THE CEDAR-FOREST.

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the forest impracticable, or at least adventurous; but these difficulties are, as a rule, considered by travellers rather to add a zest to the enjoyment of the way than to mar it.

"We had the good luck to come in for a snow-storm among the cedars," says one writer, "and were nearly frozen -a very good commentary on the old saw that pleasure feels no pain.

But the truth is, that many persons make these excursions too early in the year for any real comfort, and it should be well borne in mind, that every month in the spring not only decreases difficulties, but adds to the beauty of the scene a hundred-fold, so far as the vegetation is concerned.

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Beyond what is known as the Rond Point and past the 'Sultane," the traveller who does not object to climbing should mount to the bare ridge above, since from this point a grand view is to be had on a clear day, a perfect panorama extending over the Tell on one side, and over the farstretching desert on the other, with the long dim outline of the "Montagnes-bleues" barring the horizon, and between this infinite expanse and the mountains, a region halfcultivated and half-wooded, known by the poetical name of the Sersou-the twilight-the undecided.

In front of the spectator rises the great mass of the Ouarensensis, "the eye of the world," and northward, a succession of ridges and valleys, stretching away past the valley of the Chelif to Milianah, and even to the Sahel.

There are some mineral springs in the forest, the principal one of which is ferruginous, and said greatly to resemble the waters of Spa. In the military club at

Teniet is a cedar-wood table, made from one of the forest trees, six feet in diameter, and having (says Col. Vereker), "five hundred and six rings which can be counted from the centre towards the circumference, each corresponding to a year of the tree's age, beyond which, the marks become too indistinct to count, so that it is impossible to say how much older than five centuries, the giant may have been."

The return from Teniet, except by a mule-path over the mountains to Boghar, must be made in the same way, to Affreville, whence train to Algiers or carriage (one day) to Blidah.

The road passes at the foot of the lesser Atlas all the way through the plain, taking in its course the villages of Bou-Medfa, El-Affroun, and Mouzaïville, the last two having been rebuilt since the earthquake of 1867, which completely destroyed Mouzaïville, and in El-Affroun left standing one house only, out of the hundred of which it was composed.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

KABYLIA.-FORT NATIONAL.-THE PORTES-DE-FER.

"Then slowly climb the many-winding way,
And frequent turn to linger as you go,

From loftier rocks new loveliness survey."
Childe Harold.

HE name of Kabylia has been given by the French to

that great mountainous quadrangle, enclosed within the four points of Dellys, Bougie, Setif, and Aumale, lying half within the province of Algiers, and half in that of Constantine. The nomenclature is arbitrary, since, although this region is undoubtedly the head-quarters of the Kabyle race, the other mountainous districts of Algeria are equally inhabited by people of Berber origin, the Kabyles of the mountains between Milianah and Cherchel, being as much Kabyles as though born on the Djurdjura.

By an expedition into Kabylia is generally meant however, a visit to Fort National, or to the Portes-de-fer on the road to Constantine.

Dellys and Bougie, the ports of Kabylia, are, as a rule, visited only by those who take a coasting voyage from Algiers to Philippeville (for Constantine) or to Bone. Dellys, though a picturesque town in the midst of delightful orchards and gardens, has no special attractions for the traveller; and Bougie, though beautifully situated and

interesting from its various ancient buildings and ruins, unfortunately possesses no good accommodation, the hotel being (to quote Murray) "the dirtiest in Algeria." Bougie was at one time a very important seaport, and its possession was therefore an object of envy. It has been occupied by every race, from the Carthaginians downwards, who have settled in North Africa, and was successfully held by the Spaniards against the Barbarossa brothers. The forts are the most interesting ancient buildings in the town, and in the neighbourhood are many Roman remains. The ancient walls and fortifications were rebuilt by the Spaniards, as Latin inscriptions on some of the forts testify.

Bougie, from its large export of wax, is said to have given the French name to candles, a circumstance which will not bring it greatly into favour with the traveller frequenting continental hotels, where he will always have found the word to be a synonym for petty, and therefore possibly vexatious, extortion.

[The steamers for Philippeville and La Calle, which call at these ports (allowing their passengers a few hours for landing and seeing the latter), leave Algiers every Wednesday at 2 P.M. (Valery & Co.), and every Tuesday at 8 P.M. (Navigation Mixte).]

This part of Kabylia, which is known by the French as La Petite Kabylie, is of very much less interest in every way than the mountainous Djurdjura country, which they term La Grande Kabylie, and which, until conquered by the French in 1857, had preserved its independence intact for an unnumbered course of centuries.

In the midst of this grandly beautiful and interesting region, is the French citadel now known as Fort National. It is about eighty miles from Algiers, and diligences run

there every other day in fifteen hours. It need scarcely be said that a carriage is preferable.

[A carriage with three horses and relays (three days only being occupied in the journey) costs about 200 fr. In this arrangement the travellers would sleep both nights at Tizi-Ouzou. An excursion of four days is preferable, one night being spent at Fort National. It is a pleasant and cheap way of making the trip, to take the diligence to TiziOuzou, and next day hire horses or mules to the Fort.]

As the expedition is entirely among the mountains, it should not be undertaken until the spring is well advanced and the weather settled.

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"I think," writes the author of "A Winter with the Swallows," one must travel to Fort Napoléon before understanding what a north wind can be." This was in March, and March is decidedly too early for La Grande Kabylie. The route is by Maison Carrée (Chapter XXII.) and La Rassauta, across the plain of the Metidja, in which lies Alma (Hôtel d'Orient), a prosperous village, where a great victory was at the time of the conquest, gained by a handful of French troops over a large number of Arabs.

As the plain is crossed, the backward view of the Sahel is very fine, while immediately in front of the traveller rise, the whole way along the route, only looming larger and larger as they are more nearly approached, the magnificent snow peaks of the Djurdjura. The road from Algiers to Tizi-Ouzou is almost a straight line.

Thirty-two miles from Algiers the Oued Kerso, a stream which forms the boundary of Kabylia, is passed. Some four miles further on, is the kòubba of a Bey of Tittery in the sixteenth century. The name by which he is known is not flattering to his character. It is Mahommed-el-Dibbah