Two great faults have been found with my first edition. The first was, that I had offended many people by personal allusions. To this, I reply, that offence was very far from my mind; and to those offended (if any there be), I say, consider the expressions unsaid. For the rest, they are omitted in this edition. The second alleged defect is, that, while I call my book, to a certain extent, sporting, so little allusion is made to sport. I grant there is some reason in this, and accordingly I have

Paris in 1860.––Notre Dame.––Our Hotel.––Nero and the Groom.––The Steamer for Algeria.––Gallic Peculiarities.––Life on Board. In medias res. I will not stop to describe my journey to Paris, viâ Folkestone, nor to chronicle the glasses of pale ale––valedictory libations to perfide Albion, quaffed at the Pavilion––nor to portray the sea-sickness of “mossoo,” nor the withering indignation of the British female when her wardrobe was searched. Briefly, kind reader, be pleased to understand that we ar

Arrival in Algeria.––Murray’s Guide-books, and their Amenities.––Disembarkation in the Port of Algiers.––Our Fellow-travellers.––Algiers and its Inhabitants.––The Dey’s Palace.––Cause of the French Invasion. Next morning, at eight o’clock, came the waiter with the intelligence––“ Nous sommes dans la baie d’Alger, monsieur, à une heure de la ville. ” My desire to see Algiers was vehement indeed; but scarcely less strong was the craving of the inner man for bread and coffee. With the nectar of Ara

Algerian Society.––A Soirée at General Martinprez’s.––The Sirocco.––My Maltese Companion.––The Theatre.––General Youssouf and Career. I have described Algiers as being built on the side of a mountain. The city possesses a commodious and safe harbour, where flutter the colours of every nation, from the red flag of the Swede to the Spaniard’s yellow ensign. Economy of space being a primary consideration in the laying out of the city, the houses have been built very high, and the streets made very

Departure from Algiers.––Blidah.––The Zouave Officers and their Companions.––Government Establishment of Horses.––Joseph, the Horse-dealer.––To Arbah.––The Caravanserai.––Journey towards Oued-el-Massin. On Thursday, March 8th, after seeing A––– start, by diligence, with innumerable bags of cheviotine (deer-shot), I and Angelo left Algiers with my newly-purchased horses, and, passing through some very pretty country, stopped at the first village, where De Warn, a French officer, came up on horseb

Abd-el-Kader (but not the Emir).––Difficult Road.––Perils of the Way.––Prospect of Sport.––The First Boar.––The Chasseurs d’Afrique.––Mine Hostess of the “Scorpion.”––Teniet. In the hope of obtaining some reliable information as to hunting prospects, I had in the Caid’s lieutenant a fine-looking fellow, rejoicing in the famous name of Abd-el-Kader, though he was no relation to the renowned chief. He gave a long description of the capture of a boar, that had been wounded by some Arabs; how he cau

Cold Weather.––Milianah.––Vezoul.––The Aubergiste.––El Afroun.––The Rhamazan.––Dancing Dervishes. In order to avoid the trouble of carrying our ammunition back with us, we sold the greater portion of it. The snow lay four or five inches deep in the road; we sent to the commandant to procure us mules and other necessaries, and set out, with a snow-storm beating down upon us, and the cold as sharp as it well could be. At the “Scorpion” we refreshed ourselves with coffee, and then re-crossed the ri

Passage to Bona.––State of Affairs on Board.––Bona.––The Lake Metitza.––Ain Mokra.––Wild Duck Shooting on the Lake. We bade adieu to B–––, who had given us letters of recommendation to the Admiral, for a first-class cabin to Bona––a thing difficult to achieve on board the steamers here, as civilians are only allowed second-class accommodation, the state cabin being reserved for the use of naval and military officers, as the steamers on this line rank as men of war. The boat was much crowded with

Algeria in general.––The Arabs and their Conquerors.––Antagonism between the Two Races.––Social Condition of the Arabs.––The Oasis steamer.––Arrival at Tunis. On the 28th of March I left Bona in the steamer Oasis . The engine broke down shortly after leaving the port, and, as the sails were absolutely useless, we had the pleasant consciousness of drifting towards a lee shore; but in a short time the damage was luckily repaired, and we proceeded on our voyage. The accounts I had heard of Algeria

Angelo’s Horsemanship.––The Bey’s Palace at Marsa.––The Arabs and their Love of Tobacco.––The Friendly Moor at Camatte. On the first of April I rode to Marsa, a little town on the seashore. Angelo’s horse seemed rather fresh, and my servant was evidently no Centaur. He came up to me in an olive wood, where I made a halt for about five minutes. He was holding on hard by the mane, his trousers were up to his knees, and his face was horribly pale. On my asking him why he loitered behind so, he owne

Sleeman.––The Oued el Ahwena.––Its Scenery and its Dangers.––Beauty of the Landscape on its Banks. I started next day with the Umbra, who was remarkable for a long scimitar, and spurs nearly as long. Each time I put my horse to a gallop, he was under the impression that I wanted to ride a race with him, and went on at full speed, till I restrained his ardour. We arrived duly at Sleeman, where the Caid had everything prepared very comfortably for us. My friends B––– and F––– arrived later, in a c

El Greesh.––Shooting Hyenas.––An Expedition with the Arabs.––The Caid and his Family.––Another Wild Boar. The next day I rode on to a place called El Greesh, about twenty miles from Sleeman. I wanted to pitch my tent at the base of the purple mountain, outside the village, where I was sure we should have got a great deal of game, as the mountains were covered with thick underwood. A–––, however, and the rest were opposed to it, so I yielded, and pitched my tent in the village itself, where I soo

Picturesque Situation of Tunis.––The Horse Market.––Effects of Race.––The Bazaars.––Mohamed Medea.––The Bardo.––The Bey of Tunis.––His Mode of administering Justice.––Prince Puckler Muskau’s Account of his Interview. Tunis is situated on the borders of a lake, or rather inlet of the sea. It is surrounded by a crenelated wall, which resembles very much that of Constantinople. Like that city, too, Tunis, from the exterior, presents a very imposing aspect; but enter the city, and the illusion vanis

Reflections on Ancient Carthage.––Hannibal and his Career.––An Arab Domicile.––Picturesque appearance of the Ruins. I went three times to the “Ruins,” and therefore should have been lucky. I was, however, the reverse, both as to seeing anything of the ruins, and also the particular object which brought me there. I think, myself, proverbs are very deceitful, and should, like dreams, be read by contrary; some are utterly unintelligible; as, for instance––will any one tell me what this one signifie

Great Extent of the Ancient City.––Marsa, on the Sea-shore.––Carthaginian Catacombs near Camatte.––Quail Shooting.––Trait of Honesty in the Arabs.––The Arab Character.––Anecdotes concerning them. The second time I went to the ruins I went, like Scipio, to weep, not over Carthage, but the loss of my breakfast; and the more so that it was to have been a very good one––a regular pic-nic, or fête champêtre ––under olive-trees, or orange-trees, or palms, shaded from the scorching rays of Phœbus. Cham

My fellow-passenger, the Sportsman.––Passage from Tunis to Malta in a Sailing Vessel.––Disagreeables of the Passage.––Home, Overland.––Conclusion. On the steamer Meludiah , for Malta, I found a sporting Frenchman on deck. He had been my fellow-passenger from Bona to Tunis, and carried a revolver and a gun; the first for porpoises, the second for gulls, &c. He recounted to me, with great glee, how he had shot a grosbeak, and some other small birds, near Tunis, and given them to the cook o

The best time to go to Algeria or Tunis is October, when the heats of summer begin to become cooler. By all means, let the traveller, if he wish to be independent, travel on horseback. In Algeria he will meet with accommodation everywhere, and proceed as safely as in London, or any part of England. He can go to Boussada or Laghouat, about six days’ journey from Algiers, staying every night at caravanserais en route . Boussada I did not visit myself, but from rumour, I believe, there is excellent

Route ––from London to Marseilles, about forty-eight hours. Marseilles, Hôtel d’Orient. Marseilles to Algiers, average passage, three days. Hotels––Hôtel de la Régence and Hôtel de Paris, both good. Algiers to Blidah––horse or diligence––about five hours; Blidah to Medeah––horse or diligence––about eight hours; Blidah to Milianah, about fourteen hours. Blidah––Hôtel de la Régence; Medeah––Hôtel du Gastronome; Milianah––Hôtel d’Iffly. Milianah to Teniet, two days, staying at Oued el Massin, carav