MERGE TO GYRENE. 
475 
from the frontiers of Egypt (the eastern part of Bomba) to Sidi 
Ardfi, one short day west from Grenna. Mahommed Bey is well 
known for his active and turbulent spirit, and for his rebellion against 
the Bashaw’s authority, which once obliged him to seek refuge in 
Egypt. His bold and enterprising measures succeeded in quelling 
the marauding tribes of Arabs who infested the country and levied 
contributions on the peaceful inhabitants of the towns ; but his 
courage and conduct were sullied by cruelties which we do not feel 
inclined to justify from their necessity, however well we might pro- 
bably succeed in attempting to do so before an Arab or Turkish tri- 
bunal. Indeed so many acts of cruelty and extravagance are related 
of this prince, that we should scarcely know how to reconcile them 
with the noble qualities which many allow him to possess, if we did 
not know from experience that such inconsistencies are common in 
barbarous countries; and that it is possible for the same man to be 
cruel and forgiving, avaricious to extortion, and liberal to profusion, 
generous and mean, open and intriguing, sincere and deceitful, tem- 
perate and dissipated, in short anything but cowardly and brave. 
We resided while at Derna in the house of the British agent 
(Signor Kegignani) appointed by the Consul at Tripoly, from whom 
letters had been forwarded, which arrived before us, with orders for 
our proper accommodation. The Bashaw had also written to his 
son, Bey Mahommed, to afford us his assistance and protection, and 
although the Bey was absent, collecting the tribute, during the time 
of our stay at Derna we had no reason to complain of any want of 
attention to the applications which we occasionally made to him. 
3 P 2 
