On the road to Gabes (p. [389]), beyond the S.W. suburb of Picville and the Rond-Point, is the Jardin Public, watered by large basins, with the Jardin d’Essai, or botanic garden.
In the sea, nearly 1 M. outside the harbour, is a Biological Station for the promotion of the sponge-culture (comp. p. [381]).
From Sfax to Gafsa and Metlaoui, see R. 60; to Djerba, see R. 62; to Tunis by sea, see R. 64; to Tripoli and Malta, see R. 64.
60. From Sfax to Metlaoui viâ Gafsa.
151 M. Narrow Gauge Railway (Comp. des Phosphates et du Chemin de Fer de Gafsa), in 9¾–10¼ hrs. (27 fr. 20, 20 fr. 65, 14 fr. 60 c.); to Gafsa, 127 M., in 8–9 hrs. (22 fr. 95, 17 fr. 45, 12 fr. 30 c.; return-ticket, valid for 5 days, 32 fr. 15, 24 fr. 40, 17 fr. 20 c.). Railway Restaurant at Graïba only; it is advisable to take provisions.
Sfax, see p. [380]. The train skirts the inland side of the town and then runs to the S.W., near the coast. To the left rises the lighthouse of Râs Tina (p. [405]), near the ruins of Thaenae, once the chief harbour for the export of olive-oil from the interior.
18 M. Oued-Chaffar. 22½ M. Maharès (pop. 1000), a fishing village and market for the Mehadla Tribe, is the last fruit-tree oasis to the S.W. of Sfax. Above it rises an old fortified Bordj. On the left, close to the shore, near the Gabes road (R. 62), is seen the castle of Ounga, with its eight towers, which is said to have been built by the knights of Malta (p. [398]).
Leaving the coast the train runs to the W., through an almost uninhabited sandy waste, to (39½ M.) Graïba (Rail. Restaurant), from which a diligence plies to Gabes (p. [389]).
In the distance appears the bare S. Tunisian hill-country, with Jebel Bou-Hedma (2559 ft.). On the left lie the flats of the large Sebkha en-Nouaïl.
61 M. Mezzouna, at the N. base of Jebel Mezzouna (1329 ft.), where alfa abounds. 76½ M. Maknassi (hotel), a village of colonists, with olive-groves, and an important alfa station, lies in the Bled Maknassi, a monotonous plain on the N. spurs of Jebel Maknassi (1332 ft.). To the N.W. appears Jebel Majora (2871 ft.).