and after a futile search for the coast of Tunis, reached the latitude
of 34 degrees.

Here, on the 11th of February, there suddenly arose the cry of "Land!"
and in the extreme horizon, right ahead, where land had never been before,
it was true enough that a shore was distinctly to be seen.
What could it be? It could not be the coast of Tripoli; for not only
would that low-lying shore be quite invisible at such a distance,
but it was certain, moreover, that it lay two degrees at least still
further south. It was soon observed that this newly discovered land
was of very irregular elevation, that it extended due east and west
across the horizon, thus dividing the gulf into two separate sections
and completely concealing the island of Jerba, which must lie behind.
Its position was duly traced on the _Dobryna_'s chart.

"How strange," exclaimed Hector Servadac, "that after sailing all this
time over sea where we expected to find land, we have at last come upon
land where we thought to find sea!"

"Strange, indeed," replied Lieutenant Procope; "and what appears
to me almost as remarkable is that we have never once caught sight
either of one of the Maltese tartans or one of the Levantine xebecs
that traffic so regularly on the Mediterranean."

"Eastwards or westwards," asked the count--"which shall be our course?
All farther progress to the south is checked."

"Westwards, by all means," replied Servadac quickly.
"I am longing to know whether anything of Algeria is left
beyond the Shelif; besides, as we pass Gourbi Island we might