348 BENGAZI.

often observed a great proportion of oats produced spontaneously from the soil*.

Several towers of very solid construction are scattered over this plain in various directions ; and one of them will be found to correspond very well with that called Cafez, by Edrisi. It is situated at about the same distance (four miles) from the sea ; and has likewise a wood to the eastward of it, as he mentions j-. It may be reckoned at fifteen miles from Bengazi, and not far from it, also to the eastward, are the lakes described by Edrisi in the neighbourhood of Cafez, separated, exactly as he mentions, from the sea by ridges of sand, and running along parallel with the beach The water of these lakes is stated by Edrisi to be sweet, but it is certainly, in the present day, brackish. The Arab name of one of these (Zeiana, or Aziana) would seem to point out the neighbourhood of Adriana, laid down by Cellarius between Berenice and Arsinoe, or Teuchira ; and many groundplans of buildings, chiefly dwelling-houses, may be observed at the distance of about three-quarters of a mile from the lake, which probably occupy the site of that town.

* A species of wild artichoke is also very commonly found here, which is eaten raw by the Arabs ; chiefly however for amusement, as we see raw turnips eaten in other countries.

t See the plan of this tower. It is called by the Arabs Gusser-el-toweel — the high tower — and is seen from a considerable distance.

Cafez autem est turris sita in media planitie Bernic, habetque ad latus suum orientale sylvam propinquam mari, et ipsa distat a mari IV. M.P. Non procul etiam a Cafez, ex parte orientali adest lacus cum longitudine maris porrectus, et collis arenae ab eo divisus, cujus tamen aquae dulces sunt ; occupat hie sua longitudine XIV. Milliaria, latitudine medium fere milliare. — (Geog. Nubiensis, p. 93.)