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
Among the tombs which have been excavated on the northern face of the
heights of Cyrene there are several on a much larger scale than the
rest; some of these appear to have been public vaults and contain a
considerable number of cellæ; others seem to have been appropriated
to single families, and in two instances we found large excavated
tombs containing each a sarcophagus of white marble ornamented with
figures and wreaths of flowers raised in relief on the exteriors. We
suspect these to be Roman; but the workmanship of both is excellent
and the polish still remains upon them in great perfection.
We have already mentioned a ravine to the westward of Cyrene,
on the brink of which stands a portion of the aqueduct of which
traces have been described as still remaining above the fountain.
This ravine, which forms the bed of a stream of excellent water,
is highly picturesque and romantic; it deepens gradually in its
course towards the sea, and is thickly overgrown with clusters of
oleander and myrtle which are blooming in the greatest luxuriance
amidst the rocks overhanging the stream. On the western side of the
ravine we found that galleries had been formed, similar to those
already described on the northern face of the rock of Cyrene, and
that tombs had equally been excavated there to which the galleries
in question conducted. The deep marks of chariot wheels along the
galleries prove that these also had formerly been used as roads;
and the romantic beauty of their situation, on the very brink of the
steep descent to the bed of the torrent below, must have rendered
them very delightful ones. There seems to have been originally a
parapet wall along the dangerous parts of the road, (we mean those
where the descent is very abrupt,) for there are considerable traces
of one still extant about three feet from the ground: in some places,
however, (where the road is not more than three feet in width, with
the high, perpendicular rock on one side, and an abrupt descent to
the torrent on the other,) there is no such defence now remaining;
and the passage from one part of the gallery to the other is not
here quite so safe for nervous people as it might be. The steep
sides of the descent are thickly overgrown with the most beautiful
flowering shrubs and creepers, and tall trees are growing in the
wildest forms and positions above and below the roads. The Duke
of Clarence (when the choice of his death was proposed to him)
had a fancy to be drowned in a butt of malmsey; and we think, if we
found ourselves in a similar dilemma, that we should pitch upon some
part of this charming ravine, as the spot from which we could hurl
ourselves through myrtles and oleanders into the pure stream which
dashes below, with more pleasure than one could leap with from life
into death in most other places that we know of. We must, however,
confess that in passing along the dangerous parts of the galleries
here alluded to, no such fancy ever entered our heads; and we took
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account