12½ M. Marengo (305 ft.; Hôt. d’Orient, Hôt. Marengo, both unpretending; carriages at the inns only; pop. 4300), a large agricultural village, has an important Wednesday *Market. About 5½ M. to the S. is the reservoir of the Oued Meurad.
The Road from Marengo to (8 M.) Tipaza (carr. 6–8 fr.) crosses the Oued Meurad and intersects the fine *Forêt de Sidi-Slîmân (‘Solomon’s Forest’), still primæval in character, with dense underwood and luxuriant ivy climbing to the tops of the trees.
At the Oued Nador, near the (6 M.) Gué du Nador, our road joins the Cherchell road (see p. [242]). At the (7 M.) Ferme Trémaux it leaves the valley of the Nador, whose estuary is flanked with low sand-hills, and leads to the E. to (8 M.) Tipaza (p. [239]).
The highroad (carr. 12–15 fr.) from Marengo to (16 M.) Cherchell (see below) ascends to the W. from the Mitidja through a hilly region and after about 6 M. turns to the N. It joins the road from Tipaza to Cherchell at (10 M.) Marabout Sidi-Ameur (see p. [243]).
Beyond Marengo the Railway crosses the highroad to Tipaza and then runs parallel to it to (17 M.) Desaix (220 ft.; p. [242]). We skirt the S. side of Jebel Chenoua (p. [242]).
20 M. Ruines Romaines. We cross the Oued el-Hachem (p. [243]).
23 M. Zurich (263 ft.). The thriving village of that name, with a fine avenue of plane-trees, lies about 1½ M. to the S. of the station and is inhabited chiefly by natives, who cultivate oranges and vines. The great Thursday market is well attended by the Beni Menasser (see below).
Beyond Zurich the train runs to the W. of the Cherchell highroad. To the left lies the Cherchell Aqueduct (p. [243]), while to the right Jebel Chenoua may be seen. 24 M. Bled Bakora; 25½ M. Bou-Hamoud; 27½ M. Oued-Bellah.
30½ M. Cherchell or Cherchel (108 ft.; Grand-Hôtel or Hôt. Nicolas, R. 2½, déj. or D. 2½ fr., plain but good, Hôt. Juba, humble, both in the Place Romaine; Hôt. de Valence; pop. 6800, incl. 4700 Mohammedans), a pleasant little seaport, lies on a narrow limestone plateau, an old coast-terrace, at the foot of green hills (750–800 ft.). Behind these hills rises a mountainous region, once well wooded, inhabited by the Berber tribe of the Beni Menasser.
Cherchell occupies the site of the ancient Phœnician colony of Iol. From the year 25 B. C. it took the name of Caesarea, and in the Roman imperial age it became the capital of Mauretania and residence of Juba II. (25 B. C. to 22 A. D.), one of the most learned and enlightened men of his time, under whom it rapidly rose to importance. Under Emp. Claudius it became the provincial capital, under the name of Colonia Claudia Caesarea, of Mauretania Cæsariensis, and in rivalry with Carthage and Hippo Regius (p. [309]) grew to be one of the greatest and wealthiest cities of N. Africa. After the erection of Mauretania Sitifensis (p. [271]) into a new province the prosperity of Cæsarea began to wane. About 371 its art and industry were almost annihilated by its capture and pillage by the Donatists (p. [172]) under the Berber prince Firmus, and it lost the last vestige of its ancient glory when the Vandals transferred their residence to Carthage. In the 10th cent. the town is mentioned under the name of Cherchell, but from the 11th cent. onwards it was entirely deserted. At length, at the end of the 15th cent., it was revived by Andalusian Moors, who brought with them their famed potter’s art. In 1516 it was occupied by Horuk Barbarossa (p. [221]), in 1531 it was unsuccessfully attacked by Admiral Andrea Doria (p. [115]), and lastly, after being taken by the French, it was enclosed by a wall in 1843. As the harbour affords but little shelter the town has now little or no trade.