BENGAZI. 
327 
the rainy season than at other times of the year, and the water is 
then sweeter than ordinary. Besides these, there are also several 
subterranean caves in the neighbourhood of Bengazi. One of these, 
at the depth of about eighty feet from the surface of the plain, con- 
tains a large body of fresh water, which is said to run very far into 
the bowels of the earth, or rather of the rock which overshadows it. 
On descending into this cave, we found that it widened out into a 
spacious chamber, the sides of which had evidently been, in many 
places, shaped with the chisel, and rose perpendicularly to a consi- 
derable height. Our progress was soon stopped, as we were advan- 
cing into the cave, by the body of water we have mentioned ; which, 
notwithstanding the hghts we procured, was scarcely visible through 
the thick gloom which surrounded us. We found the water shallow 
at the edge, but it soon became gradually too deep to be practica- 
ble ; we were also unable to discover any end to it, and a stone 
thrown as far as we could send it, fell into the water without striking. 
We had, however, seen enough to excite our curiosity very strongly, 
and we determined to return, at some early opportunity, with a boat 
and a good store of torches, intending to go as far along this subter- 
ranean stream as the height of the rock would allow us. 
On mentioning our visit and our intentions to Bey Halil, he in- 
formed us that he had himself paid a visit to the place, in company 
with a chaous of his suite ; and that he had carried with him a 
small boat in which he embarked with the chaous, and proceeded a 
considerable distance. They became, at length, afraid of not finding 
their way back, and put about to return as they came, having found 
(as he said) on sounding, that the depth of the water was in some 
