 ft.; Hôt. du Sahel; Hôt. Bellevue; pop. 1200; Mon. market), a large village, is the starting-point of a path to the Col de Chellata (p. [260]). Grand eucalypti in the environs.
Far away to the left as we proceed towers Jebel Arbalou (p. [262]). 126 M. Azib-ben-Ali-Chérif (512 ft.); 128½, M. Ighzer-Amokran, at the mouth of the brook of that name. The broad floor of the valley is clothed with meagre underwood.
133 M. Takritz, or Takriets (364 ft.), is the station also for Seddouk, 5½ M. to the S.E.; 136 M. Sidi-Aïch (295 ft.) has a Wednesday market well attended by the neighbouring Fenaïa (p. [261]) and Beni Himmel tribes. Olives abound on the hill-sides farther on; in the valley below is a small grove of fig-trees.
142 M. Il-Maten (361 ft.), on the left bank of the Sahel, whose valley, now called La Soummam, is fever-stricken lower down.
On the left bank of the Sahel, near Tiklat, a village about halfway between Il-Maten and El-Kseur, are the interesting ruins of the Roman town of Thubusuctu or Thubusuptus. Fragments of the walls of the baths, 33 ft. high, are still standing; the great Cisternes d’El-Arouia are 83 yds. long and 41 yds. wide; and there are relics of two aqueducts besides many tombs.
147 M. El-Kseur-Amizour. The village of El-Kseur (p. [261]) lies ½ M. to the N., on the Azazga road; that of Oued-Amizour is 3¾ M. to the S.E. of the station. 149½ M. Tombeau de la Neige.
154½ M. La Réunion (53 ft.), on the slope to the left, is near the mouth of the Oued Rhir or Ghir. Road (8 M.) to Toudja (p. [262]).
The train, running to the N.E., now enters the plain at the mouth of the Sahel. Fine view, to the right, of the Gulf of Bougie and the hills of Little Kabylia. In the foreground, beyond the wooded and fertile Plaine, watered by the Oued Srir, appears Jebel Gouraya (p. [265]).
162 M. Bougie, see p. [262].