560 MERGE TO GYRENE.

Theste ; and the Egyptians were routed with a loss so considerable, that few of them escaped to bear the tale of their defeat In the reign of Arcesilaus the third, who succeeded the last-mentioned Battus, dissensions appear to have taken place among the colonists, and the brothers of the king abjured his authority, and left Gyrene with their followers. After some consultation among themselves with respect to their future proceedings, they are said by Herodotus to have founded the city of Barca, and established themselves in that part of the country.

Not content with this measure, the founders of Barca endeavoured to gain over the Libyan tribes to their party, and to stir up dissensions between them and the Cyreneans, in which they partially succeeded ; Arcesilaus, in consequence, made war upon both, and the * The whole of the table-land In the neighbourhood of Gyrene, as well as that upon which the city was built, may probably have been called Irasa, and the fountain of Theste may I’easonably be imagined to have been that which we have formerly mentioned at Gobba, where remains of antiquity still exist. We are led to this conclusion, from the nature of the ground in the neighbcui'hood of the fountain in question ; for it is there that the table-land ceases altogether, and the Gyrenaic range descends so abruptly as to be in most places inaccessible. We have mentioned the difficulty which we ourselves experienced in leading our horses down one of the passes near Dcrna, considered, of course, to be a practicable one ; and can readily imagine the disadvantage which an army would labour under in liaving so formidable a barrier to surmount, as any of the passes alluded to would present ; in front of an enemv whose lines were drawn up on the summit of the range, and on the edge of the ascent by which they were advancing.

This position in fact is one, of all others, which would naturally be selected as a line of defence against forces advancing from Derna and Egypt ; and the Greeks would hardly have neglected to avail themselves of it, supposing them to be at all acquainted with the country, which can hardly be doubted at the period in question, after so long a residence on the mountain.