29. From Oran to Tlemcen.
102½ M. Railway Train, with one 1st and 2nd cl. through-carriage, in 5¼–5¾ hrs.; (fares 18 fr. 55, 13 fr. 35 c., 10 fr.). Dep. from chief station (p. [175]). As far as Aïn-Fezza (p. [186]) finest views to the left. Railway Restaurant (D. 2 fr.) at Sidi Bel-Abbès only.
Motor Trip (p. [173]) from Oran viâ Misserghin, Aïn-Temouchent, and Pont-de-l’Isser to (82½ M.) Tlemcen, returning viâ Sidi Bel-Abbès (128 M.), interesting; good road.
Between Lamur (p. [181]) and Victor-Hugo, suburbs of Oran, the train crosses the Damesme and Perrégaux line (R. 32). Beyond the small salt-lake Daya Morselli, on the left, we enter the Plaine du Figuier, on the N. side of the Sebkha d’Oran, one of the largest salt-lakes in the Tell Atlas, 26 M. long and 6 M. broad.
3 M. La Sénia (325 ft.), a Spanish village, with productive vegetable-gardens and vineyards; also a station on the steam-tramway from Oran to Hammam Bou-Hadjar (p. [184]).
To the S.W. from La Sénia diverges the Oran and Aïn-Temouchent Line (from Oran 47½ M., in 2¼–3 hrs.; fares 8 fr. 60, 6 fr. 15, 4 fr. 60 c.). The train skirts the S. base of Jebel Murjajo (p. [182]), near the Sebkha d’Oran. 12½ M. Misserghin (360 ft.; Hôt. des Voyageurs, Hôt. de la Paix, both poor; pop. 4400), situated 9½ M. to the S.W. of Oran by the Tlemcen road, a spot much visited from Oran, possessing a large pépinière or nursery, and several monastic foundations; charming walk to the (2½ M.) Ravin de la Vierge through luxuriant orange, lemon, mandarin, and banana groves.—22½ M. Bou-Tlélis (295 ft.), whence a road leads viâ the Forêt M’Sila and El-Ançor to Bou-Sfer (p. [184]). 29½ M. Lourmel (300 ft.), near the W. end of the salt-lake. 35 M. Er-Rahel (450 ft.), connected by road (6¼ M.) with Hammam Bou-Hadjar (p. [184]). We cross the Rio Salado (Arabic Oued Malah) to (40 M.) Rio Salado (279 ft.), famed for its wine.—47½ M. Aïn-Temouchent (847 ft.; Royal Hotel; Hôt. de Londres; Hôt. de la Poste; pop. 7500), founded in 1851 on the site of the Roman Albulae, chiefly inhabited by Spaniards, lies amidst vineyards and orchards in the narrow valley of the Oued Senane, into which the Oued Temouchent falls here. The Thurs. market is worth seeing.
The Road to Tlemcen, 41 M. (diligence at 7 p.m. in 9 hrs., returning from Tlemcen at 9 p.m.; coupé 6 fr.) leads to the S.W. from Aïn-Temouchent through a hill-region, composed mainly of eruptive rock, and well-watered, to the thriving village of Aïn-Kial (1477 ft.; noted for its cattle), crosses the pass (1998 ft.; fine views) of Jebel Sebaa-Chioukh, and then descends past the onyx-quarries of the hill-village of Tekbalet to the Isser Valley. 20½ M. Pont-de-l’Isser (807 ft.; Hôt. Pomarès, humble), a village amid orange-gardens and olive-groves, is almost purely Mohammedan. The road, now shadeless, affording fine glimpses of Tlemcen, ascends for a long time in the valley of the Oued el-Guettara, and reaches (37½ M.) Safsaf (2493 ft.) and (41 M.) Tlemcen (2658 ft.; p. [187]).
Another road (23 M.; omn. at 9 a.m.) leads to the W. from Aïn-Temouchent to the little seaport of Beni-Saf, the outlet for the iron-ores of the Comp. du Mokta el-Hadid (p. [303]). From Beni-Saf a road (omn. at 6.45 a.m., in 9 hrs.; 5 fr.) leads viâ (5½ M.) Rachgoun (opposite the island mentioned at p. [125]) into the fertile valley of the Tafna, the ancient Siga, and to (8¾ M.) Takembrit, the modern name for the ruins of the once important Roman town of Siga. Then, beyond the confluence of the Isser with the Tafna, the road reaches (27½ M.) Montagnac (735 ft.) and (36 M.) Hennaya (1346 ft.), whence it ascends to (42½ M.) Tlemcen (2658 ft.).
The Tlemcen Railway, beyond La Sénia, crosses the Plaine du Figuier, and beyond (6 M.) Valmy (p. [184]) nears the salt-works on the Sebkha d’Oran (p. [185]). 16 M. Ste. Barbe-du-Tlélat (492 ft.) is noted for its table grapes.
Our train here diverges to the S.E. from the line to Perrégaux and Algiers (R. 33), and follows the vine-clad valley of the Oued Tlélat. Beyond (20 M.) St. Lucien we pass a barrage or reservoir. 26 M. Les Lauriers-Roses lies on the N.E. spurs of Jebel Tessala (3481 ft.), the mountain which separates the great and fertile tableland of Sidi Bel-Abbès, one of the granaries of the province, from the basin of the Sebkha d’Oran.