I delivered my letters from the Bey [of Algiers] and obtained permission to visit the country in whatever direction I should please. I took with me a French renegade of the name of Osman, recommended by Monsieur Barthélemy de Saizieu, Consul of France to that State. With Osman I took ten spahis or horse-soldiers, well armed with firelocks and pistols; excellent horsemen, and, as far as I could ever discern upon the few occasions that presented, as eminent for cowardice at least as they were for horsemanship.
This was not the case with Osman, who was brave, but he needed a sharp look-out that he did not often embroil us where there was access to women or wine. Besides these I had ten servants, two of whom were Irish, who having deserted from the Spanish regiments in Oran and being British-born, though slaves as being Spanish soldiers, were given to me at parting by the Dey of Algiers. The coast along which I had sailed was part of Numidia and Africa proper, and there I met with no ruins. I resolved now to distribute my inland journey through the kingdoms of Algiers and Tunis. I began my journey by land, the middle of September 1765, by Keff to Constantina.
As we had made up our minds to proceed to Susa by sea, and commence our journey thence, we sent our escort on in advance, and took our passage in one of the coasting steamers of the Rubatino Company. We arrived at Susa on April 6, and were most cordially received by our vice-consul there, Mr. Dupuis, with whose family we spent a most agreeable day, and from whom we received much assistance in our arrangements for hiring horses and mules. It may assist future travellers to know what arrangements we made in this respect. A Maltese furnished all our animals, two horses and five mules; for these three men were supplied, and we agreed to pay ten piastres, or five shillings per diem, for each animal, and to furnish their food, though we were not to be considered responsible for that of the drivers.
Susa is the ancient Hadrumetum, capital of the province of Byzacium mentioned by Sallust[125] as having been a Phœnician colony more ancient than Carthage. Trajan made it a Roman colony. It is often mentioned in the Punic and civil wars, and, like many other cities, it was destroyed by the Vandals and restored by Justinian.
After Okba had built the city of Kerouan, he remained at Susa during a considerable period. Subsequently, when the Turks took up the profitable trade of piracy, this became one of their favourite haunts, whence they made predatory excursions to the coasts of Italy.
In 1537, Charles V. sent a naval expedition from Sicily against the place, which refused to submit to his protégé Mulai Hassan. The command was given to the Marquis of Terra Nova, but after a vigorous assault he was obliged to retire and leave victory in the hands of his enemies. In 1539 another expedition was sent, commanded by Andrea Doria, with better success, but no sooner had he left than it revolted again, and welcomed the celebrated pirate Dragut within its walls.[126]
In all the frequent dissensions between the Arabs and Turks the importance of Susa as a strategic post was so great that its possession was generally the key to supreme power. The town is situated on a gentle slope rising from the sea, and presents a most picturesque appearance from a vessel in the harbour. It is surrounded by a crenelated wall, strengthened at intervals by square towers and bastions. In the interior these walls have arched recesses, which serve as shops and storehouses. At the summit is the kasbah, which it requires a special order from the Kaimakam to visit. The view from the terrace is very fine, but the building itself is entirely devoid of interest. It contains apartments, used by the military governor of the district, or Muchir, whose usual residence is Monastir, and the whole is well kept, the doors quaintly decorated in distemper, and the usual signs of dilapidation rather less prominent than in similar buildings elsewhere. Three gates give entrance to the town, the Bab el-Bahr, or Sea Gate, Bab el-Gharbi, or Western Gate, and Bab el-Djidid, or New Gate, the last of which was constructed only a few years ago. These are all rigorously shut soon after sunset.
The modern port is simply an open roadstead, very slightly protected by a curve in the coast towards the north, where was the ancient harbour, between the Quarantine Fort and Ras el-Bordj. It is said that the remains of masonry breakwaters can still be seen when the water is clear. But the accumulation of sand has rendered the water too shallow to permit vessels to make use of it. A great part of the ancient harbour is, in fact, now dry land.
The principal objects of interest in the town are:—
The Kasr er-Ribat, a square building flanked by seven round bastions, with a high tower built on a square base. It is constructed of large cut stones, and there is every reason to suppose that it was once either a Roman or Byzantine fortress. It subsequently became a sort of monastery, occupied by devotees, and perhaps also a barrack for soldiers. The name is evidently derived from the root rabata, to bind, either to religion or to military service. El-Bekri mentions it under the name of Mahres er-Ribat.