132 
JOURNEY FROM 
shoals beginning to shew themselves distinctly, we were desirous of 
remaining a day at Jereed, in order to mark their direction more 
minutely in the chart, particularly as it appeared, from the erection 
of the post above mentioned, that Captain Smyth had left the coast ; 
but we found upon inquiry, that our horses would in this event be four 
days w ithout drinking, and we were consequently obliged to proceed. 
We continued our route along the base of a low ridge of hills, at the 
back of which we observed a continuation of the great marsh, which 
was here very considerably narrowed ; and arrived in the evening at 
Mahad Hassan, a little oasis which rises from the bed of the marsh, 
and consists of a few hills partially covered with pasturage. In the 
valleys between these we observed some wild olive-trees, and many 
remains of buildings were scattered over the ground in all direc- 
tions *. Mahad Hassan is the first place after the long tract of 
marshy land which has any appearance of an ancient site. Its 
remains consist of a number of small quadrangular buildings, similar 
to the fortresses observable at the different stations all the way from 
this point to Derna. They are in a very dilapidated state, and it is 
difficult to say for what purpose they were intended. They seem 
to be too numerous and too close together to have been forts, though 
their form very closely resembles them ; and they are by no means 
well calculated for dwelling-houses, unless we suppose it to have been 
necessary that every family should have its castle, unconnected with 
that of its neighbour, in which it was regularly intrenched. These 
* Edrisi has mentioned a tower called Hassan, which he places at four days’ journey 
from the western point of the Syrtis — and Mahad Hassan is four days’ journey from 
Mesurata, at the rate of between thirteen and fourteen geographical miles per day. 
