Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 2.djvu/150

 122 NORTH-WEST AFRICA. the Kerkennah Islands, the surface of the water calms down, let the winds rage ever so furiously on the open sea ; hence in these still waters vessels can find a sure haven of refuge, even in the roughest weather. The Syrtis Minor is known to Italian sailors as the mare mot'to, or Dead Sea, in contrast to the deep waters of the mare vivo, or open sea. The great changes which have taken place in the contour of the islands and continental coastline of Tunis have, by some travellers, been attributed to local Oocillations. Like those of Tripoli, the beaches of Jerba and Kerkennah are said to have sunk and consequently diminished in extent. Grenville Temple endeavours to prove that within the historical period the Kuriatein Islands still formed a portion of the coast between Monastir and Cape Dimas. On the other hand, according to Roudaire and the geologists attached to his expedition, the plateau of Cabes was produced by some internal disturbance, which at the same time upheaved the Shott-cl-Jorid above the level of the sea, and changed its slope from facing eastwards to westwards. The coast of Tunis does undoubtedly show in many places above the sea-level traces of ancient beaches that may still be easily recog- nised. Thus, throughout the plateau of Cabes and along, all the windings of the coastline as far as Sfakcs, as well as on the other side of the headlands on the Susa coast, Fuchs discovered, in 1874, a sandy beach, now lying at a uniform height of from 40 to 50 feet above the sea, although it contains organisms which are still existing in the Mediterranean. But although the e.vistencc of these elevated beaches is a sufficient proof that a change has taken place in the relative heights of the land and sea, it in no way shows that the subterranean impulse is still active, as many travellers believe themselves justified in stating. The silting up of the ports of Malidij^a, Carthage, Utica, and Porto- Farina is quoted as a proof of the upheaval of the coast, whereas, in all these instances, the change may be accounted for by the depositing of marine sands or of alluvia brought down by the rivers. Besides, we must not lose sight of the fact that a port which afforded access to the galleys of the ancients, thanks to their slight draught of about 4 feet, would now be inaccessible to an ordinary vessel, even were it not choked by sand. Xowhere along the Tunisian coast has there been found any inland building showing traces of having at any time been washed by the waves. On the other hand, several islets and reefs mentioned by the Greek, Roman, and Arab geographers still remain almost flush with the water, as in former times. The ports of Carthage, which Beule has had cleared of sand down to the sea-level, have been found precisely at the same level at which they stood some two thousand years ago. Climate -of Tunis. The situation of Tunisia, at the eastern angle of the island of Maghreb, between ' the two basins of the Mediterranean, and at one of the approaches to the Sahara, gives two special characteristics to the climate of this country. Washed by the sea on the east and south-east as well as on the north and north-west, Tunis naturally