Pursuing our Voyage to Tunis we soon obtain a fine view of the bold limestone rocks of Monte Pellegrino (p. [151]). We next pass the beautiful Bay of Mondello and the Cape Gallo and steer to the W., away from the Sicilian coast and the Gulf of Castellammare. That spacious gulf is bounded on the E. by the Punta di Raisi, a spur of Monte Orso (2900 ft.), and on the W. by the mountains of San Vito (Monte Sparagio and others).
Beyond Cape San Vito (lighthouse) appear to the S.W. Monte San Giuliano (see below) and the Ægadean Islands. The French steamers bound for Tunis direct pass near these islands; first Lévanzo (951 ft.; ancient Phorbantia), beyond which to the S. is Favignana (1070 ft.; ancient Ægusa), the largest of the group; then Marittimo (ancient Hiera), with Monte Falcone (2245 ft.).
The Italian steamer coming from Naples rounds Monte San Giuliano (2464 ft.), a solitary mass of Jurassic rock, the ancient Eryx, famed for its temple of Venus Erycina, and highly revered by all the Mediterranean peoples, and next calls at—
Trápani (Grand-Hôtel, on the quay; landing or embarkation, without baggage, 60 c.; Brit. vice-consul, G. Marino), the ancient Drepana (from drepanon, a sickle), so called from the form of the peninsula. Down to the first Punic war this was merely the port of the ancient Eryx, but it is now a thriving commercial place (pop. 38,000). The chief export is the sea-salt yielded by the extensive evaporation grounds on the W. coast, towards Marsala. The coral-fishery also is an important industry.
The Naples steamer next passes through the strait between the islands of Levanzo and Favignana (see above) and the flat W. coast of Sicily, and then steers to the S.W. through the Straits of Pantelleria (p. [396]), between Favignana and the Isola Grande, towards Cape Bon (Arabic Râs Addar, the Roman Promontorium Mercurii), the E. boundary of the Bay of Tunis (p. [129]). High up on this bold headland stands a lighthouse (410 ft.), visible for 32 M. around, one of the most important landmarks for mariners between Gibraltar and Egypt. Beyond the cape rises Jebel Abiod (1273 ft.), with its semaphore. The islands to the W. are Zembretta and Zembra or Jamur (1420 ft.; the ancient Ægimurus).
The great quarries near El-Aouaria (the ancient Aquilaria), between Cape Bon and the Râs el-Ahmar (318 ft.) yielded the Phœnicians the material for building Carthage. We next pass the Anse de Thonaire, with its important tunny-fishery (Ital. tonnara), and the Râs al-Fortas.
The steamers usually enter the Inner Bay of Tunis and Lake Bahira in the early morning. Tunis, see p. [329].
The Italian Cargo-Steamers (p. [146]) first touch at Castellammare del Golfo, then proceed to Trapani (see above), where they spend the night. They next pass Favignana (see above), Isola Grande, the lagoon of Lo Stagnone, and Capo Boeo or Lilibeo, the W. extremity of Sicily.
Marsála (Albergo Centrale; Leone; Stella d’Italia; landing or embarkation 60 c.; with heavy baggage 1½ fr.; Brit. vice-consul, Chas. F. Gray; pop. 58,000) is a busy trading town, well known for its fiery wines. It occupies the site of Lilybaeum, the chief fortress of Carthage in Sicily. The modern name is of Moorish origin (Marsa-Ali, harbour of Ali).
Skirting the monotonous S.W. coast of Sicily the vessel next calls at Mazzara del Vallo (Alb. Centrale; Alb. Stella; Brit. vice-consul, O. Favara), founded as Mazara by the Greeks of Selinus, but destroyed along with its mother-city by the Carthaginians in 409 B. C.