of the Old World. 479 



within a few miles from Constantine, where we saw 

 a few ill-cultivated farms and gardens, in some of 

 which we noticed a few date-palms for the first 

 time. 



The ascent leading to the ancient capital of the 

 Numidian kings is very steep, and it was dark before 

 we passed through the Port de la Breche and pulled 

 up at the Bureau des Diligences, where we were evi- 

 dently expected, for we were immediately surrounded 

 by touters and agents from all the different hotels, 

 who annoyed us so much by pulling about our 

 luggage, poking cards in our faces, quarrelling^ 

 fighting, and abusing each other, that we were 

 obliged, in self-defence, to keep them at a distance 

 with the drivers' whips. 



We put up at the Hotel des Colonies, a new build- 

 ing on " La Place," where we found tolerably clean 

 rooms, but a very poor supper, after having par- 

 taken of which we " turned in," being extremely 

 tired, and shaken with our journey. 



Saturday, 13th. When we got up this morning 

 we were most disagreeably surprised to find that a 

 complete change had taken place in the weather, 

 frost having set in during the night ; and the wind 

 was bitterly cold and raw, though yesterday in 

 the plains we had experienced the heat of summer 

 in England. Towards noon the sun came out, and 

 we walked about the town, which is most curiously 



