At Hudia there is a remarkable hill, through which gypsum protrudes
itself in almost every p a rt; it terminates in a conical mound
of pure gypsum, so smooth as to have the appearance of ice, the
diameter of the cone, at its base, being about thirty feet. We found
the valleys between the hills very fertile, producing, among other
flowers, a variety of wild geraniums, singularly mixed with a species
of leek, which flourishes there in great abundance- The water was
collected in a hollow between the hills, and having lately received
a fresh supply from the rains, was found to be tolerably sweet.
Neither its flavour nor its clearness were however much improved by
the provident cares of our Arab conductors, who began to wash their
caps and baracans in it before we were aware of their intentions;
and it may readily be supposed that these articles of dress, which
were almost the only ones that our friends possessed, and which had
certainly not been washed since they left Tripoly, could not be particularly
clean.
With this water, however, we managed to commemorate Christmas
day, which occurred while we were at Hudia, in a much better
manner (so far as conviviality was concerned) than we should have
been able to do, had it fallen a few days later, in the barren, rocky
country which ensued, where no water is to be found at all. It
may be imagined by some that conviviality and dirty water are
by no means compatible with each other ; but when the necessaries
of life become luxuries they will always be appreciated as such; and
there are many occasions on which they who might think it impossible
to make merry without wine, would feel themselves both
able and willing to do so in a good hearty draught of muddy
water.
Our route on the following day lay over a barren and rugged country,
which continues all the. way from Hudia to the confines of Barca,
where the soil begins gradually to assume a better appearance. In
the afternoon, as we passed Mahiriga, we observed the remains of a
quadrangular building occupying the summit of a low range of hills
which lay between our road and the sea. On a closer examination,
-we found it to be different in plan from any building which we had
hitherto met with. At each of the angles there is a circular turret
sloping down from the top, and becoming considerably wider at the
base. .Thé sides of this building are constructed with well-shaped
stones of four and five feet in length, closely fitted together, and fastened
with an excellent cement ; but the turrets were found to be
built of much smaller stones, not shaped or put together with the
same attention to regularity, and proved on near inspection to be
built on to the outer walls and not into them. They may therefore be
considered as forming no part of the original plan, and have probably
been added at some early period by the Arabs. No traces remain
of the external roof of this building, but part pf an arched roof is
still visible on the ground-floor within, which, from its inferior workmanship,
we should be inclined to attribute to the same period at
i which the turrets were added. Traces of walls are also seen in the
inside of the building, which have formerly divided it into chambers;
they are composed of very small stones and appear to be of later
work than the exterior. This fortress, for such it has originally