Proceedings of the expedition to explore the northern coast of Africa, from Tripoly eastward : $b in MDCCCXXI. and MDCCCXXII., comprehending an account of the Greater Syrtis and Cyrenaica; and of the ancient cities composing the pentapolisBeechey, Frederick William
History
Proceedings of the expedition to explore the northern coast of Africa, from Tripoly eastward : $b in MDCCCXXI. and MDCCCXXII., comprehending an account of the Greater Syrtis and Cyrenaica; and of the ancient cities composing the pentapolis
Beechey, Frederick William
Sidra, Gulf of (Libya); Tripoli (Libya) -- Antiquities; Tripoli (Libya) -- Discovery and exploration
The ground about this excavation, and, indeed, along the whole range,
was strewed with fragments of pottery and glass, among which we
found a brass coin of Augustus Cæsar in a very tolerable state of
preservation. While the excavations were going on in this quarter
(for the outer wall of one of the forts was also cleared a few feet,
in order to obtain the measurements of the gateway by which it had
been entered) the plan of the harbour had been completed, as far
as it was possible without boats, and the reefs were set down by
bearings and estimated distance. The best landing for boats was found
to be under the high point which we have mentioned to the westward,
on which the fort excavated had been built; and on the beach at
this angle were several heaps of sulphur, collected in equal-sized
masses for embarkation, which had been brought on camels from the
mines to the southward, and were said to belong to Mahommed Ali,
the Pasha of Egypt. South-west of this point there is a large salt
lake and marsh, which are evidently below the level of the sea,
as we perceived a stream of salt water oozing from out a porous
part of the rock on the sea-side, about eight feet above the level
of the lake, and running into it. The land at the east and western
extremities of the lake is so low, as to render it very probable
that it may once have communicated with the sea, and that the
point on which the fort stands may have been an island. If there
should prove to be sufficient water in the harbour of Braiga, it is
probable that good anchorage would be found there, with all winds,
behind reefs of breakers extending across the mouth of it: it may
be easily distinguished by the very high sand-hills at the back
of it, and by the ruin on the rocky point mentioned at its western
extremity. Among these sand-hills are some wells, in which the water,
though several hundred feet above the level of the sea, is perfectly
brackish. Beyond them to the southward is a hilly country covered
with verdure, in which a number of camels were feeding, and numerous
flocks of sheep and goats; but although we found ourselves in the
midst of such plenty, we were unable to purchase a single sheep, in
consequence of our friend the Dúbbah’s manœuvres. At Gartubbah,
which possessed the same advantages, we were equally unable to
succeed in a similar attempt. Among the green hills just mentioned
are several ruins of forts, of the same quadrangular form as usual,
and which have been built with large stones very regularly shaped;
so that Braiga may be considered as a military station, and must have
certainly been one of importance[22]. If it be necessary to give it
an ancient name, we should consider it as the site of Automala, which
was also a military station, according to the account of Strabo[23].
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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