328 
BENGAZI. 
parts as much as thirty feet. This account naturally made us more 
anxious than ever to put our intentions in execution ; but no boat 
could then be found in the harbour sufficiently small for our purpose, 
and we were obliged to defer our subterranean voyage ; determining, 
however, that if we could not find a portable boat on our return from 
Cyrene, we would contrive to put together some pieces of timber, 
and prosecute our researches on a raft, after the example of Sindbad 
the sailor. 
But, alas ! who can say that to-morrow is his own ? — and who is 
there who makes the most of to-day ? If we had constructed our raft 
before we moved farther eastward, instead of waiting for the chance 
of a boat when we came back, we should in all probability have been 
able to ascertain the extent of this mysterious river. As it was, we 
were obliged, by circumstances which we could neither control nor 
foresee, to leave the coast of Africa before we had completed our 
researches in the city and neighbourhood of Cyrene ; and the short 
time which we had at our command on returning to Bengazi was 
insufficient (under the pressure of other occupations) for accomplish- 
ing this object of our wishes. 
The disappointment here alluded to was only one among many 
others which we experienced, in consequence of our hasty and un- 
expected return ; but it was one which we regretted more, perhaps, 
than it deserved ; for mystery will always add a charm to inquiry, 
which further investigation might probably remove, but which will 
continue to preserve its powers of fascination while the uncertainty 
remains which created it. 
We are too well acquainted with the talent of amplification so 
