Chapter XIV: Journey From Ptolemeta to Merge

Departure from Ptolemeta — Romantic and Picturesque
Appearance of the Road — Luxuriant Vegetation which
adorned it — Arrive at the Summit of the first Range —
Bedouin Tents on the Plain above — Pleasing Manners of their
Inhabitants — Character of the Scenery on the Summit of the
Lower Range — Beauty of the Route continues — Arrive at
the Plain of Merge — Character and Position of the Plain
— Our Camel-Drivers refuse to proceed — Artful Conduct of
Abou-Bukra — Appeal to Bey Halil — Projected Mission to
Derna — Abou-Bukra comes to Terms, and brings his Camels for
the Journey — Pools of Fresh Water collected in the Plain
of Merge — Use made of them by the Arabs — Prevalence of
a Virulent Cutaneous Disease among the Arab Tribes of Merge
and its Neighbourhood — Remains of a Town at one extremity
of the Plain — Remarks on the District and City of Barca —
Testimonies of Strabo, Pliny, Ptolemy, and Scylax, respecting
the Port of Barca — Remarks on the Position of the City of
that Name — Arab Accounts of Barca — Edrisi, Abulfeda,
&c. — Unsatisfactory Nature of the Accounts in Question —
Mode of reconciling the Arab Accounts of Barca with those
of Scylax — Suggested Position of the Ancient City —
Peculiarity of Soil attributed to Barca — Observations on
its Produce and Resources — State of Barca under the Arabs
— Decay of the Ancient City after the building of Ptolemais
on the Site of its Port — The Barcæans remarkable for
their Skill in the Management of Horses and Chariots —
Their Country formerly celebrated for its excellent Breed
of Horses — Degeneracy of the present Breed — Account
of Barca by Herodotus — Other Accounts of its Origin —
Siege and Plunder of the City by the Persians under Amasis
— Subsequent state of the City till the building of Ptolemais 386