Beyond Matifou we skirt the E. margin of the peninsula, soon sighting the fine coast of Great Kabylia as far as Cape Bengut (p. [254]), and run to the S.E., past some Roman ruins, to the village of Aïn-Beïda.
20 M. Aïn-Taya (131 ft.; Hôt. du Figuier, R. 2–4, B. ¾, déj. or D. 2½–3, pens. 6–7 fr., quite good), a pleasant agricultural village, is inhabited chiefly by Spaniards. From the chief place a short avenue of plane-trees and palms leads to the N.E. to the steep edge of the coast and the fine bathing-beach.
From the S. margin of the plateau, on the highroad beyond Aïn-Taya, we obtain a delightful *View of the E. Mitidja with its girdle of mountains. The road then descends to (24½ M.) Rouïba (see below), whence we may take the train back to Algiers or else to Menerville (p. [250]).
37. From Algiers to Bougie viâ Beni-Mansour.
162 M. Railway, in 7¾. hrs. By the Constantine morning-express (p. [269]) in 4¾ hrs. to Beni-Mansour (Rail. Restaurant; meals at Bouïra or at Bougie should be ordered beforehand) where carriages are changed; thence by ordinary train to (3 hrs.) Bougie (fares 29 fr. 20, 20 fr. 85, 15 fr. 65 c.). The Constantine night-express (p. [269]) may be taken as far as Bouïra, where in this case the rest of the night must be spent.—Or we may take the Motor Omnibus from Algiers to Bouïra.—Sea Voyage from Algiers to Bougie, comp. R. 22.
From Algiers to (7½ M.) Maison-Carrée, see p. [247]. Here our line, which forms part of the main E. Algerian line to Constantine (R. 43) and Biskra (R. 44) diverges from the Oran line (R. 33) to the S.E. The train crosses the Harrach and skirts the S. side of the hills near Maison-Carrée. View, to the right, of the Tell Atlas and the serrated Jebel Bou-Zegza (3386 ft.).
Beyond (12 M.) Maison-Blanche (36 ft.) the plateau adjoining Cape Matifou (p. [248]) appears on the left. We cross the Oued el-Hamiz.
16 M. Rouïba (60 ft.; Hôt. Glacier; Hôt. de France), a large village in the most fertile part of the E. Mitidja, with many vineyards. Diligence to (4½ M.) Aïn-Taya, see pp. [247], 248.
20 M. Réghaïa. We cross the Oued Réghaïa and pass through the so-called Forêt de la Réghaïa, with its sparse cork-trees.
24½ M. Alma (66 ft.; Hôt. du Cheval-Blanc; Hôt. d’Europe, etc.), ¾ M. to the S. of the station, occupies an idyllic site among hills on the left bank of the Oued Boudouahou.