TRIPOLY TO BENGAZI. 
115 
possessed an vtpo^fji.o? or naval station, at the point of communication 
with the Gulf*. Several insulated spots are certainly still observable 
in various parts of the existing marsh ; but there are no remains of 
building which can be attributed to the station mentioned, except 
those which occur in the neighbourhood of Mesurata. At the dis- 
tance of about nine miles from that place, are the remains of a kind 
of causeway of singular construction, extending inland to a length of 
three hundred and thirty paces from the sea ; and forming, with a 
rising ground on the opposite side of it, what may be called a a-rof^a, or 
communication with the Gulf. The ruins appear to be those of a 
landing-place ; and consist of a long causeway, or terrace, of about ten 
feet in breadth f, which widens itself at regular intervals into squares, 
from which descend flights of steps on either side of the causeway. 
One end of it is washed by the sea, which has undermined it consi- 
derably, and the whole structure is now little more than a heap of 
ruins. 
If this building have not been a landing-place or quay, we must 
confess that we know not what use to assign to it ; and, admitting it 
to have been one, it immediately becomes evident that it must have 
been connected with some station for shipping. 
I'he general character of the land along this part of the coast, 
which rises higher than the level of the lake or morass, would pre- 
* EKTTrXsovTt rm ixeyaXm Syg7iv, fAe7a ras T^slpaXai, Eft 
TO /ATiJtor, ECSo//,»ixov7a Se to TrXaToy, ExJAsaa bis tov xoXwov, B%»aa xai nvisiac x.ai vifoqfjiov 
itqo TH 90f/.a.ros. — Lib. 17, § 20. 
+ The measurements are taken roughly, on account of the ruined state of the 
structure. 
Q 2 
