BENGAZI. 
349 
At sunset, on the second day, we arrived at Birsis, where there are 
a number of wells, and mutilated fragments of building, of which it 
would be impossible to make any satisfactory plan, without a great deal 
of previous excavation. Birsis occupies a very fertile plain, where there 
is usually an Arab encampment, and is distant about thirty-one miles 
from Bengazi, and seven from the city of Teuchira. It is five or six 
miles from the Cyrenaic range, and about a mile and a half from the 
sea. A little to the S.W. of Birsis, are other remains of building, which 
assume a more decided character, and appear to have formed part of a 
town. Several arched door- ways are still remaining, and some of the 
walls of the houses are standing, to the height of about ten or twelve 
feet from the present level. The spot on which they stand is now 
much overgrown with high grass and shrubs of various kinds, and the 
buildings have been occasionally added-to by the Arabs ; so that it 
requires a good deal of attention to make out their original plans. 
We were cautioned by the natives, who saw us making our way 
through the high grass and bushes which encumber the ruins, to 
beware of the serpents, which they said were very numerous in the 
place ; we, however, saw no more than two, one of a dark colour, about 
five feet in length, and another of smaller dimensions. The Arab name 
for this place is Mabny, and Mably (as we heard it pronounced by 
different persons residing on the spot) ; and appears to be a corrup- 
tion of Napoli, or Neapolis, with no other change than might reason- 
ably be expected from the pecuharities of Arab pronunciation *. 
* The M is frequently pronounced by the Arabs instead of N ; and the B always for 
the P, a sound which they have not in their language; the L and the N are also often 
