thicker, deeper, and harder in its progress towards the centre, becomes there a compact continuous mass, capable of being fractured by violence, or penetrated by a sharp and hard instrument, but not receiving a perceptible impression even from the firm tramp of a mounted horse. In winter, the whole extent of the Sibhah is covered with water to a depth of two or three feet, which, as the summer approaches, gradually evaporates, leaving a saline deposit behind. Midway on the perilous journey, or voyage, of crossing the lake, are found the remains of an ancient round-tower, called by the Arabs Munzub, the solitary, silent walls of which become occasionally a seraï to the passing caravan. The track is marked along by posts, trunks of trees, bones, and prominent objects, yet all are often insufficient for the purposes of guidance and safety, the traveller being sometimes enveloped in a hazy atmosphere, which limits his prospect to a few yards, and sometimes also he has to encounter and penetrate a storm charged with salt and sand. Sir Grenville Temple, who had an opportunity of witnessing the struggles of a caravan with a storm in the desert, has given a very interesting account of its effects. "The clouds of salt, as they were driven furiously before the wind, assumed a variety of fantastic and ever-changing forms, which at times catching some stray beams of the sun, shone and glittered with numberless sparkling tints of various hues, which acquired additional brilliancy from the dark and dense mass of clouds which formed the background. The contrast of light and shade along the horizon was also extremely beautiful: for, at the same moment, you might observe in one direction, the distant line of salt sparkling under the influence of the sun's rays, like a necklace of diamonds, whilst the sky was black, heavy, and lowering; and, in the opposite direction, an effect totally the reverse for, whilst the lower clouds were radiant with light, their shadow threw over the plain of salt the darkest and most sombre tints of gray. The appearance of our little caravan was not devoid of picturesque effect, as the different horsemen were seen contending against the storm, their bernooses and sefsars streaming in the wind, as were also the long manes and tails of their horses. At times their figures could only be traced by a dark shade, seen at intervals through clouds of sand and salt dust; at others, they shone forth with brilliancy, every part of their arms and horse-appointments reflecting the sun's fire, and sparkling like gems. Numberless whirlwinds swept around us, and at times subsiding, deposited the salt they were charged with in the most fanciful patterns on the dark surface of the same but more compact substance. Here it formed a perfect ring; there the shape of a beautiful star; and again, in other instances, that of a sun with its long and countless rays." Sir Grenville also observed, in another instance, the effects of mirage, when two horsemen who were advancing towards his party, while they were yet at a considerable distance, appeared of the most gigantic height. Besides the plains of salt, which occupy so extensive an area, the Arabs obtain a supply of this valuable mineral substance from Jebel Had-Deffa, an entire mountain of salt, and from the mountain-range near Luotaiah. There are also many salinæ, or salt-pits, at Arzew, where they are surrounded by mountains, and occupy a space six miles in circuit; and several occur in the region that lies between Carthage and the Goletta. VESTIBULE OF LA ZIZA, A MOORISH VILLA, NEAR PALERMO. In the environs of Palermo are several very perfect and very interesting Saracenic remains, three of which are remarkable for their state of preservation, as well as for the scientific and substantial manner of their construction. These are, the villas of La Ziza, La Cuba, and Favona, or Mar Dolce. The last is situated at the foot of the hills that shelter Palermo on the east, the others are at a less distance from the city, but in different directions. La Cuba, on the Monreale road, hath changed both its original name and destination, being now called Castel Reale, and converted into a cavalry barrack; but La Ziza has undergone little other change than that which time has wrought. The Palazzo del la Ziza was erected by some Moorish prince, whose name has sunk in the stream of time; it is a large, lofty, square structure, built of ponderous blocks of stone, accurately squared, laid in regular courses, and with but little mortar. The elevation presents three stories; the latter entered by a spacious portal, above which are suspended the arms of William the Good: the upper stories are varied by sunk panels with pointed summits resembling Gothic windows, and in which lights have been introduced by the Norman proprietors, the original windows of Moorish houses uniformly looking inwards towards the court. The summit is finished by an embattled parapet, each stone of which is graven with a Cuphic character, the translation of the whole being, "Europe is the glory of the world; Italy, of Europe; Sicily, of Italy; and the adjacent plains, the pride of Sicily"-a sorites fully justified by the magnificent view of Palermo and its environs enjoyed from the flat roof of the Torre Ziza. This singular building, originally the residence of a Moorish prince, has been also admired by his Christian successors; its re-edification, or rather the innovations made upon its primitive style, were the work of William the First; and in later ages it became the residence and property of Prince Sandoval, who, with better taste than his royal predecessor, has inflicted no alteration on its ancient features. It has been supposed, from the general style of the Ziza, with its mosaics, inscriptions, and fountains from the springs of Albuhira, to be identical with the Emir's palace described in an Arabic manuscript preserved at Monreale. The apartments in the upper stories retain their original Moorish decorations-light arches, icicle pendentives, ceilings covered with crockets and finials, and windows adorned with tracery and enriched mullions. But the most perfect, |