INTRODUCTION. Xxxi 



die Compofite order; a great part of them is entire. Abeautiful 

 and perfect capital of the Compofite order, the only perfect 

 one that now exifts, is defigned, in all its parts, in a very~ 

 large fize ; ancf, with the detail of the reft of the ruin, is a 

 precious monument of what that order was, now in the col- 

 lection of the King. 



Doctor Shaw, ftruck with the magnificence of Spaitla, 

 has attempted fomething like the three temples, in a ftile 

 much like whatone would expect from an ordinary carpen- 

 ter, or mafon. I hope I have done them more juftice, and 

 I recommend the fludy of the Compofite capital, as of the 

 Corinthian capital at Dugga, to thofe who really wifh to 

 know the tafte with which thefe two orders were executed 

 in the time of the Antonines. 



The Welled Omran, a lawlefs, plundering tribe, inquieted 

 me much in the eight days I flaid at Spaitla. It was a fair 

 match between coward and coward. With my company, I 

 was inclofed in a fquare in which the three temples flood,, 

 where there. yet remained a precinct of high walls. Thefe 

 plunderers would have come in to me , but were afraid of* 

 my fire-arms ; and I would have run away from them, had 

 I not been afraid of meeting their horfe in the plain. I was 

 almoft flarved to death, when I was relieved by the arrival 

 of Welled HafTan, and a friendly tribe of Dreeda, that came 

 to my afliflance, and brought me, at once, both fafety and 

 provifion. .. 



From Spaitla I went to Gilma, or Oppidum Ghilma- 

 nenfe. There is here a large extent of rubbifh and ftones,. 

 but no diflinct trace of any building whatever. 



4 EROM: 



