TRTPOLY TO BENGAZI. 
65 
ambiguity ; and the habit of doubting every statement of an 
author which does not coincide with our own ideas and obser- 
vations, is scarcely to be indulged without danger to the cause of 
truth. 
We had determined on our return (among other things which we 
had no time to examine minutely in advancing) to trace the river 
Kh^han to its source, and thus decide the point beyond dispute ; 
but unforeseen circumstances prevented our returning by way of 
Tripoly, and the promised examination never took place. We will 
not therefore venture decidedly to assert that this stream does not 
rise to the southward of the chain of hills above mentioned ; but we 
should certainly be surprised (from the view which we had of this 
range in passing) to learn hereafter that it had been proved, by local 
’ observation, to have its source in the mountains farther inland. We 
may observe, at the same time, that the distance of the Terhoona * 
range from the coast, as it is laid down by Captain Lyon, will answer 
tolerably well to that of the 200 stadia at which Herodotus has 
placed his Hill of the Graces from the sea ; taking the stade of this 
geographer at 732 to a degree, or 10 1 to a common English mile, 
which is the mean allowed by Major Eennell to the stade of Hero- 
dotus. There are, however, several other inferior chains of hills 
(besides the one nearest to the coast) between the Terhoona range 
and the sea ; and we scarcely think it possible that the Cinyphus 
* The Terhoona range is a branch of the Gharian, and may be reckoned, in the part 
opposite Lebida, to be about eighteen geographical miles from the sea, on the authority 
of Capt. Lyon’s chart. 
K 
* 
