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
wish of making us as dependent as possible upon themselves, that
they might either have an opportunity of showing their influence,
or of planning with more effect some scheme to impose upon us. Yet
the very same people who would take so much trouble to forward
their own interested views, at the expense of another, would in all
probability consider themselves greatly to blame, or at any rate
highly disgraced, if they suffered a hungry traveller, of whatever
creed or nation, to leave their own tents unsatisfied, should he
apply to them for relief. But such is the inconsistency of Arab
character; and it may perhaps be said, that he who should consider
them as a generous nation, because they practised this species of
hospitality, would be as much deceived in his opinion of them, as
he would be who should imagine that they have no liberal feelings,
because they are well skilled in selfish tricks and manœuvres.
On leaving Braiga, we travelled over a hilly country to the eastward,
and passed two interesting ruins of ancient forts, of which we
contrived to obtain plans. About noon we halted near a bold rocky
promontory, called by the Arabs Tabilba, on which are the remains
of a castle. On a hill just above it are the ruins of a very strong
fortification, which was connected with the castle by a wall of
five feet in thickness carried quite round the precipice on which
it stood. This was defended on the inland side by a fosse of thirty
feet in width excavated in the solid rock; and the rubbish extracted
from it was piled up to form a bank on the outer side. On the beach
are the remains of a wall remarkably well constructed, or it never
could so long have resisted the violence of the surf which beats
against it. It appears to have formed part of a landing-place or quay
which has originally been built in its immediate neighbourhood. The
interior of the rock on which the castle stands has been excavated
into numerous galleries and chambers, which seem to have answered
the purpose of barracks. Some of these are very spacious and very
well finished; but the dash of the sea, which now washes through
the exterior chambers, has completely destroyed their surface, and
has left them in parts so little foundation as to render it very
dangerous to enter them. In fact, the base of the rock in which
these excavations have been made is perforated like a honeycomb
by the continual action of the sea, which now washes through the
hollows with a roar which may be heard at a considerable distance,
and must in stormy weather be tremendous. In one of the chambers
were several Greek inscriptions which have been written with ink
on the walls; but they are now so indistinct, that we could not
succeed in copying more than a few words of one of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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