120 
JOURNEY FROM 
should say that it commences at Mesurata, and extends southward 
along the coast as far as GiralF; occupying altogether a space of 101 
miles by 15, and narrowing towards its southern termination. A 
small part of the marsh only was covered with water when we 
crossed it ; but from the alternate laminae of salt and alluvial deposite 
as well as from the numerous small shells principally of the trochus 
kind, which cover its surface, it is evident that the sea at times 
wholly inundates it. Our guides were always desirous that we 
should not deviate from the track, and were constantly representing 
to us the danger there was of sinking, with all the usual hyperbole of 
Arab description. As we suspected, however, that they only made 
difficulties in order to save themselves the trouble of attending us in 
our excursions, we paid but little attention to their observations of 
this nature ; and continued to cross the marsh, whenever our duties 
rendered it necessary that we should examine either the coast or the 
country beyond it, taking no other precautions than those of keeping 
in such places as appeared to ourselves to offer the firmest footing. 
The crusted surface occasionally gave way under our horses’ feet, and 
discovered hollow spaces of various depths underneath, at the bottom 
of which appeared water : but as none of our party ever sank in 
very deeply, we concluded that these hollows were too trifling to be 
dangerous, and continued to cross the marsh wherever it seemed 
practicable, till experience at length convinced us that a portion of 
truth was mixed up with the exaggerated accounts of our guides, 
and induced us to use more precaution. 
Many insulated spots, both of earth and of sand, are conspicuous 
