3 8o LIFE AND EXPERIENCES CHAP. 



more than two hundred kilometres distant. These 

 racing camels are splendid beasts and altogether 

 superior to the poor creatures that bear the burdens of 

 the day and are called the " ships of the desert," which 

 differ as much from the racers as does a tramp steamer 

 from a greyhound of the Atlantic. 



On leaving Biskra we visited Constantine, one of 

 the most singularly situated towns on earth, and full of 

 strange recollections of murders and war's alarms. 

 Thence by train to the hot springs at Hammam 

 Meskoutin (which being interpreted means the accursed 

 spring), the temperature of which, according to the 

 guide-books, is 203 F. higher than that of any others ex- 

 cept that of the geysers in Iceland and of Las Trincheras 

 in South America. If the height at which the springs 

 stand be taken into consideration, the temperature of 

 the water is just about boiling point. The whole 

 scene is most extraordinary, and a graphic description 

 of it will be found in Murray's Guide. 



Then taking up the train again we passed through 

 a mountainous country to Tunis, the train climbing 

 through cork woods to a height of 2,000 feet, where 

 the ground was often sprinkled with snow. Few 

 people have any idea of the beauty of the scenery of 

 this part of Northern Africa, and this is not its only 

 interest, for almost everywhere we meet with the 

 remains of ancient Roman civilisation, much of which 

 is as yet unearthed. 



Tunis under French occupation is assuming an alto- 

 gether new aspect, for whilst the old city remains with 

 its thousands of ancient Carthaginian pillars built into 

 the doorways, and whilst the bazaars are as completely 

 oriental as those of Cairo, a new French town is 

 springing up with all the amenities which that entails. 

 The Bey is the nominal ruler and still holds an auto- 



