been, is surrounded by a wall of four feet in thickness, enclosing an
area of twenty five feet between it and the outer wall of the building,
but there is no appearance of any trench. The enclosed
space is entered by a single gate in the wall which surrounds it,
but no appearance whatever of any entrance is observable in the
walls of the building; and we must therefore conclude that there
was some subterranean communication with it from without, or that
they who entered were drawn up with ropes by persons already
stationed in the fortress ; as we have already observed to be the case
in other fortified buildings in the Syrtis. There are traces of other
walls about this building in different directions, and the whole brow
of the hill on which it stands appears to have been formerly enclosed;
below this, to the northward, is a well, built in the soil, of not more
than two feet square, which is now filled up with rubbish to within
five feet of the surface, and near it are traces of another well, and
some large buildingrStones apparently little out of their places.
The present height of the turrets and outer walls of the fort are
about fifteen feet; and were it not for the dilapidated condition of
the former, the entrance would not be easy without a ladder.
In a ravine at Mahiriga we found some very good water, which
was particularly acceptable to a party of pilgrims from the westward,
by whom we were joined, on their journey to Mecca.. They took
up their abode at night near our tents; and after repeating with
great solemnity the proper number of prayers, made themselves very
comfortable round a large fire, which the chilness of the nights
began to render very necessary; and which was the more severely
felt from being contrasted with the sultry heat of the day, occasioned
by a parching southerly wind.
After consuming with excellent appetites whatever they- could -
procure from our tents, they would lay themselves down in a circle
round the fire, with their feet as close to it as they could bear, and
sleep very soundly without any other covering than their bernusse, till
the next hour appointed for the perforinance of their customary devotions.
They were not the least discouraged by the length of the
journey before them, or the difficulties and privations which they
would necessarily have to encounter; but we uniformely found them
contented and cheerful, always offering their assistance, unasked for,
to our people, whenever it seemed to be necessary. Some of them
continued with us as far as Bengazi, and appeared to be very
grateful for the few piastres which we gave them there, to assist in
supporting them on the road to the Holy City.
We found a few Arabs who possessed some sheep and goats in the
neighbourhood of Mahiriga; but we could not prevail upon them
to . part with a single animal from their flocks, although they knew
we were wholly without meat, and would themselves have been
delighted to obtain the money which they would have had in exchange
for it. We could not at the time account for this obstinate
refusal; but circumstances soon after convinced us that it was owing
to the intrigues of the Dfibbah.
We continued to travel after leaving Mahiriga over a country
equally barren and uninteresting with that to the westward of it,
and arrived at night at Linoof.
2 D