460 
MERGE TO GYRENE. 
were sometimes two of these places abreast of each other, and the same 
number at their head or feet, according to the size of the tomb. 
Innumerable busts and statues originally adorned the constructed 
tombs (as w e have already observed to be the case in those which have 
been excavated in the mountain), and many of these are still seen half 
buried beneath heaps of rubbish and soil, at the foot of the buildings 
they once surmounted. Those entirely above ground we usually 
found broken in several pieces, or mutilated so as to be much dis- 
figured ; but w^e have not the least doubt that there are many of 
them still existing in a perfect state, within a few feet, and often a 
few inches, of the surface, which might easily be obtained by ex- 
cavation. 
Two Arabs of the place, who had one day observed us looking at 
some of the statues here alluded to, came the next morning to our 
tent, and gave us to understand that they knew of one, in a perfect 
condition, which they could point out to us for an adequate reward. 
^Ye made the only bargain with them which it would have been safe 
to conclude, among so many mutilated pieces, lying round us in all 
directions, which was simply, that if it proved to be worth taking 
away we would give them a certain number of dollars for the in- 
formation which they had afforded us. On our accompanying 
them to the place where the figure lay, they soon cleared the 
earth from a female statue, in very good style, and tolerable 
preservation, excepting that the surface of the face and upper 
part of the body had entirely lost its polish and become ex- 
tremely rough. As the statue was of larger dimensions than 
