10 
JOURNEY FROM 
character of his exploits soon obtained for him the appellation of 
El Dubbah, or the Plysena. 
At a more advanced period, when the rigorous measures of the 
Bashaw seemed likely to reduce the Arab tribes to subjection, Ma- 
hommed, finding it probably more to his interest, went over to His 
Highness’s party ; and from his knowledge of the country, and the 
interest which he possessed, was enabled to render him very essen- 
tial service : he was in consequence established as Shekh of Syrt, a 
district of more than two hundred miles in extent. We were glad 
to find that Shekh Mahommed was as eager as ourselves for an early 
departure from Tripoly ; he soon began to enumerate all the various 
disadvantages which were to be expected from travelling in the 
rainy season over the low and swampy regions of the Syrtis ; and 
drew such pictures of them as would have determined us to set 
out immediately had our movements depended upon ourselves. 
But the delays of the tradesmen, who furnished our supplies, and 
many others, which could neither be foreseen nor prevented, retarded 
the movements of the Expedition ; and it was not till the morning 
of the 5th of November that we were able to set out on our journey. 
It may w'ell be imagined that the attractions of Tripoly are neither 
very great nor very numerous ; and our stay there had been attended 
with a good deal of trouble and vexation in making the necessary 
arrangements for our departure : but the friendly attentions which 
w^e had invariably received from many of its principal European in- 
habitants, as well as from several of its Mahometan residents, greatly 
contributed to enliven the monotony of a Moorish town ; and it was 
