Birds from Tr'ipoli. G-i7 



was reached, and on the 19th the more important town of 

 Sebka, both in the Province of Fezzan. Not far from the 

 latter place a wonderful petrified forest was traversed^ its area 

 covering many miles, so many indeed that it took the caravan 

 ten hours of continuous travelling to cross it. The petrified 

 trees, which varied in circumference from seven feet to a few 

 inches, were all lying prone on the ground. A similar 

 forest^ although on a much smaller scale, exists near Cairo, 

 and apparently Dr. Sven Hedin met with another in his 

 recent journey through Central Asia. As in some other 

 Saharan regions, marine shells were found here, pointing 

 to the fact of a submarine existence at some remote period. 



On the 25th of May, or three weeks after leaving Sokna, 

 the expedition arrived at Mursuk, the capital of Fezzan, and 

 the seat of government of that Province. Mursuk is a 

 large and important town, with its oasis, situated some 

 300 miles south of Sokna, and about 650 miles south-east of 

 Tripoli. 



Here, owing to the Vali of Tripoli having omitted to 

 advise the Mutarharif, or Governor of Mursuk, of the probable 

 arrival of an European expedition travelling under the aegis 

 of the Sultanas Irade, the whole party was placed under 

 arrest, and the Turkish escort imprisoned. Fortunately, 

 however, it was possible to clear up the matter to the 

 satisfaction of the local authorities, and the travellers were 

 immediately released. 



After a few days spent at Mursuk, the expedition, having 

 atiained its southermost limit, retraced its steps as far 

 as Sokna, following, more or less, the same route as on its 

 outAvard journey. From Sokna, in order to carry out the 

 projected itinerary, Mr. Dodson decided to travel in a north- 

 easterly direction as far as the Gulf of Syrtis, and then, 

 skirting along the coast, to enter Cyrenaica, and follow the 

 bend of the coast-line up to Benghazi. 



The districts traversed by the Expedition between Sokna 

 and the coast had hitherto been practically unexplored by 

 l^juropeans, and Mr. Dodson was able to map out a con- 

 siderable tract of country and to correct certain glaring errors 



