COAST OF AFRICA, BENGHAZI, ENTRANCE TO THE STEPPE.
From Napoli di Romanche we sailed quickly towards noon. Our ship was moving nine knots per hour, and soon passed the island of Cherego, ancient Cyathera. The wind was constantly blowing, and we completely lost sight of the shore. Towards evening the weather became worse: our ship was tossed about by gusts, and the pitching motion became unbearable. That night no one slept on the ship, which was very difficult to control. They lowered all the buoys and tried in every possible way to stay in the middle of the sea; but our captain believed that we were strongly related to the African shores. Finally the sun faded and the sun appeared for a minute; We took down its altitude and saw that, indeed, the night was about 60 miles off by noon. The wind did not subside, and “Zecheru Kanitan told me that since the African shores are very low, and it is impossible to see them at the closest distance, and besides, in the large Sirte (Gulf of Africa), near which we are probably located, there are many sandy beaches, he believes it is much more prudent to take refuge in the harbor while it is still light. We should, in his opinion, be close to Benghazi; but since the wind didn’t change and was blowing much stronger, it was not possible to turn. Waravo ship to the Adleratic Sea, and he tried to take refuge in Benghazi. Fortunately for us, his assumption turned out to be correct: he ordered to hoist the lower sail, turned the rudder, and we were carried away like an arrow. A quarter of an hour later we saw, although with difficulty, the shore, and half an hour later, that is, an hour before sunset, we were already calmly standing on the island, in the middle of the Yengazi pier, in which there was not a single ship at that time. After two nights spent without sleep, in a terrible storm, with what pleasure each of us was able to fall asleep! We stood in silence, the ship swayed slightly; but the captain most strictly ordered the sailors not to all go to bed, but generally to observe this himself, and to strictly punish those who disobeyed. I was surprised at such severity, but he answered me: “You can’t imagine what kind of thieves the coastal inhabitants of Ahrika are! If they rush the ship, it’s an oversight, they will be able to crawl inaudibly, climb onto it, and then, crawling on the belly, in the dark night, they will steal everything they can get their hands on: a compass, tools, cut ropes, ropes, sails. There were people of such impudence that they went down to the cabins and took money and belongings there.” I fell asleep and told the captain that I would probably fall asleep so soundly that if the thieves decided to steal me, I wouldn’t wake up, and they would easily take me to the shore. To our happiness, and thanks to the vigilance of the good Formentai, we spent the night safely. I slept like the dead, and woke up the next day when the sun was already quite high. Benghazi in ancient times was called Verenika. It was one of the cities that made up the five-city Cyrene ruler (Repbaro!z). Ptolemy the Land-Describer believes that even in ancient times it was called Hesperis; and now there are people who call him VBerik, Bernikh and Berenikh. It was large, decorated and rich, like the capital of the kingdom of Barki. In Arabic, Fengazi means: daughter of war. In the old days, its pier was extensive and good, but now it is almost completely covered with sand: at the entrance to it there is a 14-ft. depths; Consequently, only ships weighing 200 tons can enter it, and then no more than 30. In winter, they say, the entrance to the marina is difficult, but parking there is reliable and safe at all times. Tener Benghazi is a small settlement, in which there are up to a thousand houses, no more. There are DVB or three mosques, and the construction is generally poor. The city is ruled by Agha, under the supreme ‘power’ of the Dey of Tripoli. Benghazi is on the very edge of the sandy Barbary Desert. Bedouins often migrate here to trade with ships coming from Malta and Genoa. They guard them eagerly, sell 1.26 bulls, leather and a lot of camel hair, and take in exchange gunpowder, lead, a small amount of thick cloth, delicate goods, and various items needed for weapons; Moreover, a small amount of flour and millet. In the city of B, as I could assure myself, there are no remains of antiquity; However, you come across some Russian coins, and in quite large quantities5; but for the most part it is not clear, and almost web with images of Claudius, Nero, Adan, etc. I tried to find the medal of Gordlan, that Emperor who never left Africa, but I couldn’t get one: they are very rare.