INTRODUCTION. xi 



perfect one, in my unfortunate mipwreck at Bengazi *, the 

 ancient Berenice, on the fhore of Cyrenaicum ; and this was 

 of infinite fervice to me in my journey to Palmyra. 



Thus far a great part of my wants were well fupplied, at 

 leaitfuch as could be forefeen, but I ftill laboured under many. 

 Befides that fingle province of ruined architecture, there 

 remained feveral others of equal importance to the public. 

 The natural hiftory of the country, the manners and lan- 

 guages of the inhabitants, the hiftory of the heavens, by a 

 conftant obfervation of, and attention to which, a ufeful 

 and intelligible map of the country could be obtained, were 

 objects of the utmoft canfequence. 



Packing and repacking, mounting and rectifying thefe 

 -inflruments alone, befides the attention and time neceflary 

 dn uling them, required what would have occupied one man, 

 if they had been continual, which they luckily were not, 

 and he fufficiently infracted. I therefore endeavoured to 

 procure fuch a number of affirmants, that mould each bear 

 his mare in thefe feveral departments ; not one only, but 

 three or four if pcfiible. I was now engaged, and part of 

 my pride was to fliew, how eafy a thing it was to difappoint 

 the idle prophecies of the ignorant, that this expedition would 

 be fpent in pleafure, without any profit to the public. I wrote 

 to feveral correfpondents,MrLumifden,Mr Strange,Mr Byers, 

 and others in different parts of Italy, acquainting them of my 

 iituation, and begging their affiitance. Thefe gentlemen 

 kindly ufed their ut moll endeavours, but in vain. 



b 2 It 



* This will be explained afterward?. 



