From Signor Regignani we invariably received the greatest attention
and kindness, and although his influence in Derna was certainly
very limited, and he himself often exposed to unavoidable insult,
drawn upon him in a great measure by his religious persuasion*, yet
there was nothing which he had it in his power to command, that he
did not very freely afford us.
At Derna we took leave of one of our companions (Mr. Tindall, a
young officer attached to the Adventure), who had accompanied the
Expedition from Tripoly.
The field of our operations, on arriving at Cyrene, was limited to
a comparatively small tract of country, and we were enabled in consequence
to dispense with this gentlemen’s services, which we knew
would be useful on board. We were sorry to part with Mr. Tindall,
who had materially assisted us in our operations, and whose frank and
spirited character, and joyous disposition, had so often enlivened the
frugal board of our little party. We took our leave at the same
time of Captain Smyth and the officers of the Adventure, from whom
we had received many friendly attentions, which we often look back
upon with pleasure. Our arrangements completed, the Adventure
sailed from Derna, and as soon as we had finished plans and drawings
of the town, we set out on our return to the tents.
We left Derna on the second of June, and pursued our course
along the beach towards Apollonia, with the intention of returning to
Cyrene by that route. After travelling along a stony flat running
? -Signor Regignani was of the Jewish persuasion, and it.is well known that in Mahometan
countries the Jews are a persecuted race.
out from the base of the mountain, we reached El Hyera, where there
is a well of fresh water within a few feet of the sea, and the remains
of a fort upon a small eminence a little above i t ; at night we stopped
at Bujebara, close to the cape of the same name, with which Derna
forms a large bay; and which has three rocky islets lying off it. The
mountains, which extend in a range along the coast, at a distance of
from a mile to a mile and a half, are continually broken by deep
ravines which cross the beach in their passage to the sea, and make
the road in some places nearly impassable.
I t was curious to observe the gradual increase of vegetation in
passing from Derna to Appollonia by this route: the mountains at
the former place, as we have already mentioned; are perfectly destitute
of any; in advancing, a little underwood is here and there seen,
and a few bushes sparingly dotted about the plain; these increase by
degrees, as the country becomes bolder, and gradually spread themselves
over the sides of the hills, ascending higher and higher every
mile, till, in approaching El Hyera, one continued wood reaches down
from the top of the mountains to the sea. On the third, we pursued
our journey along the coast by a very indifferent road, and at two
miles’ distance from Bujebara the range comes down close to the sea
and terminates in perpendicular cliffs, along the edge of which we
were ' obliged to pass to the great risk of our horses and camels.
At the foot of these, which is washed by the sea, we noticed a small
rocky point with a quarry upon it, extending itself in a semicircular
form so as to afford some protection for boats which might also be
hauled upon the sandy beach within it. Eight miles to the westward