248 MAETIN L. EOUSE, ESQ., ON " PROCOPIUS's AFRICAN 



It took me a good while to visit tlie cliiFerent inscribed 

 stones, clear away rubbish in some cases with a pick or a 

 knife, and copy them, examine the size of the city, photo- 

 graph the wells, and pay an abortive visit to the house of 

 the Kaid, a mile and a half away. So I was glad of a 

 two hours' break in the middle of the day, during which I 

 lay on a mat in an Arab hut propped against a Roman 

 pillar, and presently enjoyed kusskuss and hard-boiled eggs. 

 In return for these comforts I handed my host two francs, 

 being careful to use a phrase that I had learnt to be 

 customary, " For your son ! " 



The sun had just sunk to rest and the Arab dogs were 

 barking merrily and running wildly about as our horses once 

 more entered the precincts of Ain Abid. I had seen and 

 confirmed the identity of the fountain of Tigisis ; and, if 

 funds had permitted, I could scarcely have done more, for 

 the Prefect had told me that without the sanction of a 

 Department of State I might not lift a single stone from the 

 ground. 



I returned to Constantino next morning: and, before 

 quitting my hospitable headquarters, I explored the 

 wonderful Gorge Rhummel which half encircles the town 

 at the back and is 400 feet deep. There I saw the two 

 baths of warm mineral water, passed under the tunnel in 

 the limestone rock, 150 feet high and 200 yards long, beneath 

 which the river pursues its hidden way, and observed the 

 Roman forum, gateway, and aqueduct built upon the tunnel, 

 and yet more than a hundred feet below the graceful bridge 

 which now leads from the city to the railway. 



That bridge I crossed for the last time at six o'clock on 

 the morning of the 13th of June. I was in Philippeville 

 about nine, and had just time to visit the Roman theatre and 

 eat a lunch when the steamer started which carried me back 

 to Marseilles. 



Arriving in Paris on the night of Monday, the 16th, I next 

 day called at the office at the Ministry of Education which 

 has control of public monuments ; and its head presently 

 referred me to Professor Cagnat, of the Institut, " whom," 

 said he, " we should ourselves have to consult ere we gave 

 permission to an outsider to excavate." The professor was 

 most kind, and gave me a very long interA'iew ; in the course 

 of which we consulted all authorities, and found that five 

 out of the seven inscriptions that I had copied, although 

 not of great consequence, had not been seen by Europeans 



