killed there, and which may truly be said to realize the words of the
poet in “ making the green one red.” I t may readily be imagined,
that in the heat of the summer these places are not very wholesome,
and they are probably often the causes of fevers, especially during
the prevalence of southerly winds. That these sinks of corruption
should ever he bathing-places will not perhaps be so easily conceived
; but they are nevertheless often used for such purpose; and
the children of the town will very frequently adjourn from the dust-
heaps already described, to cool themselves (we cannot in conscience
say to clean themselves) in the green and red pools here alluded to.
With so many objects to attract and encourage them, it is not to be
wondered at, that Bengazi is proverbial for flies ; and every part of
the town, both within and without the houses, may truly be said to
swarm with them. Among the various annoyances with which the
place abounds, these are, perhaps, the most serious of any | or, at all
events, they are those from which it is least possible to escape - there
is, in fact, no chance of avoiding them; they follow you everywhere
from place to place, settle on every part of the arms, legs, and body»
which the heat of the weather obliges you to leave uncovered ;
creep obstinately into the comers of the eyes,1 and up the nostrils.,
into the hollows of the ears, and the corners of the mouth when it is
closed, and often fly down the throat, nearly choking you, when it is
open ; at meals every part of the dishes^ and their contents are
covered as soon as they are produced, and every fluid becomes a
trap for as many of these insects as can crowd themselves over its
surface. In short, there is literally no riding or walking, no reading
or writing, or eating or resting one’s-self, in any part of Bengazi in
comfort for them; and if at night they take up their accustomed
position on the ceiling, and give place to the fleas and mosquitos,
the first dawn of morning finds them on the wing, and all alive to
recommence their operations.. They axe at the same time so watch-
fiil, and so quick in their motions, that it. is difficult to succeed in
killing any of them .; ;we often caught thirty or forty fleas in a morning
on turning down the bed-clothes with a little attention, and as
many during the .day on different parts of our dress, particularly
about the Legs and ancles; but the whole collection of flies which
we could kill in a week would scarcely amount to this number}
unless we except those which were caught in the traps which we
were usually in the habit of setting for them. All hot climates are
more or less subject to these nuisances; but it is probable that no
place on earth will be found to abound more in flies than Bengazi;
we might perhaps say, that few places could be mentioned where
so many of them will at any time be observed.
The. situation of Bengazi is, however, much better than so filthy a
town may be said to deserve. I t is built on the coast, close to the
sea, at the extremity of a beautiful fertile plain, extending itself to
the foot of a long chain of mountains about fourteen miles distant
(in this part) to the south-eastward. Plentiful crops of corn and
vegetables are afforded to the town by the cultivated lands m the
neighbourhood, and the supplies of beef and mutton are in general
very regular and abundant. The harbour of Bengazi appears to
have been formerly capable of containing good-sized vessels, and,
even in the recollection of some of the present inhabitants, the