INTRODUCTION. xxxv 



in Africa ; barren not only from the nature of its foil, but 

 by its having no remains of antiquity in the whole courfe 

 of it. 



From this I came to Gabs, or Tacape * after paffing El 

 Hammah, the baths which were the Aquas Tacapitanas of 

 antiquity, where the fmall river Triton, by, the moifture 

 which it furniflies, moil agreeably and fuddenly changes 

 the defert fcene, and covers the adjacent fields with all 

 kinds of flowers and verdure. 



I was now arrived upon the leiTer Syrtis, and continued 

 along the fea-coafl northward to Infhilla, without having 

 made any addition to my obfervations. I turned again to 

 the N. W. and came to El Gemme $, where there is a very 

 large and fpacious amphitheatre, perfect as to the defola- 

 tion of time, had not Mahomet Bey blown up four arches 

 of it from the foundation, that it might not ferve as a for- 

 trefs to the rebel Arabs. The fections, elevations, and plans, 

 with the whole detail of its parts, are in the King's collec- 

 tion. 



I have ftill remaining, but not finiflied, the lower or fub- 

 terraneous plan of the building, an entrance to which I 

 forced open in my journey along the coaft to Tripoli. This 

 was made fo as to be fdled with water by means of a fluke 

 and aqueduct, which are ftill entire. The water rofe up in 

 the arena, through a large fquare-hole faced with hewn- 

 ftone in the middle, when there was occafion for water- 

 games or naumachia. Doctor Shaw f imagines this was 



e 2 intended 



* Itin. Anton, p. 4. J Id. Ibid. f Shaw's Travels, p. 117. cap. 5. 



