Chapter VIII

Leave Nehīm — Arrive at Boosaida — Shekh Hamed Shakshak
— Return of Shekh Mahommed — Revival of the Report
above mentioned — Motive for renewing it — Discharge our
Mesurata Camel-drivers — Treaty with the Dúbbah for others
— Interested conduct of Shekh Mahommed — Commencement of
another Salt-Lake at Sharfa — Easy mode of shifting Quarters
practised by the Arabs — Their manner of travelling —
Termination of the Lake — Arrive at Shegga — Remains of
Forts observed there — Other Remains in its neighbourhood
— Abundant Pasturage at Shegga — Fortress of Bengerwàd
— Peculiarities of its Position — Bengerwàd considered as
the Castle of Euphrantas — Objections to this supposition
— Reasons in favour of it — Leave Wady Shegga — Cross
a Tract of Red Sand — Spacious Bay at Ras Howeijah — Good
Anchorage probably found there — Remains of an ancient Town
near Ras Howeijah considered as those of Charax — Trade
of Charax alluded to, as mentioned by Strabo — Further
reasons for placing the Tower of Euphrantas at Bengerwàd —
Allusion to the barter of Silphium at Charax — Emendations
of Strabo’s Text proposed by Signor Della Cella — Arrive
at Hudīa — Alleged Origin of this Name as applied to the
place in question — Hudīa lately infested by a formidable
Band of Robbers — Precautions of our Arab Escort to prevent
any Attack — Rigorous Measures of Mahommed Bey apparently
very necessary — Remarkable Hill of Gypsum at Hudīa
— Celebration of Christmas-day by our Party at Hudīa —
Fortress at Mahirīga — Arrival of a party of Pilgrims from
the Westward — Disturbance at Linoof — Apparent causes of
it — Ill behaviour of the Dúbbah — His sudden change of
Conduct, and artful Manœuvres — Remarks on Arab Character
— Satisfactory Termination of the Disturbance — Arrival
at Mukhtár, the Boundary of the Districts of Syrt and Barka 178