BENGAZI. 
281 
CHAPTER XI. 
The Rainy Season sets in at Bengazi towards tlie middle of January, and continues with little 
interruption till the beginning of March — Miserable Condition of the Town during that period 
— Construction of the Houses — Improvidence of the Arabs — Dirty state of the Streets — 
Swarms of insects which infest them — Position of Bengazi — Description of its Harbour — 
Castle of the Bey — Visit to Bey Halil — Friendly Reception of our Party by his Excellency — 
Occupations and arrangements during the Rainy Season — The Shekh el Belad Mahommed — 
Jews of Bengazi — Trade of the Town— Produce of the Environs — Wretched state of the 
Bullock Vessels — Mahometan Inhabitants of Bengazi — Alarm of the Lower Classes during 
our residence there — Confusion resulting from it — Mob collected at our door'on this occasion 
— Narrow Escape of Mr. Giacomo Rossoni — Friendly Conduct of our Mahometan Acquaintance 
— Parley with the Arabs — Dispersion of the Mob — Prejudices of the Arabs respecting the 
Treatment of Diseases — Fatal Effects of this species of Folly at Bengazi — Prevalent Diseases 
in Bengazi and its vicinity — Singular cause of Alarm among a Party of Arab Shekhs — 
Arab notions of decorum and propriety contrasted with those of European Nations — Bengazi 
supposed to occupy the Site of Berenice and Hesperis — Existing Remains there— Little 
regard manifested by Turks and Arabs for the relics of Antiquity — Probable Limits of 
Berenice — Quarries, and singular Chasms in its Neighbourhood — Gardens of Hesperides — 
Position of the Gardens according to Scylax, Pliny, and Ptolemy — Conjectures of Gosselin 
and others respecting them — Circumstances which appear to favour our position of the 
Gardens — Lakes and Subterranean Caverns in the Neighbourhood of Bengazi, (or Berenice) 
— Concealed Body of Water observed in one of the latter — Examination of the Caverns — 
Remarks of the Bey respecting it — The Subterranean Stream in question considered as the 
River Lathon,or Lethe — Testimonies of the Ancients on this point — Supposed Communica- 
tion of the Subterranean Stream with the Lake adjoining the Harbour of Bengazi — Signifi- 
cation of the term Laihmi alluded to — Further Remarks in confirmation of our suggested 
Position of the River, and of its probable Communication with the Lake above mentioned — 
Remarks of Strabo and Cellarius on the subject — ^Temple of Venus, and Lake Tritonis of 
Strabo — Remarks on the name Berenice — Total ignorance of the Arabs of Bengazi with 
respect to the former celebrity of their City — Pleasing little Fable of Kazwini, on the 
changes which take place in the Nature and Appearance of Places, and the little knowledge 
which remains, after a lapse of time, of their former Condition, even on the spots where they 
existed. 
On the 12th of January our whole party arrived at Rengazi, having 
employed on the journey two months and seven days from the time of 
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