who, he was fearful, he said, had already began to fancy him a little too old for her. He described this girl, to whom he had lately been married, as uncommonly pretty, and only sixteen years of age; and concluded by saying he did not despair, Imsh Allah (please God), that with the doctor’s assistance, he might yet contrive to make himself agreeable to her I The doctor was not long in preparing the draught; and the Dúbbah rode off at full gallop.
“In a ravine at Mahirīga we found some very good water, which was particularly acceptable to a party of pilgrims from the westward, by whom we were joined, on their journey to Mecca. Some of them continued with us as far as Bengazi, and appeared to be very grateful for the few piastres which we gave them there, to assist in supporting them on the road to the Holy City.”
On the following day, Dec. 27th, Messrs. Beechey passed the boundary of the districts of Syrt and Barca, and arrived at Sachrīn, the most southern point of the Gulf of Syrtis, lat. 30° 16' N., long. 19° 18' 33" E. Few parts of the world will be found to present so truly desolate and wretched an appearance as its shores in this neighbourhood exhibit. Marsh, sand, and barren rocks, alone meet the eye; and not a single human being, nor a trace of vegetation, are to be met with in any direction. The stillness of the nights which they passed in this dreary tract of country was not even broken by the howlings of their old friends the jackalls and hyaenas; and it seemed as if all the animated part of creation had agreed in the utter hopelessness of inhabiting it to any advantage. In this neighbourhood was the cave of the formidable Lamia, so much dreaded by the children of the ancients.
