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MR' LUCAS'S 
for tlie abundant crops of Indian corn which the neighbouring 
lands afford. 
Very differently diflinguiihed is the town, or rather the pro- 
vince, of Mendrah, for though much of its land is a continued 
level of hard and barren foil, the quantity of Trona^ a fpecies of 
foflil alkali that floats on the furface, or fettles on the banks of 
its numerous fmoaking lakes, has given it a higher importance 
than that of the moil fertile diflri^ts. 
Of this valuable produce great quantities are annually brought 
by the Merchants of Fezzan to Tripoli, from whence it is fliipped 
for Turkey and Tunis, and the dominions of the Emperor of Mo- 
rocco. The people of the latter employ it as an ingredient in 
the red dye of the leather, for which they are famous, and in 
that of the woollen caps that are worn by the Arabs and the 
Moors as the bafis of their turbans. 
The fituation of Mendrah is nearly South from the capital, 
and is diftant from it about fixty miles. 
To the account which has been given of the principal towns 
of Fezzan, that of Tegerhy alone remains to be added. It is 
but 
