BENGAZI. 357 on this part of the coast of the Cyrenaica, than that which has been fixed upon for the port of Barca.

The harbour has been chiefly formed by art (one side of it only being sheltered by nature) ; and the remains of the cothon are still very conspicuous, though much encumbered with sand*.

An Amphitheatre and two Theatres are still visible at Ptolemeta : the latter are close to the remains of a palace, of which three columns only are now standing; and the former is constructed in a large quarry, in which the seats have been partly excavated, those parts only having been built which could not be formed in the quarry itself. The interior court of the palace above-mentioned is still covered with tessellated pavement, and beneath it are very spacious arched cisterns, or reservoirs, communicating with each other, and receiving air and light from the court-yard above them f . The remaining columns of this building, which we imagine to have been a palace, are those which Bruce has described as forming part of the portico belonging to an Ionic temple, and as having been executed “ in the first manner” of that order. The details of them, (he adds,) with all the parts that could be preserved, are in the King’s collection. The proportions and style of the columns in question do not (we must confess) appear, in our estimation, to partake much of the early character of the Ionic ; but were the resemblance in reality much greater than it is, the existence of a Greek inscription which ♦ A further description of the Harbour and Cothon will be found, with other details of Ptolemeta, at the end of the chapter.

f See the plan of these in the plate prefixed to page 367. The columns are given in the vignette at the beginning of this chapter.