TRIPOLY TO BENGAZI. 237 themselves to our view, and tents were scattered about in all directions. We procured from the Arabs here a scanty supply of corn for our horses, of which the poor animals stood very much in need ; but we were obliged to apply for it in a more decided tone than we had hitherto found it necessary to assume on such occasions, as the Arabs, though they had plenty, were not very willing to part with it.

There are some wells of brackish water at Ain Agan, which is however the best that this neighbourhood affords, and we were glad to fill all our water-skins with it before we proceeded any farther.

A few miles from Ain Agan is a remarkable hill, called Aalum Limarish, the summit of which overlooks an extensive tract of country, and Mersa Braiga may be plainly distinguished from it. To the southward of Ahlum Limarish we observed a chain of lakes and swamps, which the Chaous informed us extended two days to the south-eastward. They communicated with the wady at Ain Agan, and might once have joined the sea; the water in them is quite brackish.

To seaward we observed an island about a mile in length, with breakers east and west of it extending a considerable distance ; from which we may infer that it was once much larger. The Arab name for this island (which is Gara) too much resembles that of Gaia, one of those laid down by Ptolemy, to leave much doubt of their being the same. Gara is situated farther to the north eastward than the island which we allude to in the map of Ptolemy, and is besides nearer the coast ; but the simiharity of the names cannot here be overlooked, and we do not hesitate to identify it with Gaia.