The train crosses the Col des Ouled-Ali and the Oued Imbert (1578 ft.) in the fertile valley of that name, and reaches the top of the tableland. 38½ M. Les Trembles (1375 ft.); the village lies on a height to the left, between the Oued Mekerra (Sig, p. [206]) and its affluent Oued Sarno. We then ascend the Mekerra valley to (42½ M.) Prudon (1477 ft.), where many of the wine-growers are Germans, old soldiers of the French foreign legion.
48½ M. Sidi Bel-Abbès (1542 ft.; Hôt. d’Orient & Continental; Hôt. des Voyageurs; pop. 29,080), a prosperous agricultural town, was founded in 1849 on the plan of a Roman camp, with streets at right angles, and is surrounded by suburbs occupied mainly by Spanish immigrants. This is the headquarters of the Légion Etrangère, composed mainly of adventurers and deserters from Germany and other countries, the first regiment of whom is located here and the second at Saïda (p. [201]). The legion is for the most part stationed on the Sahara railway (p. [199]), in Morocco, or in the colonies. Great market on Thursdays. Outside the S. gate, the Porte de Tlemcen, are pleasant public grounds (concerts).
A. E. W. Mason’s novel ‘The Truants’ (London, 1904) deals with the Foreign Legion.
62½ M. Tabia (2035 ft.), the next important station, is the junction for a line to (48 M.) Crampel (Ras el-Ma), used chiefly for the esparto traffic (p. [171]).
We now near the main chain of the Tell Atlas of Oran. 77½ M. Aïn-Tellout, with the spring of that name and a waterfall. 83 M. Lamoricière (2349 ft.), in a fertile tract, on the Isser. Near Hadjar-Roum, to the E. of the station, lay the Roman Altava.
89½ M. Oued-Chouly, on the brook of that name, which bursts forth in cascades from a ravine to join the Isser. Near this, at Sidi-Hamza, are considerable onyx-quarries. The train now ascends rapidly to (97 M.) Aïn-Fezza (2855 ft.).
We next enter the upper *Safsaf Valley, enclosed by the high limestone slopes of Jebel Hanif (3928 ft.) and Jebel Chouka (3786 ft.), and in a sharp bend, passing through several tunnels, sweep round the gorge of El-Ourit (p. [196]), with its waterfalls. We skirt the foot of Sidi Bou-Médine (p. [194]), obtaining a beautiful view of the fertile hill-country to the right, and run through olive-groves to (102½ M.) Tlemcen (see p. [187]).
30. Tlemcen.
The Station lies to the E., 6 min. beyond the Porte de Sidi Bou-Médine (Pl. D, 2, 3).