the west from the surrounding
country by a beautiful ravine, through which the river Rummel flows. The
plateau is 2130 ft. above sea-level, and from 500 to nearly 1000 ft.
above the river bed. The ravine, formed by the Rummel, through erosion
of the limestone, varies greatly in width--at its narrowest part the
cliffs are only 15 ft. apart, at its broadest the valley is 400 yds.
wide. At the N.E. angle of the city the gorge is spanned by an iron
bridge (El-Kantara) built in 1863, giving access to the railway station,
situated on Mansura hill. A stone bridge built by the Romans, and
restored at various times, suddenly gave way in 1857 and is now in
ruins; it was built on a natural arch, which, 184 ft. above the level of
the river, spans the valley. Along the north-eastern side of the city
the Rummel is spanned in all four times by these natural stone arches or
tunnels. To the north the city is commanded by the Jebel Mecid, a hill
which the French (following the example of the Romans) have fortified.

Constantine is walled, the extant medieval wall having been largely
constructed out of Roman material. Through the centre from north to
south runs a street (the rue de France) roughly dividing Constantine
into two parts. The place du Palais, in which are the palace of the
governor and the cathedral, and the kasbah (citadel) are west of the rue
de France, as is likewise the place Negrier, containing the law courts.
The native town lies chiefly in the south-east part of the city. A
striking contrast exists between the Moorish quarter, with its tortuous
lanes and Oriental architecture, and the modern quarter, with its
rectangular streets and wide open squares, frequently bordered with
trees and adorned with fountains. Of the squares the place de Nemours is
the centre of the commercial and social life of the city. Of the public
buildings those dating from before the French occupation possess chief
interest. The palace, built by Ahmed Pasha, the last bey of Constantine,
between 1830 and 1836, is one of the finest specimens of Moorish
architecture of the 19th century. The kasbah, which occupies the
northern corner of the city, dates from Roman times, and preserves in
its more modern portions numerous remains of other Roman edifices. It is
now turned into barracks and a hospital. The fine mosque of
Sidi-el-Kattani (or Salah Bey) dates from the close of the 18th century;
that of Suk-er-Rezel, now transformed into a cathedral, and cal