TUNIS. 



TUNI& 



MM 



S of II i sun r> and terminal** near SUM. There It a considei- 

 WOOD connected with th *ea near Hercla. From Sen to Ha* 

 i (tlw im* 4 -"' l.'| ut Vada), and thcnoe to the town of 

 2kkur7th. ikon* an in general rocky, but iiot high; in a few 

 hen thv ara low and sandy. Between LauibU and Tobulba u 

 Mtttir tUia.' or lagoon, which U not connected with the nca. It 

 k thrr* milM long aud half a mile wide. Halt U collected there to a 

 Ian?* amount. 



J/ammamtt. which give* iU name to the gulf, U a town of about 

 4000 inhabitant*, the cleanest and neatest in the regency. It u the 

 capital of an agriculturml district of 15,000 touls. Not far from it 

 stands J/ent*, the 1/craclea of the lower empire. *iua was the 

 ancient AJrumrtun. and the capital of th rich anil fertile region of 

 Byiacmm. With iU battlemcnU, oaitlca, and mosques, Sun still 

 MMtnU from the acm a pleaaing appearance, and ii a place of consider- 

 able eommeroe, and one of the wealthy cities of the Tunisian state, 

 w^ng the chief mart for oil, linen, and aoap : it has about 6000 inhabit- 

 ant*. The ruina of the ancient harbour are clearly traceable under 

 wt< r, and at the present day it has a mole, and good anchorage in 

 Mvrn, nine, and ten fathom*, secure from all winds except the north- 

 cut. The cutle appears to be kept in good order. Mulir, further 

 % \~vr the gulf, which u a walled and fortitied town, but has no safe 

 anchorage, and the village of Lampta, the Lepiit I'ana of antiquity, 

 DOW an insignificant place, and Cape Demos, the southern lii: t . : 

 the Gulf of llonjuiiuiet. Here are the remoius of the ouce largo 

 and powerful town of Thaptut, whose solid mole is yet partly in 

 existence. Mahadtak, called also Africa by the moderns, and Tunis 

 liannibalis by the ancients, stands on a point of land about 9 miles to 

 the southward of Cape Ucmas. It was a place of great strength and 

 importance In tho 16th century, when it was taken by Charles V., 

 who demolished its fortifications, the remains of which show that 

 they were of great solidity. The inner harbour, which was within 

 the ratification*, is now quite dry. About 21 miles farther to the 

 south, bounded by Cape Capoodia, the Caput Vada of Procopius, on 

 the north, and the island of Gerba on the south, opens the Gulf of 

 Khabs, or Cubes (the Little Syrtis). Among the towns on its shores 

 is >/J, or ffatku, the ancient Taphra, or Taphura, where there is 

 a tnolr, and good anchorage, although the approach to it is intricate, 

 by reason of the Karkenna Islands and innumerable low rocks which 

 run for miles along this coast. It was formerly a great nest for 

 pirate*, but is now a mart for inland produce and European as well 

 as Eastern merchandise, in which it carries on a brisk commerce ; the 

 inhabitants, amounting to 12,000, are a thriving and rich people. 

 Farther to the unitti, on the bank of a small river, is the towu and 

 small port of (job*, KhaJa, or Cuba, from which the gulf takes its 

 modern name. The town stands about a milu from the sea. Gerba, 

 UT Jtrbak, the lleaiiuc of Strabo and Pliny, is a considerable, fertile, 

 and populous island. Its greatest curiosity is a tower constructed of 

 human skulls, said to be those of 1400 Christians who fell in battle 

 here with the Turks in 1583. The inhabitants of Gerba manufacture 

 khawla of brilliant colours, fabrics of a beautiful texture made of 

 silk and fine wool, boruous, and a sort of woollen blanket 



The Gulf of Khabs seems to have undergone great changes, and by 

 DO means resembles the Minor Syrtis of the ancients. [SYUTES.] 

 The dangers of the Minor S\rtis arose from the variations uiul un- 

 certainty of the tides on a flat shelvy coast. From Caput Vada to 

 the island of Gerba lie a number of little flat islands, banks of sand, 

 ooxy bottoms, and small depths of water, which make its navigation 

 intricate and difficult to strangers, but easy to the natives who know 

 its cbanueU and innumerable windings. The gulf is not more than 

 75 uiiUs in extent from its northern to its southern point, and it 

 rntftr**** into the mainland about CO miles, lieuuell is of opinion 

 that the gulf at one time entered deeper into the laud, and formed a 

 junction with the Lake Lowdcah, culled also the Lake of Marks, the 

 Tritonis Palua of the ancients. Shaw describes the land also to have 

 gained and to be still gaining on the sea at Khabs, where the ancient 

 town of Tape in left half a mile inland. Nothing appeals more 

 probable than that such a change should have taken place in a situa- 

 tion when tho continued operation of tho sea is depositing sand on 

 flat coast where there U no backwater to sweep it into the sea 

 gain. If tie lake and the gulf were separated from each other by a 

 bar of sand only, th* peril* of the Syrtis would naturally be deemec 

 by the ancient* greater than they are at present 



iHttrvir. The north-western portion of Tunis, between the 

 boundary-line of Algiers and the valley of the Mejerdah, on tho 

 oath and east, is very mountainous. A range of mountains enters 

 Tunis near SO' 30' X. Ut, 8* 40' K. long., and spreads over the whole 

 district The most elevated part of this range is at the distance of a 

 faw mile* from th* bank* of the river Majerdah, where it runs from 

 west to cast, and is called the Frigean range, from u district called 

 Frigea, in which it is situated, and which is one of the most fertile 

 and populous district* of the regency. The mountains probably do 

 not exceed 4000 or 6000 feet above th sea, and their sides are 

 generally covered with fine trees. The lower hills, which surround 

 UM rnor* elevated portion of the range, are partly cultivated anc 

 partly covered with olive-plantatioiis, more e*|*cially in the uppe 

 valley of th* Wady Zaio, whore the mountain* which lie east of i. 

 contain rich lead-mine*. Near 0* 20' K. long, the Frigean range turn 



to the north, and forms a wide-spread mass of rocks of moderate 

 Icvatiou, which is divided into two part* by a small river that falls 

 uto tho Lake of Bcnzart, and drains a narrow valley. West of this 

 alley is a table-laud, which descends with rather a steep decliuty 

 owarda the Mediterranean. It is colled Mogody, and its upper p.ut 

 covered with shrubs and brushwood, and is without cultivation ; 

 nit where it decline* towards the Lake of lien/art it is well wooded, 

 and near its base planted with olive-tree*. The Lake, or rather Lakes, 

 of Benzart (for the lake is divided into two parts by a projecting pro- 

 montory), extend from north-east to south-west 23 miles; the greatest 

 >rcadth is 14 miles. The lakes are connected with the sea by a channel 

 about 10 miles long, which near the towu of Beuzart is little more 

 han a fathom deep, but above it increases in depth to 6 and 10 

 'a thorns. The depth of the northern lake varies from 10 to 60 

 athoms of water. It abounds in several kinds of fish, among which 

 s the gray mullet, from the roe of which is made the famous botargn 

 of ISenzart The lakes are surrounded by a level tract one or two 

 lilies in width, partly cultivated, but chiefly planted with olive- ami 

 ruit-trees. The peaches of Benzart ore in great repute. That part of 

 the Frigean Mountains which lies cast of tho valley ami lakes of !'.< n 

 Bart lists only into hills. It contains a portion of cultivable la:: 

 many olive-plantations. 



The river Mejerdah rises within the territories of Algiers, where it 

 ;s formed by the junction of the waters of the Wady Scrrat ami 

 .hose of the AVady Khamees or Hatniz. [MEJEHDAH.] As far as the 

 kiejerdah runs eastward the valley is of moderate extent, and fre- 

 quently interrupted by spurs from the adjacent hills and mountains, 

 jut soon after it has begun to run north-north-east it emerges from 

 the hills and runs through a plain of considerable width. It flows in 

 a deep bed in a light sandy soil, and is constantly changing its 

 direction when tho waters are high. Unless swelled by rains, it.s 

 lower course is sluggish, not exceeding a mile an hour; and it pro- 

 bably could be navigated by boats for the greater part of the year. 

 Near the mouth of the river is a wide plain, partly occupied by lakes, 

 which have been formed by the inundations of tho river. This plain, 

 along the lower part of its course, is of moderate fertility, and only 

 partially cultivated. 



An elevated tract of ground traverses the country in a diagonal lino 

 between 35" and 37 N. hit., beginning on the south-w,est ou the 

 boundary-line of Algiers, west of the town of Kazareen, and termi- 

 nating ou the north-east in the peninsula of Dakhul and Kas-Addar. 

 This tract appears in most places to attain only a moderate elevation 

 above its base, but it rises to a considerable height in the Jcbel- 

 Truzzi, Jebel-Ussalat, Jebel-Zunghar, and Jebcl-/aghwau. Parts of 

 these mountains are covered with pine-forests, and a largo quantity of 

 tar and pitch is made. Another chain of heights, called Jebel-al-Kaff, 

 runs across the country from west to east, near 36 N. lat., beginning 

 west of Al-Kaff, and joining the former rouge at Mount Zuughar, m ar 

 a point where the parallel of 36 N. lat. is cut by 10 E. long. This 

 chain appears to consist of single mountain masses, frequently sepa- 

 rated by deep depressions or valleys, through which home of the 

 tributaries of the Mejerdah flow to the principal river. Some of its 

 summits towards the west are very high. It is in many parts well 

 wooded, especially ou the lower declivities and iu the volleys. 



Between the valley of the Lower Mejerdah and that portion of the 

 first-mentioned mountain range which extends from Jebel-Zunghor to 

 Kas-Addar, lies the plain of Tunis, which extends '20 miles on tho 

 north and west side of the town, but to double that distance toward* 

 the south. In several places there are extensive rocky tracts upon it 

 300 or 400 feet above the sea-level. In other parts there are short 

 isolated ranges. Thia plain is not distinguished by fertility, but it 

 is better cultivated than any other part of tho country, and more 

 populous, owing to a large commercial ami populous towu bciiig 

 situated nearly iu its centre. 



The Dakhul, or the peninsula which lies east of the Bay of Tunis, 

 is nearly occupied by the range which extends from Jebel-Zaghwan to 

 Ros-Addar. In this range occur two deep depressious of incut 

 able width. Through the southern depressions tho rood is mado 

 which leads from Tunis to Nubol and Hommaiuct. The northern 

 depression occurs near the northern extremity of the peninsula, win iv, 

 a low plain unites the large and elevated masses forming Kas-Addar 

 with the continent. The eastern side of the Dakhul is noted for it.s 

 fertility ; but the interior appears to consist of naked rocky masses 

 with little vegetation on them. The soil of tho fertile part of it con- 

 sists of alluvium, deposited at the b.iBo of the highlands over a tract 

 two or three miles wide. This tract is well cultivated, and produces 

 abundant crops of grain, and the fields are interspersed with villages 

 surrounded by groves of olive-trees and orchards, in which iig-trecs 

 are common. The adjacent hills have excellent pasture for 

 which are numerous. The dairies ore well attended to. The western 

 shores of the Dakhul are far from being fertile. North of the Jebel- 

 Zaghwan there are some lead-mines. 



The countries hitherto noticed may be considered as the agricultural 

 part of Tunis. The greater part of the inhabitants are chiefly engaged 

 iu cultivating the ground and in planting olive trees and orchards. Iu 

 some parts these occupations are united with the roaiiug of cat; 

 attending to the dairy. They all live in fixed habitations, with the 

 exception of a few families of Arabs. In the countries farther to the 



