PTOLEMETA TO MERGE. 
399 
extensive 'plain, the soil of which is of a reddish colour ; it has been 
surrounded” (he adds) “ with a wall ever since the time of Mote- 
wakkel, that is to say, from the year of the Hegira 240.” 
Another Arab writer, whose name has not come down to us, 
informs us, as cited by Silvestre de Sacy {Chrestomat. Arabe, Tom. ii., 
p. 521), that “ the city of Barca is situated in a country where the 
soil and the buildings are red ; whence it happens that the clothes 
of those who reside there partake of the same colour.” 
It is then stated that, “ at six miles from Barca, is a mountain,’’’ 
and without mentioning at all in what direction, the author goes on 
to say, that provisions were at all times very abundant and very 
cheap in the country ; that the cattle thrived and multiphed in its 
pastures ; and that the greater part of those killed in Egypt were 
supphed from it. Bricks, honey, and pitch* (he adds) were also ex- 
ported to Egypt, the latter of which was prepared in a place depen- 
dant upon Barca called Maka, situated on a high mountain, of dif- 
ficult access, which it was impossible to ascend on horseback. In 
the city of Maka (he goes on to state) was the tomb of Rowaifa, one 
of the companions of Mahomet, (for it seems there were two of that 
name,) and this city was called, in the Greek language, Pentapolis^, 
which means (says our author) five cities. The country (he adds) 
produced a great variety of fruits, and there was a great proportion 
of it covered with juniper ; the people about it were of different 
Arab tribes, and of those called Lewata. On the road from Barca 
* ^fidran, (goudron). 
•f The Arab word is Bintablis. 
