Chapter X

PREVIOUSLY to the arrival of the _Assurance_, we made several excursions to different places in the Cyrenaica, the first of which was to Marsa Sousah, for the purpose of examining the road, with a view to the future transport of the Bacchus and other statues. Accompanied by Cesareo and Amor, we started from Cyrene on the 14th of January, and reached Marsa Sousah in four hours. The present Arab path follows the ancient road, which is distinctly marked by the deep tracks of the chariot-wheels. After crossing the lower plateau, the road approaches the head of the Augubah, through a dense wood of juniper, carub, and olive trees; on emerging from which it is carried across a sort of saddleback between two exceedingly picturesque wadys, about 1,000 feet in depth. A sketch of one of which is given in Plate 44.

The remains of the ancient city of Apollonia are not of great interest, and seem generally to belong to a comparatively late period. The city wall can be easily traced throughout its circuit, some parts of it still standing to a considerable height. Just outside the wall, on the eastern side of the city, is a theatre in a very perfect state of preservation, and within the wall the ground is almost covered with the ruins of ancient buildings. Among these are the remains of two temples, distinguishable by the heaps of fallen columns, capitals, and architraves. Of the two, one is of white marble, and the other of a coarse Cipollino marble streaked with green, which has probably given rise to the erroneous report that large columns of _verde antico_ are to be found among the ruins of Apollonia. In the immediate vicinity of the city are a number of plain tombs cut in the rock, now used as grain- stores by the few Greek traders who occasionally visit this place for the purchase of the produce of the country. In a mass of ruins within the city we found two Latin crosses engraved on blocks of marble, almost the only decided relics of Christianity we met with in the Cyrenaica. On the northern side of the city there were some ancient tanks, and traces of an aqueduct could also be made out. The harbour, which is too small and shallow for even the coasting vessels of the present day, is protected from seaward by some rocky islets at its entrance.

As we had no tent with us, we took up our quarters for the night in the outer chamber of an ancient tomb, where we were visited in the evening by a neighbour troglodyte, a skipper from Candia. He spoke the inarticulate Turkish patois common to all Candiotes, and, although he looked more like a Greek than a Turk, called himself a Mussulman. He was buying up all the grain and butter he could get from the Arabs, while waiting for his vessel, which was gradually collecting a cargo at different places along the coast. Some of his sailors were with him to assist in keeping guard at night, as the Arabs were continually on the look-out for an opportunity of robbing him. He told us he had established himself in a tomb with a single narrow entrance, so that he could defend himself against considerable odds. We gave him some powder and bullets, for which he was very thankful, as his stock was by this time nearly expended.

During the night we were aroused by a creeping, rustling sound close to us, which made us instinctively seize our guns and revolvers. While straining our eyes to detect an Arab assassin in the surrounding darkness, the cause of alarm, in the form of a huge porcupine, suddenly emerged from an inner chamber of the tomb, rushed through the smouldering fire that was burning in front, and made his escape amid a cloud of sparks and flame.

Our friend the Candiote told us there was a much better anchorage than Marsa Sousah at a place called Sousa Hamema, about fifteen miles to the westward. On further inquiry regarding it, he said that its excellence consisted in the fact that a vessel could _get away_ from it if a storm came on from seaward, whereas it was almost impossible to beat out of Marsa Sousah in the teeth of a northerly wind. We resolved to visit it on the first favourable opportunity.

We returned to Cyrene the following day in a perfect torrent of rain, from which, however, we were well protected by our burnouses, which had been equally serviceable as beds the night before.

Shortly after this, we visited a place called Imghernis, spoken of by the Arabs as full of ancient ruins. It is situated near the edge of the upper plateau, about eight miles from Cyrene. A number of walls and buildings are still standing, some of them to the height of about thirty feet. They seem, however, to be of a late period, and almost no traces of marble are to be seen. In the neighbourhood are a good many tombs, both built and excavated, some of which are of evidently much earlier date than the ruins of the town.[4] There were also several large reservoirs cut in the rock, and roofed over with long flags of stone.

On the occasion of a second visit which we paid to Imghernis some time afterwards, we were greatly annoyed by a tribe of Arabs, who surrounded us, and in the most dictatorial manner ordered us to leave the place. They threatened to shoot us, and for some time seemed on the point of actually trying to do so. Amor, however, meanwhile advised them for their own sakes not to attempt violence, telling them quietly that all who had in any way thwarted us at Cyrene, including the Mudir and Sidi Mustapha himself, had suffered in consequence; and that they might rest assured that the Consul at Benghazi would have ample vengeance for any injury we might receive. After some time, they showed their faith in the soundness of his advice by moving off; and although we remained at Imghernis all night and part of next day, we saw no more of them.

RUINS OF IMGHERNIS

E. A. Porcher, delt., T. Picken, lith.

London. Published July 1st. 1864 by Day & Son, Lithographers to the Queen &c., Gate Street Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Day & Son, Lithrs. to the Queen]

Our next excursion was to Derna; one object of our trip, among others, being to pay a visit to Mr. De Fremeaux, the British vice-consul, who had very kindly sent us from time to time such supplies as we required which Derna could afford. We started with Cesareo from Cyrene on the 26th of February, taking with us Amor’s brother, Abderrahim, and a camel to carry a tent and baggage. Two hours and a half after starting, we passed a few indefinite ruins at a place called Labrak, the scene, some thirty years ago, of the great battle between the tribes of Birasa and Haasa, the former under their redoubtable Sheikh Bou Bakr Ben Hadood. The Haasa were completely defeated, and 700 of them are said to have been buried on the battle-field.

An hour and a quarter further on, and a little to the left of the road, are a few ruins called by the Arabs Gabiout Younes, where there is an arched gateway of recent date still standing nearly perfect. About a mile beyond, are the ruins of what seems to have been a place of some importance, now called by the Arabs Tirt, where we found a small Zauyah, containing a rude building used as a mosque. The Arabs who were loitering about the place gave us a malicious scowl as we passed, but did not interfere with us. No traces of architectural buildings were to be seen.

From Tirt we rode about seven miles through a wood of arbutus and juniper, over a rough stony road, to Lamloudeh (Lebdis), where there are the remains of a town of considerable extent. Among the ruins are a number of very perfect arches and tombs, and also some large reservoirs at which we watered the horses and filled our water-skins. From Lamloudeh we continued our journey till sunset, when we halted for the night, encamping on the side of a hill called Kubbeh, where we found two fountains of good water, and some tombs excavated in the rock.

The following morning we started early, and rode about ten miles over a monotonous undulating country containing neither shrub nor tree. In this plain we passed some ruins on a slight eminence, close to the road called Beit Thamr, and a little further on, some tombs cut in the rock. We then entered a wood of arbutus, juniper, and olive, which, with a few breaks, extended to the head of the Augubah, where we first came within view of the seashore, and in the distance, away to the eastward, the town of Derna. The neighbouring hills are perfectly bare, so that the town, with its luxuriant date-gardens, forms quite an oasis in the stony desert around. The Augubah is similar to that of Marsa Sousah, being in fact part of the same range of mountains. The descent is very steep, and in some places where the surface of the rock has been worn smooth, it is very difficult for the horses to keep their feet. We got to the plain at the bottom in half an hour, after which we had a two hours’ ride over loose stones and shingle before we reached the town. The whole distance from Cyrene is sixteen hours, or about fifty miles.

On our arrival we were most hospitably received by Mr. De Fremeaux, who kindly furnished us with quarters at his house. He had himself arrived only a month before to succeed Mr. Aquilina, who had occupied the post of unpaid consular agent at Derna for upwards of a quarter of a century, during which time he was generally the only European in the place. In the course of the evening we were visited by the Kolaghassi (Major) commanding the troops, and the recently appointed Mudir, to whom we had given a passage in the _Boxer_ from Tripoli to Benghazi. The Kolaghassi, who indulged in an amount of snuff perfectly astonishing, seemed, from the compound effect of tobacco and raki, to be in an incipient state of _delirium tremens_. The Mudir, an Albanian by birth, had spent the last twenty years in Barbary and Fezzan. Both were profuse in their offers of friendship, and the Mudir, on returning to the castle, sent us as a present a Roman silver coin and a small silver sphinx which had been found in the neighbourhood.

The town of Derna, with its gardens, covers a small triangular plain, formed by a projection of the seashore from the base of the range of hills already so frequently referred to. The shingly bed of a deep wady, which recedes several miles into the range, divides the small plain and the town into two distinct portions. On the eastern side are the two villages of Upper and Lower Bou Mansour; and on the western, a village on a spur of the hills called Il Maghar, Derna proper lying immediately below, and a small detached village, called Gebéli, near the projecting headland. The whole assemblage of villages constitutes the town of Derna, which is supposed to occupy the site of the ancient Darnis. The remains of a few ancient walls may be traced in different parts of the town; and the name of the village on the spur, Il Maghar (the cave or rock-tomb), denotes the existence there of ancient sepulchres.

The beauty and fertility of the little plain of Derna are owing to the copious stream of fresh water which flows down the bed of the wady. Some two or three miles above the town the water is collected into an artificial aqueduct, by which it is led into the town, and thence distributed over the surrounding fields and gardens by means of small lateral branches. To insure the regular supply to every man’s property, a “Chief of the Water” is appointed, whose duty it is to see that a supply is sent to every district in succession, and to prevent any one from diverting for his own use the stream that for the time belongs to his neighbour. Water-stealing is very properly considered a serious crime, and is punished accordingly.

The houses are built with lime, and are altogether much superior to those of Benghazi. Most of them, too, are whitewashed, which gives the town a clean, wholesome appearance. Derna proper is surrounded on all sides by luxuriant gardens, and appeared to us a perfect Paradise after the wild and uncultivated country we had been accustomed to; but whether a stranger, coming direct from Malta or Candia, would be equally struck with its beauty it is difficult to say. Fruits and vegetables of all kinds grow in abundance, particularly dates, melons, figs, grapes, pomegranates, and bananas. The thick groves of tall palm-trees form a conspicuous and beautiful feature in the scene.

The town contains a large mosque, a bath, a market-place, a small bazaar, and a castle built at the same time as those of Merdj and Ghegheb. There is a considerable export trade in grain, butter, and wool, chiefly to Canea, in Crete. In the bazaar are shops or stalls of different kinds, most of which belong to Jews. The town Arabs being to some extent civilized, look down on their brethren, the Bedouins of the country, and think them fair game for any amount of deception and practical joking. An instance of this occurred in the case of our camel- driver. While lounging about the bazaar, an auctioneer showed him a pair of pistols he was selling at the time, and asked him what he thought of them. “Wallah! zain” (By God! good), was the reply. In a short time the auctioneer returned, bawling out a large price as the last bid, and handing the pistols to the camel-driver, again asked his opinion of their quality. “Wallah! zain!” repeated the camel-driver. “Well, no one has bid higher than you, so here they are, and give me the money.” “But I never bid for them at all! I have no money to buy such pistols as these!” “No money! Never bid! Did you not say ‘Wallah! zain!’ when I bid a price for you? Wallahi! if you do not pay you go to prison.” The other Arabs in the bazaar took up the chorus, “Wallahi! you shall go to prison. We’ll have none of your Bedouin tricks here!” and to the castle prison he was hauled off accordingly. He was, of course, released when his companion, Abderrahim, came and told us of his misfortune.

DERNA

E. A. Porcher, delt., T. Picken, lith.

London. Published July 1st. 1864 by Day & Son, Lithographers to the Queen &c., Gate Street Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Day & Son, Lithrs. to the Queen]

We returned the visit of the Mudir, and also called on the Kolaghassi, who told us that if we would come to the castle the next day he would have the troops turned out and put through their drill in our presence. He considered himself a great tactician, and showed us a Turkish book on military movements, illustrated with diagrams, by the study of which he said he had acquired his proficiency. When we went to the castle on the following morning, after the usual pipes and coffee, he showed us the barrack-rooms, &c., which were all in very good order. He pointed out with great pride some fantastic arabesques in red and black with which the white-washed walls were covered, informing us that they were all designed by himself. They forcibly reminded us of the way in which a small boy delights to ornament a blank wall with a piece of chalk. The two companies of infantry were by this time drawn up for inspection. Their clothing was certainly not of the best quality, but their arms were good and in excellent condition. Some manœuvres were then executed in an open space in front of the castle. The men drilled very steadily, although impeded in their movements by the clumsy formation of three ranks, and the interference of the supernumeraries, whose chief occupation seemed to consist in kicking the shins of the men in the rear rank.

On the last day of our stay we rode about five miles up the wady, accompanied by Mr. de Fremeaux. The sides are very steep, and in many places quite perpendicular; and the stream which flows along the bed causes a luxuriant growth of reeds and oleanders, which give the ravine a most picturesque appearance.

Before leaving Derna we examined the shops in the bazaar and bought everything useful we could find. On the fourth day after our arrival we left for Cyrene, which we reached without incident the following day. It was during our absence that our workmen made the first discoveries of sculpture at the Temple of Apollo.

On the 3rd of April we visited Sousah Hamema (Phycus), the anchorage spoken of by the Candiote skipper. It is confounded by Beechey with Apollonia, which he calls Marsa Sousah Hamema. The one place is Marsa Sousah and the other Sousah Hamema, so named from the number of rock- pigeons (hamem) which frequent its neighbourhood. The distance from Cyrene, seven hours or twenty-one miles, was greater than we had been led to believe. From the foot of the Cyrene range we crossed the lower plateau in a north-western direction, and descended the Augubah to the plain on the shore by a steep rocky tract exactly similar to those on the roads to Marsa Sousah and Derna. About two hours to the westward of this point, we reached Sousah Hamema, which occupies the point called Ras Sem, a name which seems to have become obsolete, as none of the Arabs we spoke to were acquainted with it. The harbour is simply a small bay not half a mile wide, and perfectly open to the north. We found a small schooner from Canea at anchor outside. Remains of buildings were to be seen on both sides of the bay, and also a considerable number of rock tombs. The eastern side, however, which contained the greater number of these, was occupied by one of those pests of Barbary, a Zauyah, which prevented our making an examination of it. As there was nothing of interest to detain us, we left in the evening to return to Cyrene. Night overtook us in the plain at the foot of the Augubah; but after dark we saw at some distance the light of a fire, which guided us to an Arab camp, where we passed the night. The following day we returned to Cyrene by a path some five or six miles to the eastward of the one by which we had gone to Sousah Hamema the day before. In traversing the lower plateau, both going and coming, we very often passed the traces of ancient roads, and the remains of tombs and other buildings, which clearly showed that the whole plain had at a former period been thickly inhabited.

Having now examined the sites of all the cities of the Pentapolis except Teuchira and Ptolemais, we proposed to visit those places before the hot weather set in for the summer. The month of April is by far the most agreeable season for travelling in this part of Africa. The water which has collected here and there during the winter is not yet dried up by the heat of the sun, so that a sufficient quantity for replenishing the water-skins can always be obtained without much trouble. The heavy rains which make a winter journey so unpleasant, are by this time past, the weather is cool and bright, and the country is covered with a varied vegetation which adds greatly to the beauty of the scenery. Later in the year, the traveller would fail to recognize many a lovely valley which he had admired only a month or two before.

We left Cyrene on the 13th of April, accompanied by Amor and three of his friends in the capacity of guides and escort, with a camel to carry our tent, bedding, and provisions. Taking the road to Merdj and Benghazi, we passed close to the Zauyah El Beidah and along the beautiful Wady Il Aggur to Gusr Biligadem, where we encamped for the night. Many parts of the road, and particularly the eight or nine miles through the Wady Il Aggur, were rich and beautiful beyond description. Trees and shrubs were in full bloom, and flowers of endless variety hung in clusters from the branches of the trees, twined up the faces of the cliffs, and covered the fresh greensward at our feet, filling the air with the most delicious perfume. Roses, honeysuckle, myrtle, and oleander grew in great profusion. The country sometimes appeared a literal bed of roses.

While riding along the wady, we noticed that the partridges, when disturbed, had the peculiar habit of alighting on trees, in which position we shot three or four of them.

Our next day’s journey was also through a very fine country, the road passing over a succession of hills and valleys. The hills were generally overgrown with juniper, arbutus, and brushwood, with occasionally trees of larger growth, such as the oak, the carub or locust-tree, and the olive; and the valleys were either sown with grain or left fallow for pasture. After travelling eight hours and a half, we pitched our tent in a gully near an Arab camp, where we were soon joined by a large party of Arabs on their way to Benghazi. They were all very civil, and the women in the camp prepared a huge dish of bazeen for our supper, besides supplying us liberally with water and leben. We shared with the company the partridges we had shot, and gave them what they had never seen before,—a cup of tea. The partridges were cooked _au naturel_ in a very primitive manner, being simply thrown into the fire as they were, feathers and all.

It may be mentioned here that the Arabs are much more scrupulous than the Turks regarding the sin of eating unclean animals, or such as have not been killed by a Mahommedan according to the requirements of the Koran. When an animal is to be killed, the operator, before cutting its throat, turns its head in the direction of Mecca, and invokes a blessing. The short prayer, the look towards the Gibli, and the letting of blood afterwards, are the three essential forms which must in all cases be complied with. The attention paid to this law was of great convenience to us when shooting in the company of our Arab attendants, as it saved us the trouble of picking up the game we killed. Whenever a bird fell, one of the Arabs was sure to rush after it, knife in hand, to take its life in an orthodox manner before it had given its final kick. They could thus partake with a clear conscience of what we had shot during the day; otherwise they had to content themselves with a piece of dry bread or biscuit for dinner. The Arabs themselves hardly ever shoot, powder and lead being much too valuable to throw away on any game less noble than man.

About half an hour after starting on the following morning, the 15th, we came to a group of ancient wells, some four or five in number, called the “Libiar Il Gharib.” They were carefully lined with masonry, and contained a good supply of excellent water. Many such wells and cisterns still exist as the monuments of a former age; but, with a few rare exceptions, they are now choked up and dilapidated. We halted here for about an hour to draw water for the camel and the horses, and to let the Arabs have their breakfast. From Il Gharib the same hilly country continued for about three hours, after which the road emerged on the large plain of Bograta, which is surrounded by hills, and contains a few half-ruined wells. We halted a few minutes at a camp near the end of the plain, where we drank camel’s milk for the first time. It is considered wholesome, but is certainly not very palatable, as it tastes somewhat like cow’s milk mixed with salt. Leaving Bograta, the road led through a gorge in the mountains, from the mouth of which we looked down upon the great plain of Merdj, stretching away to the south and west as far as the eye could reach.

We had heard from Benghazi that our old friend Hadji Achmet Bin ’l Agha had resigned his governorship, and was at Benghazi on his way home; so that, on our arrival at the castle in the afternoon, we were most agreeably surprised to find him back again as hearty and hospitable as ever. He gave us a most cordial welcome, and seemed truly delighted to see us. He had none of the ceremonial politeness so common in the East, but was really a downright honest, good-hearted fellow, a perfect John Bull, both in appearance and disposition.

As it was past noon when we arrived, we stayed all night at the castle, where, besides Hadji Achmet himself, we found the newly-appointed Mudirs of Ghegheb and Derna and a military kaimacam, who had been sent from Tripoli as receiver-general of the miri, or tribute, from the country east of Benghazi. They were accompanied by Suliman Captan, one of the most remarkable men in the country. He was the grandson of a Scotch captain, who had turned Mahommedan, and settled in Tripoli, where he became a sort of admiral under the Beys of the Karamanli dynasty. Suliman Captan was Mudir of Ghegheb immediately before Lemin Ben Sitewi, and during his tenure of office acquired a great reputation for the courageous manner in which he kept the Arabs under his control. The tribes about Cyrene still retained a lively recollection of his own rule. On one occasion, however, his boldness nearly cost him his life. A tribe of Arabs having refused to pay their miri, he went to their camps, attended by only eight soldiers, to insist upon payment. Thinking this a favourable opportunity for paying off many an old score, the tribe surrounded him in overpowering numbers, determined to take his life. Nothing daunted, he cut his way through the whole mob, and succeeded in gaining the castle, although with no less than four bullets in his body. A broad scar right across his forehead marks the track of a ball from which he can have escaped with his life only by a hair’s breadth.

The new Mudir of Ghegheb, as we were informed by a letter from Mr. Crowe, had received the most stringent orders from the Kaimacam to attend to our requisitions, and afford us every assistance in his power. He seemed a weak, mild individual, not at all fitted for the difficult task of extracting the due amount of tribute from the unruly tribes he had to deal with, and still less to be of much use to us, should we ever have occasion to require his intervention on our behalf. We were told by Hadji Achmet that the Pacha of Tripoli, aware of his weakness, had appointed as his official adviser the famous Bou Bakr Ben Hadood, the head of the large tribe of Birasa, who had been governor of the Ghegheb district for many years, both under the Karamanlis and the Turks. On our return to Cyrene, we found that this appointment had stirred up the wrath of our neighbours, the Haasa, who had never forgiven Bou Bakr for their signal defeat by him at Labrak. Their mutual hatred and fear gave rise, as we shall presently see, to serious disturbances.

We remained at Merdj till the middle of the following day, when we started for Teuchira. The road led, in a north-western direction, from the castle over a level grassy plain, which gradually sloped up to the brink of the Augubah, near which we pitched our tent for the night, close to an Arab encampment. The country was better cultivated and more thickly inhabited than any part of the Cyrenaica we had yet seen. Early next morning, the 17th, we descended the Augubah by a much better road than those at Marsa Sousah and Derna, and reached the ruins of Teuchira in about two hours, the distance from Merdj being altogether about eight. We encamped in one of the large quarries, to the eastward of the city.

Teuchira, named by the Ptolemies, Arsinoë, is now called Tocra, an Arabic corruption of its original name. It stands on the sea-shore, about two miles from the foot of the Augubah, and about 38 miles from Benghazi (Hesperis). The remains of the ancient city are of comparatively little interest, and consist for the most part of indefinite heaps of ruined buildings belonging to the period of the Roman occupation of the country. The city wall, rebuilt by the Emperor Justinian, is in good preservation, and in many places still stands to its original height. In its circuit of nearly a mile and a half, there are altogether twenty-six quadrangular towers, which project from the general line of the wall, for the purpose of flank defence. Within the walls, we could distinguish the sites of several temples and churches, in one of which we observed a Greek cross deeply engraved on a stone; but not a vestige of marble was anywhere to be seen. Outside the city are a number of quarries, in the sides of which there are many excavated tombs. These are generally plain chambers, devoid of ornament of any kind; a few, however, are painted, and some of them contain inscriptions cut on small faces sunk in the face of the rock, which have a remarkable resemblance to mural tablets in churches at the present day.

RUINS OF PTOLEMAIS

E. A. Porcher, delt., T. Picken, lith.

London. Published July 1st. 1864 by Day & Son, Lithographers to the Queen &c., Gate Street Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Day & Son, Lithrs. to the Queen]

The country in the vicinity abounded with partridges, quail, snipe, pigeons, and doves. The weather on the day of our arrival was very disagreeable, squalls and heavy showers coming on at frequent intervals. Next day, the 18th, was little better; but as we had passed a most comfortless and sleepless night amid swarms of fleas, and as nothing of interest remained to be seen, we started about mid-day for Tolmeitah (Ptolemais).

There was a very fair road following the line of the shore the whole way. We saw no remarkable ruins, although we occasionally passed the remains of ancient buildings. Towards evening we came within view of a high building that marks from a great distance the situation of Tolmeitah. As we approached, we found that it was a large tomb of excellent construction, about half a mile to the westward of the city. It was now getting dark, and we pitched our tent in an ancient quarry between the large tomb and the western gate of the city, choosing this spot, as at Tocra, on account of the shelter it afforded from the wind. The distance from Tocra was altogether seven hours and a half, or about twenty-five miles. Some Arabs, who had halted for the night in the next quarry to ours, were very anxious to sell us part of a dead camel, and seemed quite astonished when we told them we would not have it if they offered it for nothing. The animal they said had broken down, and they had cut its throat “to save its life,” so that the flesh was perfectly good for food.

The two following days were spent in examining the ruins under the guidance of the Arabs of a small encampment we found near the foot of the hills. We were sorry to hear from them that we had just missed meeting an English man-of-war, which had anchored off Tolmeitah the day before our arrival. From their description we conjectured rightly that it was the _Medina_, Captain Spratt, then surveying the coast, preparatory to the laying of the Malta and Alexandria telegraph cable. Three of the officers, accompanied by an interpreter, had landed and remained on shore half the day.

The position of Ptolemais is very similar to that of Teuchira and Apollonia, the only difference being that at Ptolemais the ground rises more rapidly from the shore to the foot of the hills, which at this point come to within a mile and a quarter from the coast. The city, which is nearly square in form, occupies the whole breadth of the slope between the hills and the sea, and is inclosed by walls which can still be distinctly traced. The great gateway in the western wall is still standing, and is remarkable for the excellence of its masonry. It is built of massive ashlar-work without mortar, the stones of which are laid in alternate courses of “headers” and “stretchers,” like English bond brickwork. The faces of the stones are roughly dressed, and the joints deeply sunk like the “rustic” work of the present day. The otherwise unbroken surface of the walls is thereby relieved, and the general appearance of the building greatly improved.

The eastern wall of the city follows the side of a small ravine leading to the sea from one of the Wadys in the range of hills above. At a point nearly opposite the centre of the wall, this ravine is spanned by the arch of a bridge still standing, which appears to have been built for an aqueduct, which we could trace distinctly for some distance from the city. Within the walls the aqueduct led in the direction of a series of enormous reservoirs near the centre of the city, which were pointed out to us by one of the Arabs. Guided by him, we crept underground through a small opening into a chamber, about one hundred feet long and twenty feet broad, completely arched over, from which we passed through a series of about half a dozen similar vaults, all of apparently the same size, and connected with each other by doorways in the walls below the springing of the semicircular arches of the roofs. They were beautifully built of ashlar-work, and lined with cement, but were so filled up with rubbish that we could not make out either their exact length or their number, as only parts of them were clear enough to allow a passage. In one or two of them there was a little water, to which some goats had found their way by a larger opening than that by which we entered. They were, doubtless, built by the Romans, and must have been of the greatest benefit to the city, as the country along the shore is much more liable to droughts than the high land beyond the Augubah. “We are informed,” says Beechey, “that the town of Ptolemeta suffered at one time so severely from want of water, that the inhabitants were obliged to relinquish their houses and disperse themselves about the country in different directions. The reparation of the aqueducts and cisterns of the town, which, it seems, had fallen into decay, restored Ptolemeta to its former flourishing state; and this act is recorded among many others of a similar nature performed at the command of Justinian in the eulogy of that emperor by Procopius. As Ptolemeta is unprovided with springs, the care of its reservoirs and aqueducts must have been at all times peculiarly essential; and we find that its buildings of this class are among the most perfect of its existing remains.”

Close by the entrance to the reservoirs stand three Ionic columns, the most conspicuous objects among the ruins of the city. They seem to have formed part of a colonnade which surrounded a space paved with mosaic immediately over the reservoirs. There are some Corinthian and Doric columns lying on the ground, which also appear to have formed part of the same colonnade. There is no trace of building within the inclosure.

Between the reservoirs and the sea are the remains of a very large building, the walls of which are still standing to a considerable height, although there is nothing left to denote with certainty what the nature of the building was. It may, very probably, have been a Roman bath.

TOMBS TO THE WESTWARD OF PTOLEMAIS

E. A. Porcher, delt., T. Picken, lith.

London. Published July 1st. 1864 by Day & Son, Lithographers to the Queen &c., Gate Street Lincoln’s Inn Fields.

Day & Son, Lithrs. to the Queen]

PTOLEMAIS. PLAN OF A CONSPICUOUS TOMB ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE CITY. BY COMMANDER E. A. PORCHER R.N.

Day & Son, Lith. to the Queen]

Close to where the western wall touches the shore, there is a small harbour protected by a projecting point of land, and a small rocky island, which were at one time connected by an artificial pier. The space thus inclosed is so shallow, and so limited in extent, that it can only have been available for a few light vessels.

Of all the remains of Ptolemais, the most prominent is the large tomb to the westward of the city, which we passed on the evening of our arrival (Plates 52 and 53). It is 55 feet in height, and is still in very perfect condition. It is built on a square platform of rock with scarped sides, about five or six feet above the surrounding ground, and contains a central chamber which occupies the whole length of the tomb, with lateral recesses for the reception of the sarcophagi. Close to the entrance is a staircase, which we found sufficiently perfect to enable us to climb to the top. In the neighbourhood are a number of quarries containing excavated tombs similar to those at Teuchira, many of which have the names of the occupants inscribed on the face of the rock.

Our last night at Ptolemais was a very uncomfortable one, on account of a very strong gibli, or southerly wind, which nearly choked us with clouds of dust and sand, and necessitated our turning out every half- hour to hammer in the pegs of the tent. We packed up at daybreak, and after paying a last visit to the ruins, started for Merdj about the middle of the day on the 21st. After riding about two miles to the westward of the city, we turned up one of the wadys to our left, and commenced the ascent of the Augubah. The strong gibli was still blowing, so that although we were greatly sheltered by the range of hills, it made our journey very fatiguing and unpleasant. When about half-way up, we found that our guides had mistaken the path, and brought us to a regular _cul de sac_, from which there was no exit but by returning as we came, or climbing what appeared the insurmountable hill in front. We chose the latter alternative, and after nearly an hour’s exertions, reached the top with our horses, where we lay down under some bushes to wait for the camel. We soon found, however, that it was impossible to get him up, so we left the drivers to seek the proper pass, while we rode on in the direction of Merdj. It was difficult to find a way across country among the almost impassable wadys by which we were surrounded; but after a two hours’ ride we had the satisfaction of seeing before us the great plain of Merdj, dotted over with Arab camps. Thoroughly parched by the exertion of climbing, and the burning heat of the gibli, we hurried to the nearest tents for something to quench our thirst. The cool fresh leben, which was readily offered us by the women, was peculiarly refreshing.

A little after sunset we reached the castle, where we were greeted by the cheery welcome of our kind friend Hadji Achmet. A really sumptuous dinner of bread, rice, mutton, and eggs, was soon prepared and most heartily partaken of. Fatigued as we were with a hard day’s work after a sleepless night, we thoroughly enjoyed the luxury of sleeping on the soft bed-quilts so mindfully provided by our host.

The camel with our baggage arrived the following day at 11 o’clock; and about the same time Amor, whom we had sent with letters from Teuchira to Benghazi, made his appearance. As there was now nothing to detain us, we started at three in the afternoon for Cyrene, after taking leave of Hadji Achmet, who, as usual, loaded us with presents of corn and provisions. The hot gibli was now blowing more fiercely than ever, and felt as if it came from the mouth of a furnace. The air was so thick with impalpably fine sand that even the sun was invisible. Several square miles of the plain around us were covered with magnificent crops of nearly full-grown wheat, which I found, on a subsequent visit, were utterly destroyed by this day’s gibli. Between nine and ten o’clock we reached the Libiar Il Gharib, near which we passed the night in a hollow of the rock, which was preferable to the tent during the hot wind. Wrapped up in our burnouses, we slept soundly, notwithstanding the rain which came on in the night, and from which the overhanging rock only partially sheltered us. The following day we continued our journey, and encamped at night at our old halting-place, Gusr Biligadem. The gibli had by this time given way to a fresh cool breeze from the north, which completely transformed the aspect of the country. Next day (the 24th) we reached our quarters at Cyrene, glad to find ourselves again at home. During our absence of twelve days, we had travelled over about 250 miles, the distance in hours being as follows:—

From Cyrene to Zauyah El Beidah 3½ hours.

„ „ Gusr Biligadem 9 „

„ „ Gusr Merdj 25 „

„ Merdj to Teuchira 7¾ „

„ Teuchira to Ptolemais 7½ „

„ Ptolemais to Merdj 5½ „

„ Merdj to Libiar Il Gharib 7 „

„ „ Gusr Biligadem 16 „

During the fortnight that elapsed between our return to Cyrene and the arrival of the _Assurance_, a serious disturbance arose in the country, caused, as already mentioned, by the appointment of Bou Bakr Ben Hadood as the official adviser and associate of the new Mudir of Ghegheb. According to custom, the sheikhs of the different tribes, and among others the ten sheikhs of the Haasa, among whom we lived, went to the castle to pay their respects to the newly-appointed governor. Before this time, however, Bou Bakr had told the Mudir that the Haasa sheikhs were a rebellious, turbulent set, whom he should seize and imprison on the first favourable opportunity. Their coming to the castle on a peaceful errand was accordingly taken advantage of for carrying this sage advice into execution. The men of the tribe, on learning that their sheikhs had fallen into the power of their old enemy, appealed to us for assistance, and requested us to write to the consul at Benghazi, to obtain the liberation of their chiefs. We told them that, as the matter in no way concerned ourselves or any one in our service, it was impossible for us to interfere. They thereupon called a medjlis, or assembly of the whole tribe, in which it was determined to release the sheikhs by force before further evil should befall them. They accordingly assembled, to the number of about 1,000, in the neighbourhood of the castle, and attacked it at midnight. The gate soon yielded to their blows, and the garrison was at their mercy. Some firing had meantime taken place, in which six Arabs and two soldiers were killed or wounded. The prisoners were immediately released; but the castle was searched in vain for Bou Bakr, who had wisely retired the day before to the camps of his own tribe of Birasa.

The sheikhs, however, were no sooner at liberty than they began to reflect on the unpleasant position they were placed in by the rash zeal of their followers. The Sultan’s castle had been attacked, and the Sultan’s soldiers killed; and although they themselves had been prisoners at the time, they knew that it would be vain to disavow their complicity in the act of their tribe. Such an open and violent insult to the Government must, they feared, be in some way avenged by the Pacha, who might possibly send hosts of soldiers to exterminate the tribe. At all events, they would suffer severely by being excluded from their only markets, Benghazi and Derna, by the fear of their falling into the hands of the Pacha. A Medjlis was called to deliberate on their difficulties, at which it was determined to make a second application to us for assistance. The sheikhs accordingly came to our quarters, and in the name of the whole tribe begged us to intercede in their behalf. They urged that they had been imprisoned simply to gratify Bou Bakr, and for no offence of their own; nevertheless, that, to preserve the peace, they had represented to the Mudir that they could not answer for the consequences if at least one of their number were not allowed out of prison to control the passions of the Arabs, while the remaining nine were retained as hostages. As this was refused, and they were all kept in close confinement, they knew nothing of what was going on until they heard the firing and battering at the gate of the Castle during the assault. It would, therefore, be unjust to punish them for a crime of which they were perfectly innocent, and it would even be hard to hold the tribe responsible for its actions when suddenly and treacherously deprived of the advice and guidance of their only chiefs. It was certainly wrong to attack the Castle; but what was to be expected in the circumstances; and had they not warned the Mudir of the consequences of his own act? Besides, by appealing to us in the first instance, the tribe had taken the only peaceable means they had of obtaining the release of their sheikhs.

We asked them why they did not tell or write all this to the Pacha, who was the proper judge of their conduct. Their answer was, “You know yourselves well enough what the result would be; our remonstrances would never be listened to, and we or our messengers would only be seized and imprisoned with irons: our only hope in a case like this is in the Consul.” We said that if the Consul interfered, the Pacha had a perfect right to say, “Are the Haasa Arabs Englishmen? This is none of your business.” “There is no chance,” replied they, “of his saying anything of the kind; when the Consul speaks, the Pacha must obey.”

As we knew very well that the Pacha had not the power to punish the tribe, we thought it probable that he would be glad of any excuse for saving his dignity by pardoning the offence. We therefore believed that our intercession would be as welcome on the one side as on the other; and, if successful, that it would be most useful to ourselves, by establishing our influence over the tribe in whose country we resided.

Mr. Crowe having left for England, we wrote to the above effect to Mr. Aquilina, then acting as vice-consul at Benghazi, and requested him to use his own discretion in bringing the matter before the Kaimacam. He immediately called at the Castle, and read a translation of our letter to the Kaimacam, who, as we had conjectured, readily promised to pardon the tribe. We soon after received a letter from the Kaimacam himself, informing us that, in consequence of our intercession, he had been pleased to forgive the Haasa the very serious crime of which they had been guilty, on condition of their good behaviour and prompt payment of the Miri in future.

This letter reached us soon after the arrival of the _Assurance_, when Mr. De Fremeaux was with us on a visit from Derna. Immediately after its receipt, we summoned the sheikhs to a meeting, at which Mr. De Fremeaux read and explained the letter of the Kaimacam. Highly delighted with the happy termination of their difficulties, they were profuse in their expressions of thanks, and said that they and their tribe were now our servants for ever.

Immediately after our return from Ptolemais, and before the above disturbances took place, we went to pay a visit to the Mudir at Ghegheb, where we also found Bou Bakr and some of his sons. Although nearly seventy years of age, he seemed as strong and active as a man of thirty. It is said that although Cyrene was the site selected for the existing castle, Bou Bakr, who was Mudir at the time of its erection, had it built, for obvious reasons, in the territory of his own tribe at Ghegheb. It is exactly similar in construction to the Castle of Merdj, and stands on a slight eminence in a sheltered position surrounded by hills. The country in the neighbourhood is bare and desolate; the only recommendation of the site being an abundant spring of excellent water, which issues from the rock under the southern wall of the Castle. About seven miles and a half from Cyrene, we passed a most remarkable place, called by the Arabs Safsaf, where there are a number of reservoirs similar to those at Ptolemais, but on a much larger scale. One of them, which is cut in the rock and lined with cement, is about sixty yards in length, and is still in very perfect condition. It is covered with a continuous semicircular arch, which springs from near the ground-line. Although in a great measure filled up, it contained a large quantity of water when we saw it. These cisterns appear to have been built by the Romans for the supply of Cyrene, as an aqueduct may be traced a great part of the way to the large reservoirs, also Roman, at the south-east corner of the city. Safsaf was evidently chosen as the site of the waterworks of Cyrene on account of its position, which is rather above the level of the city, and is surrounded by higher ground, which could be easily drained into the reservoirs. The distance is considerable; but there is no other point nearer Cyrene so well adapted for the purpose.

CYRENE. PLAN OF THE LARGE TEMPLE AT THE N.E. END OF THE CITY NEAR THE STADIUM. BY COMMANDER E. A. PORCHER R.N.

_Day & Son, Lithrs. to the Queen_]