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
It was singular to observe, during the whole of this affair, the
total want of system and discipline which prevailed; each person
hurrying he hardly knew where, because he saw others in motion,
and leaving his home, with his family and property, at the mercy of
any one who might invade it. A handful of men might have taken the
whole town, which was left for several hours without any defence,
and carried off their plunder beyond the reach of pursuit before the
inhabitants knew they had been there. This was the only molestation
we ever met with from the people of Bengazi; and, to do them justice,
we must allow that it proceeded rather from their ignorance and
their fears, than from any decided hostility or ill-will towards
ourselves. On all other occasions we found them civil and obliging,
and usually inclined to be of service to us when they could. With
regard to the manners and customs of the people of Bengazi, we
saw nothing in which they differed materially from those of Arabs
in general; and it would merely be repeating what has been often
observed by others, were we to give any detailed description of
them. It is well known what reliance is placed by the Arab on
the efficacy, we may say, the infallibility of charms and family
nostrums, and how much they are averse to calling in medical aid till
they have repeatedly tried their own remedies without success. We
saw a lamentable instance of this adherence to popular prejudice
and superstition, in the case of an interesting girl of Bengazi,
the daughter of one of the Arabs of the town. As Mr. Campbell was
standing at the door of our house, in company with some others of
our party, an old woman hurried towards him, and eagerly seizing
both his hands, conjured him to come and visit her daughter, who
she said was very ill with a swelling in the throat. Mr. Campbell
immediately complied with her request, and accompanied her, together
with one or two of the other officers, to the house where the patient
was lying. On entering they found the poor girl we have mentioned,
extended upon the floor, in a state of delirium, while her sister,
on her knees by her side, was endeavouring by means of a fan to keep
away the myriads of flies from her face, with which the room as
usual abounded. Her throat was soon found to be so much ulcerated
and swelled, as almost to prevent respiration; and it seemed but
too evident that the hand of death was already lying heavily upon
her. She had been ill for nine days with a typhus fever, and the
usual charms and remedies had been employed by her parents, who only
came to Mr. Campbell for advice when all their own prescriptions
had failed. The violence of the fever had now subsided, leaving the
unhappy girl in a state of exhaustion, and a mortification appeared
to have taken place. Every means were of course resorted to which
our medicine-chest afforded, and every possible attention was paid
to the comfort of the patient; but all our care was unavailing;
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