Narrative of a ten years' residence at Tripoli in Africa: from the original correspondence in the possession of the family of the late Richard Tully, Esq., the British consul. Comprising authentic memoirs and anecdotes of the reigning bashaw, his family, and other persons of distinction; also, an account of the domestic manners of the Moors, Arabs, and Turks / [Tully].

  • Tully, Miss
Date:
1817
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Narrative of a ten years' residence at Tripoli in Africa: from the original correspondence in the possession of the family of the late Richard Tully, Esq., the British consul. Comprising authentic memoirs and anecdotes of the reigning bashaw, his family, and other persons of distinction; also, an account of the domestic manners of the Moors, Arabs, and Turks / [Tully]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ISLE OF JERBI.—LOTUS. ]1 found here, notwithstanding the neglect and destruction of the Arab, who is careless of the preservation of works of art. Tripoli was called by the ancients Tripolis, as being one of the three cities of Leptis, CEa, and Sabrata j it is on the site of CEa, and was the birth-place of Apulius. I make no apology for reminding you of these historical facts, as by referring to them at present, they contribute to interest you considerably more for the part of the world I write from. Most of the cities and towns in the kingdom of Tripoli exhibit many interesting remains which prove their antiquity. Bengazi, which is a very short distance from Tripoli, governed by a Bey, or viceroy, under the Bashaw, is the ancient city of Berenice, built by Ptolemy Philadelphus, 284 years before Christ. Near to Bengazi, at Derne, which is also governed by a Bey from Tripoli, in the village of Rasem, are considerable ruins of a tower and fortifications built by the Vandals. On the coast near Tripoli is the island of Jerbi, known to be the Meninx of the ancients. This island has been in the possession of the Bashaws of Tripoli from the time that the Moors, by burying nearly the whole of their own army and that of their enemy in the sea, drove from it the Dukes of Alva and Medina-Celi, in the fifteenth century. From the island of Jerbi they bring to Tripoli great quantities of fruit, of nearly the size of a bean, and of a bright yellow when fresh. This fruit is the produce of a tree which grows there, and is said by a French author to be the lotus of the ancients.* * prepare for the refreshment of the evening, unbridled their horses, and laid aside their ar- mour, on a sudden the charge was sounded; the Arabian camp poured forth a host of fresh and intrepid warriors ; and the long line of the Greeks and Africans was surprized, assaulted, and overturned. The victory was complete, and Tripoli opened its gates to the conqueror. Gre- gory fell by the sword of Zobeir; but the enthusiastic warrior disdained to claim the reward proposed at his own suggestion : nor would his achievement have been known, had not the tears and exclamations of the captive maid, on seeing him, proclaimed what his own modesty had concealed.—Mayer. * He says, “ Sur la cote de cette isle, on trouve un arbre appelle par les anciens Lothus, “ qui port un fruit, de la grosseur d’une feve, et jaune comme du saffran, qui a un gout si “ exquis, que les Grecs disaient que ceux qui en avoient une fois goute, oublierent leur patrie!” And as the ancient Lotophagi (a people so called from their feeding on the fruit lotus) are known to have been that race of inhabitants who lived near the Lesser Syrtes, where this island is, it is more probable that this was the fruit known by the name of lotus, than the jubad or the date, which are found all over Africa, and which some writer# have thought to be the lotus. C 2