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CHAPTER XII.
Remarks on the Soil of Bengazi1 and the1 Country in its Neighbourhood—Distinction of Sex
in the Palm-tree, &c., noticed by the Ancients and by Mahometan Writers—Persian Anecdote
of a Love-sick Date-tree—Remarks of Shaw on the Propagation and Treatment of the
Palm—Arab Mode of cultivating the Sandy Tracts in thé¿ Neighbourhood of Bengasi—
Journey to Carcora—Completion of the Coastrline from, that Place to Bengazi—Return to
Bengazi,'and Departure for Teuchira and Ptolemeta—Description of the Country between
Bengazi and these Places—Remains observable in this Track—Correspondence of the Tower
called Gusser el Towel with that of Cafez,, mentioned by Edrisi—Probable, Site of Adriane
—Arrival at Bir'sis—Remains in its neighbourhood, at Mably (or Mabny),' considered as
those of Neapolis—Hospitality of the Arabs of Birsis—Remains of .Teuchira—Position of
the City—Quarries without the Walls covered with Greek Inscriptions—Teuchira a Town
óf Barca—Walls of thé' City repaired by Justinian—No Port observable at Teuchira—Mistake
of Bruce in confounding Teuchira with Ptolemeta—Good Supply of freshWater at
Teuchira The excavated Tombs of - the ancient City used as Dwelling-houses by the
Arabs of the Neighbourhood—Indisposition of our Chaous (of Janissary) Route from Teuchira
to Ptolemeta—Remains at. Ptolemeta—Port and Cothon o f ' the ancient. City—Other
Remains observable there^-Ptolemaic Inscriptions—Picturesque Ravines in the Neighbourhood
of Ptolemeta—Position of the City—Remains of Bridges observed there—Advantages
of its Site—Extreme Drought at Ptolemeta, recorded by Procopius—Reparation of the Aqueducts
and Cisterns by the Emperor Justinian—Existing Remains of an extensive Cistern at
Ptolemeta, probably among those alluded to by Procopius—State of the Town, its Solitude
and Desolation-Luxuriant Vegetation which encumbered its Streets when the Place was
first visited by our Party—Changeof Scene on returning to it in Summer-time.
T he soil of the Hesperides does not now produce that variety of
fruit which we find that it did in the days of its prosperity * ; but
the palm and the fig-tree still flourish there in great abundance, and
it is merely from the want of attention, and not from any actual
* Vide Scylax, Theophrastus, and others.