396 
PTOLEMETA TO MERGE. 
celebrated Shereef, but of which so little is now remaining that the 
plans of the buildings could not be satisfactorily ascertained. 
The extensive plain (or valley) of Merge, for it is equally one and 
the other, may be considered as occupying a part of the territory 
within the ancient limits of Barca; and before we proceed with the 
details of our journey, it will be proper to turn our attention to the 
imperfect notices which have come down to us of the celebrated 
city of that name. The limits assigned to the district of Barca by 
the Arab historians and geographers comprise not only the whole of 
the Cyrenaica, but, according to some, the whole tract of country 
between Mesurata and Alexandria; while its actual limits (as we 
have stated elsewhere) commence at the bottom of the Syrtis, extend- 
ing themselves eastward as far as Derna, and, as we were also in- 
formed, to the eastern extremity of the Bashaw of Tripoli’s dominions. 
The ancient country of Barca was, however, confined to the western 
parts of the Cyrenaica, and extended no farther in that direction 
than to the eastern limits of the Hesperides. The port of Barca, 
under the Lagidm, received the name of Ptolemais, and we have the 
authorities of Strabo and Pliny for considering the last-mentioned 
city and that of Barca as the same*. Ptolemy has, however, dis- 
tinguished Barca from Ptolemais, and Scylax has described the 
formei of these cities as situated at the distance of one hundred 
stadia fiom the sea; so that no doubt can remain of their having 
* Ei9 7) ■zrgoTs^ov, vvv Ss riToXsptais-. — (Strabo, Lib. xvii.) Deinde Ptolemais, 
antiquo nomine Barce.— (Hist. Nat. Lib. v. c. 5.) 
So also Stephanas ; Bocpxy,, A,Cuv^, >ca, 
