CHAPTER II.
Geneial description of Tripbly ; its Castle andPort^The Buildings of - Tripoly. commended by
Leo Afrieanus-Present-condition of the.City-Its existing ancient iemams-Bupm-grp.p,d
of the ancient City—Sepulchral urns of glass discovered there by Mr. Consul Warrington
Remarks of Leo Africanus on the soil and level of Tripoly, in the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries—Accumulation of soil since that period-Advance of the sea, mentioned hy Leo
Africanus, stiU observable on the coast of Northern Africa-These appearances adduced m
confirmation of Major Rennell’s remarks on the Lake Tntoms and the Lesser yr is is-
torical sketch of Tripoly-Its actual state and improved condition under the present Bashaw
—Abolition of Piracy, and partial discontinuance of the Slave Trade.
The town of Tripoly has been built on a foundation of rock, and
is washed, to the northward, on two sides, by the sea; while the
remaining parts, those to the south ward and westward, are bounded
by a large sandy plain, which is notwithstanding partially culti-
The form of the town is very irregular, but it is completely surrounded
by high and thick walls, which appear to have been once
very strong. They are now falling fast into ruin; yet wherever any
part of the old work is seen, through the mud and irregular fragments
of stone, with which the ravages of time have been partially
concealed, it appears to be solid and goodf. The walls are besides
. Three eidee of the town of Tripoly are eaid, in Tully’s Memoirs, to be washed by
the sea, which is certainly not now the case.
f The noted corsair Dragut is said to have been the author of this defence,
forts which were situated-near the sea are also attributed to tins person. ^
provided with ramparts, on which are planted a number of guns quite
sufficient to make themselves tolerably respected, were it not that
the impertinent interference of rust, and the occasional want of carriages
for the guns, might contribute to prevent their effect. The
castle is built at the south-eastern angle of the city, close to the
water s edge ; and may be said to connect the line of ramparts along
the beach with that which encloses the town to the southward. The
walls of the castle are unusually high, and have been fortunately
made to incline a good deal inwards : we say fortunately, for so bad
is the state of repair, in which the exterior is kept, that without this
convenient inclination to the centre, they would not probably be
Standing at all. Yet they are certainly of considerable thickness
; and it is owing to the very unworkmanlike manner in which
the building has been from time to time augmented, for we ought
not to call it repaired, that its strength has been materially diminished
*.
Appearances, however, are by no means disregarded ; and the sur-
But Leo Africanus, who flourished at the same period with Dragüt, at the beginning
of the. 16th century, has mentioned the walls of Tripoly as being high and handsome,
though not very strong ; and as the existing walls of the town, if they be really those of
Dragut, bear all the appearance.of having once been very solid, we may perhaps suppose
that those mentioned by Leo were standing before the present ones were constructed.
The greatest length of the city, including the walls, may be said to be about 1360
yards, and its extremé breadth about'a thousand yards.
* The happy confusion of buildings which surmount the walls of the castle, raised at
various times for the convenience and accommodation of the royal family, together with
the little-world which is'contained within its limits, have been well, and correctly
■described in Tully’s Memqirs.