Between four and five miles from Khenchla is the Oued el-Hamma, a beautiful stream, passing at the foot of Djebel Serdsum. A spring of almost boiling water issues from a mass of Roman masonry and flows into the main stream, producing at the junction a most agreeable temperature for hot baths: lower down are the ruins of piscinæ, and a few yards off traces of many Roman buildings of the usual solid construction, showing that this was a favourite watering-place of the inhabitants of Mascula. On nearing the modern village, the spring from which it derives its name is passed in a garden of fine old fig-trees. Near it an ancient reservoir was discovered, 82 feet long by 33 broad and 6 deep, which has been restored by the Engineer Department and now forms a handsome public fountain.
The identity of Ain Khenchla with the ancient Mascula admits of no doubt, its distance from known points would prove the fact, even had not an inscription been found recording that, about A.D. 370, Publius Cæcina Albinus rebuilt the town which before had been destroyed.
This interesting inscription has thus been restored:
Pro splendore felicium sæculorum dominorum nostrorum Valentiniani et Valentis semper Augustorum . . . atæ . . . ve . . . . omni Masculæ . . . . a fundamentis construxit (atque dedicavit) Publilius Caeionius Caecina Albinus vir clarissimus consularis sexfasculis provinciæ Numidiæ Constantinæ.[85]
Mascula is more famous in ecclesiastical than in profane history. Several of its inhabitants are celebrated in Roman Martyrology, especially Archinimus who was condemned to death by Genseric. Its Bishop Clarus attended the Council of Carthage in A.D. 255. Another, Donatus, yielded to the persecutions of Florus pro-consul of the district, and revealed the place where the holy books had been concealed. He was the first of the recreant bishops who was interrogated by Secundus Tigisitanus on the subject, before the Council of Cirta in 305. Another bishop, Januarius, was exiled by Huneric in 494, and a second of the same name assisted at the Council of Carthage in 525.
The value of Mascula as a strategic position, situated as it is in a wide and fertile plain just beyond the northern slopes of the Aures Mountains, has always been recognised. It is probably here that Solomon placed his camp during his second expedition, and there is reason to believe that it is the Malich, the scene of one of the battles of Sidi Okba.
After the first Arab invasion it was still inhabited. El-Adouani thus alludes to it: ‘At the foot of the Mountains of Amamra there are three cities, Baghai, Khenchla, and Guessas, inhabited by Christians, each one surrounded by vast gardens irrigated by the waters descending from Djebel Mahmel.’[86]
Khenchla has now been created a European centre of colonisation, chief place of a circle, with a Commandant Supérieur, Bureau Arabe and a small garrison. Colonists have been attracted to the spot not only by its fine climate, resembling very much that of Provence, but by concessions of from 60 to 100 acres of land given by the State. The great fertility of the soil, its proximity to vast forests and the mineral riches of its mountains, ought to secure the prosperity of this fine though distant settlement. To these advantages may be added its position midway between Batna and Tebessa, and in close proximity to the openings of the various valleys traversing the Aures. It was made the centre for supplying the armies of General Herbillon in 1847, and of General St. Arnaud in 1850, in their expedition against the Nememchas.
We had been overtaken by heavy rain soon after passing Oued el-Hamma, and on our arrival at Khenchla, whither our baggage had preceded us, we were dismayed to see the tents standing in a lake of mud and water. To sleep there was impossible. Fortunately we were once more in civilisation, and found an excellent auberge, in which we passed the night most comfortably. The station was in a great state of excitement, owing to a visit which was hourly expected from the Bishop of Constantine. The bad state of the roads had evidently detained him, and I believe it was dark before His Grandeur arrived. On the following morning the Commandant showed us all over the station and the various public buildings which he has constructed by means of the troops under his command.
He has had the good sense to build all the inscriptions and fragments of sculpture, which he has found, into the walls of the military cercle; the only way of preserving them on the spot, and preventing their being carried off by sacrilegious relic-hunters. He assisted us to procure fresh mules for our baggage and horses for our own use, and generally to arrange for our journey to Tebessa. Here we dismissed the Government mules we had brought from Batna and their attendant tringlots. We were quite sorry to part from the latter; they were the best natured and most helpful fellows possible, always ready to serve us in a thousand ways; never grumbling at any hardships or difficulties that they had to encounter.