aware of them, he would equally have noticed the pretensions of
modem Tripoly to a higher antiquity than he has assigned to it.
Tripoli Vecchia was destroyed, under the caliphate of Omar, by
the Saracen invaders of the country. The city was pillaged, after a
siege of six months, and its inhabitants either slain or carried prisoners
to Egypt and Arabia. This is stated by Leo; and here we have.a
date for the destruction of the city of Sabrata, which appears to have
never been rebuilt: but how long after the occurrence of this event
Modern Tripoly first appeared on the ruins of Oea we have not
been informed by our author. And it seems to be evident that he
considered the African town as the first which had been raised upon
the spot
CHAPTER III.
Departure of the' Expedition from Tripoly—Passage through Tagiura-—Fertile appearance
of the latter—Its Mosque, and actual remains—Tagiura considered as the site of
Abrotonum—Existence of a salt-water lake at Tagiura, consistent with Strabo's account
of Abrotonum—Present tranquil condition of the country in this neighbourhood
contrasted with its dangerous state in the time, of Consul Tully—Sand-heaps to the
eastward of Tagiura—Remarks on their formation, and on the accumulation of sand
in other places—Dangers of the sand-storm considered—Passage over the sandy tract
to the eastward of Tagiura—Arrive at Wady Ramleh—Stormy weather at that place—
Take leave of our European friends who had accompanied us from Tripoly—Continuance
of the-gale—Arrive at Wady’m’Seyd—Attempt to pass, without success, • across the
sand-hills to the coast.—Arrive at Guadigmata—Position, of Graphara, as laid down
by Scylax, considered.—Ancient remains discovered by Captain Smyth in the neighbourhood
of Wady’m’Seyd and Abdellata.—Remarks on these, considered as the re-
inains of Graphara—Scuffle with the Arabs at Sidy Abdellati—Remains at that place indicative
of an ancient military station—Cross the range of S61em—Extensive view from its
summit over the fertile plains of Lebida and Jumarr—Rains still continue—Distress of the
camels—Meet with the English Consul on his return from an excursion to Lebida—Report
of a troop of marauding Arabs lying in wait for our party.
O n the 4th of November our arrangements were completed, and
we were able to send the greater part of our baggage to the tents
which had been pitched in a garden without the town ; on the following
morning we took a final leave of Tripoly, and set out on
our journey to Tagiura.
Our party consisted of three Europeans, who acted equally as
interpreters and servants, a Tchaous, or janissary, belonging to the
Bashaw, Shekh Mahommed el Dfibbah, with five other Bedouin
Arabs, and three Arabs of Tripoly to look after the horses, making
altogether (ourselves included) eighteen.