PTOLEMETA TO MERGE. 
387 
Abou-Bukra, the son of Hadood, and four days after our arrival at 
Ptolemeta the camels which we expected were brought from the 
mountains, and we set out on our journey to Gyrene. We left Pto- 
lemeta on the twenty-seventh of April, and took the road leading 
through Merge, a large and fertile plain, situated on the top of the 
range which we have already described as lying to the southward 
of Ptolemeta. After repassing a part of the road, by which we had 
formerly travelled, we began to ascend a most romantic valley, a 
little to the westward of the town of Ptolemeta and leading up 
from the coast towards Merge. As we wound along the steep and 
narrow pathway which skirted the bed of the torrent below us, we 
found the place much more remarkable for its wildness and beauty 
than it was for the goodness of its roads ; and had not our camels 
been accustomed to the mountains they would probably have given 
us a good deal of trouble. The sides of the valley were thickly 
clothed with pines, ohve trees, and different kinds of laurel, inter- 
spersed with clusters of the most luxuriant honeysuckle, the 
fragrance of which, as we passed it, literally perfumed the air. 
Among these we distinguished myrtle, arbutus, and laurestinus, 
with many other handsome flowering shrubs, a variety of wild roses, 
both white and red, and quantities of rosemary and juniper. 
Scenes of this kind even in Europe would be highly appreciated ; 
but to travellers in Africa, it may readily be imagined they could 
not fail of being more than usually grateful ; and every fresh 
beauty which opened itself to our view was hailed with enthusiastic 
delight. 
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