CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER I. | |
| HOW I ATE BOUILLABAISSE ATMARSEILLES. | |
| PAGE | |
| A mad holiday scheme — Prophecies of evil— Paris after rain — In the “Rapide” — Marseilles — A dish ofBouillabaisse, and a disillusionment | [1] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| ON BOARD THE “CHARLES QUINT.” | |
| A noble ship — Fellow-passengers — Thevivandière — Husbands and wives — A defect in the ship’sarrangements — “Why is an Englishman never sea-sick?” — Bone —Hair-cutting made easy — Colonel Allegro — The vivandièredistinguishes herself — A sudden change | [18] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| A WHITE SQUALL. | |
| A crowded deck — Rough seas — La Calleand its boatmen — A sea-fight on a small scale — Dinner underdifficulties — Trying to sleep — The small miseries of life — TheGulf of Tunis — A beautiful prospect — Goletta — My friend Afrigan— Jewish women — French soldiers | [38] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| A FIRST GLIMPSE OF TUNIS. | |
| An African railway-station —Fellow-countrymen — Mr. Parnell’s arrest — The “Little Sea” —African scenery — Sketches by the road-side — Camels, Moors,Bedouins — Tunis — The Grand Hotel — The Bab el Bahr — Tunisiancostumes — The “Grande Rue de Tunis” — The bazaars — Theslave-market | [57] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| THE ENGLISH CONSULATE. | |
| Mr. Reade — His appointment asConsul-General — Changed circumstances — The Consul at home — Wallsof blue china — The Consul’s duties — An offensive globe-trotter —A drive round the city walls — The Spanish aqueduct — The forts ofTunis — An awkward dilemma — My vivandière in trouble — An Englishhome in Tunis — A sudden alarm | [78] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| A DAY AT CARTHAGE. | |
| The pious Æneas — A street scene — Anondescript vehicle — The road to Carthage — A wayside tragedy —Bedouin children — Delenda est Carthago — An Empire’s dust— Dido’s Palace — The cisterns of Carthage — A lovely situation —The College of St. Louis — English ladies in Tunis | [95] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| WALKS ABOUT TUNIS. | |
| The English burial-ground — A sad spot —The author of “Home, sweet Home” — An Arab fortune-teller — On thetop of a volcano — The “fanatical quarters” — More eastern than the East — Shoppingin the bazaars — Mohamed the shopkeeper — Driving a bargain — Timeversus money | [116] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| OUTSIDE TUNIS. | |
| Risks outside the walls — A tantalizingprospect — The gates of Tunis — The Belvedere hill — The Frenchcamp — Typhus — A fine prospect — A visit to the Marsa — Mr.Reade’s country-house — A country drive — Taib Bey — The fall ofKairwan — The Bardo — The suzerainty of the Caliph — A quaintcustom | [137] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| ON THE ROAD TO KAIRWAN. | |
| The story of a failure — Friendlywarnings — Uxorious Afrigan — A change of diet — I start for Susa —An African thunderstorm — Susa — Troublous times — A busy scene — Aminiature railway — The English Vice-Consul — Preparations forcamping-out — A new servant — Disappointed — A “Parisian Hotel” inthe Gulf of Hammamet — A risky expedition — A faithfulfollower | [159] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| A GALE OFF CAPE BON. | |
| A night of misery — No chance of seeingKairwan — The Great Mosque of Susa — The Vice-Consul’s house — AnEnglish captive in Susa — Arab revolvers — Old friends — On boardthe Ville de Naples — A disturbed meal — Running forshelter — Rounding Cape Bon — Glasgow for ever! | [178] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| LAST DAYS AT TUNIS. | |
| A retrospect — The captain of theAristides — A curious meeting — Tunis again — Farewell visits —Rich shopkeepers — A last tussle with Mohamed — A real Arabgentleman — The Jeweller’s Bazaar — A visit to the Jewish quarter —An Arabian Night’s Entertainment — Dining, drinking, dancing | [197] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| GOOD-BYE TO GOLETTA. | |
| An Arab holiday — A state reception — Alast look at the Bab el Bahr — The heir apparent — An Englishsailor’s courage — Italian greed — The Sicilia — Sea-sickArabs | [221] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| HOMEWARD BOUND. | |
| Malta — The Union Club — A delightfulchange — The harbour by moonlight — A thrilling scene — theElettrico — Etna — Messina — Between Scylla and Charybdis— Sunrise off Naples — Home again | [240] |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| POLITICS IN TUNIS. | |
| A survey of the situation — M. Roustan’spolicy — The first campaign — The Treaty of the Bardo — Theinsurrection — Bombardment of Sfax — Occupation of Tunis — Marchupon Kairwan — Capture of Kairwan — Results of the French policy —English interests — Estrangement of Italy | [265] |
TO
W. H. MUDFORD, Esq.
My dear Mudford,—Although the days of patrons and of epistles dedicatory have passed away, it is still permissible to inscribe the name of a friend on the fly-leaf of a book. I venture, therefore, to associate your name with this trifling record of a pleasant holiday trip. I do so not because you were in a certain sense connected with part of my experiences in Tunis, nor even because in common with all who have any knowledge of the Press I recognize and rejoice in the great position you have gained in English Journalism; but because I wish to keep alive the memory of times long past, when you and I were bound together by the ties of an intimacy that was personal as well as professional, and that did not a little to cheer and strengthen me in a dark crisis of my life.
“Able editors,” though they are by no means common in this world, may still by a happy chance be met with at any period of one’s existence; but after a man has reached a certain age, if he does not cease to make friends he at least discovers that he cannot afford to part with any of those whom he made whilst he was still young. It is therefore rather to my old friend, than to the journalist who has done much to revive the best traditions of the English Press, that I ask leave to dedicate this simple story; and whilst I do so, may I add the expression of a hope that many years of usefulness and honour still lie before you?
Yours always,
T. Wemyss Reid.
Leeds, Feb. 20th, 1882.