INTRODUCTION. > 



All the province was in extreme confufion. Two tribe 

 Arabs, occupying the territory to the weft of the town, who 

 in ordinary years, and in time of peace, were the fources of 

 its wealth and plenty, had, by the mifmanagement of the 

 Bey, entered into deadly quarrel. The tribe that lived moil 

 ro the wcihvard, and which was reputed the weakeit, had 

 beat the moll numerous that was nearefc the town, called 

 Welled Abid, and driven them within its walls. The in- 

 habitants of Bengazi had for a year before been la- 

 bouring under a fevere famine, and by this accident a- 

 bout four thoufand perfons, of all ages and fexes, were 

 forced in upon them, when perfectly deftitute of eve- 

 ry neceffary. Ten or twelve people were found dead 

 every night in the ltreets, and life was faid in many to be 

 fupported by food that human nature fliudders at the 

 thoughts of. Impatient to fly from thefe Thyeftean feafts, 

 I prevailed upon the Bey to fend me out fome diftance to 

 the fouthward, among, the Arabs where famine had been, 

 lefs felt. 



I encompassed a great part of the Pentapolis, vifited the 

 ruins of Arfinoe, and.though I was much more feebly recom- 

 mended than ufual, I happily received neither infult nor in- 

 jury. Finding nothing at Arfinoe nor Barca, I continued 

 my journey to Ras Sem, the petrified city, concerning 

 which fo many monftrous lies were told by the Tripoline 

 ambanador, Caffem Aga, at the beginning of this century, 

 and all believed in England, though they carried falfehood 

 upon the very face of them*. It was not then the age of" 



incredulity 



* Show's Travels, feft. TJ.p. ij<5. 



