APPENDIX. 
IX 
there are some high sand-hills, called Abanbiisa ; and a few miles 
south-east of them a remarkable table- hill named Jebel-Alla. 
Coasting along this part of the gulf, care must be taken to avoid a 
low rocky islet, with breakers east and west of it. It lies one mile 
and a half off shore, and is called Bushaifa. Upon the beach oppo- 
site the Islet, there are two wells of good water: they point out 
Secherine, which is the bottom of the Gulf of Syrtis, in latitude 30° 
16' 00" north. 
From Secherine to Gartdbbah, there is a sandy beach ; but the 
general appearance of the coast will be hilly, with high mounds of 
sand. Near to Gartiibbah is Mersa Braiga ; the only place that we 
have seen in the Gulf of Syrtis, that is at all entitled to the name of 
a port, and here the protection is made by breakers. 
Braiga may be known at a distance, by some very high sand-hills 
situated at the back of it, and on a nearer approach, by a heap of 
ruins upon a rocky point, at the western extremity of the Mersa. 
On the sandy beach within this point, there is safe landing with all 
winds. Fresh provisions may be procured from the Arab encamp- 
ments at the back of the sand-hills, and in all probability, a plentiful 
supply of fish will be found in the bay *. The water here is brackish, 
and tastes of sulphur ; it is contained in wells high up among the 
sand-hills. 
We should not recommend Mersa Braiga being approached in 
bad weather, on account of the number of reefs lying off it, and the 
difficulty there would be of working off, in consequence of the lee-set 
which the northerly winds always occasion in the Gulf. 
From Braiga, the coast trends north-east by east, is rocky, and 
slightly indented; the shore, generally speaking, is high and hilly. 
Ras Tabilbey is a bold promontory, with a sandy bay on either side 
of it. The summit of the Ras has been strongly fortified ; and the 
walls are carried up to a castle on the hill at the back of it, but these 
are now all in ruins, and cannot be discerned from the sea. The 
promontory is fexcavated into compartments, which from time, and the 
* A large rock cod was taken alive among the rocks, by one of our party. 
b 
Abanbasa. 
Jebel-Alla. 
Bushaifa Islet. 
Gartiibbah, 
Mersa Braiga. 
Ras Tabilbey. 
