Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 2.djvu/37

 BENGHAZI. 21 u continuous stream of slaves flowed to this point, the capital of Barka has a very mixed population, in which the Negroes are strongly represented amid the descen- dants of Berbers and Arabs. The Jews, remarkable for their beauty, also fonn a large section of the inhabitants of Benghazi. ISettled in the country from a time anterior to their own traditions, they descend, probably, from those Hebrews who, under the Ptolemies, emigrated to Berenice with their national constitution and rulers, and who afterwards became powerful enough to revolt and massacre the Greeks. Immigrants from Mauritania are also numerously represented in Ben- ghazi, since the moral conquest of the land has been achieved by the religious order of the Seniisiya, who govern indirectly through the tribal chiefs and Turkish officials. Lastly, the European colony, chiefly formed of Maltese, Italians and Greeks, is yeiH-ly increasing in importance, already numbering about 1,000 in a total population of 15,000. Benghazi is no longer the agglomeration of mud and straw huts described by the few European travellers who visited the place about the beginning of the century. It now boasts of solid two-storied stone houses, a lighthouse, some religious edifices, such as mosques, churches, and synagogues. But of the past not a single trace remains, beyond a few blocks here and there indicating the position of quays and piers. But from the ground have been recovered valuable sculptures, vases, inscriptions, medals, a large share of which was secured for the Louvre by the explorer Vaitier de Bourville. Recently a few improvements have been made in the port, which, however, during the last two thousand years has become less extensive, more exposed, and shallower. Vessels drawing over 7 feet can no longer enter the har- bour, and in winter the Benghazi waters are almost entirely abandoned by shipping. But in spite of these disadvantages the town has made great commercial pro- gress, especially with France. It imports cottons, sugar, wine, timber ; but its former export trade in ivory, gold-dust, and ostrich feathers has been mostly replaced by live stock and cereals to Malta, wool, butter, hides, salt from the sur- rounding lagoons, and sponges from the shallows along the neighbouring seaboard. The sponges are now seldom gathered by divers, the Greek and Italian fishers now usually emploj'ing diving-bells in this industry. The Benghazi district is generally very fertile, especially along the north coast, which curves round towards Tokra. But it is still so thinly inhabited that the land is at the disposition of the first comer. A palm-grove, the only one occurring on the coast of Cyrenaica west of Derna, occupies a portion of the peninsula north of the town, and the lakes are skirted by a few gardens, which require special cultiva- tion in order to obtain good crops of fruit and vegetables. The surface soil is first removed and matting laid down, after which the mould is replaced, mixed with manure. The matting is supposed to prevent the saline particles from rising to the vegetable humus, while also serving to retain the fertilising substances. Farther east some old quarries and natural cavities have been reclaiincHl and cultivated by the peasantry. These plots resemble the " gardens of the Ilesper- ides " spoken of by Scylax, and those that still exist in the neighbourhood of Syra- cuse. Some of the chasms are flooded, either temporarily t^ter the rains, or