Tripoli, Africa

Sources from old books

1682. Cosmography and geography in two parts by Richard Blome.

THE Kingdom of TRIPOLI takes up the just moiety of the Coast of Barbary from Capes unto Egypt, and divides it self into two prin∣cipal parts or Provinces, which bear likewise the Title of Kingdoms, to wit, Tripoli and Barca. Tripoli is between the two Syrtes, now the Sands or Banks of Barbary. These are Gulphs of different greatness, but of the same nature; infamous for the Shipwreck of Vessels lost on their Flats or Rocks: among which the depth of the Water is very unequal, and changes often, there being sometimes much, sometimes a little, and sometimes none at all. The Little Syrtes, now the Gulph of Capes, separates Tripoli from Tunis: The Great Syrtes, now the Gulph of Sydra, divides it from Barca; this to∣wards the East, the other towards the West, and on the South it is bounded with Billidulgerid, and on the North with the Mediterranean Sea. Its prin∣cipal Cities are El-Hamma, Capes, Zoara, the two Tripolies, Old and New, Sarmana, Lepeda, &c. 1. El-Hamma is in the Land,* 1.67Capes and the rest on the Sea; between El-Hamma and Capes is a Lake excellent against Leprosie. 2. Capes of Old Tacapa hath good Walls, and a good Castle; but its Port dange∣rous, and incapable to receive either many or great Vessels; it is scituate at the fall of the River Triton into the Lesser Syrtes. 3. Zoara, of old Pisida, between Capes and Tripoli, hath its Land so dry, that the Inhabitants are forced to water it, and yet will scarce produce any thing save Barley and some Fruits; among which, Lotos, with which they make an excellent Metheglin, but it lasts good not above 9 or 10 days. Flesh is here very scarce, they not having wherewith to feed Beasts. The Arabs frequent their Markets, and serve them with Wools, wherewith they make Cloaths and other Manufactures. 4. Tripoli the Old, of old Sabrata, and which the Arab of Nubia calls the Tower of Sabrat, hath only some Hamlets, and Remnants of fair and stately Edifices. 5. The New Tripoli, of Old Oea, is better maintained, though it hath many Ruins, by reason of the divers changes it hath had. The disposi∣tion of its places, Streets, and the order of its Buildings is agreeable, being a∣dorned with many fair Mosques, Colledges, Hospitals, &c. The Inhabitants subsisted only on their Commerce, which is of what they got from their Palm-Trees, Lotos, and Linnen-Cloth, which they uttered in Africa, Sicily, and Malta; besides their black and Ethiopian Slaves, which they sold; till of late they have much enriched themselves by Piracy, it being the usual retreat for Pirates, who infest these Seas, and do much mischief to Christian Mer∣chants on the Coasts of Italy, Sicily, and elsewhere. 6. Lepeda is in some repute, as it was in the time of the Arab of Nubia, and more under the Ro∣mans: Farther is the Great Syrtes, at the bottom of which is the Isle Sydra, which communicates its name to the Gulph; and on the Firm Land are the Tombs of Philenes or Arae Philenarum, which set the Limits between Africa and Libya; and afterwards between the Estates of the Carthaginians and the Cyrenians; and in fine, of the Eastern Empire against that of the West: And, 7. Sebeicum, a City near the Sea-shoar, nigh to which are three small Isles. Along the Coast are some Isles, among which that of Gerbes is well known;* 1.69 formerly it was joyned to the Firm Land by a Bridge. It had two Cities; now hath nothing but one Castle worth notice, and many Hamlets which gather little Corn, but much Fruits; among the rest Lotos, so sweet and pleasant, that the Companions of Ʋlysses having tasted them, sought no longer to go into their Country. This Isle hath about 18000 Paces circuit, yields one of the greatest Revenues to the King or Bassa of Tripoli, by reason of the confluence of Merchants, who fetch thence Cloth and divers Scuffs, and carry them to Alexandria in Egypt, &c. one of the principal parts of the Revenue of the same Bassa, is the Saffron of the Mountain of Garian, which is on the South of Tripoli: And this Saffron is found the fairest, and the best of all others.