rxxviii INTRODUCTION. 



At Tripoli I met the Hon. Mr Frazer of Lovat, his Majefty's 

 oonfu'l in that ftation, from whom I received every fort of 

 kindnefs, comfort, and affiftance, which I very much need- 

 ed after fo rude a journey, made with fuch diligence that 

 two of my horfes died fome days after. 



I had hopes of finding fomething at Lebeda, formerly 

 Leptis Magna *, three days journey from Tripoli, where are 

 indeed a great number of buildings, many of which are 

 covered by the fands ; but they are of a bad tafle, moflly 

 ill-proportioned Dorics of the time of Aurelian. Seven 

 large columns of granite were ihipped from this for France, 

 in the reign of Louis XIV. deflined for one of the palaces 

 he was then building. The eighth was broken on the way, 

 and lies now upon the fhore. Though I was difappointed 

 at Lebeda, ample amends were made me at Tripoli on my 

 return. 



From Tripoli I fent. an Englifh fervant to Smyrna with 

 my books, drawings, and fupernumerary inftruments, re- 

 taining only extracts from fuch authors as might be necef- 

 fary for me in the Pentapolis, or other parts of the Cyrenai- 

 cum. I then croffed the Gulf of Sidra, formerly known 

 by the name of the Syrtis Major, and arrived at Bengazi, the 

 ancient Berenice §, built by Ptolemy Philadelphus. 



The brother of the Bey of Tripoli commanded here, a 



young man, as weak in undcrflanding as he was in health. 



2 All 



* Itin.. Anton, p. 104. § Ptol. Geog. p. 4. 



