Travels in the footsteps of Bruce in Algeria and Tunis

TRAVELS
                                  IN
                        THE FOOTSTEPS OF BRUCE


[Illustration: _Plate I._

J. LEITCH & Co. Sc.

TOMBEAU DE LA CHRÉTIENNE, OR TOMB OF JUBA II.

FAC-SIMILE OF A WATER COLOR DRAWING BY BRUCE.]


                       TRAVELS IN THE FOOTSTEPS
                          OF BRUCE IN ALGERIA
                               AND TUNIS

         _ILLUSTRATED BY FACSIMILES OF HIS ORIGINAL DRAWINGS_

                                  BY
                     LIEUT.-COLONEL R. L. PLAYFAIR
                   H.B.M. CONSUL-GENERAL IN ALGERIA

                            [Illustration]

                                LONDON
               C. KEGAN PAUL & CO., 1 PATERNOSTER SQUARE
                                 1877


    (_The rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved_)




_DEAR LADY THURLOW_,

      _May I dedicate to you the following pages, written to illustrate
the earliest travels of your ancestor, James Bruce; and to make known a
portion of that priceless collection of drawings, too long shut up in
the muniment room of Kinnaird, which you have so kindly and so
unreservedly placed at my disposal?_

    _Although you are the sole heiress of the illustrious traveller,
all the world are co-heirs with you in his fame and in the result of
his explorations; and they will tender to you their sincerest thanks
for restoring to them so important a part of their heritage._

                        _Believe me, dear Lady Thurlow,_

                                    _Yours most gratefully,_

                                                   _R. L. PLAYFAIR._
_British Consulate General,_

            _Algiers: October_ 1, 1877.




                               CONTENTS.

                               * * * * *

                                                                   PAGE

  INTRODUCTORY                                                        1

                               _PART I._

  CHAPTER

       I.    BRUCE APPOINTED CONSUL-GENERAL AT ALGIERS               15

      II.    JULIA CÆSAREA                                           23

     III.    START FOR BONE — VISIT THE FOREST OF EDOUGH AND
             MINES OF AIN BARBAR                                     31

      IV.    BONE TO GUELMA — RUINS OF ANNOUNA — HAMMAM MESKOUTIN
             — ROKNIA — CAVE OF DJEBEL THAYA — MAHADJIBA — THE
             SOUMAH                                                  36

       V.    CONSTANTINE                                             47

      VI.    BRUCE’S ROUTE TO LAMBESSA — ZANA OR DIANA
             VETERANORUM — THE MEDRASSEN — BRUCE ARRIVES AT THE
             AURES — CURIOUS MEETING WITH A CHIEF OF THOSE
             MOUNTAINS                                               52

     VII.    OUR ARRIVAL AT BATNA — HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF
             THE AURES MOUNTAINS                                     61

    VIII.    START FOR THE AURES — LAMBESSA — EL-ARBÄA — MENÄA       70

      IX.    ASCENT OF THE OUED ABDI — MINES OF TAGHIT — ARRIVAL
             AT OUED TAGA                                            77

       X.    TIMEGAD                                                 83

      XI.    LEAVE TIMEGAD — FOUM KOSENTINA — MEGALITHIC REMAINS
             — OUM EL-ASHERA — EL-WADHAHA — ASCENT OF CHELLIA —
             AIN MEIMOUN — LIONS                                     91

     XII.    AIN KHENCHLA — ACROSS THE PLAINS OF THE NEMEMCHA
             TO TEBESSA                                              98

    XIII.    TEBESSA — RETURN TO CONSTANTINE                        103

     XIV.    CONSTANTINE TO ALGIERS THROUGH KABYLIA                 114

                              _PART II._

      XV.    START FROM ALGIERS ON SECOND EXPEDITION — EARL OF
             KINGSTON UNDERTAKES PHOTOGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT —
             ARRIVAL AT TUNIS — SEBKHA ES-SEDJOUNI — MOHAMMEDIA
             — AQUEDUCT OF CARTHAGE — OUDENA — ZAGHOUAN             127

     XVI.    ES-SABALA — THE MEDJERDA — DRAGONS OF THE ATLAS —
             BIZERTA — IMMENSE LAND-LOCKED HARBOUR — FISH IN LAKE
             — DJEBEL ISHKUL — WILD BUFFALOES                       140

    XVII.    VISIT TO THE BEY AND GENERAL KHEIR-ED-DIN —
             DIFFICULTIES ATTENDING TRAVEL IN TUNIS —
             IMPROVEMENT IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COUNTRY —
             COMMENCEMENT OF BRUCE’S JOURNEY BY THE MEDJERDA —
             OUR START FOR SUSA BY SEA — SUSA                       147

   XVIII.    DEPARTURE FROM SUSA — ES-SAHEL — EFFECTS OF THE
             DISFORESTING OF TUNIS — OLIVE-TREES — EL-DJEM          154

     XIX.    EL-DJEM TO KEROUAN                                     163

      XX.    KEROUAN TO DJEBEL TROZZA, DJILMA AND SBEITLA           172

     XXI.    SBEITLA                                                177

    XXII.