Bashaw’s ships were accustomed to lay, where now only boats can be
accommodated.
At present it can only be entered by small vessels, drawing seven
or eight feet water, and that merely in moderate weather. I t is well
protected from the sea by reefs of rocks, between which the entrance
is so narrow as to render, a pilot necessary.
There seems to be little doubt that the harbour originally com-
municated at all times with the lake to the southward of the town,
as it does at the present day in the rainy season; but owing to the'
accumulation of sand from the sea, and of alluvial deposite from the
lake, the communication is now, during the summer months, wholly
interrupted. At the entrance of the port is the castle of the Bey
of Bengazi, constructed on the ruins of an ancient budding, part of
which is stdl visible at the base of the castle next the sea. The
existing structure is built with small stones and mud, so slightly,^
that when the Adventure made its appearance before it, the Bey
requested Captain Smyth would dispense with the usual salute, as he
feared the concussion would otherwise bring down a part of the walls.
Its form is: square, with a round tower at each of three angles; the
fourth, which fronts the entrance of the harbour, being occupied by
a pde of budding, appropriated to the harem of his excedency.
If the gadantry of Mahometans has been doubted or denied, here
is surely a proof of its existence ; for the angle given up to the
service of the ladies is almost the only one which could prove of any
annoyance to vessels entering the harbour; and, while the three
turrets mentioned are provided with guns, this angle is left without
any. The fair inhabitants of the harem are in consequence favoured
with a view of the “ dark blue main,” and. the grated windows of
their apartments command at the same time a view of the entrance
to the harbour.
The cool sea-breeze enters freely, and the ladies may sit with the
lattice spread open to enjoy it, without incurring the danger of
meeting the gaze of any vulgar or sacrilegious eye. The d a s h in g 0f
the waters against the base of the castle may also serve to lud them to
sleep; but candour, at the same time, obdges us to state, that it may
also serve to waken them rather too abruptly on no very distant
occasion. Were it not that the lower part of the structure is (as
we have before mentioned) ancient, and consequently strongly built,
the interruption to which we adude would have happened long
before now; and Neptune, as if encouraged by the daily glances of
so many soft dark eyes, would have washed away the barrier which
so cruedy interposed itself, and carried off the lovely inhabitants of
the harem to endven his submarine soirees.
Besides the harem of the Bey, the castle contains the officers and
chaouses of his household, and a numerous body of troops might be
lodged within the dmits of its wads. In time of trouble, it is the
only place to which he could retreat with any safety, and ¡t forms
the only ornament and the only protection which the town of Ben-
gazi possesses.
The Bey, whose name is Halil, was once fortunate enough to possess
a daughter of the Bashaw as his wife, a circumstance which
secured &r him a good deal of influence (or at least a great portion
of the royal favour) during the dfe of his consort. He was not, how-
2 P