62 JOURNEY FROM On the morning of the 15 th we left the ruins of Lebida, and passing between the gardens which are scattered over its plain, proceeded on our road to Zeliten. About nine miles to the eastward of Lebida is the stream called Wad’ el Khahan, which we found to possess more pretensions to the title of river than any which we had hitherto seen. It appears to have its rise in the mountains to the southward ; and after spreading itself in shallows over a rocky bed, it falls about twenty feet, and continues its course, though very slowly, to the sea. The banks of Wad’ el Khirhan are in some places high, sloping down to the water’s edge, and are covered with underwood, among which a few trees may occasionally be observed to rise.

The verdure of its banks give it an agreeable appearance, and some remains of building, which are seen here and there through the soil, contribute to increase the interest of the stream.

By the side of the road, at about a mile and a half from where the river empties into the sea, are the remains of the aqueduct mentioned above, which supphed the city of Lebida ; and other traces of building are occasionally observable in its neighbourhood. Here also may still be observed the same morasses which formerly characterized this spot, and gave occasion for the construction of the causeway, still existing, which is mentioned by Strabo as having been built by the Carthaginians*. All these circumstances contribute to * S' sTi 7roTm.fx.os K.iw(pos' xmi fxsrm rmvrm Simrsiyiafxm ri o eiroi’tioorv yt(pv-§avrsf aqm6pa rnm sis rni/ avsy(pvra. — (Lib. 17. 18.)

It must not be forgotten that the geographer is passing from west to east ; and we find the remains of the building alluded to above, occurring immediately after the river, in travelling in this direction ; which answers exactly to the position of Strabo’s causeway.