After passing through the Messeah, or cultivated district in the
neighbourhood of Tripoly, and along the large Salt Marsh, mentioned
in Tully’s Memoirs, which was now completely covered with
water, we entered the scattered villages of Tagiura. They are surrounded
by gardens, yielding abundant crops of com, fruit and vegetables,
and shaded by thickly-planted date and olive-trees, which are
equally valuable to thè inhabitants. We find Tagiura described by
Leo Africanus as a country containing a good many villages, or hamlets,
and many;gardéns of date arid other'fruit trees; and its present
general appearance is probably little different from that which it pre-
sented in the time of this geographer. '
In consequence of a'considerable emigration from Tripoly, this
country (he adds) became “ assai nobile e civile ;” but we must confess
that t h e r e are at present very little remains of its importance,
or extraordinary civilization ; unless a large mosque, of some appa-
rent antiquity (highly reverenced by its Mahometan population) and
the good-humoured hospitality with which we were received by the
natives, may be considered as examples of both.
The people) liowever, appeared to be cóntented and happy, and
greeted us with many friendly salutations as we passed through their
highly-cultivated country. Some Roman columns, which are said to
be iii the interior of the mosque, would seem to point out its vicinity
to an ancieiit site* ; arid if we must necessarily consider Tagiura to
* This d n a n a rtm c * » however b y n o m e ^ qqndusive, even supposing the qolurnps
to be as stated; for Leo Afoieanus informs us th a t modem Tnpoly was built from the
ruins of Leptis Magna, after the final destruction of that city : and the columns., in
T R IP O L Y , TO B E 'kG A Z I. 35
occupy:the position of any ancient town, we should suppose, it to
stand on that of Abrotonum. fees]
But it will be found, upon inquiry, that there are considerable difficulties
attendant on such a conclusion. -For Abrotonum is stated
by Scylax to have been two days’ sail from Leptis Magna *; and the
distance between Tagiura and Lebida (already identified with Leptis
Magna) is no more than 59 miles, j
The mean rate allowed by Major Kennell, for the sailing of the
vessels of the: ancients, is 35 miles per day; so that the distance
between Leptis Magna and Abrotonum should, at this rate, be 70
miles. I t is true that the rate of Nearchus, in the Bed Sea and in
the Persian Gulf, as estimated by the same author, is no more
than 22J and 30 miles; but this was occasioned by circumstances
not attendant on voyages in general, and must be considered (says
the Major) as an unusually low rate. .
Another difficulty arises from the mention of Abrotonum as a port,
as well as a city, in the passage we have quoted from Scylax ; for
Tagiura cannot lie said to possess one.
I t will here immediately occur , to the reader, that Tripoly has, a
very good port ; and that the distance of that town from Lebida will
answer remarkably well with the distance of Scylax in question: for
Tripoly may be estimated at 67 miles from Lebida, which will be
question migbt as easily have been brought from Lebida, as the materials employed in
building the town of Tripoly.
* A7T0 N sM roL o ir, r r i i Ki§x»iS<m<oir woXii. T x v l n m ( i a r > w s n i * i ( x s )Mcts.
aciro T | 6 t A C p o r o v o v woXir xai Xigtnv. T®u7n o wagawXer n/AEgar
F 2