BENGAZI. 
355 
stance of their being much cooler at that season than the external 
atmosphere, are certainly very pleasant abodes. 
Here also, as at Carcora, we were very much annoyed with the 
parching sirocco wind ; and our Chaous, from Bengazi, a very stout 
active fellow, was seized, in consequence, with a violent fever, and 
was unable to continue his journey. We left him, however, in very 
good hands, and he rejoined us, on his recovery, at Ptolemeta. 
From Teuchira to Ptolemeta is about eighteen miles (geographic), 
and the road between these places leads along the sea-coast, which 
gradually apj)roaches the mountains. The soil is excellent, and the 
country is for the most part well cultivated ; the wood being chiefly 
confined to the sides of the mountains and to those of the ravines 
which cross the road. In approaching Ptolemeta, the attention is 
first arrested by a large and very lofty quadrangular tomb, con- 
structed on a basis of solid rock, which has been purposely insulated 
from the quarry in which it stands, and shaped also into a quadran- 
gular form. This object assumes the appearance of a lofty tower, and 
forms a very striking feature in the scenery about Ptolemeta, being 
seen from a considerable distance. 
Signor Della CeUa has supposed that this noble monument, “ vera- 
mente” (as he observes) “ di regia grandezza,” was erected by the 
seventh of the Ptolemies surnamed Physcon, or Euergetes the 
Second, purposely as a tomb for himself 
It is probable, however, that the restless and ambitious spirit of 
this prince looked forward at all times to the sovereignty of Egypt, 
even after the mediation of the Eomans, by which the Cyrenaica 
2 Z 2 
