360 
BENGAZI. 
amphitheatre, a new scene presents itself, before unsuspected ; and 
the rambler, bewildered with variety, finds himself utterly inca- 
pable of deciding which pleases him most, or when he shall feel 
himself equal to the task of tearing himself away from the spot. We 
confess that, when first we discovered this valley, the shades of night 
surprised us before we thought the sun had set, far in its deepest 
recesses ; and we never afterwards visited it without regretting that 
our occupations would not allow us more leisure to admire it. 
Among the trees which clothe the sides of the mountains are 
many handsome stone sarcophagi of Greek and Koman workmanship, 
all of which, however, we found had been opened ; and among them 
seats of the same material were occasionally observed to have been 
placed, as if the sjhrits of the dead loved to linger about the spot 
which had so much delighted them when living. We should wil- 
lingly have devoted a great portion of our time to the same pleasing 
occupation, and have passed whole days in wandering among the 
tombs, in making plans and drawings of them, and searching for 
inscriptions : but fate had not decreed us so agreeable a lounge, and 
after securing in our portfolios some of the principal objects of the 
place, we set out without further delay for Cyrene, which w’^e had 
determined (as our time was now limited) should form the chief 
object of inquiry. We had, however, arranged that, on our return 
from Cyrene, the plan of the town and neighbourhood of Ptolemeta 
(which will be found annexed) should be completed ; and that draw- 
ings should be made of such of the most conspicuous objects as had 
not been already secured, all of which was eventually accomphshed. 
