excavation, the sides of which rise perpendicularly to a considerable
height, and which: appears to have formed an approach to the
gate here alluded to. Close to this is a remarkably strong fort, built
with sloping sides, like those at Btolemeta, and others already
described in the Syrtis. Here also pass the remains of the aqueduct
which formerly supplied the town from a spring of most delightful
water, situated at the extremity of the ravine which we have
mentioned above, and distant nearly four miles from the town.
The sea has encroached very considerably at Apollonia; and it :is
difficult to say, in what the shelter of the harbour consisted: the line
of coast is too strait to afford any protection; and it seems probable,
that; the small island to the northward of the town, and a reef of
rocks a little to the south-westward of this, constituted the only
shelter which it afforded. We had imagined,: that a communication
might formerly have existed between the island and the reef - of
rocks here alluded,to; but it: soon appeared that the water was
much too deep between these, to allow of any such idea being reasonably
entertained. The same cause would also have operated very
effectually in preventing the construction of an-artificial-communication
between the points which we have just mentioned ; -for the
heavy sea which rolls into the , port in windy weather would: soon
have swept away anything less than the Breakwater at Plymouth.
Had such a communication ever existed, the harbour would have been
a most excellent one,; but as we cannot suppose that it ever did,
from the reasons which we have stated 8 above, we may conclude;
perhaps, that vessels usually laid under the lee of the island, and that
when this was impracticable, they were drawn up on the beach.
We may believe,at the same time, that what art could effect in the
flourishing periods of Cyrene was done for the improvement and the
security of its port, as we find it to have been with regard to the
defence of the town*. Extensive remains of building, apparently
the foundations ,of a quay, are still visible, stretching out from the
beaph into the sea, at the depth of a few feet under water. Some
quarries, which have been formed in the rock to the north-eastward
of the town, are also now under water; and the insulated tomb, which
forms so striking an object in the view we have given of Apollonia,
is always surrounded by the sea when the wind sets in strong from
the northward f. Other tombs on the beach are likewise filled on
these occasions; as well as some large cisterns to the north-eastward of
the town, through which the water roars with a noise like thunder,
and dashes up through the apertures formed in them above. The
cisterns here alluded to were probably appropriated to the use of
the vessels in the harbour, which might have been watered from
them very conveniently; and they might at all times have been
kept filled with excellent water by means of the aqueduct mentioned
above. We have already noticed the encroachments of the sea
upon the land, which we ourselves have had occasion to observe in
several parts of the coast from Tripoly to Bengazi, as well as those
* The port o f Apollonia is mentioned by Scylax, in conjunction with th a t of Naustath-
mos, as having been secure against all weathers; and his description of the little rocky
islands and projecting points in this neighbourhood is, even a t the present day, very correct.
+ We are sorry to say that this view,' with some others, which we could have wished
to introduce, have been unavoidably omitted.