,the ,land of ,midian 7,revisited74 ,by ,richard ,f4 ,burton4 ,in ,two ,volumes4 ,vol4 ,i4 ,c4 ,kegan ,paul ,co4 ,london3 #ahgi4 ,to the ,memory of ,my ,much ,loved ,niece1 ,maria ,emily ,harriet ,stisted1 ,who ,died at ,dovercourt1 ,november #ab1 #ahgh4 ,gold shall be found1 and found ,in a land that's not now known4 ,,mother ,,shipton1 ,a4,d4 #addh4 ,,preface4 ,a few pages by way of ,forespeache4 ,the plain unvarnished tale of the travel in ,midian1 undertaken by the second ,expedition1 which1 like the first1 owes all to the liberality and the foresight of his ,highness ,ismail ,i41 ,khediv of ,egypt1 forms the subject of these volumes4 ,during the four months between ,december #ai1 #ahgg1 and ,april #bj1 #ahgh1 the officers employed covered some #bejj miles by sea and land1 of which #fjj1 not including by-paths1 were mapped and planned2 and we brought back details of an old-new land which the civilized world had clean forgotten4 ,the public will now understand that one and the same subject has not given rise to two books4 ,i have to acknowledge with gratitude the many able and kindly notices by the ,press of my first volume 7,the ,gold ,mines of ,midian1 etc4 ,messrs4 ,c4 ,kegan ,paul ,co41 #ahgh74 ,but some reviewers succeeded in completely misunderstanding the drift of that avant courier4 ,it was an introduction intended to serve as a base for the present more extensive work1 and--foundations intended to bear weight must be solid4 ,its object was to place before the reader the broad outlines of a country whose name was known to every schoolboy1 whilst it was a vox et praeterea nihil1 even to the learned1 before the spring of #ahgg4 ,i had judged advisable to sketch1 with the able assistance of learned friends1 its history and geography2 its ethnology and archaeology2 its zoology and malacology2 its botany and geology4 ,the drift was to prepare those who take an interest in ,arabia generally1 and especially in wild mysterious ,midian1 for the present work1 which1 one foresaw1 would be a tale of discovery and adventure4 ,thus readers of ,the ,land of ,midian 7,revisited7 may feel that they are not standing upon ground utterly unknown2 and the second publication is shortened and lightened--perhaps the greatest advantage of all--by the prolegomena having been presented in the first4 ,the purpose of the last ,expedition was to conclude the labours begun1 during the spring of #ahgg1 in a mining country unknown1 or rather1 fallen into oblivion4 ,hence its primary objective was mineralogical4 ,the twenty-five tons of specimens1 brought back to ,cairo1 were inspected by good judges from ,south ,africa1 ,australia1 and ,california2 and all recognized familiar metalliferous rocks4 ,the collection enabled me to distribute the mining industry into two great branches--7#a7 the rich silicates and carbonates of copper smelted by the ,ancients in ,north ,midian2 and 7#b7 the auriferous veins worked1 but not worked out1 by comparatively modern races in ,south ,midian1 the region lying below the parallel of ,el-,muwaylah4 ,it is1 indeed1 still my conviction that tailings have been washed for gold1 even by men still living4 ,we also brought notices and specimens of three several deposits of sulphur2 of a turquoise-mine behind ,ziba2 of salt and saltpetre1 and of vast deposits of gypsum4 ,these are sources of wealth which the nineteenth century is not likely to leave wasted and unworked4 ,in geography the principal novelties are the identification of certain ruined cities mentioned by ,ptolemy1 and the ,harrahs or plutonic centres scattered over the seaboard and the interior4 ,i venture to solicit the attention of experts for my notes on ,el-,harrah1 that great volcanic chain whose fair proportions have been so much mutilated by its only explorer1 the late ,dr4 ,wallin4 ,beginning with ,damascan ,trachonitis1 and situated1 in the parallel of north lat4 #bh degrees1 about sixty direct miles east of the ,red ,sea1 it is reported to subtend the whole coast of ,north-,western ,arabia1 between ,el-,muwaylah 7north lat4 #bg degrees #ci'7 and ,el-,yambu' 7north lat4 #bd degrees #e'74 ,equally noticeable are the items of information concerning the ,wady ,hamz1 the ,land's ,end of ,egypt1 and the most important feature of its kind in ,north-,western ,arabia4 ,its name1 wrongly given by ,wallin1 is unknown to the ,hydrographic ,chart1 and to the erudite pages of my friend ,professor ,aloys ,sprenger1 who1 however1 suspects with me that it may be the mouth of the celebrated ,wady el-,kura4 ,for further topographical details the reader is referred to the ,itineraries of the ,expedition1 offered to the ,royal ,geographical ,society of ,london4 ,some of the principal sites were astronomically determined by ,commanders ,ahmed ,musallam and ,nasir ,ahmed1 of the ,egyptian navy4 ,the task of mapping and planning was committed to the two young ,staff-lieutenants sent for that purpose4 ,they worked well in the field2 and their sketches were carefully executed whilst under my superintendence4 ,but it was different when they returned to ,cairo4 ,the maps sent to the little ,exposition at the ,hippo-drome 7see conclusion7 were simply a disgrace to the ,staff-bureau4 ,my departure from ,egypt caused delay2 and1 when the chart reached me1 it was far from satisfactory3 names had been omitted1 and without my presence it could not have been printed4 ,with the able assistance of ,mr4 ,william ,j4 ,turner1 of the ,royal ,geographical ,society1 who found the work harder than he expected1 it has been reduced to tolerable shape4 ,still1 it is purely provisional2 and1 when mining operations shall begin1 a far more careful survey will be required4 ,as regards archaeology1 the second ,expedition visited1 described1 and surveyed eighteen ruins of cities and towns1 some of considerable extent1 in ,north ,midian1 besides seeing or hearing of some twenty large ,mashghal1 apparently the ateliers of vagrant ,gypsy-like gangs4 ,this total of thirty-eight is not far short of the forty traditional ,midianite settlements preserved by the mediaeval ,arab geographers4 ,many others are reported to exist in the central or inland region2 and fifteen were added by the ,south ,country1 including the classical temple or shrine1 found upon the bank of the ,wady ,hamz before mentioned4 ,the most interesting sites were recommended to ,m4 ,lacaze1 whose portfolio was soon filled with about two hundred illustrations1 in oil and water-colours1 pencil croquis and sun-pictures4 ,all1 except the six coloured illustrations which adorn this volume1 have been left in ,egypt4 ,his ,highness resolved to embody the results of our joint labours in a large album1 illustrated with coloured lithographs1 maps1 and plans1 explained by letter-press1 and prepared at the ,citadel1 ,cairo4 ,the ,meteorological ,journal was kept by myself1 assisted at times by ,mr4 ,clarke4 ,mr4 ,david ,duguid1 engineer of the ,mukhbir1 whose gallant conduct will be recorded 7,chap4 ,,viii471 and ,commander ,nasir ,ahmed1 of the ,sinnar1 obliged me by registering simultaneous observations at sea-level4 ,the whole was reduced to shape by ,mr4 ,w4 ,j4 ,turner1 of the ,royal ,geographical ,society4 ,my private collection of mineralogical specimens was deposited with ,professor ,m4 ,h4 ,n4 ,story-,maskelyne4 ,the spirit-specimens of zoology filled three large canisters3 and the ,british ,museum also received a hare and five birds 7,mr4 ,r4 ,b4 ,sharpe72 four bats 7,rhinopoma7 and a mouse2 six reptiles1 five fishes1 thirty-five crustaceans1 and about the same number of insects2 five scorpions1 six leeches1 sixty molluscs1 four echinoderms1 and three sponges4 ,dr4 ,a4 ,gunther 7,appendix ,,iii47 determined and named two new species of reptiles4 ,mr4 ,frederick ,smith 7,appendix ,,iii47 took charge of the insects4 ,mr4 ,edward ,j4 ,miers1 ,f4 ,l4,s41 etc41 described the small collection of crustaceae 7,annals and ,magazine of ,natural ,history for ,november1 #ahgh74 ,finally1 ,edgar ,a4 ,smith examined and named the shells collected on the shores of the ',akabah ,gulf and the north-eastern recess of the ,red ,sea4 ,the main interest of the little hortus siccus was the ,alpine ,flora1 gathered at an altitude of five thousand feet above sea-level4 ,the plants were offered to ,sir ,joseph ,dalton ,hooker1 of ,kew2 and ,professor ,d4 ,oliver1 of the ,herbarium1 has kindly furnished me with a list of the names 7,appendix ,,iv474 ,mr4 ,william ,carruthers and his staff also examined the spirit-specimens of fleshy plants 7,appendix ,,iv474 ,mr4 ,reginald ,stuart ,poole1 ,keeper of ,coins and ,medals1 and ,mr4 ,barclay ,v4 ,head were good enough to compare with their rich collections the coins of ancient ,midian found 7,chap4 ,,iii471 for the first time1 at ,maghair ,shu'ayb,,en#a4 ,some years ago1 ,mr4 ,robert ,ready1 of the ,british ,museum1 had bought from a ,jew1 ,yusuf ,kalafat 7871 a miscellaneous collection1 which included about sixty of the so-called ,midianitic coins4 ,but the place of discovery is wholly unknown4 ,the ,assistant ,keeper read a paper ,on ,arabian ,imitations of ,athenian ,coins1 ,midianitic1 ,himyaritic1 and others1 at a meeting of the ,numismatic ,society 7,november #ba1 #ahgh72 and ,i did the same at the ,royal ,asiatic ,society1 ,december #af1 #ahgh4 ,the little find of stone implements1 rude and worked2 and the instruments illustrating the mining industry of the country1 appeared before the ,anthropological ,section of the ,british ,association1 which met at ,dublin 7,august1 #ahgh71 and again before the ,anthropological ,institute of ,london1 ,december #aj1 #ahgh4 ,finally1 the skulls and fragments of skulls from ,midian were submitted to ,professor ,richard ,owen1 the ,superintendent of ,natural ,history2 and my learned friend kindly inspected the ,egyptian and ,palmyrene crania which accompanied them4 ,the whole was carefully described by ,dr4 ,c4 ,carter ,blake1 ,ph4,d41 before the last-named seance of the ,anthropological ,institute 7,december #aj1 #ahgh74 ,the tons of specimens brought to ,cairo were1 ,i have said1 publicly exhibited there1 and created much interest4 ,but the discovery of a mining-country1 some three hundred miles long1 once immensely wealthy1 and ready to become wealthy once more1 is not likely to be accepted by every one4 ,jealous and obstructive officials did not think much of it4 ,rivals opposed it with even less ceremony4 ,a mild ring in ,egypt attempted in vain to run the ,hamamat and ,dar-,for mines 7,chap4 ,,iii47 against ,midian4 ,consequently the local ,press was dosed with rumours1 which1 retailed by the home papers1 made the latter rife in contradictory reports4 ,to quote one case only4 ,the turquoise-gangue from ,ziba 7,chap4 ,,xii47 was pronounced1 by the inexpert mineralogists at the ,citadel1 ,cairo1 who attempted criticism1 to be carbonate of copper1 because rich silicates of that metal were shown at the ,exposition4 ,no one seemed to know that the fine turquoises of ,midian have been sold for years at ,suez1 and even at ,cairo4 ,there was1 indeed1 much to criticise in the collection1 which had been made with a marvellous carelessness4 ,but we must not be hard upon ,m4 ,marie4 ,he is an engineer1 utterly ignorant of mineralogy and of assaying3 he was told off to do the duty1 and he did it as well as he could--in other words1 very badly4 ,he neglected to search for alluvial gold in the sands4 ,every ,wady which cuts1 at right angles1 the metalliferous maritime chains1 should have been carefully prospected2 these sandy and quartzose beds are natural conduits and sluice-boxes4 ,but the search for tailings is completely different from that of gold-veins1 and requires especial practice4 ,the process1 indeed1 may be called purely empirical4 ,it is not taught in ,jermyn ,street1 nor by the ,ecole des ,mines4 ,in this matter theory must bow to rule of thumb3 the caprices of alluvium are various and curious enough to baffle every attempt at scientific induction4 ,thus the habits of the metal1 so to speak1 must be studied by experiment with patient labour1 the most accomplished mineralogist may pass over rich alluvium without recognizing its presence1 where the rude prospector of ,california and ,australia will find an abundance of stream-gold4 ,evidently the proportion of tailings must carefully be laid down before companies are justified in undertaking the expensive operation of quartz-crushing4 ,hence ,m4 ,tiburce ,morisot1 a practical digger from ,south ,africa1 introduced at ,cairo by his compatriot1 ,m4 ,marie1 to my friend ,m4 ,yacoub ,artin ,bey1 found a fair opportunity of proposing to his ,highness the ,khediv 7,october1 #ahgh7 a third ,expedition in search of sand-gold4 ,the ,viceroy1 however1 true to his undertaking1 refused to sanction any interloping4 ,the highly distinguished ,m4 ,ferdinand de ,lesseps1 when en route to ,paris1 kindly took charge of some cases of specimens for analysis4 ,but the poorest stuff had been supplied to him by ,m4 ,marie2 and the results1 of which ,i never heard1 were probably nil4 ,the samples brought to ,england1 by order of his ,highness the ,khediv1 were carefully assayed4 ,the largest collection was submitted to ,dr4 ,john ,percy1 ,f4,r4,s4 ,smaller items were sent to the well-known houses1 ,messrs4 ,johnston and ,matthey1 of ,hatton ,garden1 and ,messrs4 ,edgar ,jackson and ,co41 ,associates of the ,royal ,school of ,mines 7fourteen samples74 ,finally1 special observations were made by ,mr4 ,john ,l4 ,jenken1 of ,carrington1 through ,mr4 ,j4 ,h4 ,murchison1 of ,british ,lead ,mines1 etc41 etc41 etc42 by ,lieut4-,colonel ,ross1 the distinguished author of ,pyrology2 and by ,lieut4-,colonel ,bolton1 who kindly compared the rocks with those in his cabinet4 ,m4 ,gastinel-,bey's analysis of the specimens brought home by the first ,expedition will be found at the end of ,chap4 ,,viii4 ,the following is the text of ,dr4 ,percy's report3-- ,metallurgical ,laboratory1 ,royal ,school of ,mines1 ,jermyn ,street1 ,london ,dec #ac #ahgh4 ,dear ,sir1 ,i now send the results of the analytical examination of the specimens which you submitted to me for that purpose4 ,the examination has been conducted with the greatest care1 in the metallurgical laboratory of the ,royal ,school of ,mines1 by ,mr4 ,richard ,smith1 who1 for the last thirty years1 has been constantly engaged in such work2 and in whose accuracy ,i have absolute confidence4 ,it is impossible that any one should have taken greater interest in1 or have devoted himself with greater earnestness to1 the investigation4 ,i have almost entirely confined myself to a statement of facts1 as ,i understand that was all you required for the guidance of his ,highness the ,khedive4 ,section #a4 ,examination of the mineral specimens contained in the boxes marked as under4 7,an average representative sample of each specimen1 of about six pounds in weight1 was prepared for examination from portions broken off1 or otherwise taken1 by ,mr4 ,richard ,smith at the ,victoria ,docks4,,en#b ,no4 #a4 ,box #bb1 ,quartz from ,mugnah 7,makna74 ,quartz coloured black and red-brown with oxides of iron4 ,these were of two varieties1 marked #bb;a and #bb;b respectively4 ,no4 #b4 ,the magnetic ironstone 7#bb;a7 was examined and found to contain of-- ,peroxide of iron 7per cent474 4 4 4#he4bi ,protoxide of iron 7per cent47 4 4 4 #i4hc ,silica 7quartz77per cent474 4 4 4 4 #c4bh ,the oxides of iron together contain of metallic iron #ff4h per cent4 ,no4 #c4 ,the micaceous ironstone 7#bb;b7 was examined and found to contain of ,peroxide of iron 7per cent474 4 4 4 #ia4j ,silica4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #e4eb ,the peroxide of iron contains of metallic iron #fc4g per cent4 ,no4 #d4 ,box ,no4 #ad1 ,quartz from ,mugnah1 gave no results4 ,no4 #e4 ,box ,no4 #bg1 ,iron from ,mugnah1 proved to be haematite 7which is magnetic71 with some red-brown oxide of iron and quartz4 ,it was found to contain of-- ,peroxide of iron 7per cent474 4 4 4#ge4df ,protoxide of iron 7per cent47 4 4 4 #d4fi ,the oxides of iron together contain of metallic iron #ef4d per cent4 ,no4 #f4 ,box ,no4 #g1 ,conglomerate from ,mugnah1 yielded no results4 ,no4 #g ,box ,no4 #be1 ,quartz from ,mugnah4 ,this quartz1 veined and coloured black and red-brown with oxides of iron1 was assayed with the following results3-- ,gold and ,silver 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,none,,en#c ,nos4 #h and #i4 ,boxes ,nos4 #ej and #cg1;,,en#d ,quartz and red dust from ,mugnah1 yielded no results4 ,no4 #aj4 ,box ,no4 #cg;a1 ,sulphur from ,mugnah4 ,lumps of sulphur1 crystallized and massive1 irregularly distributed through a white1 dull1 porous rock4 ,the latter was examined1 and found to be hydrated sulphate of lime 7gypsum71 with a small quantity of magnesia2 some of the lumps of rock were coloured with oxides of iron1 and others intermixed with sand4 ,nos4 #aa4 and #ab4 ,boxes ,nos4 #c and #f1 ,black quartz and white quartz from the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 gave no results except a small portion of copper pyrites in a lump of quartz 7,box ,no4 #f74 ,no4 #ac4 ,box ,no4 #dg1 ,quartz from ,el-,wedge 7,wijh71 gave only oxide of iron4,,en#e ,no4 #ad4 ,box ,no4 #e1 ,red quartz from ,el-,wedge1 a quartz with red-brown oxide of iron and earthy substances1 was assayed with the following results3-- ,gold 7per statute ton #cbdj lbs47#b dwts4 #ae grs4 ,silver4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4,traces4 ,no4 #ae4 ,box ,no4 #af1 ,mica schist from ,el-,wedge4 ,this mica-schist undergoing decomposition from weathering action1 mixed with small lumps of quartz1 was assayed with the following results 3-- ,gold 7per statute ton74 4 4 4 4#f grains4 ,silver4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4,traces4 ,no4 #af4 ,box ,no4 #cb1 ,white quartz from ,el-,wedge4 ,this quartz coloured with red-brown oxide of iron1 mixed with mica-schist1 was assayed with the following results3-- ,gold 7per statute ton74 4#c dwts4 #bb grs4 ,silver4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4,traces4 ,no4 #ag4 ,box ,no4 #dh1;,,en#f ,red sulphur from ,sharm ,yaharr1 was found to have the following composition1 while it was free from native sulphur3-- ,peroxide of iron 7per cent4 7 4 4 4#dd4cf ,sand1 clay1 carbonates and sulphates of lime and magnesia 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4#ad4ij ,salts soluble in water1 chiefly alkaline chlorides and chlorites1 and sulphates of lime and magnesia 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4#bi4gj ,water 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4#aa4dj #ajj4jj ,no4 #ah4 ,box ,no4 #dh;a1 ,gypsum from ,sharm ,yaharr4 ,partly semi-transparent and granular1 and partly dull white and opaque4 ,it was found to be hydrated sulphate of lime1 or gypsum1 with carbonate of lime1 and some sand1 magnesia1 and chloride of sodium4 ,no4 #ai ,box ,no4 #ce1 ,dust and stones from ,sharma1 yielded no results4 ,section #b4 ,examination of the mineral specimens contained in a box sent from ,egypt4 ,as the specimens were unlabelled1 they were marked ,a1 ,b1 ,c1 ,d1 ,e1 ,f1 ,g1 ,h1 and ,i1 respectively4 ,no4 #ba4 ,a4 ,copper ore4 ,a fair average specimen was prepared for examination from the several lumps of ore and marked a4 a4 ,it was submitted to analysis1 and found to contain carbonates of lime and magnesia2 silica1 alumina1 and oxides of iron2 and of-- ,copper 7metallic7 4 4 4 4#e4gb per cent4 b4 ,a portion of the copper mineral1 from which the rock or vein-stuff had been detached as far as practicable1 was found to consist of impure hydrated silicate of copper 7bluish-green chrysocolla7 and carbonate of copper4 ,it was assayed and found to contain of-- ,copper 7metallic7 4 4 4 4#bc4ad per cent4 ,no4 #bb4 ,b4 ,a lump of soft1 ochrey red-brown ironstone1 coated with a thin layer of greyish white substance4 ,a fair average sample1 inclusive of this external layer1 was prepared for examination1 and was found to consist of ,peroxide of iron 7per cent4 7 4 4 4#ha4ad ,water 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aa4ej ,silica4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #c4jg ,sulphuric acid1 lime1 magnesia1 alumina #d4bi #ajj4jj ,the peroxide of iron contains #ef4h per cent4 of metallic iron4 ,the greyish white substance was found to consist of silica1 alumina1 sulphate of lime1 and a little oxide of iron and magnesia4 ,no4 #bc4 ,c4 ,lump of red ironstone associated with sand and earthy substances1 containing ,peroxide of iron 7per cent474 4 4 #fh4ji ,water of iron 7per cent47 4 4 4 4 4 #a4ic ,silica and sand 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4#ah4ag ,lime1 magnesia 7in small quantity71 alumina1 carbonic acid1 sulphuric acid 7traces7 4#aa4ha #ajj4jj ,the peroxide of iron contains #dg4ff of metallic iron4 ,no4 #bd4 ,d4 ,lump of white quartz said to contain visible gold4 ,i did not observe any1 but found a few minute specks of pyrites1 and partially resembling mica4 ,no4 #be4 ,lump of quartz associated with red-brown oxide of iron4 ,it yielded no results4 ,no4 #bf4 ,lump of rock in which the turquoise occurs4 ,there was a thin layer of greenish blue turquoise mineral on one surface1 and minute seams of a similar substance throughout the specimen4 a4 ,the layer of turquoise mineral1 from which the rock or vein-stuff had been detached as far as practicable1 was found to contain phosphoric acid1 alumina1 oxide of copper1 oxide of iron1 and water2 which occur in turquoise4 b4 ,after the layer a had been separated1 a fair average sample of the rock was found to contain #a4fi per cent4 of metallic copper4 ,it was also assayed and found to be free from silver,,en#g and gold4 ,no4 #bg4 ,g4 ,a variety of jasper1 having a somewhat polished1 and irregular and deeply indented surface1 the result of sand-action4 ,the fractured surface was red1 with patches of yellow4 ,it was found to consist chiefly of silica1 coloured with oxides of iron4 ,no4 #bh4 ,h4 ,lump of sard1 of a pale-red flesh colour4 ,a variety of chalcedony4 ,it was found to consist almost entirely of silica,,en#h4 ,no4 #bi4 ,i4 ,lumps of pure ironstone4 ,a small lump of metal,,en#i1 supposed to contain antimony,,en#aj and platinum1 was brought for examination by ,captain ,r4 ,f4 ,burton4 ,it was submitted to analysis1 and found to be iron and combined carbon1 or white cast-iron1 containing small quantities of lead1 copper1 and silver1 and free from antimony1 platinum1 and gold4 ,it is evidently the product of a fusion operation4 ,a few shots of lead were attached to the surface of the metal,,en#aa4 ,dr4 ,percy concludes the assays in these words3-- ,three of the specimens 7,nos4 #ad1 #ae1 and #ai7 from the same locality contain gold4 ,the amount of gold1 however1 is small4 ,i consider these indications of the presence of the precious metal not altogether unsatisfactory2 and certainly to justify further exploration4 ,my conviction is1 that the ancients were adepts in the art of extracting gold1 and that1 owing to the small value of human labour1 they could get out as much of the metal as could now be done4 ,they knew perfectly what was worth working and what was not2 and ,i think it likely that what you have brought home1 had been rejected by the ancients as unworkable,,en#ab4 ,further search may lead to the discovery of workable stuff2 but would doubtless require a good deal of time1 unless lucky accident should intervene4 ,the specimens ,nos4 #b1 #c1 #e1 #bb1 and #bc contain sufficient iron to render them available as iron ores1 provided they occur in large quantity4 ,the copper present in ,no4 #ba;a is too small in amount to render it available as a source of that metal ,footnote3 ,analyses of copper ore from ,midian at the ,citadel1 ,cairo1 gave in certain cases forty percent44 ,if it is practicable on a large scale1 by hand-labour or other means1 to separate the copper mineral 7as in b71 it would be sufficiently rich in copper1 provided the cost of the transit were not too great4 ,the specimen ,no4 #ag is only of scientific interest1 as it gives off an acid vapour when heated2 and this substance may have been used by the ancients in the separation of silver from gold by the process termed cementation4 ,i remain1 dear ,sir1 yours very truly1 7,signed7 ,,john ,,percy1 ,m4,d41 ,f4,r4,s4 ,lecturer on ,metallurgy at the ,royal ,school of ,mines1 ,london4 ,capt4 ,r4 ,f4 ,burton1 etc4 ,upon this able report ,i would offer the following observations4 ,we1 who have travelled through a country like ,midian1 finding everywhere extensive works for metallurgy2 barrages and aqueducts1 cisterns and tanks 2 furnaces1 fire-bricks1 and scoriae2 open mines1 and huge scatters of spalled quartz1 with the remains of some eighteen cities and towns which apparently fell to ruin with the industry that founded and fed them2--we1 ,i say1 cannot but form a different and a far higher idea of its mineral capabilities than those who determine them by the simple inspection of a few specimens4 ,the learned ,dr4 ,percy at once hits the mark when he surmises that worthless samples were brought home2 and this would necessarily occur when no metallurgist1 no practical prospector1 was present with the ,expedition4 ,as will appear from the following pages1 all the specimens were collected a ciel ouvert1 and wholly without judgment4 ,i therefore expect that future exploration will develop ,midian as it has done ,india4 ,the quartzose outcrop called the ,wynaad reef 7,madras ,presidency7 produced only a few poor penny-weights per ton1 two and seven being the extremes1 while much of it was practically unproductive4 ,presently1 in ,february1 #ahgh1 the district was visited by ,sir ,andrew ,clarke1 of ,australian experience1 member of the ,viceregal ,council4 ,he invited ,mr4 ,brough ,smyth1 of ,victoria1 to explore and test the capabilities of the country2 and that eminent practical engineer discovered1 in an area of twenty-five by thirteen miles1 ninety outcrops1 some yielding1 they say1 two hundred ounces per ton of gold1 fine and coarse1 with jagged pieces as large as peas4 ,and ,british ,india now hopes to draw her gold coinage from ,wynaad4 ,i conclude this abstract of the book1 which would have been reduced in size had the mass of matter permitted1 with the heartfelt hope that the grand old ,land of ,midian will not be without attraction to the public of ,europe4 ,,richard ,f4 ,,burton4 ,,athenaeum ,,club1 ,december #af4 ,,contents4 ,,part ,i4 ,the ,march ,through ,madyan ,proper 7,north ,midian74 ,chapter ,i4 ,preliminary--from ,trieste to ,midian ,chapter ,,ii4 ,the ,start--from ,el ,muwaylah to the ,white ,mountain and ',aynunah ,chapter ,,iii4 ,breaking ,new ,ground to ,maghair ,shu'ayb ,chapter ,,iv4 ,notices of ,precious ,metals in ,midian--the ,papyri and the ,mediaeval ,arab ,geographers ,chapter ,v4 ,work ,at1 and ,excursions ,from1 ,maghair ,shu'ayb ,chapter ,,vi4 ,to ,makna1 and ,our ,work ,there--the ,magani or ,maknawis ,chapter ,,vii4 ,cruise from ,makna to ,el'akabah ,chapter ,,viii4 ,cruise from ,el'akabah to ,el ,muwaylah--the ,shipwreck ,escaped--resume of the ,northern ,journey ,,part ,,ii ,the ,march ,through ,central and ,eastern ,midian4 ,chapter ,,ix4 ,work in and ,around ,el ,muwaylah ,chapter ,x4 ,through ,east ,midian to the ,hisma ,,part ,i4 ,the ,march ,through ,madyan ,proper 7,north ,midian74 ,chapter ,i4 ,preliminary--from ,trieste to ,midian4 ,throughout the summer of #ahgg ,i was haunted by memories of mysterious ,midian4 ,the ,golden ,region appeared to me in the glow of primaeval prosperity described by the ,egyptian hieroglyphs2 as rich in agriculture and in fertility1 according to the old ,hellenic travellers1 as in its ,centres of civilization1 and in the precious metals catalogued by the ,sacred ,books of the ,hebrews4 ,again ,i saw the mining works of the ,greek1 the ,roman1 and the ,nabathan1 whose names are preserved by ,ptolemy2 the forty cities1 mere ghosts and shadows of their former selves1 described in the pages of the mediaeval ,arab geographers2 and the ruthless ruin which1 under the dominion of the ,bedawin1 gradually crept over the ,land of ,jethro4 ,the tale of her rise and fall forcibly suggested ,algeria1 that province so opulent and splendid under the ,masters of the ,world2 converted into a fiery wilderness by the representatives of the gentle and gallant ,turk1 and brought to life once more by ,french energy and industry4 ,and such was my vision of a future ,midian1 whose rich stores of various minerals will restore to her wealth and health1 when the two ,khedivial ,expeditions shall have shown the world what she has been1 and what she may be again4 ,i was invited to resume my exploration during the winter of #ahgg-gh1 by the ,viceroy of ,egypt1 ,ismail ,i41 a prince whose superior intelligence is ever anxious to develop the resources of his country4 ,his ,highness was perhaps the only man in his own dominions who1 believing in the buried wealth of ,midian1 had the perspicacity to note the advantages offered by its exploitation4 ,for the world around the ,viceroy pronounced itself decidedly against the project4 ,my venerable friend1 ,linant ,pasha1 suggested a comparison with the abandoned diggings of the ,upper ,nile2 forgetting that in at least half of ,midian land1 only the tailings have been washed3 whereas in the ,bishr country1 and throughout the ,etbaye1 between the meridians of ,berenike and ,sawkn1 the very thinnest metallic fibrils have been shafted and tunnelled to their end in the rock by those marvellous labourers1 the old ,egyptians4 ,in the ,hammt country1 again1 the excessive distances1 both from the ,nile and from the ,red ,sea1 together with the cost of transport1 must bar all profit4 ,even worse are the conditions of ,fayzoghl and ,dr-,for2 whilst the mines of ,midian begin literally at the shore4 ,another ,pasha wrote to me from ,alexandria1 congratulating me upon having discovered1 during our first ,expedition1 a little copper and iron4 ,generally1 the official public1 knowing that ,i had brought back stones1 not solid masses of gold and silver1 loudly deplored the prospective waste of money2 and money1 after the horse-plague1 the low ,nile1 and the excessive exigencies of the short-sighted creditor1 was exceptionally scarce4 ,the truly ,oriental view of the question was taken by an official1 whom ,i shall call rif ,pasha--the ,knowing ,one4 ,when told that ,m4 ,george ,marie1 the ,government engineer detailed to accompany the first ,expedition1 had sent in official analyses with sample tubes of gold and silver1 thus establishing the presence of auriferous and argentiferous rocks on the ,arabian shore1 ,son ,excellence exclaimed1 ,imprudent jeune homme1 thus to throw away the chances of life6 ,had he only declared the whole affair a farce1 a flam1 a sell1 a canard1 the ,viceroy would have held him to be honest1 and would have taken care of his future4 ,still1 through bad report the ,khediv1 who had mastered1 with his usual accuracy of perception and judgment1 the subject of ,midian and her ,mines1 was staunch to his resolve2 and when one of his ,european financiers1 a ,controleur ,gnral de ,dpenses1 the normal round peg in the square hole1 warned him that there were no public funds for such purpose1 his ,highness warmly declared1 on dit1 that the costs of the ,expedition should be defrayed at his own expense4 ,meanwhile ,i had passed the summer of #ahgg in preparation for the work of the ensuing winter4 ,a long correspondence with many learned friends1 and a sedulous study of the latest geographers1 especially ,german1 taught me all that was known of mining in ,arabia generally1 and particularly in ,midian4 ,during my six months' absence from ,egypt my vision was fixed steadily upon one point1 the ,expedition that was to come2 and when his ,highness was pleased to offer me1 in an autograph letter full of the kindest expressions1 the government of ,dr-,for1 ,i deferred accepting the honour till ,midian had been disposed of4 ,unhappily1 certain kindly advisers persuaded me to make well better by a visit to ,karlsbad1 and a course of its alkaline ,fountains of ,health4 ,never was there a greater mistake6 ,the air is bad as the water is good2 the climate is reeking damp1 like that of ,western ,africa2 and1 as in ,st4 ,petersburg1 a plaid must be carried during the finest weather4 ,its effects1 rheumatic and neuralgic1 may be judged by the fact that the doctors must walk about with pocketed squirts1 for the hypodermal injection of opium4 ,almost all those whom ,i knew there1 wanting to be better1 went away worse2 and1 in my own case1 a whole month of ,midian sun1 and a sharp attack of ague and fever were required to burn out the ,hexenschuss and to counteract the deleterious effects of the ,hygeian springs4 ,at last the happy hour for departure struck2 and on ,october #ai1 #ahgg1 the ,austro-,hungarian ,espero 7,capitano ,colombo7 steamed out of ,trieste4 ,on board were ,sefer ,pasha1 our host of ,castle ,bertoldstein2 and my learned friends1 the ,aulic ,councillor ,alfred von ,kremer1 ,austrian ,commissioner to ,egypt1 and ,dr4 ,heinrich ,brugsch-,bey4 ,the latter gave me a tough piece of work in the shape of his gypten1 which will presently be quoted in these pages4 ,it would be vain to repeat a description of the little voyage described in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian4 ,the ,dalmatian1 or first day2 the second1 or day of ,corfu loved and lost2 and the third1 made memorable by ,cephalonia and the glorious ,canale1 all gave fine smooth weather4 ,but the usual rolling began off still-vexed ,cape ,matapan4 ,it lasted through the fourth day1 or of ,candia1 this insula nobilis et amna-- ,crete1 the crown of all the isles1 flower of ,levantine waters --while the fifth1 or ,mediterraneo-,alexandrian day1 killed two of the seventeen fine horses1 ,yuckers and ,anglo-,normans1 which ,sefer ,pasha was conveying to ,cairo4 ,on ,thursday morning 7,october #be71 after rolling through the night off the old port ,eunostus1 which now looks brand-new1 we landed1 and the next day saw me at ,cairo4 ,such was my haste that ,i could pay only a flying visit to the broken beer-bottles1 the burst provision-tins1 the ice-plants1 and the hospitable society of ,ramleh the ,sand-heap2 and my many acquaintances had barely time to offer their congratulations upon the prospects of my becoming an ,egyptian4 ,my presence at the capital was evidently necessary4 ,a manner of association for utilizing the discoveries of the first ,expedition had been formed in ,london by the ,messieurs ,vignolles1 who knew only the scattered and unofficial notices2 issued1 without my privity1 by ,english and continental journals4 ,their representative1 ,general ,nuthall1 formerly of the ,madras army1 had twice visited ,cairo1 in ,august and ,october1 #ahgg1 seeking a concession of the mines1 and offering conditions which were perfectly unacceptable4 ,the ,viceroy was to allow1 contrary to convention1 the free importation of all machinery2 to supply guards1 who were not wanted2 and1 in fact1 to guarantee the safety of the workmen1 who were perfectly safe4 ,in return1 ten per cent4 on net profits1 fifteen being the royalty of the ,suez ,canal1 was the magnificent inducement offered to the viceregal convoitise4 ,i could not help noting1 by no means silently1 this noble illustration of the principle embodied in ,sic vos non vobis4 ,i was to share in the common fate of originators1 discoverers1 and inventors3 the find was mine1 the profits were to go--elsewhere4 ,general ,nuthall professed inability to regard the matter in that light2 while to all others it appeared in no other4 ,however1 after a few friendly meetings1 the representative left ,egypt1 with the understanding that possibly we might work together when the exploration should have been completed4 ,his ,highness1 who had verbally promised me either the concession or four per cent4 on gross produce1 acted en prince1 simply remarking that the affair was in my hands1 and that he would not interfere with me4 ,i must not trouble the reader with the tedious tale of the pains and the labour which accompany the accouchement of such an ,expedition4 ,all practicals know that to organize a movement of sixty men is not less troublesome--indeed1 rather more so--than if it numbered six hundred or six thousand4 ,the ,viceroy had wisely determined that we should not only carry out the work of discovery by tracing the precious metals to their source2 but1 also1 that we should bring back specimens weighing tons enough for assay and analysis1 quantitive and qualitive1 in ,london and ,paris4 ,consequently1 miners and mining apparatus were wanted1 with all the materials for quarrying and blasting3 my spirit sighed for dynamite1 but experiments at ,trieste had shown it to be too dangerous4 ,the party was to consist of an escort numbering twenty-five ,sdn soldiers of the ,line1 negroes liberated some two years ago2 a few ,ma'danjiyyah 7mine-men71 and thirty ,haggrah 7stone-men or quarrymen74 ,the ,government magazines of ,cairo contain everything1 but the difficulty is to find where the dispersed articles are stored3 there is a something of red-tapeism2 but all is plain sailing1 compared with what it would be in ,europe4 ,the express orders of his ,highness ,husayn ,kmil ,pasha1 ,minister of ,finance and ,acting ,minister of ,war1 at once threw open every door4 ,had this young prince not taken in the affair a personal interest of the liveliest and most intelligent nature1 we might have spent the winter at ,cairo4 ,and here ,i cannot refrain from mentioning1 amongst other names1 that of ,mr4 ,alfred ,e4 ,garwood1 ,c4,e41 locomotive superintendent2 who1 in the short space of four months1 has introduced order and efficiency into the chaos known as the ,bulk magazines4 ,with his friendly cooperation1 and under his vigorous arm1 difficulties melted away like hail in a tropical sun4 ,general ,stone 7,pasha71 the ,chief of ,staff1 also rendered me some assistance1 by lending the instruments which stood in his own cabinet de travail4,,en#ac ,poor ,cairo had spent a seedy autumn4 ,the ,russo-,turkish campaign1 which had been unjustifiably allowed1 by foreign ,powers1 to drain ,egypt of her gold and life-blood--some #be1jjj men since the beginning of the ,servian prelude--not only caused abundant sorrow to the capital1 but also frightened off the stranger-host1 which habitually supplies the poorer population with sovereigns and napoleons4 ,the horse-pest1 a bad typhus1 after raging in #ahgf and early #ahgg1 had died out3 unfortunately1 so had the horses2 and the well-bred1 fine-tempered1 and high-spirited little ,egyptians were replaced by a mongrel lot1 hastily congregated from every breeding ground in ,europe4 ,the ,fellahs1 who had expected great things from the mission of ,,mm4 ,goschen and ,joubert1 asked wonderingly if those financiers had died2 while a scanty ,nile1 ten to twelve feet lower1 they say1 than any known during the last thousand years1 added to the troubles of the poor1 by throwing some #fjj1jjj feddans 7acres7 out of gear1 and by compelling an exodus from the droughty right to the left bank4 ,finally1 when the river of ,egypt did rise1 it rose too late1 and brought with it a feverish and unwholesome autumn4 ,briefly1 we hardly escaped the horrors of ,europe-- ,herbstesahnung6 ,triste ,spuren ,in den ,wldern1 auf den ,fluren6 ,regentage1 bses ,wetter1 etc4 ,meanwhile1 in the ,land of the ,pharaohs1 whose scanty interest about the war was disguised by affected rejoicings at ,ottoman successes1 the ,prophet gallantly took the field1 as in the days of ,ysuf bin ,ishk4 ,this time the vehicle of revelation was the learned ,shayhk 7m8 7 ,alaysh1 who was ordered in a dream by the ,apostle of ,allah 7upon whom be peace67 to announce the victory of the ,moslem over the ,infidel2 and1 as the vision took place in ,jemdi el-,akhir 7,june71 the first prediction was not more unsuccessful than usual4 ,shortly afterwards1 the same reverend man again dreamt that1 seeing two individuals violently quarreling1 with voies de fait1 he had hastened1 like a true believer1 to separate and to reconcile them4 ,but what was his surprise when the brawlers proved to be the ,sultan and the ,czar1 the former administering condign personal punishment to his hereditary foe4 ,this1 the enlightened ,shaykh determined1 was a sign that in ,september the ,osmanli would be gloriously triumphant4 ,nor was he far wrong4 ,the ,russians1 who had begun the campaign1 like the ,english in ,india1 with a happy contempt both for the enemy and for the elementary rules of war1 were struck with a cold fit of caution3 instead of marching straight upon and intrenching themselves in ,adrianople1 they vainly broke their gallant heads against the improvised earthworks of ,plevna4 ,and ignorant ,europe1 marvelling at the prowess of the noble ,turk1 ignored the fact that all the best ,turkish soldiers were ,slavs1 originally ,christians1 renegades of old1 unable to speak a word of ,turkish2 preserving their ,bosniac family-names1 and without one drop of ,turkish blood in their veins4 ,sulayman ,pashs army was about as ,turkish as are the ,poles or the ,hungarians4 ,not the less did ,cairo develop the normal season-humours of the ,frank4 ,among the various ways of doing the ,pyramids1 ,i registered a new one3 ,mr4 ,a---- 1 junior1 unwilling wholly to neglect them1 sent his valet with especial orders to stand upon the topmost plateau4 ,the second water of irrigation made ,november dangerous2 many of the ,shepheards suffered from the ,ayn el-,mulk1 the ,evil of ,kings 7gout71 in the gloomy form as well as the gay2 and whisky-cum-soda became popular as upon the banks of the ,thames and the ,tweed4 ,as happens on dark days1 the money-digger was abroad1 and one anecdote deserves record4 ,many years ago1 an old widow body had been dunned into buying1 for a few piastres1 a ragged little manuscript from a pauper ,maghrabi4 ,these ,west ,africans are1 par excellence1 the magicians of modern ,egypt and ,syria2 and here they find treasure1 like the ,greeks upon the shores of the ,northern ,adriatic4 ,perhaps there may be a basis for the idea2 oral traditions and written documents concerning buried hoards would take refuge in remote regions1 comparatively undisturbed by the storms of war1 and inhabited by races more or less literary4 ,at any rate1 the ,maghrabi ,darwaysh went his ways1 assuring his customer that1 when her son came of age1 a fortune would be found in the little book4 ,and true enough1 the boy1 reaching man's estate1 read in its torn pages ample details concerning a ,dafi'nah 7hoard7 of great value4 ,he was directed1 by the manuscript1 to a certain spot upon the ,mukattam range1 immediately behind the ,cairene citadel1 where the removal of a few stones would disclose a choked shaft3 the latter would descend to a tunnel1 full of rubbish1 and one of the many sidings would open upon the golden chamber4 ,the permission of ,government was secured1 the workmen began1 and the directions proved true--barring the treasure1 towards which progress was still being made4 ,such was the legend of ,cairo1 as recounted to me by my good friend1 ,yacoub ,artin ,bey2 ,i can only add to it1 ,allaho ,a'alam6--,allah is all-knowing6 ,the sole cause of delay in beginning exploration was the want of money2 and this1 of course1 even the ,prince ,minister of ,finance could not coin4 ,egypt1 the fertile1 the wealthy1 the progressive1 was1 indeed1 at the time all but insolvent4 ,at the suggestion of foreigners1 profitable investments1 which yielded literally nothing1 had been freely made for many a year1 and the sole results were money difficulties and debt4 ,the ,european financiers had managed admirably for their shareholders2 but1 having assumed the annual national income at a maximum1 instead of a minimum1 they had brought the goose of the golden eggs to the very verge of death4 ,the actionnaires were to receive1 with a punctuality hardly possible in the ,east1 the usurious interest of six per cent41 not including one per cent4 for sinking fund4 ,meanwhile1 the officers and officials1 military1 naval1 and civil1 had been in arrears of salary for seven to fifteen months2 and even the ,jews refused to cash at any price their pay certificates4 ,nothing could be more unwise or unjust than the exactions of the creditors4 ,men must live2 if not paid1 they perforce pay themselves2 and thus1 of every hundred piastres1 hardly thirty find their way into the treasury4 ,ten times worse was the condition of the miserable ,fellhn1 who were selling for three or four napoleons the bullocks worth fifteen per head4 ,thus they would tide over the present year2 but a worse than ,indian famine was threatened for the following4 ,and the ,bakkl1 at once petty trader and money-lender1 whose interest and compound interest here amount1 as in ,bombay1 to hundreds per cent41 would complete the ruin which the low ,nile and the ,christian creditor had begun4 ,a temporary reduction of interest to three per cent41 with one per cent of amortization1 should content the greedy shareholder1 who seeks to combine high profits with perfect security4 ,during ,november1 #ahgg1 there were five ,m4,p4's at ,shepheard's2 and all cried shame upon the financial condition of the country4 ,sir ,george ,campbell opened the little game4 ,in his ,inside ,view of ,egypt 7,fortnightly ,review1 ,dec41 #ahgg7 he drew a graphic picture of the abnormal state of poor ,egypt2 he expressed the sensible opinion that1 in the settlement1 the claims of the bond-holders have been too exclusively considered1 and he concluded that no more payments of debt-interest should be made until official arrears are discharged4 ,at last the ,phare d',alexandrie 7,november #bi1 #ahgg71 doubtless under official inspiration1 put forth the following article1 greatly to the satisfaction of the unfortunate employs3-- ,si nos renseignements particuliers sont exacts1 le comit des finances vient de prendre une excellente dcision4 ,elle consiste en ce que1 aussitt l'argent pour le paiement du prochain coupon1 prpar1 le ministe're1 avant tout autre1 procdera au paiement des appointements arrirs des employs4 ,nous apprenons1 on outre1 que ,s4 ,a4 le ministre des finances1 mme1 a dclar1 molu proprio1 que jusqu'au complet paiement des arrirs ds aux employs1 et dans le cas o il se prsenterait une dpense de grande importance1 prvue mme par le budget1 de ne pas en ordonner le paiement sans1 au pralable1 le sommettre l'adhsion du comit4 ,nous applaudissons de toutes nos forces cette bonne nouvelle d'abord1 parcequ'elle affirme une fois de plus la scrupuleuse exactitude qu'on apporte au paiement des coupons1 ensuite elle prouve le vif intrt qu' inspire au gouvernement la situation de ses nombreux employs1 enfin elle nous fait esprer qu'aprs avoir song eux1 on s'occupera aussi payer les autres sommes portes et pre'vues au budget de l'anne4 ,accordingly1 on ,december #bnd1 the ,prince ,minister of ,finance took heart of grace1 and distributed among the officials one month's pay1 with a promise that all arrears should presently be made good4 ,on the same day his ,highness issued to the ,expedition #bjjj napoleons1 in addition to the #fbj already expended upon instruments and provisions4 ,this was the more liberal1 as ,i had calculated the total at #aejj3 the more1 however1 the better4 ,in such work it is money versus time1 the former saving the latter2 and we were already late in the year--it had been proposed to start on ,november #aeth1 and we had lost three precious weeks of fine autumnal weather4 ,the stores were equally abundant3 ,i wanted one forge1 and received three4 ,of course1 many details had been forgotten2 e4g41 a farrier and change of mule-irons1 a tinsmith and tinning tools1 a sulphur-still1 boots for the soldiers and the quarrymen1 small shot for specimens1 and so forth4 ,i had carried out my idea of a ,dragoman with two servants2 and the result had been a model failure1 especially in the most important department4 ,the true ,desert cook is a man sui generis2 he would utterly fail at the ,criterion1 and even at ,shepheard's2 but in the wilderness he will serve coffee within fifteen minutes1 and dish the best of dinners within the hour after the halt4 ,mr4 ,clarke and ,lieutenant ,amir worked with a will2 and they were ably seconded by ,colonel ,ali ,bey ,robi and ,lieutenant-,colonel 7of the ,staff7 ,mohammed ,bey ,bligh4 ,but the finishing touch to such preparations must be done by the master hand2 and my unhappy visit to ,karlsbad rendered that impossible4 ,the stores and provisions were supplied by ,,mm4 ,voltra ,brothers1 of ,cairo3 ,i cannot say too much in their praise2 and the packing was as good as the material4 ,m4 ,gross1 of ,shepheard's1 was good enough to let me have a barrel of claret2 which improved every week by travelling1 and which cost only a franc a bottle3 it began as a bon ordinaire1 and the little that returned to ,cairo ranked with a quasi-grand vin1 at least as good as the four-shilling ,medoc4 ,finally1 ,dr4 ,lowe1 of ,cairo1 kindly prepared for us a medicine chest1 containing about #aj worth of the usual drugs and appliances--calomel1 tartar emetic1 and laudanum2 blister1 plaster1 and simple ointment4,,en#ad ,a special train was made ready for ,thursday1 ,december #fth2 and1 at ten a4m41 after taking leave of their ,highnesses1 who courteously wished me good luck and ,god-speed1 the ,expedition found itself under weigh4 ,we were accompanied to the station by many kind friends3 my excellent kinsman ,lord ,francis1 and ,lady ,f4 ,conyngham1 ,yacoub ,artin ,bey1 ,general ,stone1 and ,,mm4 ,george1 ,garwood1 ,girard1 and ,guillemine4 ,the change from the damp air of ,cairo to the drought of the ,desert was magical3 light ailments and heavy cares seemed to fall off like rags and tatters4 ,we halted at ,zagzig1 remarking that this young focus of railway traffic has become the eastern key of ,lower ,egypt1 as ,benh is to the western delta2 and prophesying that some day1 not far distant1 will see the glories of ,bubastis revived4 ,here we picked up my old friend ,haji ,wali1 whom age--he declares that he was born in the month ,mzn of #agig--;had made only a little fatter and greedier4 ,we gave a wide berth to the future ,alexandria1 ,ismailyyah1 whose splendid climate has been temporarily spoilt by the sweet-water canal of the same name4 ,the soil became literally sopped2 and hence the intermittent fevers which have lately assailed it4 ,a similar disregard for drainage has ingeniously managed to convert into pest-houses ,simla and other ,himalayan sanitaria4 ,the day ended with running the train into the ,suez ,docks1 so as to embark all our impediments on the next morning2 and ,i fondly expected ,saturday to see us sail4 ,but the weather-wise had been true in their forecasts4 ,friday opened with howling1 screaming gusts of southerly wind2 and1 during the night we were treated to a fierce display of storm1--thunder and lightning1 and rain4 ,the gale caused one collision on the ,canal1 and twenty-five steamers were delayed near the ,bitter ,lake2 it broke down the railway and sanded it up for miles1 and it levelled fifty ,english and forty ,egyptian telegraph-posts--an ungentle hint to prefer the telephone4 ,saturday1 the beginning of winter1 opened with a cold raw souther and a surging sea1 which washed over the ,dock-piers2 in such weather it was impossible to embark ten mules without horse-boxes4 ,on ,sunday the waves ran high1 but the gale fell about sunset to a dead calm2 as usual in the ,gulf1 the breakers and white horses at once disappeared2 and the slaty surface1 fringed with dirty yellow1 immediately reassumed its robes of purple and turquoise blue4 ,the ill wind1 however1 had blown us some good by deluging with long-hoped-for rain the now barren mountains of ,midian4 ,this ,fortuna1 according to the people1 sets in with the fourth ,coptic month1 ,kayhak1,,en#ae which begins the first ,arba'n 7,forty-day period72 and the fourth day is known as the ,imtizj el-,faslayn1 or ,mixture of the two ,seasons--autumn and winter4 ,the storm is expected to blow three days from the ,azyab 7south-east7 or from the ,shirs 7south-west74 ,the qualities of the several winds are described in the following distich3-- ,mirsi ,shaytn1 wa ,gharbi ,wazrhu2 ,tiyb ,sultn1 wa ,sharki ,nazrhu4 ,the south-wester's a ,satan1 and the wester's his minister2 ,the norther's a ,sultan1 and the easter's his man4 ,on the other hand1 fair weather was predicted after the first quarter of the moon 7,december #abth71 according to the saying of the ,arab sailor3-- ,when the moon sleeps1 the seaman may sleep2 ,when the moon stands1 the seaman must stand4 ,the sleeping moon--nim or rkid1 also called ,yemni--is that of the first quarter1 which we mark concave to the left2 the standing moon is that of the last4 ,our stay at ,suez was saddened by the sudden death of ,marius ,isnard1 who had acted cook to the first ,khedivial ,expedition4 ,the poor lad1 aged only eighteen1 had met us at the ,suez station1 delighted with the prospect of another journey2 he had neglected his health2 and1 after a suppression of two days1 which he madly concealed1 gangrene set in1 and he died a painful death at the hospital during the night preceding our departure4 ,on ,december #ajth we ran down from ,suez ,quay in the ,bird of the ,sea 7,tayr el-,bahr71 the harbour mouche1 or little steam-launch1 accompanied by the ,governor1 ,sa'd ,bey1 who has not yet been made a ,pasha2 by ,mr4 ,consul ,west2 by the genial ,ra'f ,bey1 ,wakl el-,komandanyyah or acting commodore of the station2 by ,mr4 ,willoughby ,faulkner1 my host at ,suez2 by the ,messieurs ,levick1 and by other friends4 ,in the highest spirits we boarded our gun-carriage1 the aviso ,mukhbir 7,captain ,mohammed ,sirj72 and1 after many mutual good wishes1 we left the ,new ,docks at #f4aj p4m4 ,nothing could be more promising than the weather1 a young moon mirrored in a sea smooth as oil4 ,the ,giver of ,good ,news 7,el-,mukhbir71 however1 for once failed in her mission4 ,she had lately conducted herself well upon a trial trip round the ,zenobia lightship 7,newport ,rock74,,en#af ,but the two ,arab firemen who acted engineers1 worn-out grey-beards that hated the idea of four months on the barbarous ,arabian shore1 had choked the tubes with wastage1 and had filled the single boiler1 taking care to plug up1 instead of opening1 the relief-pipe4 ,the consequence was that the engines sweated at every pore2 steam instead of water streamed from the sides2 and the chimney discharged1 besides smoke1 a heavy shower of rain4 ,the engine 7,john ,jameson1 engineer1 ,newcastle-on-,tyne1 #ahff71 a good article1 in prime condition as far as a literally rotten boiler would allow1 presently revenged itself by splitting the air-pipe of the condenser from top to bottom2 and after two useless halts the captain reported to me that we must return to ,suez4 ,what a beginning6 ,the fracture somewhat relieved the machinery2 we did better work after than before the accident1 but we were ignobly towed into dock by the ship's boats4 ,a telegram with a procs-verbal was at once sent off to the ,prince2 ,sa'd ,bey and ,ra'f ,bey hastened to our aid1 and ,mr4 ,williams1 superintending engineer of the ,khedivyyah line1 with the whole of his staff1 stripped and set to work at the peccant tubes and air-pump4 ,they commenced with extinguishing a serious fire which burst from the waste-room--by no means pleasant when close to kegs of blasting-powder carefully sewn up in canvas4 ,they laboured with a will1 and before sunset ,mr4 ,williams informed us that he would guarantee the engines for eight days1 when we were starting on a dangerous cruise for four months4 ,he also supplied us with an ,egyptian boiler-maker and with eleven instead of sixty new tubes3 we lost forty-two of the old ones between ,suez and ,el-,muwaylah4 ,before sunset we made a trial trip1 the wretched old kettle acting tant bien que mal2 we returned to re-embark the soldiers and the mules1 and we set out for the second time at #e4cj p4m4 ,the ,mukhbir1 #acj feet long1 #chj tons1 and #hj to go horse-power1 under charge of the ,english or rather ,scotch engineer1 ,mr4 ,david ,duguid1 who had taken the place of the two ,arab firemen1 began with #g #a_/b knots an hour1 #fh revolutions per minute1 and a pressure of #i lbs4 to the square inch4 ,the condenser-vacuum was #bf inches 7#cj being complete7--#ac lbs4 ,next morning the rate declined to six miles in consequence of the boiler leaking1 and matters became steadily worse4 ,as a ,french writer says of the genre humain1 we were placed1 not entre le bien et le mal1 but entre le mal et le pire4 ,after sundry narrow escapes in the ,gulf of ',akabah1 we were saved1 as will be seen1 by a manner of miracles4 ,briefly1 the ,mukhbir caused us much risk1 heartburn1 and loss of time4 ,seven a4m4 7,december #aath7 found us crossing the ,birkat ,fara'n--,pharaoh's ,gulf--some sixty miles from the great port4 ,its horrors to native craft ,i have already described in my ,pilgrimage4 ,between this point and ,ras ,za'farnah1 higher up1 the wind seems to split3 a strong southerly gale will be blowing1 whilst a norther of equal pressure prevails at the ,gulf-head1 and vice vers4 ,suez1 indeed1 appears to be1 in more ways than one1 a hydrographical puzzle4 ,when it is low water in and near the harbour1 the flow is high between the ,straits of ,jobal and the ,daedalus ,light2 and the ebb tide runs out about two points across the narrows1 whilst the flood runs in on a line parallel with it4 ,finally1 when we returned1 hardly making headway against an angry norther1 ,suez1 enjoying the sweet south1 was congratulating the voyagers upon their weather4 ,the loss of a good working day soon made itself felt4 ,the north wind rose1 causing the lively ,mukhbir1 whose ballast1 by-the-by1 was all on deck1 to waddle dangerously for the poor mules2 and it was agreed1 nem4 con41 to put into ,tor harbour4 ,we found ourselves at ten a4m4 7,december #abth7 within the natural pier of coralline1 and we were not alone in our misfortune2 an ,english steamer making ,suez was our companion4 ,this place has superseded ,el ,wijh as the chief quarantine station for the return pilgrimage2 and ,i cannot sufficiently condemn the change4,,en#ag ,the day lagged slowly1 as we ,walked in grief by the merge of the many-voiced sounding sea4 ,but we looked in vain for our tender1 a ,sambk of fifty tons1 ,el-,musahhil 7,rais ,ramazan71 which ,prince ,husayn had thoughtfully sent with us as post-boat4 ,she disappeared on the evening of the #aath1 and she did not make act of presence until the #afth1 when her master was at once imprisoned in the fort of ,el-,muwaylah4 ,moreover1 the owner1 ,mohammed ,bukhayt1 of ,suez1 who had received #ij as advance for three months--others said #fj for four--provided her with only a few days' provisions1 leaving us to ration his crew4 ,a wintry norther in these latitudes is not easily got rid of4 ,according to the people1 here1 as in the ',akabah ,gulf1 it lasts three days1 and dies after a quiet noon2 whereas on the #acth1 when we expected an escape1 it rose angrily at one p4m4 ,i was much cheered by the pleasant news of ,m4 ,bianchi1 the local ,deputato di ,sanit1 who assured us that a pernicieuse was raging at ,el-,muwaylah1 and that it was certain death to pass one night in the fort4 ,the only fire that emitted all this smoke was the fact that during the date-harvest of ,north-,western ,arabia1 ,july and ,august1 agues are common2 and that at all seasons the well water is not honest1 and is supposed to breed trifling chills4 ,in the ,prairies of the ,far ,west ,i heard of a man who rode some hundreds of miles to deliver himself of a lie4 ,nothing like solitude and the ,desert for freshening the fancy4 ,another individual who was much exercised by our journey was ,khwjeh ,konstantin1 a ,syrian-,greek trader1 son of the old agent of the convent1 whose blue goggles and comparatively tight pantaloons denoted a certain varnish and veneer4 ,it is his practice to visit ,el-,muwaylah once every six months2 when he takes1 in exchange for cheap tobacco1 second-hand clothes1 and poor cloth1 the coral1 the pearls fished for in ,april1 the gold dust1 the finds of coin1 and whatever else will bring money4 ,such is the course and custom of these small monopolists1 who1 at ,raitha and elsewhere1 much dislike to see quiet things moved4 ,at length1 after a weary day of far niente1 when even le sommeil se faisait prier1 we hardened our hearts1 and at nine p4m41 as the gale seemed to slumber1 we stood southwards4 ,the ,mukhbir rolled painfully off ,ras ,mohammed1 which obliged us with its own peculiar gusts2 and the ',akabah ,gulf1 as usual1 acted wind-sail4 ,a long dtour was necessary in order to spare the mules1 which1 however1 are much less liable to injury1 under such circumstances1 than horses1 having a knack of learning to use sea-legs4 ,the night was atrocious2 so was the next morning2 but about noon we were cheered by the sight of the glorious mountain-walls of well-remembered ,midian1 which stood out of the clear blue sky in passing grandeur of outline1 in exceeding splendid dour of colouring1 and in marvellous sharpness of detail4 ,once more the power of the hills was on us4 ,three p4m4 had struck before we found ourselves in broken water off the fort of ,el-,muwaylah1 where our captain cast a single anchor1 and where we had our first escape from drifting upon the razor-like edges of the coralline reefs4 ,in fact1 everything looked so menacing1 with surging sea around and sable storm-clouds to westward1 that ,i resolved upon revisiting our old haunt1 the safe and dock-like ,sharm ,yhrr4 ,here we entered without accident2 and were presently greeted by the ,sayyid ',abd el-,rahm1 our former ,kfilah-bshi1 who had ridden from ,el-,muwaylah to receive us4 ,the news was good3 a truce of one month had been concluded between the ,huwaytt and the ,ma'zah1 probably for the better plundering of the pilgrims4 ,this year the latter were many3 the ,wakfah1 or standing upon ,mount ,ararat1 fell upon a ,friday2 consequently it was a ,hajj el-,akbar1 or ,greater ,pilgrimage1 very crowded and very dangerous1 in more ways than one4 ,i had given a free passage to one ,sulaymn ,afthi1 who declared himself to be of the ,beni ',ukbah1 when he was a ,huwayti of the ,jerfn clan4 ,after securing a free passage and provision gratis1 when the ship anchored1 he at once took ,french leave4 ,on return ,i committed him to the tender mercies of the ,governor1 ,sa'd ,bey4 ,the soldiers1 the quarry-men1 and the mules were landed1 and the happy end of the first stage brought with it a feeling of intense relief1 like that of returning to ,alexandria4 ,hitherto everything had gone wrong3 the delays and difficulties at ,cairo2 at ,suez1 the death of poor ,marius ,isnard and the furious storm2 the break-down of the engine2 the fire in the wasteroom2 and1 lastly1 the rough and threatening gale between the harbour and ,el-,muwaylah4 ,what did the ,wise ,king mean by better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof8 ,i only hope that it may be applicable to the present case4 ,in the presence of our working ground all evils were incontinently forgotten2 and1 after the unusual dankness of the ,egyptian capital1 and the blustering winds of the ,gulf and the sea1 the soft and delicate air of the ,midian shore acted like a cordial4 ,for the first time after leaving ,alexandria1 ,i felt justified in taper de l'oeil with the clearest of consciences4 ,the preliminary stage ended with disembarking at the ,fort1 ,el-,muwaylah1 all our stores and properties1 including sundry cases of cartridges and five hundred pounds of pebble-powder1 which had been stored immediately under the main cabin and its eternal cigarettes and allumettes4 ,the implements1 as well as the provisions1 were made over to the charge of an old ,albanian1 one ,rajab ,agh1 who at first acted as our magazine-man for a consideration of two napoleons per month1 in advance if possible4 ,this done1 the ,mukhbir returned into the dock ,yhrr1 in order to patch up her kettle1 which seemed to grow worse under every improvement4 ,we accompanied her1 after ordering a hundred camels to be collected2 well knowing that as this was the ,bairam1 ',id1 or ,greater ,festival1 nothing whatever would be done during its three days' duration4 ,the respite was not unwelcome to me2 it seemed to offer an opportunity for recovering strength4 ,at ,cairo ,i had taken the advice of a learned friend 7if not an ,apostle of ,temperance1 at any rate sorely afflicted with the temperance idea71 who1 by threats of confirmed gout and lumbago1 fatty degeneration of the heart and liver1 ending in the possible rupture of some valve1 had persuaded me that man should live upon a pint of claret per diem4 ,how dangerous is the clever brain with a monomania in it6 ,according to him1 a glass of sherry before dinner was a poison1 whereas half the world1 especially the ,eastern half1 prefers its potations preprandially2 a quarter of the liquor suffices1 and both appetite and digestion are held to be improved by it4 ,the result of turning over a new leaf1 in the shape of a phial of thin ,gladstone1 was a lumbago which lasted me a long month1 and which disappeared only after a liberal adhibition of diffusible stimulants4 ,it required no small faith in one's good star to set out for a six weeks' work in the ,desert under such conditions4 ,my consolation1 however1 was contained in the lines attributed to half a dozen who wrote good ,english3-- ,he either fears his fate too much1 ,or his deserts are small1 ,who dares not put it to the touch1 ,to gain or lose it all4 ,this time1 however1 ,mind was tranquil1 whatever ,matter might suffer4 ,as the novelist says1 ,lighting upon a grain of gold or silver betokens that a mine of the precious metal must be in the neighbourhood4 ,it had been otherwise with my first ,expedition3 a forlorn hope1 a miracle of moral audacity2 the heaviest of responsibilities incurred upon the slightest of justifications1 upon the pinch of sand which a tricky and greedy old man might readily have salted4 ,it reminds me of a certain ,philip sober1 who in the morning fainted at the sight of the precipice which he had scaled when ,philip drunk4 ,i look back with amazement upon ,no4 ,i4 ,,note4 ,the second ,khedivial ,expedition to ,midian was composed of the following officers and men4 ,the ,european staff numbered four1 not including the commander1 viz43-- ,m4 ,george ,marie1 of the tat-,major1 ,egyptian army1 an engineer converted into a geologist and mineralogist2 he was under the orders of his ,highness ,prince ,husayn ,pasha4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,charles ,j4 ,clarke1 telegraphic engineer1 ranking as major in ,egypt1 commissariat officer4 ,m4 mile ,lacaze1 of ,cairo1 artist and photographer4 ,m4 ,jean ,philipin1 blacksmith4 ,besides these1 ,mr4 ,david ,duguid1--not related to ,hafed1 ,prince of ,persia1--chief engineer of the gunboat ,mukhbir 7,captain ,mohammed ,srj71 accompanied us part of the way on temporary leave1 and kindly assisted me in observing meteorology and in making collections4 ,the ,egyptian commissioned officers numbered six1 viz43-- ,ahmed ,kaptn ,musallam1 commander in the navy1 and ranking as ,sakulghsi 7major74 ,he had been first officer in the ,sinnr1 and he was sent to make astronomical observations2 but he proved to be a confirmed invalid4 ,of the ,arkn-,harb 7,staff7 were3-- ,lieutenant ,amir ,rushdi1 who had accompanied me before4 ,lieutenant ,yusuf ,taufik4 ,lieutenant ,darwaysh ,ukkb1 of the ,piydah or infantry4 ,he was also a great sufferer on a small scale4 ,sub-,lieutenant ,mohammed ,faraht1 of the ,muhandism 7,engineers71 in charge of the ,laggmgiyyah or ,haggrah 7blasters and quarrymen74 ,he ended by deserting his duty on arrival at ,cairo4 ,the non-commissioned officers1 all ,egyptians1 amounted to seven3-- ,bulk-amn 7writer7 ,mohammed ,sharkwi 7infantry74 ,chawush 7serjeant7 ',atwah ,el-,ashr 7infantry74 ,chawush 7serjeant7 ,mabrk ,awadh 7quarryman72 deserted at ,cairo4 ,onbshi 7corporal7 ,higzi ,ammr 7,staff74 ,onbshi 7corporal7 ,mohammed ,sulaymn 7infantry7 3 also our barber1 and a good man4 ,onbshi 7corporal7 ,mahmu'd ,abd el-,rahmn 7infantry73 ,i had to put him in irons4 ,onbshi 7corporal7 ,ibrhm ,hedb4 ,there were three ,nafar 7privates7 of the ,staff3-- ',ali ',brahim ,ma'danji1 generally known as ,ali ,marie1 from the officer whom he served2 a hard-working man1 over-devoted to his master4 ,i recommended him for promotion4 ,ramazn ,ramazn4 ,hasan ,mohammed4 ,he proved useful1 as he brought with him all the necessary tools for mending saddles4 ,the twenty-five privates of infantry were emancipated negroes1 a few being from the ,sdn2 composed of every tribe1 it was a curious mixture1 good1 bad1 and indifferent4 ,some were slaves who had been given1 in free gift1 by their owners to the ,mr 7,government71 and men never part with a good chattel1 except for a sufficient cause4 ,as will be seen1 many of the names are fancy3-- ,sayyid ,ahmed ,el-,tawl4 ,ysuf ,faragallah 7,faraj-,allah74 ,farag ',ali4 ,sa'd ,hasan ,bsha'4 ,his owner was a ,fellah called ,hasan ,bsh--peasants often give this title as a name to a boy who is born under fortunate circumstances4 ,sa'd was a fat1 jolly fellow1 a ,sidi ,bh from the ,mrm1 or mainland of ,zanzibar1 who had wholly forgotten his ,kisawhl4 ,corporal ,mahmd was punished for keeping him eighteen hours on guard4 ,he was one of the very few to whom ,i gave bakhshsh after returning to ,cairo4 ,sa'd ,el-,sa'id4 ,mirsal ,ginaydi4 ,mabrk ,rizk4 ,abdullah ,mohammed ,zaghl4 ,sa'd ,katab4 ,faragallah ,sharaf el-,dn4 ,farag ,slih4 ,surr ,mustaf4 ,salmat el-,nahhs2 an excellent and intelligent man1 who was attached to the service of ,m4 ,lacaze4 ,he distinguished himself by picking up antiques1 until his weakness1 the ,d el-,faranj1 found him out4 ,farag ,ahmed ,bura'4 ,farag ,mohammed ,amn4 ,mirgn ,sulaymn4 ',abd el-,maul4 ,mohammedayn4 ,mabrk ,hasan ,osmn4 ,khayr ,ramazn1 a large and sturdy negro1 from ,dr-,wadi1 with long cuts down both sides of his face2 a hard-working and intelligent soldier1 who naturally took command of his fellows4 ,i made him an acting corporal1 and on return recommended him for promotion4 ,fadl ',allah ',ali el-,kholi1 a ,shillk1 one of the worst tribes of the ,upper ,nile1 whom it is forbidden to enlist4 ,he began by refusing to obey an order1 he pushed an officer out of his way1 and he struck an ,arab ,shaykh4 ,consequently1 he passed the greater part of the time in durance vile at the fort of ,el-,muwaylah4 ,mirgn ,ysuf2 flogged for insolence to his officer1 ,january #ai4 ,abdullah ,ibrhm4 ,ibrhm ,kattb4 ,mabrk ,mansr ,agwah4 ,the ,boruji 7bugler7 ,mersl ,ab ,duny1 a character who retires for practice to lonely hills and vales4 ,his progress is not equal to his zeal and ambition4 ,the thirty quarrymen were all ,egyptians1 and it would be hard to find a poorer lot2 they never worked1 save under compulsion1 and they stole whatever they could4 ,i examined their packs during the homeward cruise1 and found that many of them had secreted ,government gunpowder3-- ,ahmed ,ashiri4 ,ahmed ,badr4 ,ahmed el-,wakl4 ,omar ,sharkwi4 #e4 ,mustaf ,husayn4 ,ismal el-,wa'4 ,ali ,zalat4 ,ali ',abd el-,rahmn4 ,mustaf ,slim4 #aj4 ',al ,bedawi4 ,hann ,bish'i4 ,hamed ,hanafi4 ,hamed ,wahlah4 ,mustaf ,sa'dni 7died of fever at ,el-,muwaylah74 #ae4 ,mahmu'd ,gum'ah41 ,ab ,zayd ,hass'nah4 ,ismal ,duski4 ,sukk el-,fakh4 ,is el-,dimk4 #bj4 ',ali ,atwadh4 ,mohammed ,sulaymn4 ,ibra'hi'm ',ali ,mohammed4 ',ali ,is4 ,mohammed ',abd el-,zhir4 #be4 ',ali ,wahish4 ,abbsi ,mansr 7a tinman by trade1 but without tools74 ,glt ,ali4 ,usmn mir4 ,alew ,ahmed4 #cj4 ,mohammed ,ajzah4 ,and lastly 7#ca71 the carpenter1 ',ali ,sulaymn2 a knowing dodger1 who brought with him a little stock-in-trade of tobacco1 cigarette-paper1 and similar comforts4 ,there were five soldiers1 or rather matchlock-men1 engaged from the fort-garrison1 ,el-,muwaylah3-- ,husayn ,bayrakdr2 a man who has travelled1 and has become too clever by half4 ,he was equally remarkable as a liar and as a cook4 ,bukhyt ,ahmed1 generally known as ,el-,ahmar from his red coat2 a ,dink slave1 some sixty years old1 and looking forty-five4 ,he was still a savage1 never sleeping save in the open air4 ,bukhayt ,mohammed1 popularly termed ,el-,aswad2 a ,forwi 7,dr-,forian7 and a good man4 ,he was called ,the ,shadow of the ,bey4 ,ahmed ,slih2 a stout fellow1 and the worst of guides4 ,slim ,ysuf4 ,the head of the caravan was the ,sayyid' ,abd el-,rahm1 accountant at the ,fort el-,muwaylah1 of whom ,i have spoken before4 ,he was subsequently recommended by me to his ,highness for the post of ,nzir or commandant4 ,haji ,wali1 my old ,cairene friend1 who lost no time in bolting4 ,there were also generally three ,bedawi ,shaykhs1 who1 by virtue of their office1 received each one dollar 7twenty piastres7 per diem4 ,the servants and camp followers were3-- ,anton ,dimitriadis1 the dragoman2 a ,bakkl or small shopkeeper at ,zagzig1 and a tenant of ,haji ,wali4 ,giorgi 7,jorgos7 ,sifenus1 the cook1 whose main disadvantage was his extreme and ultra-,greek uncleanliness4 ,petro ,giorgiadis1 of ,zante2 a poor devil who has evidently been a waiter in some small ,greek caf which supplies a cup per hour4 ,these three men were a great mistake2 but1 as has been said1 poor health at ,cairo prevented my looking into details4 ,ysuf el-,fazi1 ,dumnji or quartermaster from the ,mukhbir1 acting servant to ,captain ,ahmed1 and a thoroughly good man4 ,he was also recommended for promotion4 ,ahmed1 the ,sas or mule-groom2 another pauvre diable1 rascally withal1 who was flogged for selling the mules' barley to the ,bedawin4 ,he was assisted by the ,corporal 7and barber7 ,mohammed ,sulaymn and by five quarrymen4 ,husayn ,gannah2 a one-eyed little ,fellh1 fourteen years old1 looking ten1 and knowing all that a man of fifty knows4 ,he was body-servant to ,lieutenant ,yusuf4 ,as usual1 the caravan was accompanied by a suttler from ,el-,muwaylah1 one ,hamad1 who sold tobacco1 coffee1 clarified butter1 and so forth4 ,he was chaffed with the saying1 ,hamad fi' bayt ak--,thy house is a pauper4 ,finally1 there were two dogs3 ,juno1 a ,clumber spaniel1 young and inexperienced2 ,pik1 a pariah1 also a pup4 ,besides these two permanents1 various casuals1 the dog ',brahim1 etc41 attached themselves to our camp4 ,chapter ,,ii4 ,the ,start--from ,el-muwaylah to the ,white ,mountain and ',aynah4 ,i landed at ,el-,muwaylah1 described in my last volume1,,en#ah on the auspicious ,wednesday1 ,december #ai1 #ahgg1 under a salute from the gunboat ,mukhbir1 which the fort answered with a rattle and a patter of musketry4 ,all the notables received us1 in line drawn up on the shore1 close to our camp4 ,to the left stood the civilians in tulip-coloured garb2 next were the garrison1 a dozen ,bsh-,buzuks en bourgeois1 and mostly armed with matchlocks2 then came out quarrymen in uniform1 but without weapons2 and1 lastly1 the escort 7twenty-five men7 held the place of honour on the right4 ,the latter gave me a loud ,hip6 hip6 hurrah6 as ,i passed4 ,the tents1 a total of twenty1 including two four-polers for our mess and for the stores1 with several large canvas sheds--pls1 the ,anglo-,indian calls them--gleamed white against the dark-green fronds of the date-grove2 and the magnificent background of the scene was the ,dibbagh block of the ,tiha'mah1 or lowland mountains4 ,the usual palaver at once took place2 during which everything was sweet as honey4 ,after this pleasant prelude came the normal difficulties and disagreeables--it had been reported that ,i was the happy possessor of #bb1jjj mostly to be spent at ,el-,muway,iah4 ,the unsettled ,arabs plunder and slay2 the settled ,arabs slander and cheat4 ,a whole day was spent in inspecting the soldiers and mules2 in despatching a dromedary-post to ,suez with news of our unexpectedly safe arrival1 and in conciliating the claims of rival ,bedawin4 ,his ,highness the ,viceroy had honoured with an order to serve us ,hasan ibn ,salim1 ,shaykh of the ,beni ',ukbah1 a small tribe which will be noticed in a future page4 ,last spring these men had carried part of our caravan to ',aynnah2 and they having no important blood-feuds1 ,i had preferred to employ them4 ,but ',abd el-,nabi1 of the ,tagayt-,huwaytt clan1 had been spoilt by over-kindness during my reconnaissance of #ahgg2 besides1 ,i had given him a bowie-knife without taking a penny in exchange4 ,in my first volume he appears as a noble savage1 with a mixture of the gentleman2 here he becomes a mere ,fellah-,bedawi4 ,the claimants met with the usual ceremony2 right hands placed on the opposite left breasts--this is not done when there is bad blood--foreheads touching1 and the word of peace1 ,salm1 ceremoniously ejaculated by both mouths4 ,then came the screaming voices1 the high words1 and the gestures1 which looked as if the ,kurbj 7whip7 were being administered4 ,the ,huwayti stubbornly refused to march with the other tribe1 whom1 moreover1 he grossly insulted3 he professed perfect readiness to carry me and mine gratis1 the while driving the hardest bargain2 he spoke of our land1 when the country belongs to the ,khediv2 he openly denied his allegiance2 he was convicted of saying1 ,if these ,christians find gold1 there will be much trouble 7fitneh7 to us ,moslems2 and at a subsequent time he went so far as to abuse an officer4 ,i had ,shaykh'd him 7,shayyakht-uh71 that is1 promoted him in rank1 said the ,sayyid ',abd el-,rahm2 and the honour had completely changed his manners4 ,nasaggharhu 7,we will small him71 was my reply4 ,the only remedy1 in fact1 was to undo what had been done2 to cut down1 as ,easterns say1 the tree which ,i had planted4 ,so he was solemnly and conspicuously disrated2 the fee1 one dollar per diem1 allotted as travelling and escort-allowance to the chiefs1 was publicly taken from him1 and he at once subsided into an ignoble ,walad 7lad71 under the lead of his uncle1 ,shaykh ',alyan ibn ,rab4 ,the latter is a man of substance1 who can collect at least two thousand camels4 ,though much given to sulking1 on the whole1 he behaved so well that1 the ,expedition ended1 ,i recommended him to his ,highness the ,viceroy for appointment to the chieftainship of his tribe1 and the usual yearly subsidy4 ,with him was associated his cousin1 ,shaykh ,furayj1 an excellent man1 of whom ,i shall have much to say2 and thus we had to fee three ,bedawi chiefs1 including ,hasan4 ,the latter was a notable intriguer and mischief-maker1 ever breeding bad blood2 and his termper was rather violent than sullen4 ,when insulted by a soldier1 he would rush off for his gun1 ostentatiously light the match1 walk about for an hour or two threatening to shyute1 and then apparently forget the whole matter4 ,all wanted to let their camels by the day1 whereas the custom of ,arabia is to bargain for the march4 ,thus1 the pilgrims pay one dollar per stage of twelve hours2 and the post-dromedary demands the same sum1 besides subsistence-money and bakhshi'sh4 ,but our long and frequent halts rendered this proceeding unfair to the ,bedawin4 ,i began by offering seven piastres tariff1 and ended by agreeing to pay five per diem while in camp1 and ten when on the road4,,en#ai ,of course1 it was too much2 but our supply of money was ample1 and the ,viceroy had desired me to be liberal4 ,in the ,nile valley1 where the price of a camel is some #bj1 the average daily hire would be one dollar3 on the other hand1 the animal carries1 during short marches1 #gjj lbs4 ,the ,american officers in ,upper ,egypt reduced to #cjj lbs4 the #ejj lbs4 heaped on by the ,sdni merchants4 ,in ,india we consider #djj lbs4 a fair load2 and the ,midianite objects to anything beyond #bjj lbs4 ,i have no intention of troubling the reader with a detailed account of our three first stages from ,el-,muwaylah to the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 or ,white ,mountain4,,en#bj ,on ,december #bast1 leaving camp with the most disorderly of caravans--#ajf camels instead of #hj1 dromedaries not included--we marched to the mouth of the ,wady ,tiryam1 where we arrived before our luggage and provisions1 lacking even ,adam's ale4 ,the ,shaykhs took all the water which could be found in the palm-boothies near the shore1 and drank coffee behind a bush4 ,this sufficed to give me the measure of these wall-jumpers4 ,early next morning ,i set the quarrymen to work1 with pick and basket1 at the north-western angle of the old fort4 ,the latter shows above ground only the normal skeleton-tracery of coralline rock1 crowning the gentle sand-swell1 which defines the lip and jaw of the ,wady2 and defending the townlet built on the northern slope and plain4 ,the dimensions of the work are fifty-five mtres each way4 ,the curtains1 except the western1 where stood the ,bb el-,bahr 7,sea gate71 were supported by one central as well as by angular bastions2 the northern face had a cant of #cb degrees east 7mag472 and the northwestern tower was distant from the sea seventy-two me'tres1 whereas the south-western numbered only sixty4 ,the spade showed a substratum of thick old wall1 untrimmed granite1 and other hard materials4 ,further down were various shells1 especially bnitiers 7 ,tridacna gigantea7 the harp 7here called ,sirinbz71 and the pearl-oyster2 sheep-bones and palm charcoal2 pottery admirably cooked1 as the ,bedawin remarked2 and glass of surprising thinness1 iridized by damp to rainbow hues4 ,this1 possibly the remains of lachrymatories1 was very different from the modern bottle-green1 which resembles the old ,roman4 ,lastly1 appeared a ring-bezel of lapis lazuli2 unfortunately the royal gem1 of ,epiphanus was without inscription4 ,whilst we were digging1 the two staff-officers rode to the date-groves of ,wady ,tiryam1 and made a plan of the ancient defences--the results of the first ,khedivial ,expedition had either not been deposited at1 or had been lost in1 the ,staff bureau1 ,cairo4 ,they found that the late torrents had filled up the sand pits acting as wells2 and the people assured them that the ,fiumara had ceased to show perennial water only about five or six years ago4 ,the second march was disorderly as the first3 it reminded me of driving a train of unbroken mules over the ,prairies2 the men were as wild and unmanageable as their beasts4 ,it was every one's object to get the maximum of money for the minimum of work4 ,the escort took especial care to see that all their belongings were loaded before ours were touched4 ,each load was felt1 and each box was hand-weighed before being accepted3 the heaviest1 rejected by the rich1 were invariably left to the poorest and the lowest clansmen with the weakest and leanest of animals4 ,all at first especially objected to the excellent boxes--a great comfort--made for the ,expedition,,en#ba at the ,citadel1 ,cairo2 but they ended with bestowing their hatred upon the planks1 the tables1 and the long tent-poles4 ,as a rule1 after the fellows had protested that their camels were weighted down to the earth1 we passed them on the march comfortably riding--for the ',orbn can't walk4 ,and no wonder4 ,at the halting-place they unbag a little barley and wheat-meal1 make dough1 thrust it into the fire1 break bread1 and wash it down with a few drops of dirty water4 ,this copious refection ends in a thimbleful of thick1 black coffee and a pipe4 ,at home they have milk and ,gh 7clarified butter7 in plenty during the season1 game at times1 and1 on extraordinary occasions1 a goat or a sheep1 which1 however1 are usually kept for buying corn in ,egypt4 ,but it is a caution to see them feed alle spalle altrui4 ,nothing shabbier than the pack-saddles2 nothing more rotten than the ropes4 ,as these ,desert ships must weigh about half the sturdy animals of ,syria and the ,egyptian ,delta1 future expeditions will1 perhaps1 do well to march their carriage round by ,el-',akabah4 ,the people declare that the experiment has been tried1 but that the civilized animal sickens and dies in these barrens2 they forget1 however1 the two pilgrim-caravans4 ,at this season the beasts are half-starved4 ,their kitchen is a meagre ration of bruised beans1 and their daily bread consists of the dry leaves of thorn trees1 beaten down by the ,makhbat1 a flail-like staff1 and caught in a large circle of matting 7,el-,khasaf74 ,in ,sinai the vegetation fares even worse3 the branches are rudely lopped off to feed the flocks2 only holy trees escape this mutilation4 ,with the greatest difficulty we prevented the ,arabs tethering their property all night close to our tents3 either the brutes were cold2 or they wanted to browse or to meet a friend3 every movement was punished with a wringing of the halter1 and the result may be imagined4 ,we slept that night at ,wady ,sharm4 ,of this ruined town a plan was made for ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 by ,lieutenant ,amir1 who alone is answerable for its correctness4 ,we afterwards found layers of ashes1 slag1 and signs of metal-working to the north-east of the enceinte1 where the furnace probably stood4 ,the outline measures #aijf metres1 not several kilometres2 and desultory digging yielded nothing but charcoal1 cinders1 and broken pottery4 ,it was not before nine a4m4 on the next day that ,i could mount my old white1 stumbling1 starting mule2 the delay being caused by ,m4 ,marie's small discovery1 which will afterwards be noticed4 ,we crossed both branches of the ,sharm water2 and1 ascending the long sand-slope of the right bank1 we again passed the ,bedawi cemetery4 ,i sent ,lieutenants ,amir and ,yusuf to prospect certain stone-heaps which lay seawards of the graves2 and they found a little heptangular demi-lune1 concave to the north2 the curtains varying from a minimum length of ten to a maximum of eighty me'tres1 and the thickness averaging two metres1 seventy-five centimetres4 ,it was possibly intended1 like those above ,wady ,tiryam1 to defend the western approach2 and1 superficially viewed1 it looks like a line of stones heaped up over the dead1 with that fine bird's-eye view of the valley which the ,bedawi loves for his last sleeping-place4 ,thence we passed through the dry ,bb 7sea gap71 cut by a torrent in the regular line of the coralline cliff1 the opening of the ,wady ,mellh1 off which lay our ,sambk4 ,marching up the ,wady ,maka'dah1 our experienced eyes detected many small outcrops of quartz1 formerly unobserved1 in the sole and on the banks4 ,the granite hills1 here as throughout ,midian1 were veined and dyked with two different classes of plutonic rock4 ,the red and pink are felsites or fine-grained porphyries2 the black and bottle-green are the coarse-grained varieties1 easily disintegrating1 and forming hollows ,illustration with caption3 ,fortification on the cliff commanding the right bank of ,wady ,sharma'4 in the harder granite4 ,the ride was made charming by the frontage of picturesque ,jebel ',urnub1 with its perpendicular ,pinnacles upon rock-sheets dropping clear a thousand feet2 its jutting bluffs2 its three huge flying ,buttresses1 that seemed to support the mighty wall-crest2 and its many spits and organs1 some capped with finials that assume the aspect of logan-stones4 ,there was no want of animal life1 and the yellow locusts were abroad2 one had been seized by a little lizard which showed all the violent muscular action of the crocodile4 ,there were small long-eared hares1 suggesting the leporide2 sign of gazelles appeared2 and the ,bedawin spoke of wolves and hyenas1 foxes and jackals4 ,we camped upon the old ground to the southwest of the ,jebel el-,abyaz2 and at the halt our troubles forthwith began4 ,the water1 represented to be near1 is nowhere nearer than a two hours' march for camels2 and it is mostly derived from rain-puddles in the great range of mountains which subtends maritime ,midian4 ,but this was our own discovery4 ,the half-,fellah ,bedawin1 like the shepherds1 their predecessors1 in the days of ,abimelech and ,jethro1 are ever chary of their treasure2 the only object being extra camel-hire4 ,after eating your salt1 a rite whose significance1 by-the-by1 is wholly ignored throughout ,midian and its neighbourhood1 they will administer under your eyes a silencing nudge to an over-communicative friend4 ',the very children that drive the sheep and goats instinctively deny all knowledge of the ,themil 7pits7 and holes acting as wells4 ,at the head of the ,wady el-,maka'dah we halted six days 7,december #bd--cj72 this delay gave us time to correct the misapprehensions of our flying visit4 ,the height of the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 whose colour makes it conspicuous even from the offing when sailing along the coast1 was found to be #cej 7not #fjj7 feet above the plain4 ,the ,grand ,filon1 which a mauvais plaisant of a reviewer called the ,grand ,filou1 forms a nick near the hill-top1 but does not bifurcate in the interior4 ,the fork is of heavy greenish porphyritic trap1 also probably titaniferous iron1 with a trace of silver1,,en#bb where it meets the quartz and the granite4 ,standing upon the old man with which we had marked the top1 ,i counted five several dykes or outcrops to the east 7inland71 and one to the west1 cutting the prism from north to south2 the superficial matter of these injections showed concentric circles like ropy lava4 ,the shape of the block is a saddleback1 and the lay is west-east1 curving round to the south4 ,the formation is of the coarse grey granite general throughout the ,province1 and it is dyked and sliced by quartz veins of the amorphous type1 crystals being everywhere rare in ,midian 787 ,the filons and filets1 varying in thickness from eight metres to a few lines1 are so numerous that the whole surface appears to be quartz tarnished by atmospheric corrosion to a dull1 pale-grey yellow2 while the fracture1 sharp and cutting as glass or obsidian1 is dazzling and milk-white1 except where spotted with pyrites--copper or iron4 ,the neptunian quartz1 again1 has everywhere been cut by plutonic injections of porphyritic trap1 veins averaging perhaps two metres1 with a north-south strike1 and a dip of #ge degrees 7mag47 west4 ,if the capping were removed1 the sub-surface would1 doubtless1 bear the semblance of a honeycomb4 ,the ,jebel el-,abyaz is apparently the centre of the quartzose outcrop in ,north ,midian 7,madyan ,proper74 ,we judged that it had been a little worked by the ancients1 from the rents in the reef that outcrops1 like a castle-wall1 on the northern and eastern flanks4 ,there are still traces of roads or paths2 while heaps1 strews1 and scatters of stone1 handbroken and not showing the natural fracture1 whiten like snow the lower slopes of the western hill base4 ,they contrast curiously with the hard felspathic stones and the lithographic calcaires bearing the moss-like impress of metallic dendrites2 these occur in many parts near the seaboard1 and we found them in ,southern as well as in ,northern ,midian4 ,the conspicuous hill is one of four mamelons thus disposed in bird's-eye view2 the dotted line shows the supposed direction of the lode in the ,jibl el-,bayz1 the collective name4 ,on the plain to the north of the ,jebel el-,abyaz also1 ,i found curdles of porphyritic trap1 and parallel trap-dykes1 cutting the courses of large-grained grey granite3 as many as three outcrops of the former appeared within fourteen yards4 ,this convinced me that the whole of the solid square1 thirty kilometres 7six by five71 where the quartz emerges1 is underlaid by veins and veinlets of the same rock4 ,moreover1 ,i then suspected1 and afterwards ascertained1 that the quartz of the ,jibl el-,bayz1 as the ,bedawin call this section1 is not a local peculiarity4 ,it everywhere bursts1 not only the plain between the sea and the coast-range1 but the two parallels of mountain which confine it on the east4 ,in fact1 throughout our northern march the ,arabs1 understanding that its object was ,mar1 the generic name for quartz1,,en#bc brought us loads of specimens from every direction4 ,nothing is easier than to work the purely superficial part4 ,a few barrels of gunpowder and half a dozen ,english miners1 with pick and crowbar1 suffice4 ,even our dawdling1 feckless quarrymen easily broke and spelled for camel loading some six tons in one day4 ,our short se'nnight was not wasted2 yet ,i had an uncomfortable feeling that the complication of the country called for an exploration of months and not hours4 ,every day some novelty appeared4 ,the watercourses of the ,ghts or coast-range were streaked with a heavy1 metallic1 quartzose black sand which ,m4 ,marie vainly attempted to analyze4 ,we afterwards found it in almost every ,wady1 and running north as far as ,el-',akabah2 whilst1 with few exceptions1 all our washings of red earth1 chloritic sand1 and bruised stone1 yielded it and it only4 ,it is apparently the produce of granite and syenite1 and it abounds in ,african ,egypt4 ,i was in hopes that tungsten and titaniferous iron would make it valuable for cutlery as the black sand of ,new ,zealand4 ,experiments in the ,citadel1 ,cairo1 produced nothing save magnetic iron with a trace of lead4 ,but according to ,colonel ,ross1 the learned author of ,pyrology1 or ,fire ,chemistry1,,en#bd it is iserine or magnetic ilmenite1 titaniferous iron-sand1 containing eighty-eight per cent4 of iron 7oxides and sesquioxides71 with eleven per cent4 of titanic acid4 ,the ,arabs brought in fine specimens of hematite and of copper ore from ,wady ,gharr or ,ghurr1 six miles to the south of camp4 ,here were found two water-pits in a well-defined valley2 the nearer some ten miles south-west of the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 the other about two miles further to the north-west2 making a total of twelve4 ,about the latter there was1 however1 no level ground for tents4 ,a mile and a half walking almost due north led to a veinlet of copper #cj metres long by #j4cj thick1 with an east-west strike1 and a dip of #de degrees south4 ,this metal was also found in the hills to the south4 ,crystalline pyroxene and crystallized sulphates of lime apparently abound1 while the same is the case with carbonate of manganese1 and other forms of the metal so common in ,western ,sinai4 ,briefly1 our engineer came to the conclusion that we were in the very heart of a mining region4 ,we made a general reconnaisance 7,december #bgth7 of a place whence specimens of pavonine quartz had come to hand4 ,following the ,wady ',ifriy round the north and east of the ,white ,mountain1 we fell into the ,wady ,simkh 7of ,wild ,sumach71 that drains the great gap between the ,pinnacles and the ,buttresses of the ',urnub-,tihmah section4 ,after riding some two miles1 we found to the south-east fragments of dark1 iridescent1 and metallic quartz3 they emerge from the plain like walls1 bearing north-south1 with #cf degrees of westing and a westward dip of #ae degrees to #bj degrees--exactly the conditions which ,australia seeks1 and which produced the huge ,welcome ,nugget of ,ballarat4 ,they crop out of the normal trap-dyked grey granite1 and select specimens show the fine panach lustre of copper4 ,m4 ,marie afterwards took from one of the geodes a pinch of powder weighing about half a gramme1 and cupelled a bright dust-shot bead weighing not less than two centigrammes4 ,without further examination he determined it to be argentiferous1 when it was possibly iron or antimony4 ,on the other hand1 the silver discovered in the ,grand ,filon by so careful and conscientious an observer as ,gastinel ,bey1 and the fact that we are here on the same line of outcrop1 and at a horizon three hundred feet lower1 are reassuring4 ,this vein1 which may be of great length and puissance1 ,i took the liberty of calling the ,filon ,husayn1 from the prince who had so greatly favoured the ,expedition4 ,here we had hit upon the ,negros1,,en#be or coloured quartzose formations of ,mexico1 in which silver appears as a sulphure2 and we may expect to find the ,colorado1 or argillaceous1 that produces the noble metal in the forms of chlorure1 bromure1 and iodure4 ,the former appears everywhere in ,midian1 but our specimens are all superficial1 taken ciel ouvert4 ,to ascertain the real value and the extent of the deposits required exposure of the veins at a horizon far lower than our means and appliances allowed us to reach4 ,if the rock prove argentiferous ,i should hope to strike virgin silver in the capillary or aborescent shape below4 ,above it1 as on the summit of the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 and generally in the ,mar hills and hillocks of ,north ,midian1 the dull white quartz is comparatively barren2 showing specks of copper2 crystals of pyrites1 the crow-gold of the old ,english miner1 and dark dots of various metals which still await analysis4 ,thus1 ,i would divide the metalliferous quartzes of this ,north-,midianite region into two chief kinds3 those stained green and light blue1 whose chief metallic element is copper1 with its derivatives2 and the iridescent ,negro1 which may shelter the ,colorado4 ,in ,south ,midian the varieties of quartz are incomparably more numerous1 and almost every march shows a new colour or constitution4 ,about the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 as in many mining countries1 water is a serious difficulty4 ,the principal deposit lies some three miles east of the camping ground in a ,nakb or gorge1 ,el-,asaybah1 offsetting from the great ,fiumara1 ,el-,simkh2 and apparently it is only a rain-pool4 ,throughout ,midian1 ,i may say1 men still fetch water out of the rock4 ,m4 ,philipin1 whilst pottering about this place1 saw two ,beden 7ibex7 with their young1 which suggests a permanent supply of drink4,,en#bf ,however that may be1 ,norton's ,abyssinian pumps1 for which ,i had vainly applied at ,cairo1 would doubtless discover the prime necessary in the ,wadys1 many of the latter being still damp and muddy4 ,moreover1 the crible continue grilles filtrantes1 the invention of ,,mm4 ,huet and ,geyler1 introduced1 we are told1 into the mechanical treatment of metals1 a principle which greatly economizes fluid4 ,founded upon the fact that sands of nearly the same size1 but of different densities1 when mixed in liquid and subjected to rapid vertical oscillation1 range themselves by order of weight1 the heavier sinking and not allowing passage to lighter matter1 the new sieve offers the advantages of a single and simple instrument1 with increased facility for treating poor dirt4 ,finally1 as ,i shall show1 the country is prepared by nature to receive a tramway2 and the distance to the sea does not exceed fourteen miles1 liberally computed4,,en#bg ,either the rain-water affected the health of the party1 or it suffered from the excessive dryness and variations of the atmosphere1 eight to nine hundred feet above sea-level 7aner4 #bi4aj71 ranging in the tents between #ib degrees by day and #de degrees at night1 a piercing1 killing temperature in the ,desert4 ,moreover1 the cold weather is mostly the unwholesome season in hot lands1 and vice vers3 hence the ,arab proverb1 ,harrat el-,jebel1 wa l ,bard-h 7,the heat of the hills and not their cold74 ,old ,haji ,wali lost his appetite1 complained of indigestion1 and clamoured to return home2 ,ahmed ,kaptn suffered from ,sulb 7lumbago7 and bad headache2 whilst ,lieutenant ,yusuf was attacked by an ague and fever1 which raised the mouth thermometer to #ajb degrees--#ajc degrees1 calling loudly for aconite4 ,these ailments affected the party more or less the whole way1 but it was not pleasant to see them begin so soon4 ,when our work of collecting specimens--three tons from the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 and three from the ,filon ,husayn--was finished1 ,i resolved upon returning to the coast and treating our loads at the ,sharm water4 ,we reached the valley mouth on ,december #cjth1 and we greatly enjoyed the change from the harshness of the inland to the mildness of the seaboard air4 ,we stayed at ,sharm1 much disliking its remarkably monotonous aspect1 for another week1 till ,january #g1 #ahgh4 ,yule1 the wheel1 despite the glorious tree-logs and roaring fires1 had been a failure at the ,white ,mountain4 ,the ,dragoman had killed our last turkey1 and had forgotten to bring the plum-pudding from ,el-,muwaylah3 there was champagne1 but that is not the stuff wherewithal to wash down tough mutton4 ,new ,year's ,day1 on the other hand1 had all the honours4 ,its birth was greeted with a flow of whisky-punch1 wherein wine had taken the place of water2 and we drank the health of his ,highness1 the ,founder of the ,expedition1 in a bottle of dry ,mumm4 ,the evening ended with music and dancing1 by way of praying the ,old ,year out and the ,new ,year in4 ,mersl1 the ,boruji1 performed a wild solo on his bugle2 and another negro1 ,ahmed el-,shinnwi1 played with the ,ni or reed-pipe one of those monotonous and charming minor-key airs--,i call them so for want of a word to express them--which extend from ,midian to ,trafalgar1 and which find their ultimate expression in the lovely ,iberian ,zarzuela4,,en#bh ,the boy ,husayn ,gennah1 a small cyclops in a brown felt calotte and a huge military overcoat cut short1 caused roars of laughter by his ultra-,gaditanian style of dancing4 ,i have also reason to suspect that a jig and a breakdown tested the solidity of the plank table1 while a ,jew's harp represented ,europe4 ,in fact1 throughout the journey1 reminiscences of ,mabille and the ,music ,halls contrasted strongly with the memories of majestic and mysterious ,midian4 ,and1 to make the shock more violent1 some friend1 mal salsus1 sent me copies of the cosmopolitan ,spectator and the courteous ,mayfair1 which at once became waste paper for ,bedawi cartridges4 ,our ,rosh h ,shanah 7,new ,year's ,day7 was further distinguished by the discovery of a vein and outcrop of metalliferous quartz1 about half an hour's walk1 and bearing nearly east 7#hj degrees mag47 from camp4 ,we followed the ,wady ,sharm1 and found above its gate the masonry-foundation of a square work2 near it lay the graves of the ,wild ,men1 one with the normal awning of palm-fronds honoris caus4 ,there were signs of stone-quarrying1 and at one place a road had been cut in the rock4 ,leaving on the north the left side of the watercourse1 with its rushes 7,scirpus71 and huge-headed reeds 7,arundo donax71 its dates and ,daums--the two latter often scorched and killed by the careless ,bedawi--we struck into a parallel formation1 the ,wady el ,wuday1 bone-dry and much trodden by camels4 ,arrived at the spot1 we found that the confused masses of hill subtending the regular cliff-line of the old coast1 are composed of grey granite1 seamed with snowy quartz1 and cut by the usual bands of bottle-coloured porphyritic trap1 which here and there becomes red4 ,some of the heights are of greenish-yellow chloritic felspar1 well adapted for brick-making4 ,the surface of the land is scattered with fragments of white silex and fine red jasper1 banded with black oligistic iron3 this rock1 close1 hard1 and fine enough to bear cutting1 appears everywhere in scatters and amongst the conglomerates4 ,only one fossil was picked up1 a mould so broken as to be quite useless4 ,we also followed out ,m4 ,marie's find1 to which he had been guided by a patch of red matter1 conspicuous on the road from ,tiryam to ,sharm4 ,for forty minutes we skirted the seaward face of the old cliff1 a line broken by many deep water-gashes and buttressed by ,goz1 or high heaps of loose white sand4 ,we then turned eastwards or inland1 ascended a ,nakb 7gorge71 and saw1 as before1 the corallines and carbonates of lime altered1 fused1 scorified1 and blackened by heated injections2 the grey granite scored with quartz veins1 running in all rhumbs2 and the porphyritic trap forming crests that projected from the sands4 ,the cupriferous stone struck east-west1 with a dip to the south2 the outcrops1 visible without digging1 measured fifteen to twenty metres long1 by one to one and a half in breadth4 ,new ,year's ,day also restored to us the pup ,pij4 ,when quite a babe1 it had walked up to me in the streets of ,cairo1 evidently claimed acquaintanceship1 and straightway followed me into ,shepheard's1 where2 having a certain sneaking belief in metempsychosis1 ,i provided it with bed and board4 ,during our third march to the ,white ,mountain1 being given to violent yelps1 which startled both mules and camels1 the small thing had been left to walk1 and had apparently made friends with an ,arab goatherd4 ,after nine days' absence without leave1 ,pij reappeared1 with dirty rags tied round its bony back and wasted waist1 showing an admirable skeleton1 and making the most frantic demonstrations of joy4 ,the loss of the poor little brute had affected all our spirits3 we thought that the hyenas and the ravens had seen the last of it2 and it received a warm welcome home4 ,m4 ,lacaze1 unlike the rest1 took a violent fancy for the ,wady ,sharm3 the water-scenery enchanted him4 ,his sketches were almost confined to the palm-growth1 and to the greenery so unexpected in arid ,midian1 where1 according to the old and exploded opinion1 ,moses wrote the ,book of ,job4 ,the idea of ,arabia is certainly not associated with flowing rills1 and waving trees1 and rustling zephyrs4 ,every morning ,i used to awake surprised by the song of the ,naiad1 the little runnel whimpling down its bed of rushes1 stone1 and sand2 and the response of the palms making music in the land-breeze4 ,finally1 on ,new ,year's ,day1 ,lieutenant ,amir1 guided by ,shaykh ,furayj1 and escorted by soldiers and miners1 made a three days' trip to the ,wady ',urnub4 ,there he surveyed a large isolated ,mar1 or quartz-hill1 some twenty-two to twenty-five direct miles south-east of the main outcrop2 thus giving a considerable extent to the northern mining-focus4 ,this feature is described as being four or five times larger than the ,jebel el-,abyaz 7proper72 and the specimens of quartz and grey granite proved it to be of the same formation4 ,it showed a broken outline1 with four great steps or dykes1 which had apparently been worked4 ,in the basal valleys1 and spread over the land generally1 was found a heavy yellow sand1 calcareous and full of silex3 the guide called it ,awwal ,hism 7the ,hism frontier74 ,our travellers returned by a parallel line1 southerly and more direct4 ,in the ,wady ',urnub1 the ,ma'zah of the ,salmt clan received them with apparent kindness1 inwardly grumbling the while at their land being spied out2 and they especially welcomed ,furayj1 who1 being a brave soldier1 is also noted as a peacemaker4 ,all the men were armed1 and wore the same dress as the ,huwaytt2 like these1 they also breed camels and asses--that is1 they are not cow-,arabs4 ,certain travellers on the ,upper ,nile have distributed the ,bedawin into these two groups2 add horse-,arabs and ass-,arabs1 and you have all the divisions of the race as connected with the so-called lower animals4 ,about three hours 7 eleven miles7 from ,sharm camp1 some pyramids of sand were pointed out in the ,wady ,rtiyah3 the ,bedawin call one of them the ,goz et-,hannn 7,moaning ,sand-heap74 ,they declare that when the ,hajj-caravan passes1 or rather used to pass1 by that way1 before the early sixteenth century1 when ,sultn ,selim laid out his maritime high-road1 a ,naubah 7orchestra7 was wont to sound within its bowels4 ,this tale1 which1 by-the-by1 is told of two other places in ,midian1 may have been suggested by the ,jebel el-,nks 7,bell ,mountain7 in ,sinai-land2 but as the ,arabs perform visitation and sacrifice to the ,moaning-heap1 the superstition probably dates from ancient days4 ,ruins are also reported to exist in the ,jebel ,fa's1 the southern boundary of the ',urnub valley2 and1 further south1 in the ,jebel el-,harb1 ,i was told by some one whose name has escaped me1 of a dolmen mounted upon three supports4 ,lieutenant ,amir also brought copper ore from the ,wady ',urnub1 and from the ,ras ,wady el-,mukhbir specimens of a metal which the ,arabs use as a kohl or collyrium4 ,it proved1 however1 iron1 not antimony2 and the same mistake has been made in the ,sinaitic ,peninsula4 ,at ,wady ,sharm we rigged up1 under the superintendence of ,m4 ,philipin1 a trough and a cradle for washing the black sands1 the pounded quartz of the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 and the red sands2 these latter had shown a trace of silver 7#a_/ajjjj7 to the first ,expedition4 ,we mixed it with mercury and amalgamed it in goatskins2 the men moved them to and fro2 but1 of course1 the water evaporated1 and the mass speedily became dry4 ,the upper or superficial white yielded only1 as far as our engineer could judge1 a little copper and bright knobs of pyrites4 ,the ,negros1 or iridized formations1 of the ,filon ,husayn on a lower horizon1 gave the dubious result already alluded to4 ,all the experiments were conducted in the rudest way4 ,of course1 a quantity of metal may have escaped notice2 and a fair proportion of the powdered stone was reserved for scientific treatment in ,europe4 ,during our first trip we had found1 upon the right jaw of the ,wady ,sharm1 a ruined village of workmen1 probably slaves1 whose bothans measured some twelve feet by eight4 ,they differ from the ,nawmis1 or mosquito-huts1 as the word is generally translated1 only in shape--the latter are circular1 with a diameter of ten feet--and they perfectly resemble the small stone hovels in the ,wady ,mukattab1 which ,professor ,palmer 7,desert of the ,exodus1 p4 #bjb7 supposes to have been occupied by the captive miners and their military guardians4 ,this time we ascended the coralline ridge which forms the left jamb4 ,at its foot a rounded and half degraded dorsum of stiff gravel1 the nucleus of its former self1 showed a segment of foundation-wall1 and the state of the stone suggested the action of fire4 ,possibly here had been a furnace4 ,the summit also bears signs of human occupation4 ,the southern part of the buttress-crest still supports a double concentric circle with a maximum diameter of about fifteen feet2 the outside is of earth1 apparently thrown up for a rampart behind a moat1 and the inside is of rough stones4 ,going south along the dorsum1 we found remains of oval foundations2 a trench apparently cut in the rock1 pottery often an inch and more thick1 and broken handmills made of the ,new ,red ,sandstone of the ,hism4 ,finally1 at the northernmost point1 where the cliff-edge falls abruptly1 with a natural arch1 towards the swamp1 about one kilometre broad at the ,bb1 we came upon another circle of rough stones4 ,we were doubtful whether these rude remains were habitations or old graves2 nor was the difficulty solved by digging into four of them3 the pick at once came upon the ground-rock4 ,hitherto these ruins have proved remarkably sterile2 the only products were potsherds1 fragments of hand-mills1 and a fine lump of white marble 7,rukhm71 supposed to come from the ,jebel el-,lauz4 ,amongst our followers was a ,kzi of the ,arabs1 one ,jabr bin ',abd el-,nabi1 who is a manner of judge in civil1 but not in criminal matters4 ,before the suit begins the plaintiff1 or his surety1 deposits a certain sum in coin1 corn1 or other valuables1 and lays his damages at so much4 ,the defendant1 if inclined to contest the claim1 pays into court the disputed amount1 and the question is settled after the traditional and immemorial customs of the tribe4 ,this man1 covetous as any other disciple of ,justinian1 was exceedingly anxious to obtain the honorarium of a ,shaykh1 and he worked hard to deserve it4 ,shortly before our departure from ,sharm1 he brought in some scoriae and slag1 broken and streaked with copper--in fact1 ekvolades4 ,they are thinly scattered over the seaward slope of the left jaw1 where the stone nowhere shows a trace of the mineral in situ4 ,as1 however1 the ,expedition had found native copper in three places1 more or less near the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 it was decided that the ore had been brought from the interior4 ,we were again much puzzled concerning the form of industry which gave rise to such a large establishment as ,sharm4 ,agriculture was suggested and rejected2 and we finally resolved that it was a branch-town that supplied ore to the great smelting-place and workshop of the coast1 ',aynnah1 and possibly carbonate of lime to serve for flux4 ,the distance along the winding ,wady1 between the settlement and the sea westward1 where the watercourse ends in sand-heaps1 is seven to eight miles1 and the coast shows no sign of harbour or of houses4 ,about three miles1 however1 to the northwest is the admirable ,bay of ',aynu'nah1 unknown to the charts4 ,defended on both sides by sandspits1 and open only between the west and the north-west1 where reefs and shoals allow but a narrow passage1 its breadth across the mouth from east to west measures at least five thousand metres1 and the length inland1 useful for refuge1 is at least three thousand4 ,at the bottom of this noble ,lmn1 the ,kolpos so scandalously abused by the ancients1 are three sandy buttresses metalled with water rolled stones1 and showing traces of graves4 ,possibly here may have been the site of an ancient settlement4 ,the ,arabs call the southern anchorage1 marked by a post and a pit of brackish water1 ,el-,musaybah or ,musaybat ,sharm4 ,its only present use seems to be embarking bundles of rushes for mat-making in ,egypt4 ,the north-eastern end of the little gulf is the ,gd 7,jd71 or ,mers of ,el-,khuraybah1 before described as the port of ',aynu'nah4 ,at the ,musaybah ,i stationed our tender1 the ,sambk ,el-,musahhil1 which carried our heavy goods1 specimens by the ton2 rations and stores2 forge1 planks1 and crowbars4 ,the sailors lost no time in showing their rapacity4 ,every day they dunned us for tobacco2 and when we made a counter-demand for the excellent fish which was caught in shoals1 they simply asked1 ,what will you pay for it8 ,i imprudently left my keg of specimen-spirits on board this ignoble craft1 and the consequence was that it speedily became bone-dry4 ,the ,musaybah bight is a direct continuation of the ,wady el-,mellh1 which1 joining that of ,el-,maka'dah1 runs straight up to the ,jebel el-,abyaz and to the ,filon ,husayn4 ,these metalliferous quartzes cannot be further from the coast than a maximum distance of fourteen miles1 and the broad1 smooth watercourse1 with its easy gradients1 points it out as the site of the future tramway4 ,i should prefer a simpler form of the ,pioneer ,steam ,caravan or ,saddleback-,railway ,system1 patented by ,mr ,john ,l4 ,haddan1 ,c4,e41 formerly of ,damascus4,,en#bi ,he recommends iron as the best material for the construction2 and the cost1 delivered at ,alexandria1 would not exceed #abjj1 instead of #cjjj to #bj1jjj per kilometre1 including the rolling stock4 ,as the distance from the port is nothing1 #cjj per kilometre would be amply sufficient for fixing up2 but ,i should reduce the price to #ejj for the transport of some #ej tons per diem4 ,by proper management of the rails or the main rail1 it would be easy for trained camels to draw the train up the ,wady2 and the natural slope towards the sea would give work only to the brake where derailments are not possible4 ,at ,sharm we saw the crescent1 when the ,englishmen turned their money in their pockets1 and the ,egyptian offficers muttered a blessing upon the coming moon4 ,every day we waxed more weary of the place2 possibly the memories of the first visit were not pleasant4 ,many in camp still suffered2 and an old ,bedawi1 uncle to ,shaykh ',alayan1 died and was buried at ',aynnah4 ,the number of servants also made us uncomfortable4 ,the head ,dragoman1 whose memory was confined to his carnet1 forgot everything2 and1 had we trusted to him1 half the supplies would have returned to ,suez1 probably for the benefit of his own shop at ,zagzig4 ,i soon found his true use1 and always left him behind as magazine-man1 storekeeper1 and guardian of reserve provisions4 ,he was also a dangerous1 mischief-making fellow2 and such men always find willing ears that ought to know better4 ,petros1 the ,zante man1 was the model of a tipotenios 7an anybody71 who seemed to have been born limp1 without bones or brains4 ,he was sent back as soon as possible to ,cairo4 ,the worst point of these worthies was1 that they prevented1 for their own reasons1 the natives working for us2 while they preferred eternal chatter and squabbles to working themselves4 ,so the ,greek element was reduced to ,george the cook1 a short1 squat1 unwashed fellow1 who looked like a fair-,hercules out of luck2 who worked like three1 and who loudly clamoured for a revolver and a bowie-knife4 ,his main fault1 professionally speaking1 was that he literally drenched us with oil till the store happily ran out4 ,his complexion was that of an animated ripe olive1 evidently the result of his own cookery4 ,his surprise when ,i imperatively ordered plain boiled rice1 instead of a mess dripping with grease2 and when told to boil the fish in sea water and to serve up the bouillon1 was high comedy4 ,doubtless he has often1 since his return1 astounded his ,hellenion by describing our ,frankish freaks and mad eccentricities4 ,the stationary camp also retained ,lieutenant ,yusuf and ,,mm4 ,duguid and ,philipin1 with thirteen soldiers and sixteen miners4 ,the six camels were placed under ,gabr1 ,kzi el-',orbn2 and all the stay-behinds were charged with washing the several earths1 with scouring the country for specimens1 and with transporting sundry tons of the black sand before mentioned4 ,old ,haji ,wali1 probably frightened by the ,arabs1 and maddened by the idea that1 during his absence in the thick of the cotton season1 the ,fellahs of ,zagzig would neglect to pay their various debts1 began to malinger with such intensity of purpose1 that ,i feared lest he would kill himself to spite us4 ,the venerable ,shylock1 who ever pleaded poverty1 had made some #cjj by lending a napoleon1 say1 on ,january #ast1 which became a sovereign on ,february #ast2 not to speak of the presents and benevolences which the debtor would be compelled to offer his creditor4 ,so he departed for ,el-,muwaylah1 whence some correspondent had warned him that a pilgrim boat was about to start2 declaring that he was dying1 and trotting his mule as hard as it would go1 the moment a safe corner was turned4 ,he stayed two days on board the gunboat1 and straightway returned to ,egypt and the cotton season3--we had the supreme satisfaction1 however1 to hear that he had gone through the long quarantine at ,tor4 ,yet after our return he reproached me1 with inimitable coolness and effrontery1 for not having behaved well to him4 ,on the morning of ,january #gth1 a walk of two hours and twenty minutes 7 seven miles7 northwards1 and mostly along the shore of the noble ,musaybat ,sharm1 transferred us to well-remembered ',aynnah4 ,the sea in places washed over slabs of the fine old conglomerates which1 in this country1 line the banks and soles of all the greater ,wadys3 these are the ,cascalho of the ,brazil1 a rock which is treated by rejecting the pebbles and by pounding the silicious paste4 ,the air was softer and less exciting than that of ,sharm2 and1 although the vegetation was of the crapaud mort d'amour hue--here a sickly green1 there a duller brown than ,april had showed--the scene was more picturesque1 the ,gate was taller and narrower1 and the recollection of a happy first visit made me return to it with pleasure4 ,birds were more abundant3 long-shanked water-fowl with hazel eyes2 red-legged rail2 the brown swallow of ,egypt2 green-blue fly-catchers2 and a black muscivor1 with a snowy-white rump1 of which ,i failed to secure a specimen4 ,we also saw the tern-coloured plover1 known in ,egypt as ,domenicain and red kingfishers4 ,the game species were fine large green mallard2 dark pintail2 quail1 and red-beaked brown partridge with the soft black eye4 ,new formations began to develop themselves1 and the sickly hues of the serpentines and the chlorites1 so rich in the ,new ,world1 appeared more charming than brow of milk or cheek of rose4,,en#cj ,there were few changes4 ,a half-peasant ,bedawi had planted a strip of barley near the camping place2 the late floods had shifted the course of the waters2 more date-trees had been wilfully burned2 a big block of quartz1 brother to that which we had broken1 had been carried off2 and where several of the old furnaces formerly stood1 deep holes1 dug by the money-hunter1 now yawned4 ,i again examined the two large fragments of the broken barrage1 and found that they were of uncut stone1 compacted with fine cement1 which contained palm-charcoal4 ,at ',aynnah we gave only one day to work4 ,while ,m4 ,lacaze sketched the views1 we blasted with gunpowder more than half charcoal the ,ma'dan el-,fayrz 7turquoise mine71 as the ,arabs called it1 on the right side of the ,wady4 ,the colour and texture were so unlike the true lapis ,pharanitis that we began to suspect1 and presently we ascertained from the few remaining fragments1 it had been worked for copper1--the carbonates and the silicates which characterize ,cyprus4 ,presently good specimens of the latter were brought to us from the ,jebel el-,far by a ,bedawi pauper1 ',ayd of the ,tagaygt-,huwaytt tribe4 ,these half-naked shepherds and goatherds1 who know every stone in the land1 are its best guides2 not the ,shaykhs1 who1 as a rule1 see little or nothing outside their tents4 ,from our camp the direction1 as reported by ,ahmed ,kaptn1 was #ajb degrees 7mag471 and the distance three miles4 ,i afterwards sent ,lieutenant ,yusuf from ,el-,muwaylah to make a detailed plan4,,en#ca ,we also dug in an old pit amongst the ,christian graves to the south-east of the camp1 and below the left jamb of the ,gate4 ,here also the ,bedawin had been at work2 and1 when unable to work deep enough1 they told us wonderful tales of an alabaster slab1 which doubtless concealed vast treasures4 ,in ,arabia1 as in ,africa1 one must look out for what there is not1 as well as for what there is4 ,after spending a morning in sinking a twelve-feet shaft1 we came upon a shapeless coralline-boulder1 which in old times had slipped from the sea-face of the cliff to the left of the valley4 ,i ascended this height1 and saw some stones disposed by the hand of man2 but there were no signs of a large slave-miner settlement like that on the other side of the ,bb4 ,in the afternoon ,mr4 ,clarke led a party of quarrymen across the graveyards to ,el-,khuraybah1 the seaport of ',aynnah1 and applied them to excavating the floor of a cistern and the foundations of several houses2 a little pottery was the only result4 ,it was a slow walk of forty minutes2 and thus the total length of the aqueducts would be three miles1 not between four and five kilometres4 ,i had much trouble and went to some expense in sending camels to fetch a written stone which1 placed at the head of every newly buried corpse1 is kept there till another requires it4 ,it proved to be a broken marble pillar with a modern ,arabic epitaph4 ,in the ,gd el-,khuraybah1 the little inlet near the ,gumruk 7custom-house71 as we called in waggery the shed of palm-fronds at the base of the eastern sandspit1 lay five small ,sambks1 which have not yet begun fishing for mother-of-pearl4 ,here we found sundry tents of the ,tagaygt-,huwaytt1 the half ,fellahs that own and spoil the once goodly land2 the dogs barked at us1 but the men never thought of offering us hospitality4 ,we had an admirable view of the ,tihmah ,mountains--,zahd1 with its nick2 the parrot-beak of ,jebel el-,sht2 the three perpendicular ,pinnacles and flying ,buttresses of ,jebel ',urnub2 the isolated lump of ,jebel ,fs2 the single cupola of ,jebel ,harb2 the huge block of ,dibbagh1 with its tall truncated tower2 the little ,umm ,jedayl1 here looking like a pyramid2 and the four mighty horns of ,jebel ,shrr4 ,i left ',aynnah under the conviction that it has been the great ,warshah 7workshop7 and embarking-place of the coast-section extending from ,el-,muwaylah to ,makn2 and that upon it depended both ,wady ,tiryam and ,sharm1 with their respective establishments in the interior4 ,moreover1 the condition of the slag convinced me that iron and the baser metals have been worked here in modern times1 perhaps even in our own1 but by whom ,i should not like to say4 ,chapter ,,iii4 ,breaking ,new ,ground to ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,on ,january #ith we left ',aynnah by the ,hajj-road1 and passed along the ,quarry ,hill visited during my first journey3 the crest has old cuttings and new cuttings1 the latter still worked for ,bedawi headstones4 ,the dwarf pillar with the mysterious cup is reflected by the ,nubians1 who hollow out the upper part of the stela to a depth of eight or ten inches without adding any ornament4 ,hence1 perhaps1 the ,sawahli custom of the inserted porcelain-plate4 ,after issuing from the stony and sandy gorge which forms the short cut1 we regained the ,hajj-road1 and presently sighted a scene readily recognized4 ,fronting us1 the northern horizon was formed by the azure wall of ,tayyib ,ism1,,en#cb the ,mountain of the ,good ,name1 backed by the far grander peaks of ,jebel ,mazhafah3 the latter rises abruptly from the bluer ,gulf of ,el-,akabah1 and both trend to their culminating points inland or eastward4 ,on our right followed the unpicturesque metalliferous heap of ,jebel ,zahd or ',aynnah ,mountain1 whose ,brche de ,roland seems to show from every angle2 its chocolate-coloured heights contain1 they say1 furnaces and ,mashghal1 or ateliers1 where the ,mar 7quartz7 was worked for ore4 ,in places it is backed by the pale azure peaks of ,jebel el-,lauz4 ,this ,mountain of ,almonds is said to take its name from the trees1 probably bitter1 which flourish there as within the convent-walls of ,st4 ,catherine1 ,sinai4 ,they grow1 ,i was told1 high up in the clefts and valleys2 and here1 also1 are furnaces both above and below4 ,of its white1 sparkling1 and crystallized marble1 truly noble material1 a tombstone was shown to me2 and ,i afterwards secured a slab with a broken ,arabic inscription1 and a ball apparently used for rubbing down meal4 ,the ,lauz appears to be the highest mountain in ,northern ,midian-land2 unfortunately1 it is to be reached only vi ,sharaf1 two long stations ahead1 and ,i could not afford time for geographical research to the prejudice of mineralogical4 ,its nearer foot-hill is the ,jebel ,khulayf2 and this feature contains1 according to the ,bedawin1 seven wells or pits whose bottom cannot be seen4 ,between the ,almond ,block and its northern continuation1 ,jebel ,munfah1 we saw a gorge containing water1 and sheltering at times a few tents of the ',amrt ,arabs2 in the same block we also heard of a ,sarbt or rock said to be written over4 ,the regular cone of ,el-,makl' ends the prospect in the north-eastern direction4 ,looking westward1 we see the ghastly bare and naked ,secondary formation1 the ,rughm of the ,bedawin1 not to be confounded with ,rukhm 7alabaster or saccharine marble74 ,we afterwards traced this main feature of the ',akabah ,gulf as far south as the ,wady ,hamz4 ,it is composed of the sulphates of lime--alabaster1 gypsum1 and the plaster with which the ,tertiary basin of ,paris supplies the world2 and of the carbonates of lime--marble1 chalk1 kalkspar1 shells1 and eggs4 ,the broken crests of the ,jibl el-,hamr1 the red hills backing ,makn1,,en#cc and the jagged black peaks of their eastern parallel1 the ,kalb el-,nakhlah1 look like plutonic reefs or island-chains emerging from the ,secondary sea4 ,the latter1 whose bleached and skeleton white is stained1 here and there1 by greenish-yellow sands1 chlorite and serpentine1 stands boldly out from the chaos of purpling mountains composing ,sinai1 and ending southwards in the azure knobs of three-headed ,tirn ,island4 ,the country1 in fact1 altogether changed3 quartz had disappeared1 and chlorite had taken its place4 ,we passed the night at ,el-',usaylah1 a ,ghadir 7or hollow7 without drainage1 which the sinking of water cakes with mud and covers with an irregular circle of salsolaceous trees1 a patch of dark metallic green4 ,this ',usaylah is eaten by camels1 but rejected by mules4 ,here our post reached us from ,suez on the seventh day1 having started on the #bnd inst4 ,a dollar was offered to the ,bedawi1 who eyed the coin indignantly1 declaring that it ought to be a ginni 7guinea74 ,i had also given him some tobacco1 and repented1 as usual1 my generosity4 ,next day we finished the last and larger part of the second pilgrim-stage from ,el-,muwaylah4 ,our ,arabs had been dodging2 and1 much disappointed about converting a two days' into a three days' march1 they punished us by feeding their camels on the road1 and by not joining us till the evening4 ,as before1 there was no game till we approached the springs2 yet tufts and scatters of tamarisks1 ,samur 7,inga unguis7 and ,ark 7,salvadora71 looked capable of sheltering it4 ,and now1 beyond the level and monotonous ,desert1 we began to see our destination2--palms and tufty trees at the mouth of a masked ,wady4 ,this watercourse runs between a background of reddish-brown rock1 the foot-hills and sub-ranges of the grand block1 ,el-,znah1 to the north2 and a foreground of pale-yellow1 stark-naked gypsum1 apparently tongue-shaped4 ,above the latter tower two sister-quoins of ruddy material1 the ,shigdawayn1 to which a tale hangs4 ,presently we fell into and ascended the great ,wady ',afr1 which begins in the ,hism1 or ,red ,region1 east of the double coast-range4 ,after receiving a network of ,secondary valleys that enable it to flow a torrent1 as in ,france1 every ten to twelve years1 it falls into the ,mnat el-',aynt1 a little port for native craft1 which will presently be visited4 ,we left this ,wady at a bend1 some two hundred metres wide1 called the ,broad of the ,jujube1 from one of the splendid secular trees that characterize ,north ,midian4 ,near the camping-ground we shall find another veteran ,zizyphus1 whose three huge stems1 springing from a single base1 argue a green old age4 ,here both banks of the ,fiumara are lined with courses of rough stone1 mostly rounded and rolled boulders1 evidently the ruins of the water-conduits which served to feed the rich growth of the lower ',afa'l4 ,the vegetation of the gorge-mouth developed itself to dates and ,daums1 tamarisks and salsolace1 out of which scuttled a troop of startled gazelles4 ,we turned the right-hand jamb of the ,gate1 and found ourselves at the water and camping-ground of ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,the general appearance of the station-basin is novel1 characteristic1 and not without its charms1 especially when the sunset paints the plain with the red1 red gold1 and washes every barren peak with the tenderest1 loveliest rosy pink4 ,under an intensely clear sapphire-coloured sky rises a distant rim of broken and chocolate-coloured trap-hills1 set off by pale hillocks and white flats of gypsum1 here and there crystallized by contact with the plutonics4 ,the formation mostly stands up either in stiff cones or in long spines and ridges1 whose perpendicular wall-like crests are impossible to climb4 ,the snowy cliffs rest upon shoulders disposed at the angle of rest1 and the prevailing dull drab-yellow of the base is mottled only where accidental fracture or fall exposes the glittering salt-like interior4 ,the gashes in the flank made by wind and rain disclose the core--grey granite or sandstone coloured by manganese4 ,the greater part of the old city was built of this alabaster-like,,en#cd material4 ,when new1 it must have been a scene in fairy-land2 ,time has now degraded it to the appearance and the consistence of crumbling salt4 ,the quoin-shaped hills of the foreground1 all uptilted and cliffing to the north1 show the curious mauve and red tints of the many-coloured clays called in the ,brazil ,tau4 ,even the palms are peculiar4 ,their tall1 upright crests of lively green fronds1 their dead-brown hangings1 and their trunks charred black by the careless ,bedawi1 form a quaint contrast with the genteel1 nattily dressed1 and cockneyfied brooms of ,egypt and the ,hejaz4 ,and that grandeur may not be wanting to the view1 on the east rise the peak and pinnacles of the ,almond ,mountain 7,jebel el-,lauz71 whilst northwards the ,jebel el-,za'nah1 a huge dome1 forms the horizon4 ,this place1 evidently the capital of ,madyan ,proper1 is the ,greek word which ,ptolemy 7vi4 #g7 places amongst his ,mesogeian towns in north lat4 #bh degrees #ae minutes2,,en#ce and it deserves more than the two pages of description which ,ruppell bestowed upon it4,,en#cf ,we will notice its natural features before proceeding to the remains of man4 ,here the ,wady ',afr takes the name of ,el-,bad4 ,sweeping from west to east1 it is deflected to a north-south line1 roughly speaking1 by the gate of the ,shigdawayn1 twin-hills standing nearly east and west of one another4 ,now become a broad1 well-defined1 tree-dotted bed1 with stiff silt banks1 here and there twenty to twenty-five feet high1 it runs on a meridian for about a mile1 including the palm-orchard and the camping-ground4 ,it then turns the west end of the ,jebel el-,safr1 a mass of gypsum on the left bank1 and it bends to the east of south1 having thus formed a figure of ,z4 ,after escaping from the imprisoning hills1 the ,fiumara bed1 now about three-quarters of a mile broad1 is bisected longitudinally by a long and broken lump of chloritic or serpentine sandstone2 and rises in steps towards the right bank1 upon which the pilgrims camp4 ,reaching the plain1 the ,wady flares out wildly1 containing a number of riverine islands1 temporary1 but sometimes of considerable size4 ,it retains sufficient moisture to support a clump of palms--that which we saw from afar2--it bends to the south-east1 and1 lastly1 it trends seaward4 ,the ,water of ,bada' springs from the base of the hill ,el-,safr1 oozing out in trickling veins bedded in soft dark mud4 ,it can be greatly increased by opening the fountains1 and economized by a roofing of mat3 we tried this plan1 which only surprised the unready ,arab4 ,after swinging to the left bank and running for a few yards1 it sinks in the sand2 yet on both sides there are signs of labour1 showing that1 even of late years1 the valley has seen better days4 ,long leats and watercourses have been cut in the clay1 and are still lined with the white-flowered ,rijlah1 whose nutritive green leaf is eaten1 raw or boiled1 by the ,fellahs of ,egypt3 the wild growth1 however1 is mostly bitter4 ,on both sides are little square plots fenced against sheep and goats by a rude abattis of stripped and dead boughs1 ,jujube and acacia4 ,young dates have been planted in pits2 some are burnt and others are torn2 for the ,bedawi1 mischievous and destructive as the ,cynocephalus1 will neither work nor allow others to work4 ,the ',ushash or frond-and-reed huts1 much like huge birds'-nests1 are scattered about in small groups everywhere except near the water4 ,wherever a collection of bones shows a hyena's lair1 the hunters have built a screen of dry stone4 ,in fact1 ,maghir ,shu'ayb was spoken of as an ,arab ,happy ,valley4 ,but its owners1 the ,mas'd1 a spiritless tribe numbering about seventy tents1 are protgs of the ,tagaygt4 ,this ,huwayti clan is on bad terms with ,khizr and ',brahim bin ,makbl2 and the brother ,shaykhs of the ',imrn1 recognized by the ,egyptian ,government1 claim the land where they have only the right of transit4 ,bedawi clans and sub-tribes always combine against stranger families2 but when there is no foreign war1 they amuse themselves with pilling and plundering1 sabring and shooting one another4 ,i believe that the palms were roasted to death by the ',imrn1 although the ,shaykhs assured me that the damage was done this year1 by a careless ,mas'di when cooking his food4 ,the tribe appears to be ,egypto-,arab1 like the ,huwayta't and the ,ma'zah1 having congeners at ,ghazzah 7,gaze7 and at ,ras el-,wady1 near ,egyptian ,tell el-,kebir4 ,consequently ,rppell is in error when he suspects that die ,musaiti are ein ,judenstamm4 ,the unfortunates fled towards the sea and left the valley desolate about seven months ago4 ,their ,shaykh is dead1 and a certain ,agl bin ,muhaysin1 a greedy1 foolish kind of fellow1 mentioned during my ,first ,journey1 aspires to the dignity and the profit of chieftainship4 ,he worried me till ,i named a dog after him1 and then he disappeared4 ,the ruins1 of large extent for ,north ,midian1 and equal to those of all the towns we have seen put together1 begin with the palm-orchard on the left bank4 ,the ,jebel el-,safr shows the foundations of what may have been the arx4 ,it is a double quoin1 the taller to the south1 the lower to the north1 and both bluff in the latter direction4 ,the dip is about #de degrees2 the upper parts of the dorsa are scatters of white on brown-yellow stone2 and below it1 where the surface has given way1 appear mauve-coloured strata1 as if stained by manganese4 ,viewed in profile from the west1 the site of ,el-,muttali',,en#cg1 as the ,arabs call the hauteville1 becomes a tall1 uptilted wedge2 continued northwards by the smaller feature1 and backed by a long sky-line1 a high ridge of plaster1 pale coloured with glittering points4 ,this isolated ,yellow ,hill1 a horse in ,icelandic parlance1 rising about two hundred feet above the valley-sole1 is separated by a deep1 narrow gorge from the adjacent eastern range4 ,the slopes1 now water-torn and jagged1 may formerly have declined in regular lines1 and evidently all were built over to the crest like those of ,syrian ,safet4 ,the foundations of walls and rock-cut steps are still found even on the far side of the eastern feature4 ,the knifeback is covered with the foundations of what appears to be a fortified ,laura or ,palace2 a straight street running north-south1 with #e degrees west 7mag474 ,it serves as base for walls one metre and a half thick1 opening upon it like rooms3 of these we counted twenty on either side4 ,at the northern end of the horse1 which1 like the southern1 has been weathered to a mere spur1 is a work composed of two semicircles fronting to the north and east4 ,a bastion of well-built wall in three straight lines overhangs the perpendicular face of the eastern gorge3 in two places there are signs of a similar defence to the south1 but time and weather have eaten most of it away4 ,the ground sounds hollow1 and the feet sink in the crumbling heaps3 evidently the whole building was of ,rughm 7gypsum72 and in the process of decay it has become white as blocks of ice1 here and there powdered with snow4 ,on the narrow1 flat ledge1 between the western base of this ,safr and the eastern side of the ,bada' valley1 lie masses of ruin now become mere rubbish2 bits of wall built with cut stone1 and water-conduits of fine mortar containing1 like that of the ,pyramids1 powdered brick and sometimes pebbles4 ,we carried off a lump of sandstone bearing unintelligible marks1 possibly intended for a man and a beast4 ,we called it ,st4 ,george and the ,dragon1 but the former is afoot--possibly the ,bedawin stole his steed4 ,there was a frustum or column-drum of fine white marble1 hollowed to act as a mortar2 like the ,moslem headstone of the same material1 it is attributed to the ,jebel el-,lauz1 where ancient quarries are talked of4 ,there were also ,makrkah 7rub-stones7 of close-grained red syenite1 and fragments of the basalt handmills used for quartz-grinding4 ,part of a mortar was found1 made of exceedingly light and porous lava4 ,south-east of the hauteville falls in the now rugged ravine1 ,khashm el-,muttal1 ,snout of the high 7town74 ,it leads to the apex of the coralline formations1 scattered over with fragments of gypsum1 here amorphous1 there crystalline or talc-like1 and all dazzling white as powdered sugar4 ,signs of tent foundations and of buildings appear in impossible places2 and the heights bear two ,burj or watchtowers1 one visible afar1 and dominating from its mamelon the whole land4 ,the return to the main valley descends by another narrow gorge further to the south-east1 called ,sha'b el-,darak1 or ,strait of the ,shield3 the tall1 perpendicular1 and overhanging walls1 apparently threatening to fall1 would act testudo to an ,indian file of warriors4 ,high up the right bank of this gut we saw a tree-trunk propped against a rock by way of a ladder for the treasure-seeker4 ,the ,sha'b-sole is flat1 with occasional steps and overfalls of rock1 polished like mirrors by the rain-torrents2 the mouth shows remains of a masonry-dam some fourteen feet thick by twenty-one long2 and immediately below it are the bases of buildings and watercourses4 ,walking down the left bank of the great ,wady1 and between these secondary gorges that drain the ,yellow ,hill1 we came upon a dwarf mound of dark earth and rubbish4 ,this is the ,siyghah 7mint and smiths' quarter71 a place always to be sought1 as ,ba'lbak and ,palmyra taught me4 ,remains of tall furnaces1 now level with the ground1 were scattered about2 and ,mr4 ,clarke1 long trained to find antiques1 brought back the first coins picked up in ancient ,midian4 ,the total gathered1 here and in other parts of ,maghir ,shu'ayb1 was #beh1 of which some two hundred were carried home untouched2 the rest1 treated with chloritic and other acids1 came out well4 ,one was a silver oval which may or may not have been a token4 ,eleven were thick discs1 differing from the normal type2 unfortunately the legends are illegible4 ,the rest1 inform bits of green stuff1 copper and bronze1 were glued together by decay1 and apparently eaten out of all semblance of money until the verdigris of ages is removed4 ,all are cast like the ,roman as1 before ,b4,c4 #bag1 and some show the tail4 ,the distinguishing feature is the human eye2 not the outa of ,horus1,,en#ch so well known to those who know the ,pyramids1 but the last trace of ,athene's profile4 ,two are ,roman3 a ,nerva with ,s4,c4 on the reverse2 and a ,claudius ,augustus1 bearing by way of countermark a depressed oblong1 of #bj_/ajj by #ad_/ajj 7of inch71 with a raised figure1 erect1 draped1 and holding a sceptre or thyrsus4 ,there is also a ,constantius struck at ,antioch4 ,the gem of the little collection was a copper coin1 thinly encrusted with silver1 proving that even in those days the ,midianites produced smashers3 similarly1 the ,egyptian miners did the ,pharaoh by inserting lead into hollowed gold4 ,the obverse shows the owl in low relief1 an animal rude as any counterfeit presentment of the ,greek words ever found in ,troy4 ,it has the normal olive-branch1 but without the terminating crescent 7which1 however1 is not invariably present7 on the proper right1 whilst the left shows a poor imitation of the legend ,greek word 7,,nh74 ,the silvering of the reverse has been so corroded that no signs of the goddess's galeated head are visible4 ,my friend1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,e4 ,hayns1 of the ,numismatic ,society1 came to the conclusion that it is a barbaric ,midianitish imitation of the ,greek tetradrachm1 which in those days had universal currency1 like the shilling and the franc4 ,the curious bits of metal1 which also bear the owl1 may add to our knowledge of the ,nabathaean coins1 first described1 ,i believe1 by the learned ,duc de ,luynes4,,en#ci ,another interesting find was a flat-bottomed1 thick-walled clay crucible of small size 7#b #aj_/af inches high by #b #d_/af inches across the mouth71 exactly resembling the article picked up at ,hammt4 ,the latter1 however1 contains a remnant of litharge1 possibly showing that the old ,egyptians worked the silver1 which may have been supplied by the ,colorado quartz4 ,i would here crave leave to make a short excursus to the ancient ,ophirs of ,egypt ,proper1 where1 we are told by an inscription in the treasury of ,ramses the ,great 7fourteen centuries before ,christ71 the gold and silver mines yielded per annum a total of #cb1jjj1jjj min #ij1jjj1jjj4 ,dr4 ,h4 ,brugsch-,bey first drew attention to ,hammt1 where1 as he had learned from ,diodorus 7i4 #di--;iii #ab7 and from the papyri1 the precious metals had been extensively worked4 ,the ,wells of ,hama'ma't lie between ,keneh on the ,nile and ,kusayr 7,cosseir7 on the ,red ,sea2 and the land is held by the ,abbdah ,arabs1 who have taken charge1 from time immemorial1 of the rich commercial caravans4 ,the formation of the country much resembles that of ,midian2 and the metalliferous veins run from northeast to south-west4 ,in ,arabia1 however1 the filons are of unusual size2 in ,africa they are small1 the terminating fibrils1 as it were1 of the ,asiatic focus2 while the ,dark ,continent lacks that wealth of iron which characterizes the opposite coast4 ,by the courtesy of ,generals ,stone and ,purdy ,i was enabled1 after return to ,cairo in ,may1 #ahgh1 to inspect the collection4 ,admirably arranged in order of place1 and poor as well disposed1 it is1 nevertheless1 useful to students2 and it was most interesting to us4 ,the only novelty is asbestos produced in the schist3 the raw material is now imported by the ,united ,states1 and used for a variety of purposes4 ,it is said to exist in ,mount ,sinai2 we found none in ,midian1 where the schist formations are of great extent1 probably because we did not look for it4 ,the collection was made by ,colonel ,colston2 and ,mr4 ,l4 ,h4 ,mitchell1 a mining engineer attached to the ,egyptian ,staff1 spent several weeks spalling sundry tons of quartz4 ,after finding a speck of gold1 the work was considered to be done4 ,general ,stone1 however1 sensibly deprecated any attempt to exploit the minerals3 the country lacks wood and water1 and the expense of camel-transport from ,hammt to ,kusayr1 and thence in ships to ,suez1 would swallow up all the profits4 ,that ,egypt was immensely rich in old days we know from several sources4 ,appian tells us that the treasury of ,ptolemy ,philadelphus contained #gdj1jjj talents2 and assuming with ,ebers,,en#dj the ,egyptian at half the ginetan1 we have the marvellous sum of #hc1bej1jjj4 ,according to ,diodorus 7i4 #fb71 the treasury of ,rhampsinit1 concerning which ,herodotus 7ii4 #aba1 #abb7 heard a funny story from his interpreter1 contained #d1jjj1jjj talents1 equal to at least #dej1jjj1jjj4 ,this rich king's treasure-house has been found portrayed in the far-famed ,temple of ,medinat ,hab3 the mass of wealth1 gold1 silver1 copper1 and spices1 is enormous2 and1 while the baser metals are in bars1 the precious are stored in heaps1 sacks1 and vases4 ,the gold-mines of the old ,coptos-plain1 the modern ,kobt1 south of ,keneh1 are preserved to all time by the earliest known map4 ,it has survived2 whilst those of the ,milesian ,anaximander 7,b4,c4 #faj- #edg71 of ,hekataeus 7ob4 ,b4,c4 #d #gf71 also from ,miletus and called the ,father of ,geography 7,ebers71 and of ,ptolemy the ,pelusian are irretrievably lost4 ,a papyrus in the ,turin ,museum contains a plan of the mineral region spoken of in two stel1 those of ,radesiyyah and ,kuban1 describing the supply of drinking-water introduced into the desert between ,kuban and the ,red ,sea4 ,chabas,,en#da has published a coloured facsimile of this map3 the gold-containing mountains are tinted red1 and the words ,tu en nub 7,mons aureus7 are written over them in hieratics4 ,the only modern gold-workings of ,egypt are in the ,mudriyyat 7,nomos7 of ,famaka1 the frontier town1 better known as ,fayzoghl from its adjacent heights4 ,the washings were visited lately 7,march1 #ahgh7 by my enterprising friend1 ,dr4 ,p4 ,matteucci1 and ,m4 ,gessi4 ,in old days this local ,cayenne had a very bad name2 convicts were deported here with a frightful mortality4 ,it is still a station for galley-slaves1 and it has a considerable garrison1 but we no longer hear of an abnormal fatality4 ,the surface was much turned over by the compulsory miners1 and ,european geologists and experts were sent to superintend them2 at last the diggings did not pay and were abandoned4 ,but the natives do by rule of thumb1 despite their ignorance of mineralogy1 without study of ground1 and lacking co-ordination of labour1 what the ,government failed to do4 ,they have not struck the chief vein' if any exist2 but1 during the heavy rains of the ,kharif 7autumn7 in the valley of the ,tmt river1 herds of slaves are sent yearly to wash gold1 and they find sufficient to supply the only known coin--bars or ingots4 ,beyond the ,siyghah1 the left bank is gashed by the ravines draining the south-eastern prolongation of the ,yellow ,hill4 ,water cuts through this rotten formation of rubbish like a knife into cheese2 forming deep chasms1 here narrow1 there broad1 with walls built up1 as it were1 of fragments1 and ready to be levelled by the first rains4 ,the lines of street and the outlines of tenements can be dimly traced1 while revetments of rounded boulders show artificial watercourses and defences against the now dried-up stream4 ,the breadth of this1 the eastern settlement1 varies with the extent of the ledge between the gypsum-hills and the sandy ,wady2 the length may be a kilometre4 ,the best preserved traces of crowded building end with the south-eastern spur of the ,jebel el-,safr4 ,beyond them is a huge cemetery4 ,the ancient graves are pits in the ground2 a few still uncovered1 the many yawning wide1 and all of them ignoring orientation4 ,those of the moderns1 on the contrary1 front towards ,meccah4 ,the ,bedawin of this country seem ever to prefer for their last homes the most ancient sites2 they place the body in a pit1 covered with a large slab or a heap of stones1 but they never fill in the hollow1 as is usual among ,moslems1 with earth4 ,the arrangements suit equally well the hyena and the skull-collector2 and thus ,i was able to make a fair collection of ,bedawi crania4 ,at the south-eastern end of the outliers projected by the ,jebel el-,safr1 where a gentle slope of red earth falls towards the valley-bank1 is the only group of building of which any part is still standing4 ,the site may be old1 but the present ruins are distinctly medival1 dating probably from the days of the ,egyptian ,mameluke ,sultans4 ,beginning from below and to the south-west is a ,hauz1 or cistern1 measuring twenty-six by nineteen and a half metres1 with a depth of nine to ten feet4 ,the material is cut sandstone1 cemented outside with mortar containing the normal brick-crumbs and pebbles1 and inside mixed with mud4 ,at the north-eastern and south-western corners are retaining buttresses in two steps1 exactly like those in the inland fort of ,el-,wijh2 at the two other angles are flights of stairs1 and the sole is a sheet of dried silt4 ,to the south-east lies the remnant of a small circular furnace1 and on the north-north-east a broken wall shows where stood the ,bayt el-,saghir1 or smaller reservoir4 ,a narrow conduit of cut stone leads1 with elaborate zigzags1 towards two ,sakiyah 7draw-wells7 hollowed in the gypsum4 ,the ,southern1 an oval of five metres ten centimetres1 is much dilapidated2 and its crumbling throat is spanned by a worn-out arch of the surrounding ,secondary rock4 ,close to the north-west is the other1 revetted with cut stone1 and measuring six metres in diameter4 ,it is an elaborate affair2 with a pointed arch and a regular keystone1 circular ,sadd1 or walls for supporting the hauling-apparatus1 and minor reservoirs numbering three4 ,on a detached hillock1 a few paces to the north1 stands the ,fort which defended the establishment4 ,the short walls of the parallelogram measure fifteen metres forty centimetres2 and the long1 eighteen metres sixty centimetres3 the gate1 choked by ruins1 leads to a small hall1 with a masked entrance opening to the right4 ,there is a narrow room under the stone steps to the west1 and two others occupy the eastern side4 ,this ,fort is to be restored for the better protection of pilgrims2 and shortly after our departure an ,egyptian engineer1 ,sulayman ,effendi1 came from ,suez to inspect and report upon it4 ,according to local modern tradition this scatter of masonry was the original site of the settlement1 called after the builder ,bir el-,sa'idni--the ,well of ,sa'dn4 ,for watering each caravan the proprietor demanded a camel by way of fee2 at last a ,maghrib1 that is1 a magician1 refused to part2 betook himself to the present camping ground1 sank pits1 and let loose the copious springs4 ,the old wells then dried up1 and the new sources gave to this section of the great ,wady ',afl its actual name1 ,wady el-,bad--of the innovation1 so hateful to the conservative savage4 ,hence ,rppell's ,beden1 which would mean an ibex4 ,on the opposite or right bank of the broad and sandy bed1 the traces of ancient buildings extend to a far greater distance1 at least to two kilometres4 ,they have been a continuous line of forts1 cisterns1 and tenements1 still marked out by the bases of long thick walls2 the material is mostly gypsum1 leprous-white as the skin of ,gehazi4 ,but here1 and indeed generally throughout ,midian1 the furious torrents1 uncontrolled during long ages by the hand of man1 have swept large gaps in the masses of homestead and public buildings4 ,again the ruins of this section are distributable into two kinds--the ,city of the ,living1 and the ,city of the ,dead4 ,the former1 of considerable extent1 hugs the watercourse1 and crowns all the natural spurs that buttress the bed4 ,beginning from the north lie two blocks of building considerable in extent3 the southern1 called by the ,arabs ,el-,malk1 is a broken parallelogram4 ,further down stream the bank is a vast strew of broken pottery2 and one place1 covered with glass fragments1 was named by our soldiers ,el-,khammrah--the tavern or the hotel4 ,as in ancient ,etruria1 so here1 the people assemble after heavy rains to pick up what luck throws in the way4 ,it is said that they often gather gold pieces1 square as well as round1 bearing by way of inscription prayers to the ,apostle of ,allah4 ,some of us1 however1 had a shrewd suspicion that the ,tibr1 or pure gold-dust1 is still washed from the sands1 and cast probably in rude moulds4 ,behind1 inland or westward of this southern town1 lies the ,city of the ,dead4 ,unlike the pitted graveyard to the north-east1 the cemetery is wholly composed of catacombs1 which the ,bedawin call ,maghir 7caves7 or ,bbn 7doors74 ,the sites are the sides and mouths of four little branch-valleys which cut through the hillocks representing the ,wady-bank4 ,the northernmost is known as ,wady el-,khurayk1 because it drains a height of that name3 the others bear the generic term ,wady el-,safr1 so called1 like the hauteville hill1 from the tawny-yellow colour of the rocks4 ,the catacombs1 fronting in all directions1 because the makers were guided by convenience1 not by ceremonial rule1 are hollowed in the soft new sandstone underlying the snowy gypsum2 and most of the faades show one or more horizontal lines of natural bead-work1 rolled pebbles disposed parallelly by the natural action of water4 ,in the most ruinous1 the upper layer is a cornice of hard sandstone1 stained yellow with iron and much creviced2 the base1 a soft conglomerate of the same material1 is easily corroded2 and the supernal part caves in upon the principle which is destroying ,niagara4 ,at each side of the doorways is a ,mastabah 7stone bench71 also rock-hewn1 and with triple steps4 ,the door-jambs1 which have hollowings for hinges and holes for bars1 are much worn and often broken2 they are rarely inclined inwards after the fashion of ,egypt4 ,a few have windows1 or rather port-holes1 flanking the single entrance4 ,the peculiarities and the rare ornaments will be noticed when describing each receptacle2 taken as a whole1 they are evidently rude and barbarous forms of the artistic catacombs and tower-tombs that characterize ,petra and ,palmyra4 ,the ,maghir may roughly be divided into four topical groups4 ,these are--the northern outliers2 the ,tombs of the ,kings1 so called by ourselves because they distinguish themselves from all the others2 the buttressed caves 7two sets72 and the southern outliers4 ,the first mentioned begin with a ruin on the right jaw of the ,khurayk gorge3 it is dug in strata dipping1 as usual1 from north-west to south-east2 it faces eastward1 and the entrance declines to the south4 ,all external appearance of a catacomb has disappeared2 a rude porch1 a frame of sticks and boughs1 like the thatched eaves of a ,bulgarian hut1 stands outside1 while inside signs of occupation appear in hearths and goat-dung1 in smoky roof1 and in rubbish-strewn floor4 ,over another ruin to the west are graffiti1 of which copies from squeezes and photographs are here given3 there are two loculi in the southern wall2 and in the south-eastern corner is a pit1 also sunk for a sarcophagus4 ,a hill-side to the south of this cave shows another1 dug in the ,tau or coloured sandstone1 and apparently unfinished3 part of it is sanded up1 and its only yield1 an ,egyptian oil-jar of modern make1 probably belonged to some pilgrim4 ,crossing the second dwarf gorge we find1 on the right bank1 a third large ruin of at least fourteen loculi2 the hard upper reef1 dipping at an angle of #cj degrees1 and striking from north-west to southeast1 fell in when the soft base was washed away by weather1 and the anatomy of the graves is completely laid bare4 ,higher up the same ,wady is a fourth ,maghrah1 also broken down3 the stucco-coating still shows remnants of red paint2 and the characters 9999--possibly ,arab ,wasm1 or tribe-marks--are cut into an upright entrance-stone4 ,the precipitous left bank of the third gorge contains the three finest specimens1 which deserve to be entitled the ,tombs of the ,kings4 ,of these1 the two facing eastward are figured by ,rppell 7p4 #bbj7 in the antiquated style of his day1 with fanciful foreground and background4,,en#db ,his sketch also places solid rock where the third and very dilapidated catacomb of this group1 disposed at right angles1 fronts southwards4 ,possibly the faades may once have been stuccoed and coloured2 now they show the bare and pebble-banded sandstone4 ,the southernmost1 which may be assumed as the type1 has an upright door1 flanked by a stone bench of three steps4 ,over the entrance is a defaced ornament which may have been the bust of a man3 in ,rppell it is a kind of geometrical design4 ,the frontage has two parallel horizontal lines1 raised to represent cornices4 ,each bears a decoration resembling crenelles or ,oriental ramparts broken into three steps2 the lower set numbers eight1 including the half ornaments at the corners1 and the higher seven4 ,the interior is a mixture of upright recesses1 probably intended for the gods or demons2 and of horizontal loculi1 whose grooves show that they had lids4 ,there is no symmetry in the niches1 in the sarcophagi1 or in the paths and passages threading the graves4 ,the disposition will best be understood from the ground-plans drawn by the young ,egyptian officers3 their sketches of the faades are too careless and incorrect for use2 but the want is supplied by the photographs of ,m4 ,lacaze4 ,above these three ,tombs of the ,kings are many rock-cavities which may or may not have been sepulchral4 ,time has done his worst with them4 ,we mounted the background of a quoin-shaped hill by a well-trodden path1 leading to the remnants of a rude ,burj 7watch-tower71 and to a semicircle of dry wall1 garnished with a few sticks for hanging rags and tatters4 ,the latter denotes the ,musallat ,shu'ayb1 or praying-place of 7prophet7 ,jethro2 and here our ,sayyid and our ,shaykh took the opportunity of applying for temporal and eternal blessings4 ,the height at the edge of the precipice which1 cliffing to the north1 showed a view of our camp and of ,yub and ,shu'sh' ,islands1 was in round numbers #dej feet 7aner4 #bi4dj--bh4id74 ,from this vantage-ground we could distinctly trace the line of the ,wady ,makn1 beginning in a round basin at the western foot of the northern ,shigd ,mountain and its sub-range2 while low rolling hills1 along which we were to travel1 separated it from the ,wady ,bada'-,afl to the south4 ,two other important sets of catacombs1 which ,i will call the buttressed caves1 are pierced in the right flank of the same gorge1 at the base of a little conical hill1 quaintly capped with a finial of weathered rock4 ,the material is the normal silicious gravel-grit1 traversed and cloisonn by dykes of harder stone4 ,beginning at the south1 we find a range of three1 facing eastward and separated from one another by flying buttresses of natural rock4 ,no4 #a has a window as well as a door4 ,next to it is a square with six open loculi ranged from north to south4 ,no4 #c shows a peculiarity--two small pilasters of the rudest 7,egyptian87 ,doric1 the only sign of ornamentation found inside the tombs2 a small break in the south-western wall connects it with the northernmost loculus of ,no4 #b4 ,furthest north are three bevel-holes1 noting the beginning of a catacomb2 and round the northern flank of the detached cone are six separate caves1 all laid waste by the furious northern gales4 ,the second set is carved in the bluff eastern end of an adjoining reef that runs away from the ,wady2 it consists of four sepulchres with the normal buttresses4 ,they somewhat resemble those of the ,kings1 but there are various differences4 ,no4 #b from the south is flanked by pilasters with ram's-horn capitals1 barbarous forms of ,ionic connected by three sets of triglyphs3 the pavement is of slabs2 there is an inner niche1 and one of the corners has apparently been used as an oven4 ,on a higher plane lies a sunken tomb1 with a deep drop and foot-holes by way of ladder2 outside it the rocky platform is hollowed1 apparently for graves4 ,the other three facades bear the crenelle ornaments2 the two to the north show double lines of seven holes drilled deep into the plain surface above the door1 as if a casing had been nailed on2 while the northernmost yielded a fragmentary inscription on the southern wall4 ,these are doubtless the inscribed tablets on which the names of kings are engraved1 alluded to in the ,jihan-num of ,haji ,khahfah4,,en#dc ,rounding the reef to the north1 we found three catacombs in the worst condition3 one of them showed holes drilled in the faade4 ,the southern outliers lie far down the ,wady ',afl1 facing east1 and hewn in the left flank of a dwarf gulley which falls into the right bank not far from the site called by our men the tavern4 ,the group numbers three1 all cut in the normal sandstone1 with the harder dykes which here stand up like ears4 ,the principal item is the upper cave1 small1 square1 and apparently still used by the ,arabs3 in the middle of the lintel is a lump looking like the mutilated capital of a column4 ,the two lower caves show only traces4 ,there is a tradition that some years ago a ,frank 7,rppell871 after removing his ,arab guides1 dug into the tombs1 and found nothing but human hair4 ,several of the horizontal loculi contained the bones of men and beasts3 ,i did not disturb them1 as all appeared to be modern4 ,the floors sounding hollow1 gave my companions hopes of finds2 but ,i had learned1 after many a disappointment1 how carefully the ,bedawi ransack such places4 ,we dug into four sepulchres1 including the sunken catacomb and the 7southern7 inscribed tomb4 ,usually six inches of flooring led to the ground-rock2 in the sarcophagi about eight inches of tamped earth was based upon nine feet of sand that ended at the bottom4 ,the only results were mouldering bones1 bits of marble and pottery1 and dry seeds of the ,kaff ,maryam1 the ,rose of ,jericho 7,anastatica71 which here feeds the partridges1 and which in ,egypt supplies children with medicine1 and expectant mothers with a charm4 ,as the plant is bibulous1 opening to water and even to the breath1 it is placed by the couch1 and its movement shows what is to happen4 ,the cave also yielded specimens of bats 7,rhinopoma macrophyllum71 with fat at the root of their spiky tails4 ,i have described at considerable length this ruined ,madima1 which is evidently the capital of ,madyan ,proper1 ranking after ,petra4 ,in one point it is still what it was1 a chief station upon the highway1 then ,nabat1 now ,moslem1 which led to the ,ghor or ,wady el-',arabah4 ,but in all others how changed6 ,the traveller shall come2 he that saw me in my beauty shall come3 his eyes shall search the field2 they shall not find me4 ,chapter ,,iv4 ,notices of ,precious ,metals in ,midian--the ,papyri and the ,medival ,arab ,geographers4 ,in my volume on ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 the popular ,hebrew sources of information--the ,old ,testament and the ,talmud--were ransacked for the benefit of the reader4 ,it now remains to consult the ,egyptian papyri and the pages of the medival ,arab geographers3 extracts from the latter were made for me1 in my absence from ,england1 by the well-known ,arabist1 the ,rev4 ,g4 ,percy ,badger4,,en#dd ,i will begin with the beginning4 ,dr4 ,heinrich ,brugsch-,bey1 whose ,history of ,egypt,,en#de is the latest and best gift to ,egyptologists1 kindly drew my attention to an interesting passage in his work1 and was good enough to copy for me the source of his information1 tile ,harris ,papyrus 7,no4 #a7 in the ,british ,museum4 ,the first king of the twentieth ,dynasty1 born about ,b4,c4 #abjj1 and residing at ,thebes1 was ,rameses ,,iii41 whose title1 ,ramessu pa-,nuter 7or ,nuti71 ,ramses the god1 became in the hands of the ,greeks ,rhampsinitos4 ,this great prince1 ascending the throne in evil days1 applied himself at once to the internal and external economy of his realm2 he restored the caste-divisions1 and carried fire and sword into the lands of his enemies4 ,he transported many captives to ,egypt2 fortified his eastern frontier2 and built1 in the ,gulf of ,suez1 a fleet of large and small ships1 in order to traffic with ,pun and the ,holy ,land1,,en#df and to open communication with the ,incense-country and with the wealthy shores of the ,indian ,ocean4 ,not less important1 says our author 7p4 #eid71 for ,egypt1 which required before all things the copper applied to every branch of her industry1 was the sending of commissioners1 by land 7on donkey back67 and by sea1 to explore and exploit the rich cupriferous deposits of ',athka 7in the neighbourhood of the ',akabah ,gulf874 ,this metal1 with the glance of gold1 was there cast in brick-shape1 and was transported by sea to the capital4 ,the king also restored his attention to the treasures of the ,sinaitic ,peninsula1 which had excited the concupiscence of the ,egyptians since the days of ,king ,senoferu,,en#dg 7,b4,c4 #cgjj74 ,loaded with rich presents for the sanctuary of the goddess ,hathor1 the protectress of ,mafka-land1 chosen employs were despatched on a royal commission to the peninsula1 for the purpose of supplying the ,pharaoh's treasury with the highly prized blue-green copper-stones 7,mafka1 ,turkisen8,,en#dh74 ,these lines were published by ,dr4 ,brugsch-,bey before he had heard of my discoveries of metals and of a modern turquoise-digging in the ,land of ,midian4 ,he had decided that ',athka lay to the east of ,suez1 chiefly from the insistence laid upon the shipping2 sea-going craft would certainly not be required for a sail of three or four hours4 ,moreover1 as ,i have elsewhere shown1 ,jebel ',atakh1 the ,mountain of ,deliverance1 at the mouth of the ,wady ,mus1 was referred to the ,jews at some time after the ,christian era1 and probably during the fourth and fifth centuries1 when pilgrimages to the apocryphal ,mounts ,sinai became the fashion4 ,during the summer of #ahgg1 ,dr4 ,brugsch-,bey was kind enough to copy and to translate the original document1 upon which he founded his short account of the ',athka copper-mines4 ,i offer it to the reader in full4 ,the order of the alphabet is that adopted by ,dr4 ,brugsch-,bey4 ,it relies for the first letter upon the authority of ,plutarch1 who asserts that the ,egyptian abecedarium numbered the square of five 7twenty-five72 and that it opened with --,greek--1 which also expresses the god ,thoth2--this is the case with --hieroglyph-- the leaf of some water-plant4 ,the sequence of the letters has been suggested by a number of minor considerations3 we begin with the vowels1 and proceed to the labial1 the liquids1 and so forth4,,en#di ,the sense of the highly interesting inscription1 in its ,english order1 would be3-- ,i have sent my commissioners to the land ',athka2 to the 7those7,,en#ej great mines of copper 7or coppers7,,en#ea which are in this place 7',athka72 and their 7i4e4 the commissioners'7 ships,,en#eb were loaded1 carrying them 7the metals72 while other 7commissioners were sent and7 marched on their asses4 ,no6 one never 7ter-tot7 had heard1 since the 7days of the olden7 kings1 that these 7copper7 mines had been found4,,en#ec ,the loads 7i4e4 of the ships and the asses7 carried copper2 the loads were by myriads for their ships1 which went thence 7i4e4 from the mines7 to ,egypt4 7,after7 happily arriving1 the loads were landed1 according to royal order1 under the ,pavilion1,,en#ed in form of copper- bricks2,,en#ee they were numerous as frogs 7in the marsh71,,en#ef and in quality they were gold 7,nub7 of the third degree4,,en#eg ,i made them admired 7by7 all the world as marvellous things4 ,the following lines upon the subject of ,midian are from the notes 7p4 #adc7 of ,jacob ,golius in ,alferganum 7small #dto4 ,amsterdam1 #affi71 a valuable translation with geographical explanations4 ,ahmad ibn ,mohammed ibn ,kathr el-,farghni derived his lakab or cognomen from the province of ,farghn 7,khokand71 to the north-east of the ,oxus2 he wrote a work upon astronomy1 and he flourished about ,a4,h4 #ahd 7 ,a4,d4 #hjj74 ,ibidem 7,arabic ,madyan7 ,medjan sive ,midjan1 ,antiqui nominis oppidum in ,maris ,rubri littore1 sub #bi degrees grad4 latitudine2 ad ortum brumalem deflectens montis ,sin extremitate3 ubi fer site ,ptolemi ,modiana1 haud dubi eadem cum ,midjan4 ,a ,geographorum ,orientalium quibusdam ad gyptum refertur2 plerisq2 omnibus ad ,higiazam3 quod merito et rect factum4 ,nullus enim est1 qui ,arabibus non annumeret ,madianitas2 et ,sinam1 qu ,madjane borealior1 montem ,arabi facit ,d4 ,paulus ,gal4 iv4 ,midjan autem fuit ,abrahami ex ,kethura filius3 unde tribus illa et ab hac urbs nomen habent4 ,quam quidem tribum coaluisse1 sedibus ut puto et affinitate in unam cum ,ismalitis1 innuere videntur ,geneseos verba4 ,nam conspirantibus in ,josephi exitium fratribus dicuntur supervenisse ,ismalitae2 transivisse ,midjanite2 ipse v ditus ab ,ismalitis4 ,ceterum urbem ,midjan ,arabes pro ea habent1 qu in ,corano vocatur 7,arabic ,madnat ,ksh73 ,xaib,,en#eh enim illis idem est1 qui ,jethro dicitur ,exod4 iii4 cujus filiam ,sipporam ,moses uxor duxit1 cum ex gpto profugisset in terram ,midjan2 ubi ,jethro princeps erat et ,sacerdos4 ,autonomosia illa ,arabibus familiaris4 ,ita ,hanoch 7,arabic ,aknkh7 appelatus1 ,abraham 7,el- ,khall71 ,rex ,saul 7,arabic ,tlt71 etc41 licet eorundem propria etiam usurpentur nomina4 ,et in ipsis ,sacris ,libris non uno nomine hic ,jethro designatur4 ,loci illius puteum,,en#ei ,scriptores memorant fano circum extructo ,arabibus sacrum1 persuasis ,mosem ibi ,sipporam et sorores pastorum injuriis vindicasse2 prout ,exod41 cap4 ii41 res describitur4 ,sed primis ,muhammedici regni bellis universa fere1 quae rune extabat1 urbs vastata fuit4 ,el-,farghni is followed by the ,imm ,ab ',abbs ,ahmed bin ,yhy bin ,jbir1 surnamed and popularly known as ,el-,balzur1 who flourished between ,a4,h4 #bcb and #bdg 7 ,a4,d4 #hdf to #hfa71 and wrote the ,fut'h el-,buldn1 or the ,conquests of ,countries4 ,his words are 7pp4 #ac-ad1 ,m4 ,j4 de ,goeje's edition2 ,lugduni ,batavorum1 #ahff7--;,it was related to me by ,ab ,abd el-,ksim bin ,sallm2 who said he was told by ,ishk bin ,isa1 from ,malk ibn ,anas and from ,rabat1 who heard from a number of the learned1 that the ,apostle of ,allah 7upon whom be peace67 gave in feoff 7,ikt'at7 to ,bill bin el-,hris el-,muzni1 mines 7,ma'din1 i4e4 of gold7 in the district of ,fur' 7variant1 ,kur'74 ,moreover1 it was related to me by ,amr el-,nkid1 and by ,ibn ,saham el-,antki 7of ,antioch71 who both declared to have heard from ,el-,haytham bin ,jaml el-,antki1 through ,hammd bin ,salmah1 that ,ab ,makn1 through ,ab ,ikrimah ,maul ,bill bin el-,hris el-,muzni1 had averred ',the ,apostle of ,allah 7upon whom be peace67 enfeoffed the said ,bill with 7a bit of7 ground containing a mountain and a 7gold7 mine2 that the sons of ,bill sold part of the grant to one ',umar bin ',abd el-',azz1 when a 7gold7 mine or1 according1 to others1 two 7gold7 mines were found in it2 that they said to the buyer1 ,verily we sold to thee land for cultivation1 and we did not sell thee 7gold7 mining-ground2 that they brought the letter of the ,apostle 7upon whom be peace67 in a 7bound7 volume3 that ',umar kissed it and rubbed it upon his eyes1 and said1 ,of a truth let me see what hath come out of it 7the mine7 and what ,i have laid out upon it4' ,then he deducted from them the expenses of working and returned to them the surplus4 4 4 4 ,and ,i was told by ,musa'b el-,zubayri1 from ,malik ibn ,anas1 that the ,apostle of ,allah 7upon whom be peace67 gave in feoff to ,bill bin ,hris mines in the district of ,fara' 7sic74 ,there is no difference of opinion among our learned men on this subject1 nor do ,i know any of our companions who contradicts 7the statement7 that the 7gold7 mine paid one-fourth per ten 7 #b #a_/b per cent47 royalty 7to the ,bayt el-,ml1 or ,public ,treasury74 ,musa'b further relates1 from ,el-,zahri1 that the 7gold7 mine defrayed the ,zakt or poor-rate3 he also said that the proportion was one-fifth 7 #b per cent472 like that which the people of ,el-,irk 7,mesopotamia7 take to this day from the 7gold7 mines of ,el-,fara' 7sic71 and of ,nejrn1 and of ,zl-,marwah1 and of ,wady ,el-,kura,,en#fj and others4 ,moreover1 the fifth is also mentioned by ,safin el-,thauri1 and by ,ab ,hanfah and ,ab ,ysuf1 as well as by the people of ,el-',irk4 ,follows on my list the celebrated ,murj el-,dahab1 or ,meads of ,gold1 by ,el-,mas'di1 who died in ,a4,h4 #cdf 7 ,a4,d4 #ieg71 and whose book extends to ,a4,h4 #ccb 7 ,a4,d4 #idc74 ,unable to find the translation of my friend ,sprenger1 ,i am compelled to quote from ,maoudi4 ,les ,prairies d',or1 texte et traduction par ,c4 ,barbier de ,meynard et ,pavet de ,courteille4 ,socit ,asiatique1 ,paris1 #ahfd1 vol4 iii4 pp4 #cja-cje4 ,les thologians ne sont pas d'accord sur la question de savoir quel peuple appartenait ,chob 7,shu'ayb71 fils de ,nawil1 fils de ,rawal1 fils de ,mour1 fils d',anka1 fils de ,madian1 fils d',abraham1 l'ami de ,dieu1 quoiqu'il soit certain que sa langue tait l'arabe4 ,les uns pensent qu'il appartenait aux races arabes teintes1 aux nations qui ont disparu1 quelque une de ces gnrations passes dont nous avons parl4 ,suivant d'autres1 il s'agirait ici des descendants d'el-,mahd1 fils de ,djandal1 fils de ,yssob1 fils de ,madian1 fils d',abraham1 dont ,chob etait frre par la naissance4 ,de cette race sortit un grand nombre de rods qui s'taient disperss dans des royaumes contigus les uns aux autres ou spare's4 ,parmi ces rods il faut distinguer ceux qui taient nomms ,aboudjed1 ,hawaz1 ,houti1 ,kalamoun1 afas et ,kourichat1,,en#fa tous1 comme nous venons de le dire1 fils d'el-,mahd1 fils de ,djandal4 ,les lettres de l'alphabet sont reprsentes prcisment par les noms de ces rois1 o l'on retrouve les vingt-quatre lettres sur lesquelles roule l',aboudjed4,,en#fb ,il a e'te' dit beaucoup d'autres choses propos de ces lettres1 comme nous l'avons fait remarquer dans cet ouvrage2 mais il n'entre pas dans notre sujet de rapporter ici tous les systmes contradictoires imagins pour l'expliquer la signification des lettres4,,en#fc ,aboudjed fut roi de la ,mecque et de la partie du ,hdjaz qui y confine4 ,hawaz et ,houti rgnrent conjointement dans le pays de ,weddj 7,el-,wijh71 qui est le territoire de ,tayif1 et la portion du ,nedjd qui lui est contigue4 ,kalamoun exerait la suzerainet sur le royaume de ,madian2 il y a mme des auteurs qui pensent que son autorit s'tendait conjointement sur tous les princes et les pays que nous venons de nommer4 ,le chtiment du jour de la nue 7,koran1 xxvi4 #ahi7 eut lieu sous le re'gne de ,kalamoun4 ,chob appelant ces impies la pnitence1 ils le traitrent de menteur4 ,alors il les mena1ca du chtiment du jour de la nue1 la suite de quoi une porte du feu du ciel fut ouverte sur eux4 ,chob se retire1 avec ceux qui avaient cru1 dans l'endroit connu sous le nom d'el ,akah1 qui est un fourr dans la direction de ,madian4 ,cependant1 lorsque lcs incrdules sentirent les effets de la vengeance cleste1 et que1 consums par une chaleur terrible1 ils comprirent enfin la vrit1 ils se mirent la recherche de ,chob et de ceux qui avaient cru en lui4 ,ils les trouvrent abrits sous un nuage blanc1 doucement rafraichi par le zphire1 et ne ressentant en rien les atteintes de la douleur4 ,ils les chassrent de cet asile1 s'imaginant qu'ils y trouveraient eux-mmes un refuge contre le flau qui les poursuivait4 ,mais ,dieu changea cette nue en un feu qui se prcipita sur leurs ttes4 ,mountassir1 fils d'el-,moundir el-,mdni1 a parl de ce peuple et a dplor son triste sort dans des vers o il dit3 ,les rois des enfants de ,houti et de afas1 qui vivaient dans l'opulence1 et ceux de ,hawaz1 qui possdaient des palais et des appartements somptueux1 ,rgnaient sur la contre du ,hdjaz1 et leur beaut tait semblable celle des rayons du soleil ou l'clat de la rune2 ,ils habitaient l'emplacement de la maison sainte1 ils adoucissaient les moeurs de leurs compatriotes et gouvernaient avec illustration et honneur4444 ,rien de plus curieux que l'histoire de ces rois1 le r'cit de leurs guerres1 de leurs actes1 de la manire dont ils s'emparrent de ces contres et tablirent leur domination1 apres en avoir extermin les premires possesseurs4 ,ceux-ci taient des peuples dont nous avons parl dans nos prcdents ouvrages1 en traitant ce sujet2 nous appelons l'attention dans ce livre sur nous premiers crits1 et nous engageons le lecteur les consulter4 ,the next in order of seniority is the well-known ,idrs 7,a4,h4 #eca ,a4,d4 #aacf74 ,dr4 ,badger's ,arabic copy not being paged1 he has forwarded to me extracts from the ,french translation by ,m4 ,p4 ,amade ,jaubert 7,paris1 #ahcf71 having first compared them with the original3-- ,tome #a p4 #e3 ,de cette mer de la ,chine drive encore le golfe de ,colzoum 7,kulzum71 qui commence ,bab el-,mandeb1,,en#fd au point ou se termine la mer des ,indes4 ,il s'tend au nord1 en inclinant un peu vers l'occident1 en longeant les rivages occidentales de l',iemen1 le ,thma1 l',hdjaz1 jusqu'au pays de ,madian1 d',aila 7,el-',akabah71 et de ,faran2 et se termine la ville de ,colzoum1 dont il tire son nom4 ,p4 #adb3 ,les districts fortifis1 dependents de la ,mecque1 sont 4 4 4 ,ceux qui sont sous la dpendance de ,mdine sont 4 4 4 ,madyan4 ,p4 #cbh3 ,pour aller de ,misr 7,cairo7 ' ,yetrib 7sic pro ,yathrib71 on passe par les lieux suivants1 ,alah 7,aylah7 ,madian1 etc4 ,p4 #ccc3 ,sur les bords de la mer ,colzoum est la ville de ,madian 7in orig4 ,madiyan7 plus grande qui ,tabouk 7,tabk71 et le puits ou ,mose 7sur qui soit le salut67 abreuva le troupeau de ,jethro 7,e#a,shu'ayb74 ,on dit que ce puits est 7maintenant7 sec ,note at foot3 ,je lis ,mu'attilah comme porte le ,,ms4 ,b41 et non ,mu'azzamah1,,en#fe leon donnee par le ,,ms4 ,a42 et qu'on a lev audessus une construction4 ,l'eau ncssaire aux habitants provient de sources4 ,le nom de ,madiyan 7sic7 de'rive de celui de la tribu laquelle ,jethro appartenait4 ,cette ville offre trs peu de ressources et le commerce y est misrable4 ,the following notice of ,madyan is taken from the ,kitb el-,buldn 7,book of ,countries71,,en#ff by ,ahmed ibn ,ab ,ya'kb bin ,wdhih1 surnamed ,el-,ya'kb and ,el-,ktib 7the writer72 according to the ,arabic colophon it was completed on the morning of ,saturday1 ,shawwl #ba1 ,a4,h4 #fjg 7 ,a4,d4 #abaj74 ,the author gives 7p4 #abi1 ,t4 ,g4 ,j4 ,juynboll1 ,lugduni ,batavorum1 #ahfa7 a description of the route from ,misr 7,egypt1 here ,cairo7 to ,meccah4 ,the first ten stages are--#a4 ,jubb el-',umayrah2 #b4 ,el-,kerkirah 7variant1 ,karkrah72 #c4 ',ajrd1 the well-known fort on the direct ,suez-,cairo line2 #d4 ,jisr el-,kulzum1 where the ,gulf was crossed2 and1 lastly1 six ,desert marches 7,marhil7 to ,aylah4,,en#fg ,the latter station is described as a fine city upon the shore of the ,salt ,sea1 the meeting-place of the pilgrim-caravans from ,syria1,,en#fh ,egypt1 and the ,maghrib 7,west ,africa74 ,it has merchandise in plenty1 and its people are a mixed race 7,akhlt min el-,ns74,,en#fi ,here also are sold the fine cloaks called ,burdu habaratin1 and also known as the ,burd of the ,apostle of ,allah,,en#gj 7upon whom be peace674 ,he resumes1 ,and from ,aylah you march to ,sharaf el-,baghl1 and from the latter to ,madyan1 which is a large and populous city1 with abundant springs and far-flowing streams of wholesome water2 and gardens of flower-beds4 ,its inhabitants are a mixed race 7,akhlt min el-,ns74,,en#ga ,the traveller making ,meccah from ,aylah takes the shore of the ,salt ,sea1 to a place called ',aynn 7variant1 ',uyn1 plural of ',ayn1 an eye of water1 a fountain73 here are buildings and palm clumps1 and seeking-places 7,matalib3 see ,lane for the authorities71 in which men search for gold4 ,dr4 ,badger draws my attention to the last sentence1 which seems also to have been noticed by ,sprenger 7,alt4 ,geog4 p4 #cb74;,,en#gb ,the following is from the ,kitb ,asr el-,bitad 7,book of the ,geographical ,traditions of ,countries71 by the far-famed ,zakariyy bin ,mohammed bin ,mahmd1 surnamed ,el-,kazwn1 who died ,a4,h4 #fec ,a4,d4 #abee3--,madyan 7p4 #agc1 edidit4 ,f4 ,wustenfeld1 ,gttingen1 #ahdh7 is a city of the tribe 7,kaum7 of ,shu'ayb upon whom be peace673 it was founded by ,madyan1 son of ,ibrahim1 the ,friend 7of ,allah71 the grandfather of ,shu'ayb4 ,it exports the merchandise of ,tabk between ,el-,medinah and ,el-,shm 7,damascus74 ,in it is the well whence ,mus 7upon whom be peace67 watered the flocks of ,shu'yb1 and it is said that the well is of great depth2 and that over it is a building visited by 7pious7 men4 ,this settlement ,madyan is subject to the district of ,tabaryyah 7,tiberias72 and near it is the well1 and at it a rock which ,moses uprooted1,,en#gc and which remains there to the present day4 ,the ,imm ,ab'l-,abbs ,ahmed ibn ',ali ,takiyy el-,dn1 better known as ,el-,makrzi1 wrote his book ,el-,mawiz w'el-,i'tibr fi' ,zikr el-,khitat w'el-',asr 7,the ,admonition and ,examples in ,commemorating ,habitations and ,traditions7 in ,a4,h4 #hbe 7 ,a4,d4 #adba71 during the latter part of the second ,mamlk dynasty2 and he brings down the history to the reign of ,kansu ,ghori1 whose fort we shall see at ,el-',akabah4 ,he tells us 7edition of ,gottingen1 #ahdh1 ,sahfah #dh71 ,the loftiest mountain in ,madyan is called ,zubayr4,,en#gd 4 4 4 ,it is also related that amongst the settlements of the 7,madyanite7 tribe are the villages of ,petra 7,arabic71 namely1 the ,krat 7circuit7 of ,el-,tor1 and ,frn 7,pharan71 and ,ryeh1 and ,kulzum1 and ,aylah 7,el-',akabah7 with its surroundings2 ,madyan with its surroundings2 and ,awd and ,haur 7,leuk-,kme7 with their surroundings1 and ,bad,,en#ge and ,shaghab4,,en#gf ,he speaks of many ruined cities whose inhabitants had disappeared3 forty1 however1 remained2 some with1 and others without1 names4 ,between ,el-,hejaz and ,egypt-,syria were sixteen cities1 ten of them lying towards ,palestine4 ,the most important were ,el-,khalasah1,,en#gg with its idol-temple destroyed by ,mohammed1 and ,el-,sani'tah1 whose stones had been removed to build ,ghazzah 7,gaza74 ,the others were ,el-,mederah1 ,el-,minyah1 ,el-,a'waj1 ,el-,khuwayrak1 ,el-,brayn1 ,el-,mayn1 ,el-,seb1 and ,el-,mu'allak4,,en#gh ,the ,marsid el-,ittl 'al ,asm el-,amkanat w'el-,buk' 7,observations of ,information on the ,names of ,places and ,countries71 which contains two dates in the body of the work1 viz4 ,a4,h4 #iig 7 ,a4,d4 #aehi7 and ,a4,h4 #aafh 7,a4,d4 #agee71 and which is probably compiled from ,el-,kazwn1 says sub voce ,madyan1 after giving the movement of the word3 ,it is a city of the tribe of ,shu'ayb1 opposite ,tabk1 and upon the sea of ,el-,kulzum1 six stages 7,marhil7 separating the two4 ,it is larger than ,tabk1 and in it is the well whence ,moses watered the flocks of ,shu'ayb4 ,finally1 it repeats that ,madyan is under the district of ,tabariyy or ,tiberias,,en#gi 7vol4 iii4 p4 #fd1 edidit4 ,t4 ,g4 ,j4 ,juynboll1 ,lugduni ,batavorum1 #ahed1 e duobus ,codd4 ,,mss474 ,i conclude this unpopular chapter with some remarks by ,dr4 ,badger concerning the apparent connection of ,jethro and ,el-,mednah3,,en#hj ,it struck me when studying ',madyan1' which is the name of a place as well as of a man1,,en#ha that ',ythrib1' the ancient term of al-,madnah1 might have served the same double purpose4 ,at all events1 it was singular to find a ,ythrib somewhere near ,madyan1 and that the word was not far removed from the ,hebrew 7,yithro71 the name given in ,hebrew to ,moses' ,midianite father-in-law4 ,i also note that the ,septuagint renders the ,hebrew ,yithro by ,greek ,peshito by ,arabic 7,yathrn71 which the new ,arabic version of the ,bible1 published at ,bairu't 7,syria71 follows2 making it ,arabic 7,ythrn74 ,the name in ,hebrew 7,exod4 iv4 #ah7 is also written ,hebrew 7,yether74 ,my theory is this4 ,firstly1 there is no dependence to be placed on the ,masoretic points1 especially when affixed to names of places4 ,secondly1 we have no certain knowledge of the language used by the ,midianites in those ancient times4 ,their territory extended northwards towards ,palestine1 and from their very intimate relations with the ,israelites1 as friends and as enemies1 both nations appear to have understood each other perfectly4 ,may not their language1 then1 have been a dialect of the ,aramean8,,en#hb ,if so1 the ,hebrew 7,yithro7 of the ,bible might have been ,hebrew 7,yithrab1 ,yathrib1 etc474 ,instances of the apocopated ,hebrew 7b7 are common in the ,chaldean or ,syro-,chaldaic at the present day2 e4g4 ,arabic 7,yheb ,alaha7 is pronounced ,yu-,alaha2 ,arabic 7,yashu'-yaheb7 becomes ,yashu-yau1 etc41 the final ,beth ,arabic 7b7 or the ,arabic 7heb7 being converted into a ,arabic 7w74 ,hence why may not ,hebrew 7,yithro7 have been originally ,hebrew 7,yithrab or ,yathrib78 ,of course1 this is only a conjecture of mine4 ,mr4 ,e4 ,stanley ,poole 7loc4 cit47 says that the ,arabs dispute whether the name ,medyen be foreign or ,arabic2 and whether ,medyen spoke ,arabic4 ,he considers the absurd enumeration of the alphabetical kings 7,el-,mas'di1 quoted above7 to be curious1 as possibly containing some vague reference to the language of ,midian4 ,when these kings are said contemporaneously to have ruled over ,meccah1 ,western ,nejd1 ,yemen1 ,medyen1 ,egypt1 etc41 it is extremely improbable that ,midian ever penetrated into ,yemen1 notwithstanding the hints of ,arab authors to the contrary4 ,ykt el-,hamawi 7born ,a4,h4 #egd or #ege ,a4,d4 #aagh-gi1 and died ,a4,h4 #fbf ,a4,d4 #abbh71 in the ,mu'jam el-,buldn 7cited in the ,journ4 of the ,deutsch4 ,morgen4 ,gesellschaft71 declares that a ,south ,arabic dialect is of ,midian1 and ,el-,mas'di 7apud ,schultens1 pp4 #aeh-aei7 inserts a ,midianite king among the rulers of ,yemen4 ,the latter1 however1 is more probable than the former2 it may be an accidental and individual1 not a material occurrence4 ,the following list of ruins1 some cities1 others towns1 were all1 with two exceptions 7,nos4 #b and #ah71 visited or explored by the second ,khedivial ,expedition4 ,the ,mashghal1 ateliers or subsidiary workshops1 were in cases learned only by hearsay3-- #a4 ,old ',akabah 7,aylah7 ,mashghal1 up ,valley el-,yitm4 #c4 #b4 ,el-,hakl 7pronounced ,hagul71 the ,greek of ,ptolemy3 it was seen from the sea1 and notes were taken of its ruins and furnaces4 #c4 ,nakhil ,tayyib ,ism1 in mountain of the same name3 its ruined dam 787 and buildings were surveyed by ,lieutenant ,amir4 #d4 ,makn4 ,twice visited4 #e4 ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,two ateliers inspected1 and one heard of on the ,jebel el-,lauz3 total1 #c4 #f4 ',aynnah4 ,in ,jebel ,zahd 7ruins and furnaces74 #a4 #g4 ,sharm4 ,an atelier on the ,jebel ,fs1 and another on the ,jebel ,harb1 both high up3 total1 #b4 #h4 ,tiryam4 ,an atelier in the ,wady ,urnub4 #a4 #i4 ,abu ,hawwt1 near ,el-,muwaylah4 ,scori found about the fort of ,el-,muwaylah and near ,sharm ,yhrr4 #b4 #aj4 ,zibayyib in ,wady ,surr4 ,atelier ,sayl ,umm ,laban 7,wady ,sadr74 #a4 #aa4 ,khulasah4,,en#hc ,saw specimens of worked metal from ,wady ,kh'shabryyah1 and the upper ,wady ,surr2 also ruins in the ,sayl ,ab ,sha'r1 south-west and seawards of the ,shrr block4 #ab4 ,ma' el-,bad1 alias ,diyr el-,nasr1 in the upper ,wady ,dmah4 #ac4 ,shuwk1 the ,greek of ,ptolemy4 ,atelier in ,jebel el-,sn4 #a4 #ad4 ,shaghab1 another large city mentioned by ,el-,makrzi4 #ae4 ,ruins of ,el-,khandak4 ,broken quartz1 and made road at ,el-,kutayyifah2 two other ateliers in ,wady ,ruways to the west3 total1 #c4 #af4 ,umm ,amil4 ,near it an atelier still called ,el-,dayr1 or the ,convent4 #a4 #ag4 ,ziba'1 old town2 ,umm ,jirmah to the north4 #a4 #ah4 ,majirmah 7pronounced ,m'jirmah71 one day's march south of ,zib4 ,large ruins1 supposed to have been the classical ,rhaunathos4 ,thus1 besides a total of eighteen ruins1 more or less extensive1 twenty ateliers were seen or heard of2 making up a total of thirty-eight--not far removed from the forty traditional settlements of the medival ,arab geographers4 ,in the plateau of ,new ,red ,sandstone called ,el-,hism1 ruins and inscriptions are said to be found at the ,jebel ,rawiyn1 whose ,wady is mentioned by ,wallin 7p4 #cjh72 at ,ruf1 between the two hills ,el-,rakhamatayn2 and at sundry other places1 which we were unable to visit4 ,beyond the ,hisma' ,i also collected notices of ,el-,karyy1 large ruins first alluded to by ,wallin 7p4 #caf74;,,en#hd ,during our exploration of the region below ,el-,muwaylah 7my ,southern ,midian71 and our cruise to ,el-,haura'1 the following sites were either seen or reported3-- #a4 ,ruins in the ,wady ,dukhn1 south of the ,wady el-,azlam3 north of ,el-,wijh4 #b4 ,el-,nabaghah1 in the ,wady el-,marrah3 north of ,el-,wijh4 #c4 ,ruins1 furnaces and quartz-strews1 in the ,fara't ,lebayyiz4 #d4 ,el-,wijh1 the port of ,strabo's ,egra 7874 #e4 ,inland fort of ,el-,wijh2 an old metal-working ground4 #f4 ,the great mine and ruins1 ,umm el-,karayya't1 everywhere surrounded by ateliers4 #g4 ,el-,kubbah1 a small isolated ruin to the east of ,no4 #f4 #h4 ,el-,khaur1 a working-place to the west of ,no4 #f4 #i4 ,the large works called ,umm el-,hara'b1 with two ruined ateliers near them4 #aj4 ,aba'l-,gezz1 a working-place in the watercourse of the same name1 an upper branch of the ,wady ,salbah4 #aa4 ,the fine plain of ,bada'1 with the ,mashghal el-',arayft heard of to the north4 #ab4 ,marwt1 ruins on a ridge near ,bad1 and signs of a settlement in the valley4 ,in the ,wady ,laylah1 remains also spoken of4 #ac4 ,aba'l-,mar1 probably the ,zu'l-,marwah of ,bilzur2 extensive remains of buildings2 a huge reef of quartz1 carefully worked1 and smaller ruins further down the valley4 #ad4 ,the classical temple or tomb on the left bank of the great ,wady ,hamz1 dividing ,southern ,midian from ,el-,hejaz in the ,turkish dominions4 #ae4 ,large remains1 in two divisions1 at ,el-,haur4,,en#he ,concerning the ateliers1 details will be found in the following pages4 ,many of them suggest a kind of compromise between the camps and settlements of the ,stone ,age1 where1 e4g4 at ,pressigny and ,grimes' ,graves1 the only remnant of man is a vast strew of worked silexes2 and the wandering fraternity of ,freemasons who hutted themselves near the work in hand4 ,and ,i would here lay special stress upon my suspicion that the ancestors of the despised ,hutaym may have been the ,gypsy-caste that worked the metals in ,midian4 ,for the date of the many ruins which stud the country1 ,i will assume empirically that their destruction is coeval with that of the ,christian ,churches in ,negeb1 or the ,south ,country1,,en#hf that adjoins ,midian ,proper on the north-west4 ,it may date from either the invasion of ,khusrau ,anshrawn1 the conquering ,sassanian ,king ,chosroes 7,a4,d4 #eca-egi72 or from the expedition1 sent by the ,caliph ,omar and his successors1 beginning in ,a4,d4 #fea4 ,but1 as will appear in the course of these pages1 there was a second destruction2 and that evidently dates from the early sixteenth century1 when ,sultn ,selim laid out his maritime road for the ,hajj-caravan4 ,before that time the ,egyptian caravans1 as will be seen1 marched inland1 and often passed from ,midian to ,el-,hijr4 ,chapter ,v4 ,work ,at1 and ,excursions ,from1 ,maghir ,shu',ayb4 ,by the blessing of ,nebi ,shu'ayb and a glance from his eyrie1 ,i at once suspected that the western ,shigd was the ,mountain on a mountain alluded to by ,haji ,wali2,,en#hg and1 on ,january #ab1 #ahgh1 ,i ascertained that such was the case4 ,the old man had given me a hand-sketch of the most artless1 showing a gorge between two rocks1 a hill of two stages to the left or west1 and a couple of ,wadys draining it to the sea2 one 7,wady ,makn7 trending northwest1 and the other 7,wady ',afl7 south-west4 ,the word ,ishmah1 affixed to the northern part of the route1 is evidently the ,hism plateau1 and not1 as ,i had supposed it to be1 the ,jebel ,tayyib ,ism4 ,nor had we any difficulty in discovering ,haji ,wali's tree1 a solitary ,mimosa to the right of the caravan-track1 springing from the sands of the ,shigdawayn gorge4 ,the latter is formed by the sister-blocks before alluded to4 ,the western ,shigd1 on the right of the ,wady ',afl1 is composed of carbonate of lime and sandstones dyed with manganese1 the whole resting upon a core of grey granite2 the formation is the same as the eastern feature1 but the lines of the latter are gentler1 and the culminating tower is wanting4 ,the western ,shigd1 indeed1 is sufficiently peculiar4 ,it is the southern apex of a short range1 numbering some four heads3 the eastern flank discharges the ,wady ,kizz1 which feeds the ',afl2 and the western the ,wady ,makn4 ,the summit of the broken and spiny cone is a huge perpendicular block1 apparently inaccessible as a tower1 and composed of the dull yellow ferruginous conglomerate called ,el-,safr3 the tint contrasts strongly with a long line of bright white ,rugham 7gypsum71 bisecting the head of the ,wady ,makn4 ,below the apex is a thick stratum of manganese-stained rock3 the upper line1 with a dip of #ae deg4 towards the main valley1 looks much like a row of bulwarks which had slipped from the horizontal1 while still bluff between the north-east and east4 ,indeed1 the shape is so regular that ,m4 ,lacaze1 at first sight1 asked if it was une construction4 ,as soon as the washing-trough was brought up from ,sharm1 we opened operations by digging a trench1 at least twelve feet deep1 in the re-entering angle of the bed close to the ,mimosa tree4 ,the sand1 pink above and chloritic yellow below1 ended in a thick bed of water-rolled pebbles1 not in ground-rock2 nor did it show the couch of excellent clay which usually underlies the surface1 and which1 ,i have said1 is extracted through pits to make sun-dried brick1 swish1 and other building materials4 ,we also secured some of the blood-red earth from the eastern tail of the northern ,shigh1 the manganese-stained ,tau and the gravelly sand washed out of the ,cascalho-gravel1 the latter very promising4 ,the result of our careless working1 however1 was not successful2 the normal ilmenite1 black sand of magnetic iron1 took the place of gold-dust4 ,and this unlooked-for end again made us suspicious of my old friend's proceedings3 the first occasion was that of his notable malingering4 ,had he bought a pinch of ,tibr 7pure gold7 from the ,bedawin1 and mixed it with the handful of surface stuff 8 ,had the assayer at ,alexandria played him a trick 8 ,or had an exceptionally heavy torrent really washed down auriferous tailings8 ,i willingly believe the latter to have been the case2 and we shall presently see it is within the range of possibility4 ,traces of gold were found by ,lieutenant-,colonel ,w4 ,a4 ,ross1 through his pyrological process1 in the sandy clays brought from the mouth of ,wady ,makn4 ,meanwhile1 despite our magnificent offers1 the ,arabs managed to keep inviolate their secret--if they had one4 ,an old man1 now a rich merchant and householder at ,suez1 had repeatedly declared to ,mr4 ,a4 ,g4 ,k4 ,levick1 that in his young days the ,bedawin washed gold in ,midian1 till the industry fell into disrepute4 ,during my last visit he was unfortunately absent upon a pilgrimage2 after our return he asserted that he had sent for specimens of the sand1 but that it paid too little even for transport4 ,this ',abd el-,hmid el-,shmi1 interviewed1 after our return1 by ,mr4 ,clarke1 declared more than once1 and still declares1 that many years ago he obtained from the ,wady ,zib1 behind the settlement1 a certain quantity of reddish sand which appeared auriferous4 ,he roasted and washed the contents of three small baskets called ,coffas,,en#hh by ,europeans2 and this yielded a pinch of what looked like pure gold4 ,in camp our men spoke freely of ,tibr stored in quills1 carried behind the ear1 and sold at ,suez--not at ,cairo for fear of consequences4 ,yet neither promises nor bribes would persuade the poorest to break through the rule of silence4 ,the whole might have been a canard3 on the other hand1 there was also a valid reason for reticence2 the open mouth would not long have led to a sound throat4 ,so our many informants contented themselves with telling us frequent tales of gold ornaments picked up after rain2 they showed us a ring made from a bit found on the ,tabk road1 and they invariably assure us that we shall find wondrous things--about the next station4 ,at ,maghir ,shu'ayb we wasted a whole fortnight 7,january #aa-bd1 #ahgh7 in vain works2 and ,i afterwards bitterly repented that the time had not been given to ,south ,midian4 ,yet the delay was pleasant enough1 after the month which is required to acquire1 or to recover1 the habit of tent-life4 ,the halting-day was mostly spent as follows3 ,at six a4m41 and somewhat later on cold mornings1 the ,boruji sounds his rveill--,kum1 y ,habb1 sh el-,naum 7,rise1 friend6 sleep is done71 as the ,egyptian officers interpret the call4 ,a curious business he makes of it1 when his fingers are half frozen2 yet ,bugler ,mersl ,ab ,dunya is a man of ambition1 who persistently1 and despite the coarse laughter of ,europeans1 repairs for quiet practicing to the bush4 ,we drink tea or coffee made by ,engineer ,ali ,marie1 or by ,quartermaster ,yusuf1 not by ,europeans2 two camels supply us with sweet milk2 butter we have brought2 and nothing is wanted for complete comfort but bread4 ,we then separate to our work1 after telling off the quarrymen to their several tasks4 ,inveterate idlers and ne'er-do-weels1 their only object in life is not to labour2 a dozen of them will pass a day in breaking ten pounds' weight of stone4 ,they pound in the style of the ,eastern tobacconist1 with a very short stroke and a very long stay4 ,at last they burst the sieves in order to enjoy a quieter life4 ,they will do nothing without superintendence2 whilst the officer is absent they sit and chat1 smoke1 or lie down to rest2 and they are never to be entrusted with a water-skin or a bottle of spirits4 ,the fellows will station one of their number on the nearest hill1 whilst their comrades enjoy a sounder sleep2 they are the greatest of cowards1 and yet none would thus have acted sentinel even in the presence of the enemy4 ,these useful articles all expect a liberal bakhshsh when the journey is done1 with the usual ,asiatic feeling3 they know that they deserve nothing1 but my dignity obliges me to largess4 ,on this occasion it did not4 ,those told off to dig prefer to make a deep pit1 because fewer can work together at it1 rather than scrape off and sift the two feet of surface which yield antka's4 ,they rob what they can3 every scrap of metal stylus1 manilla1 or ring is carefully tested1 scraped1 broken or filed1 in order to see whether it be gold4 ,punishment is plentifully administered1 but in vain2 we cannot even cure their unclean habits of washing in and polluting the fountain source4 ,three ,europeans would easily do the work of these thirty poor devils4 ,mr4 ,clarke is our camp-manager in general3 he is also our jger2 he shoots the wild poultry1 duck and partridge1 sand-grouse1 and ,bob ,white the quail1 for half our dinners2 and the ,arabs call him the ,angel of ,death belonging to the ,birds4 ,he failed to secure a noble eagle in the ,wady ',afl1 whose nest was built upon an inaccessible cliff3 he described the bird as standing as high as our table1 and with a width of six to seven feet from wing to wing4 ,he also brought tidings of a large 7horned87 owl1 possibly the same species as the fine bird noted at ,sinai4 ,the ,arabs call it classically ,bmah1 and vulgarly ,umm ,kuwayk 7,mother of ,squeaking73 the ,fellahin believe that it sucks out children's eyes1 and hence their name1 ,masssah4 ,here1 as in the ,sinaitic ,peninsula1 the owl and the hyena are used as charms2 and the burnt feathers of the former1 and the boiled flesh of the latter 7superior filth671 are considered as infallible specifics for numerous disorders4 ,in other parts of ,arabia the hooting of the owl portends death2 and the cry1 ,ft--ft1 is interpreted1 ,he is gone1 gone4 ,the two ,staff-officers make plans and sketches of the new places1 or they protract their field-books1 working very hard and very slowly4 ,i have but little confidence in their route-surveys3 sights are taken from mule-back1 and distances are judged by the eye4 ,true1 the protractions come out well1 but this is all the worse1 suggesting the process commonly called doctoring4 ,for the style of thing1 however1 dead reckoning did well enough4 ,m4 ,lacaze is the most ardent4 ,accompanied by his favourite orderly1 ,salmat el-,nahhs1 an intelligent negro from ,dr-,for1 he sets out after breakfast with a bit of bread1 a flagon of water1 a tent-umbrella1 and his tools1 which he loses with remarkable punctuality1 to spend the whole day sketching1 painting1 and photographing4 ,m4 ,philipin is our useful man3 he superintends the washing-cradle2 he wanders far and wide1 gun in hand1 bringing us specimens of everything that strikes the eye2 and he is great at his forge3 the ,bedawin sit for hours1 gazing attentively as he converts a file into a knife1 and illustrating the reverence with which1 in early days1 men regarded ,vulcan and ,wayland ,smith4 ,at eleven a4m4 the bugle sounds ,tijr taakul6 7,run and feed71 a signal for djeuner la fourchette4 ,it is a soup1 a stew1 and a ,pulo 7pilaff7 of rice and meat1 sheep or goat1 the only provisions that poor ,midian can afford1 accompanied by onions and garlic1 which are eaten like apples1 washed down with bon ordinaire2 followed by cheese when we have it1 and ending with tea or coffee4 ,george the cook proves himself an excellent man when deprived of oil and undemoralized by contact with his fellow ,greeks4 ,after feeding1 the idlers1 who have slumbered1 or rather have remained in bed1 between eight p4m4 and six to seven a4m41 generally manage a couple of hours' siesta1 loudly declaring that they have been wide awake4 ,one of the party seems to live by the blessing of him who invented sleep1 and he is always good for half of the twenty-four hours--how they must envy him whose unhappy brains can be stupefied only by poisonous chloral6 ,at two p4m41 after drinking tea or coffee once more1 we proceed to another four hours' spell of work4 ,as sunset and the cold hours draw near1 all assemble about the fire1 generally two or three huge palm trunks1 whose blaze gladdens the soul of the lonely night-sentinel2 and1 assembling the ,shaykhs of the ,arabs1 we gather from them information geographical1 historical1 and ethnological4 ,the amount of invention1 of pure fancy1 of airy lying1 is truly sensational2 while at the same time they conceal from us everything they can2 and1 more especially1 everything we most wish to know4 ,firstly1 they do not want us to spy out the secrets of the land2 and1 secondly1 they count upon fleecing us through another season4 ,during the whole day1 but notably at this hour1 we have the normal distractions of the ,arabian journey4 ,one man brings1 and expects bakhshsh for1 a bit of broken metal or some ridiculous stone2 another grumbles for meat2 and a third wants tobacco1 medicine1 or something to be had for the asking4 ,i am careful to pay liberally1 as by so doing the country is well scoured4 ,dinner1 at seven p4m41 is a copy of what was served before noon4 ,it is followed by another sitting round the fire1 which is built inside the mess tent when cold compels4 ,at times the conversation lasts till midnight2 and1 when cognac or whisky is plentiful1 ,i have heard it abut upon the ,battle of ,waterloo and the ,immortality of the ,soul4 ,piquet and cart are reserved for life on board ship4 ,our only reading consists of newspapers1 which come by camel post every three weeks2 and a few ,tauchnitz1 often odd volumes4 ,i marvel1 as much as ,hamlet ever did1 to see the passionate influence of the storyteller upon those full-grown children1 bearded men2 to find them1 in the midst of this wild new nature1 so utterly absorbed by the fictitious weal and woe of some poor creature of the author's brain1 that they neglect even what they call their meals 2 allow their teas to cool1 and strain their eyesight poring over page after page in the dim light of a rusty lantern4 ,thus also the ,egyptian1 after sitting in his caf with all his ears and eyes opened their widest1 whilst the story-teller drones out the old tale of ,ab ,zayd1 will dispute till midnight1 and walk home disputing about what1 under such and such circumstances1 they themselves would have done4 ,to me the main use of ,tauchnitz was to make ,arabia appear the happier1 by viewing1 from the calm vantage-ground of the ,desert1 the meanness and the littlenesses of civilized life--in novels4 ,the marching-day is only the halting-day in movement4 ,by seven a4m4 in winter and four a4m4 in spring1 we have breakfasted and are ready to mount mule or dromedary2 more generally1 however1 we set out1 accompanied by the ,sayyid and the ,shaykhs1 for a morning walk4 ,the tents and1 most important of all1 the tent-table are left to follow under the charge of the ,egyptian officers1 who allow no dawdling4 ,with us are the cook and the two body-servants1 riding of course3 they carry meat1 drink1 and tobacco in my big tin cylinder intended to collect plants2 and they prefer to give us cold whilst we fight for hot breakfasts4 ,after resting between ten a4m4 and noon in some shady spot1 generally under a thorn1 we ride on to the camping-ground1 which we reach between two and three p4m4 ,this is the worst part of the day for man and beast1 especially for the mules--hence the necessity of early rising4 ,the average work rarely exceeds six hours 7 eighteen to twenty miles74 ,even this1 if kept up day after day1 is hard labour for our montures1 venerable animals whose chests1 galled by the breast-straps1 show that they have not been broken to the saddle4 ,accustomed through life to ply in a state of semi-somnolence1 between ,cairo and the ,citadel1 they begin by proving how unintelligent want of education can make one of the most intelligent of beasts4 ,they trip over every pebble1 and are almost useless on rough and broken ground2 they start and swerve at a man1 a tree1 a rock1 a distant view or a glimpse of the sea2 they will not leave one another1 and they indulge their pet dislikes3 this shies at a camel1 that kicks at a dog4 ,presently ,tamaddun1 as the ,arabs say1 urbanity1 or1 more literally1 being citified1 asserts itself1 as in the human cockney2 and at last they become cleverer and more knowing than any country-bred4 ,they climb up the ladders of stone with marvellous caution1 and slip down the slopes of sand on their haunches2 they round every rat-hole which would admit a hoof2 and they know better than we do where water is4 ,they are not always well treated2 the galloping griff is amongst us1 who enjoys lambing and bucketing even a half-donkey4 ,of course1 the more sensible animal of the two is knocked up2 whilst the rider assumes the airs of one versed in the haute cole4 ,the only difficulty1 by no fault of the mules1 was the matter of irons3 shoeless they could travel only in sand2 and1 as has been said1 the farrier was forgotten4 ,amongst our recreant ,shaykhs ,i must not include ,furayj bin ,raf'a el-,huwayt1 a man of whom any tribe might be proud1 and a living proof that the ,bedawi may still be a true gentleman4 ,a short figure1 meagre of course1 as becomes the denizen of the ,desert1 but hard as nails1 he has straight comely features1 a clean dark skin1 and a comparatively full beard1 already1 like his hair1 waxing white1 although he cannot be forty-five4 ,a bullet in the back1 and both hands distorted by sabre-cuts1 attempts at assassination due to his own kin1 do not prevent his using sword1 gun1 and pistol4 ,he is the ',agd of the tribe1 the ,african ,captain of ,war2 as opposed to the civil authority1 the ,shayhk1 and to the judicial1 the ,kzi4 ,at first it is somewhat startling to hear him prescribe a slit weasand as a cure for lying2 yet he seems to be known1 loved1 and respected by all around him1 including his hereditary foes1 the ,ma'zah4 ,he is the only ,bedawi in camp who prays4 ,naturally he is a genealogist1 rich in local lore4 ,he counteracts all the intrigues by which that rat-faced little rascal1 ,shaykh ,hasan el-',ukbi1 tries to breed mischief between friends4 ,he is a walking map2 it would be easy to draw up a rude plan of the country from his information4 ,he does not know hours and miles1 but he can tell to a nicety the comparative length of a march2 and1 when ignorant1 he has the courage to say ,m'adri1 don't know4 ,he never asked me for anything1 nor told a lie1 nor even hid a water-hole4 ,willing and ready to undertake the longest march1 the hardest work1 his word is ,hzir--,i'm here--and he will even walk to mount a tired man4 ,seated upon his loud-voiced little ,hijn1,,en#hi remarkable because it is of the noble ,bishri strain1 bred between the ,nile and the ,red ,sea1 he is ever the guide in chief4 ,at last it ends with ,ndi ,shaykh ,furayj6--,call ,shaykh ,furayj--when anything is to be done1 to be explained1 to be discovered4 ,i would willingly have recommended him for the chieftainship of his tribe1 but he is not wealthy2 he wisely prefers to see the dignity in the hands of his cousin ',alayn1 who1 by-the-by1 is helpless without him4 ,he remained with us to the end3 he seemed to take a pride in accompanying the expedition by sea to ,el-,haur1 and by land to the ,wady ,hamz1 far beyond the limits of his tribe4 ,when derided for mounting a pair of ,government bluchers1 tied over bare feet1 with bits of glaring tassel-string from his camel-saddle1 he quoted the proverb1 ,whoso liveth with a people forty days becomes of them4 ,we parted after the most friendly adieu1 or rather au revoir1 and he was delighted with some small gifts of useful weapons3--,i wonder whether ,shaykh ,furayj will prove milk1 to use ,sir ,walter ,scott's phrase1 which can stand more than one skimming4 ,in such wild travel1 the traveller's comfort depends mainly upon weather4 ,usually the air of ,maghir ,shu'ayb was keen1 pure1 and invigorating1 with a distinct alternation of land-breeze by night1 and of sea-breeze by day4 ,nothing could be more charming than the flushing of the mountains at sunrise and sunset1 and the magnificence of the windy1 wintry noon4 ,the rocky spires1 pinnacles1 and domes1 glowing with gorgeous golden light1 and the lower ranges1 shaded with hazy blue1 umber-red1 and luminous purple1 fell into picture and formed prospects indescribably pure and pellucid4 ,but the average of the aneroid 7#bi4ai7 gave an altitude of eight hundred feet2 and even in this submaritime region1 the minimum temperature was #db deg4 ,f41 ranging to a maximum of #he deg ,f4 in the shade4 ,these are extremes which the soft ,egyptian body1 reared in the house or the hut1 could hardly support4 ,darwaysh ,effendi followed suit after ,yusuf ,effendi2 it was a study to see him swathed to the nose1 bundled in the thickest clothes1 with an umbrella opened against the sun1 and with a soldier leading his staid old mule4 ,bukhayt ,ahmar and several of the soldiers were laid up2 ,ahmed ,kaptn was incapacitated for work by an old and inveterate hernia1 the effect1 he said1 of riding his violent little beast2 and a sound ague and fever1 which continued three days1 obliterated in my own case the last evils of ,karlsbad4 ,we had one night of rain 7,january #ae71 beginning gently at #b4cj a4m41 and ending in a heavy downfall--unfortunately a pluviometer was one of the forgotten articles4 ,before the shower1 earth was dry as a bone2 shortly after it1 sprouts of the greenest grass began to appear in the low places1 and under the shadow of the perennial shrubs4 ,the cold damp seemed to make even the snakes torpid3 for the first time in my life ,i trod upon one--a clairvoyante having already warned me against serpents and scorpions4 ,there were also bursts of heat1 ending in the normal three grey days of raw piercing norther2 and followed by a still warmer spell4 ,upon the ,gulf of ,el-',akabah a violent gale was blowing4 ,on the whole the winter climate of inland ,midian is trying1 and a speedy return to the seaboard air is at times advisable1 while ,south ,midian feels like ,thebes after ,cairo4 ,the coast climate is simply perfect1 save and except when ,el-,ayl1 the storm-wind from ',akabat ,aylah1 is abroad4 ,my meteorological journal was carefully kept1 despite the imperfection of the instruments4 ,mr4 ,clarke registered the observations during my illness2 ,mr4 ,duguid and ,nsir ,kaptn made simultaneous observations on board the ships2 and ,dr4 ,maclean kindly corrected the instrumental errors after our return to ,cairo4,,en#ij ,i had proposed to march upon the ,hism1 or sandy plateau to the east1 which can be made from ,maghir ,shu'ayb without the mortification of a ,nakb1 or ladder of stone4 ,thereupon our ,tagaygt-,huwaytt ,shaykhs and camel-men began to express great fear of the ',imran-,huwaytt1 refusing to enter their lands without express leave and the presence of a ,ghafr 7surety74 ,our caravan-leader1 the gallant ,sayyid1 at once set off in search of ',brahim bin ,makbl1 second chief of the ',imrn1 and recognized by the ,egyptian ,government as the avocat1 spokesman and diplomatist1 the liar and intriguer of his tribe4 ,this man was found near ,el-,hakl 7,hagul71 two long marches ahead3 he came in readily enough1 holding in hand my kerchief as a pledge of protection1 and accompanied by three petty chiefs1 ,musallam1 ,sa'd1 and ,muhaysin1 all with an eye to bakhshsh4 ,in fact1 every naked-footed cousin1 a little above the average clansman1 would call himself a ,shaykh1 and claim his ,mushhirah1 or monthly pay2 not a cateran came near us but affected to hold himself dishonoured if not provided at once with the regular salary4 ',brahim was wholly beardless1 and our ,egyptians quoted their proverb1 ,sabh el-,kurd1 wa l ,sabn el-',ajrd--,better 7see ill-omened7 monkeys in the morning than the beardless man4 ,as the corruption of the best turns to the worst1 so the ,bedawi1 a noble race in its own wilds1 becomes thoroughly degraded by contact with civilization4 ,i remember a certain chief of the ,wuld ,ali tribe1 near ,damascus1 who was made a ,freemason at ,bayrt1 and the result was that brother ,mohammed became a model villain4 ,by way of payment for escort and conveyance to the ,hism1 ',brahim expected a recognition of his claim upon the soil of ,maghir ,shu'ayb1 which belongs to the wretched ,mas'id4 ,he held the true ,ishmaelitic tenet1 that as ,sayyidn 7our ,lord7 dam had died intestate1 so all men 7,arabs7 have a right to all things1 provided the right can be established by might4 ,hence the saying of the ,fellah1 ,shun the ,arab and the itch4 ,thus encouraged by the ,shaykhs1 the dodges of the clansmen became as manifold as they were palpable4 ,they wanted us to pay for camping-ground2 they complained aloud when we cut a palm-frond for palms1 or used a rotten fallen trunk for fuel4 ,they made their sheep appear fat by drenching them with water4 ,the people of the ,fort el-,muwaylah1 determined not to droger1 sent to us1 for sale1 the eggs laid by our own fowls4 ,and so forth4 ,presently ',brahim brought in his elder brother1 ,khizr bin ,makbl1 about as ill-conditioned a cuss as himself4 ,very dark1 with the left eye clean gone1 this worthy appeared pretentiously dressed in the pink of ,desert fashion--a scarlet cloak1 sheepskin-lined1 and bearing a huge patch of blue cloth between the shoulders2 a crimson caftan1 and red morocco boots with irons resembling ice-cramps at the heels4 ,like ',brahim1 he uses his ,bkr1 or crooked stick1 to trace lines and dots upon the ground2 similarly1 the ,yankee whittles to hide the trick that lurks in his eyes4 ,khizr tents in the ,hism1 and his manners are wild and rough as his dwelling-place2 possibly manly1 brusque certainly1 like the ,desert ,druzes of the ,jebel ,haurn4 ,he paid his first visit when our ,shaykhs were being operated upon by the photographer3 ,i fancied that such a novelty would have attracted his attention for the moment4 ,but no3 his first question was1 ,aysh ',ujrat8--,what is the hire for my camels8 ,finally1 these men threw so many difficulties in our way1 that ,i was compelled to defer our exploration of the eastern region to a later day4 ,after a week of washing for metals at ,maghir ,shu'ayb1 it was time to move further afield4 ,on ,january #agth1 the ,egyptian ,staff-officers rode up the ,wady ',afl1 and beyond the two pyramidal rocks of white stone1 which have fallen from the towered ,shigd1 they found on its right bank the ruins of a small atelier4 ,it lies nearly opposite the mouth of the ,wady ,tafrgh1 which is bounded north by a hill of the same name2 and south by the lesser ,shigd4 ,beyond it comes the ,wady ,nimir1 the broad drain of the ,jibl el-,nimir1 ,hills of the ,leopard1 feeding the ',afl3 the upper valley is said to have water and palms4 ,after a leg to the north-east 7#de deg4 mag471 they found the ',afl running from due north2 and one hour 7 three miles7 led them to other ruins on the eastern side of the low hills that prolong to the north the greater ,shigd4 ,the names of both sites were unknown even to ,shaykh ,furayj4 ,the foundations of uncut boulders showed a semicircle of buildings measuring #bbi paces across the horseshoe4 ,they counted eleven tenements--probably occupied by the slave-owners and superintendents--squares and oblongs1 separated by intervals of from forty-five to ninety-seven or a hundred paces4 ,on the north-north-east lay the chief furnace1 a parallelogram of some twenty-three paces1 built of stone and surrounded by scatters of broken white quartz and scori4 ,these two workshops seem to argue that the country was formerly much better watered than it is now4 ,moreover1 it convinced me that the only rock regularly treated by the ancients1 in this region1 was the metallic ,mar 7quartz74 ,i had heard by mere chance of a ,white ,mountain1 at no great distance1 in the mass of hills bounding to the north the ,secondary formations of ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,on ,january #bast1 ,m4 ,marie and ,lieutenant ,amir were detached to inspect it4 ,they were guided by the active ,furayj and a ,bedawi lad1 ,hamdn of the ,amrt1 who on receiving a stone dollar 7i4e4 silver7 could not understand its use4 ,travelling in a general northern direction1 the little party reached their destination in about three hours 7 nine miles74 ,they found some difficulty in threading a mile and a quarter of very ugly road1 a ,nakb1 passing through rocks glittering with mica2 a ladder of stony steps and overfalls1 with angles and zigzags where camels can carry only half-loads4 ,the ,european dismounted2 the ,egyptian1 who was firm in the saddle1 rode his mule the whole way4 ,we afterwards1 however1 explored a comparatively good road1 vi the ,wady ,murkh1 to the seaboard1 which will spare the future metal-smelter much trouble and expense4 ,the quartz mountain is1 like almost all the others1 the expanded mushroom-like head of a huge filon or vein2 and minor filets thread all the neighbouring heights4 ,the latter are the foot-hills of the great ,jebel ,znah1 a towering1 dark1 and dome-shaped mass clearly visible from ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,this remarkable block appeared to me the tallest we had hitherto seen2 it is probably the ,tayyibat ,ism1 #fjjj1 of the ,hydrographic ,chart4 ,the travellers ascended the ,jebel el-,mar1 trembling the while with cold2 and from its summit1 some fifteen hundred feet above sea-level1 they had a grand view of the seaboard and the sea4 ,they brought home specimens of the rock1 and fondly fancied that they had struck gold3 it was again that abominable crow-gold 7pyrites71 which has played the unwary traveller so many a foul practical joke4 ,during our stay at ,maghir ,shu'ayb the camp had been much excited by ,bedawi reports of many marvels in the lands to the north and the north-east4 ,the ,arabs soon learned to think that everything was worth showing3 they led ,m4 ,lacaze for long miles to a rock where bees were hiving4 ,a half-naked ',umayri shepherd1 one ,suwayd bin ,sa'd1 had told us of a ,hajar masdd 7closed stone7 about the size of a tent1 with another of darker colour set in it2 the ,arabs had been unable to break it open1 but they succeeded with a similar rock in the ,hism1 finding inside only ,tibn 7tribulated straw7 and charcoal4 ,another had seen a ,kidr ,dahab 7golden pot71 in the ',align section of the ,wady el-,hakl 7,hagul7 where it leaves the ,hism2 and a matchlock-man had brought down with his bullet a bit of precious metal from the upper part4 ,this report prevails in many places3 it may have come all the way from ,pharaoh's ,treasury at ,petra1 or from the ,sinaitic ,wady ,lej4 ,at the mouth of the latter is the ,hajar el-,kidr 7,potrock71 which every passing ,arab either stones or strikes with his staff1 hoping that the mysterious utensil will burst and shed its golden shower4 ,moreover1 a half-witted ,ma'zi1 by name ,mas'1 had tantalized us with a glorious account of the ,house of ',antar in the ,hism1 and the cistern where that negro hero and poet used to water his horses4 ,near its massive walls rises a ,hazbah 7steep and solitary hillock7 with ,dims or layers of ashlar atop3 he had actually broken off a bit of greenstone sticking in the masonry1 and sold it to a man from ,tor 7,khwjeh ,kostantin87 for a large sum--two napoleons1 a new shirt1 and a quantity of coffee4 ,a similar story is found in the ,bdiyat el-,th1 the ,desert north of the ,sinaitic ,peninsula4 ,at the ruined cairns of ,khara'bat ,lussn 7the ancient ,lysa71 an ,arab saw a glimmer of light proceeding from a bit of curiously cut stone4 ,this he carried away with him and sold to a ,christian at ,jerusalem for three pounds4,,en#ia ,shaykh ',brahm had also heard of this marvel2 but he called it the ,harb ',antar 7,ruin of ',antar71 and he placed it in the ,wady el-,hakl1 about an hour's ride south of the ,wady ',afl4 ,finally1 a tablet in the ,wady ,hawwayi'1 adorned with a dragon and other animals1 was reported to me2 and the memory of inscriptions mentioned in the ,jihan-num was still importunate4 ,evidently all these were mere fancies2 or1 at best1 gross distortions of facts4 ,the ,bedawin repeat them in the forlorn hope of bakhshsh1 and never expect action to be taken3 next morning they will probably declare the whole to be an invention4 ,yet it is never safe to neglect the cry of wolf3 our most remarkable discovery1 the ,temple at the ,wady ,hamz1 was made when report promised least4 ,accordingly1 on ,january #bdth1 ,i despatched1 with ,shaykhs ,khizr and ',brahm as guides1 ,mr4 ,clarke and the two ,staff-lieutenants towards ,el-,rijm1 the next station of the pilgrim-caravan4 ,riding up the ,wady ',afl1 they reached1 after an hour and three-quarters1 the ruins known as ,igr ,mus--a name of truly barbarous sound4 ,the settlement had occupied both banks1 but the principal mass was on the left3 here two blocks1 separated by a hillock1 lay to north-east and south-west of each other4 ,apparently dwelling-places1 they were composed of a masonry-cistern and of fourteen buildings1 detached squares and oblongs1 irregular both in orientation and in size2 the largest measuring eighty by fifty metres1 and the smallest five by four4 ,the material was of water-rolled boulders1 huge pebbles without mortar or cement4 ,there were no signs of a furnace1 nor were the usual fragments of glass and pottery strewed about4 ,to the north and running up the north-north-eastern slope stood a line of wall two metres broad and three hundred long3 it ended at the south-western extremity in five round towers razed to their foundations4 ,it was suggested that this formed part of a street1 laid out on the plan of the ,jebel el-,safr1 the hauteville of ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,on the right bank of the ,wady appeared a heap of stones suggesting a ,burj4 ,fine1 hard1 compact1 and purple-blue slate was collected in the ruins2 and the red conglomerates on either side of the watercourse suggested that ,cascalho had been worked4 ,after riding their dromedaries some three hours1 halts not included1 the travellers were asked why they had not brought their tents4 ,because we expect to return to camp this evening6 ,then it leaked out that they had not reached half-way to the closed stone1 while the dragon-tablet would take a whole day4 ,unprepared for a wintry night in the open1 some twelve hundred feet above sea-level1 they rode back at full speed1 greatly to the disgust of the ,arabs1 who1 at this hungry season1 rarely push their lean beasts beyond three and a half to four miles an hour4 ,lieutenant ,amir1 who is invaluable in the field1 would have pressed forward3 not so the ,european4 ,i did not see ,shaykhs ,khizr or ',brahm for many a day2 nor did we attempt any more reconnaissances to the north of ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,not the least pleasant part of our evening's work was collecting information concerning the origin of the tribes inhabiting modern ,midian2 and1 as on such occasions a mixed multitude was always present1 angry passions were often let rise4 ,as my previous volume showed1 the tribes in this ,egyptian corner of ,north-,western ,arabia number three--the ,huwaytt1 the ,maknwi1 and the ,beni ',ukbah2 the two former of late date1 and all more or less connected with the ,nile ,valley4 ,amongst them ,i do not include the ,hutaym or ,hitaym1 a tribe of ,pariahs who1 like the ,akhdm 7serviles7 of ,maskat and ,yemen1 live scattered amongst1 although never intermarrying with1 their neighbours4 ,as a rule the numbers of all these tribes are grossly exaggerated1 the object being to impose upon the pilgrim-caravans1 and to draw black-mail from the ,government of ,egypt4 ,the ,huwaytt1 for instance1 modestly declare that they can put #ejjj matchlocks into the field3 ,i do not believe that they have #ejj4 ,the ,ma'zah speak of #bjjj1 which may be reduced in the same proportion2 whilst the ,baliyy have introduced their #cg1jjj into ,european books of geography1 when #cgj would be nearer the mark4 ,i anticipate no difficulty in persuading these ,egypto-,arabs to do a fair day's work for a fair and moderate wage4 ,the ,bedawin flocked to the ,suez ,canal1 took an active part in the diggings1 and left a good name there4 ,they will be as useful to the mines2 and thus shall ,midian escape the mortification of the red-flannel-shirted ,jove1 while enjoying his golden shower4 ,i first took the opportunity of rectifying my notes on the origin of the ,huwayta't tribe4,,en#ib ,according to their own oral genealogists1 the first forefather was a lad called ',alayn1 who1 travelling in company with certain ,shuraf 7descendants of the ,apostle71 and erg held by his descendants to have been also a ,sherif1 fell sick on the way4 ,at ,el-',akabah he was taken in charge by ',atyyah1 ,shaykh of the then powerful ,ma'zah tribe1 who owned the land upon which the fort stands4 ,a clerk1 able to read and to write1 he served his adopted father by superintending the accounts of stores and provisions supplied to the ,hajj4 ,the ,arabs1 who before that time embezzled at discretion1 called him ,el-,huwayti' 7the ,man of the ,little ,wall7 because his learning was a fence against their frauds ,he was sent for by his ,egyptian friends2 these1 however1 were satisfied by a false report of his death3 he married his benefactor's daughter2 he became ,shaykh after the demise of his father-in-law2 he drove the ,ma'zah from ,el-',akabah1 and he left four sons1 the progenitors and eponymi of the ,midianite ,huwaytt4 ,their names are ',alwn1 ',imrn1 ,suway'id1 and ,sa'id2 and the list of nineteen tribes1 which ,i gave in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 is confined to the descendants of the third brother4 ,the ,huwaytt tribe is not only an intruder1 it is also the aggressive element in the ,midianite family of ,bedawin2 and1 of late years1 it has made great additions to its territory4 ,if it advances at the present rate it will1 after a few generations1 either eat up1 as ,africans say1 all the other races or1 by a more peaceful process1 assimilate them to its own body4 ,we also consulted ,shaykh ,hasan and his cousin ,ahmed1 alias ,ab ,khartm1 concerning the origin of his tribe1 the ,beni ',ukbah4 ,according to our friend ,furayj1 the name means ,sons of the ,heel 7',akab7 because1 in the early wars and conquests of ,el-,islm1 they fought during the day by the ,moslems' side2 and at night1 when going over to the ,nazarenes1 they lost the spoor by wearing their sandals heel foremost1 and by shoeing their horses the wrong way4 ,all this they indignantly deny2 and they are borne out by the written genealogies1 who derive them from ,ukbah1 the son of ,maghrabah1 son of ,heram1 of the ,kahtniyyah 7,joctanite7 ,arabs1 some of the noblest of ,bedawi blood4 ,they preserve the memory of their ancestor ',ukbah1 and declare that they come from the south2 that is1 they are of ,hejzi descent1 consequently far more ancient than the ,huwaytt4 ,at first called ,el-,muslimah1 they were lords of all the broad lands extending southward between ,shmah 7,syria7 and the ,wady ,dmah below the port of ,zib2 and this fine valley retains1 under its ,huwayti occupants1 the title of ',ukbyyah--',ukbah-land4 ,thus they still claim as ,milk1 or unalienable property1 the ,wadys ,gharr1 ,sharm1 ',aynnah1 and others2 whilst their right to the ground upon which ,fort el-,muwaylah is built has never been questioned4 ,the first notable event in the history of the ,beni ',ukbah was a quarrel that arose between them and their brother-tribe1 the ,beni ',amr4 ,the ',ayn el-,tabbkhah1,,en#ic the fine water of ,wady ,madyan1 now called ,wady ,makn1 was discovered by a ,hutaymi shepherd of the ,beni ',ali clan1 while tending his flocks2 others say that the lucky man was a hunter following a gazelle4 ,however that may be1 the find was reported to the ,shaykh of the ,muslimah 7,beni ',ukbah71 who had married ',ayayfah1 the sister of ,ali ibn ,nejdi1 the ,beni ',amr chief1 whilst the latter had also taken his brother-in-law's sister to wife4 ,the discoverer was promised a ,jinu or ,sabtah 7date-bunch7 from each palm-tree2 and the rivals waxed hot upon the subject4 ,the ,muslimah declared that they would never yield their rights1 a certain ancestor1 ',asaylah1 having first pitched tent upon the ,rughmat ,makn1 or white horse of ,makn4 ,a furious quarrel ensued1 and1 as usual in ,arabia as in ,hibernia1 both claimants prepared to fight it out4 ,to repeat the words of our oral genealogist1 ,furayj3 ,now1 when the wife of the ,shaykh of the ,muslimah had heard and understood what ,satan was tempting her husband to do against her tribe1 she rose up1 and sent a secret message to her brother of the ,beni ',amr1 warning him that a certain person 7,fuln7 was about to lay violent hands on the beautiful valley of ,el-,madyan4 ,hearing this1 the ,beni ',amr mustered their young men1 and mounted their horses and dromedaries1 and rode forth with jingling arms2 and at midnight they found their opponents asleep in ,el-,khabt1,,en#id the beasts being tied up by the side of their lords4 ,so they cut the cords of the camels1 they gagged the hunter who guided the attack1 they threatened him with death if he refused to obey1 and they carried him away with them towards ,makn4 ,when the ,muslimah awoke1 they discovered the deceit1 they secured their beasts1 and they hastened after the enemy1 following his track like ,azrail4 ,both met at ,makn1 when a battle took place1 and ,allah inclined the balance towards the ,beni ',amr4 ,the ,muslimah1 therefore1 became exiles1 and took refuge in ,egypt4 ,and in the flow of days it so happened that the ,shaykh of the ,beni' ,amr awoke suddenly at midnight1 and heard his wife1 as she sat grinding at the quern1 sing this quatrain3-- ',if the handmill 7of ,fate7 grind down our tribe ,we will bear it1 ,o ,thou 7,allah7 that aidest to bear6 ,but if the mill grind the foeman tribe1 ,we will pound and pound them as thin as flour4' ,whereupon the ,shaykh1 in his wrath1 seized a stone1 and cast it at his wife1 and knocked out one of her front teeth4 ,she said nothing1 but she took the tooth and wrapped it in a rag1 and sent it with a message to her brother1 the ,shaykh of the ,muslimah4 ,now1 this chief was unable to revenge his sister single-handed1 so he travelled to ,syria1 and threw himself at the feet of the great ,shaykh of the ,wuhaydi tribe1 who was also a ,sherif4 ,the ,wuhaydi despatched his host together with the warriors of the ,muslimah1 and both went forth to do battle with the ,beni ',amr4 ,the latter being camped in a valley near ',aynnah1 tethered their dogs and1 some say1 left behind their old people1,,en#ie and lit huge bonfires2 whence the name of the place is ,wady ,umm ,nrn 7'the ,mother of ,fires'7 to this day4 ,before early dawn they had reached in flight the ,wady ',arawwah of the ,jibl el-,tihmah4 ,in the morning the ,muslimah and the ,wuhaydi1 finding that a trick had been practiced upon them1 followed the foe1 and beat him in the ,wady ',arawwah1 killing the ,shaykh4 ,and the chief of the ,muslimah gave his widowed sister as wife to the ,wuhaydi1 and settled with his people in their old homes4 ,the ,beni ',amr fled to the ,hism1 and exiled themselves to ,kerak in ,syria1 where they still dwell1 owning the plain called ,gann ,shabb4 ,there is now peace between the ,beni ',ukbah and their kinsmen the ,beni ',amr4 ,the second event in the history of the tribe1 the ,tale of ,ab ,rsh1,,en#if shall also be told in the words of ,furayj3--,after the course of time the ,beni ',ukbah1 aided by the ,ma'zah1 made war against the ,shuraf1 who were great lords in those days1 and plundered them and drove them from their lands4 ,the victors were headed by one ,salmah1 a ,huwayti who dwelt at ,el-',akabah1 and who had become their guest4 ,in those ages the daughters of the tribe were wont to ride before the host in their ,hawdig 7'camel-litters'71 singing the war-song to make the warriors brave4 ,as ,salmah was the chief ,mubriz 7'champion in single combat'71 the girls begged him to wear1 when fighting1 a white ostrich feather in his chain-helmet1 that they might note his deeds and chant in his name4 ,hence his title1 ,ab ,rsh--the ',father of a ,feather4' ,the ,sherifs1 being beaten1 made peace1 taking the lands between ,wady ,dmah and ,el-,hejaz2 whilst the ,beni ',ukbah occupied ,midian ,proper 7,north ,midian71 between ',dmah' and ',shmah' 7,syria74 ,ab ,rsh1 who was a friend to both victor and vanquished1 settled among the ,sherifs in the ,sirr country south of ,wady ,dmah4 ,he had received to wife1 as a reward for his bravery1 the daughter of the ,shaykh of the ,beni ',ukbah2 and she bare him a son1 ',id1 whose tomb is in the ,wady ,ghl1 between ,zib and ,el-,muwaylah4 ,on the ,yaum el-,subh 7'seventh day after birth'71 the mother of ',id followed the custom of the ,arabs2 and1 after the usual banquet1 presented the babe to the guests1 including her father1 who made over ,wady ',aynnah in free gift to his grandson4 ,now1 ',id used to lead caravans to ,cairo1 for the purpose of buying provisions2 and he was often plundered by the ,ma'zah1 who had occupied by force the ,wadys ,sharm1 ,tiryam1 and ,surr of ,el-,muwaylah4 ,this ',id ibn ,salmah left1 by a ,huwayti woman1 a son ',alayn1 surnamed ,ab ,takkah 7',father of a ,scar'7 from a sabre-cut in the forehead3 he was the founder of the ,tugaygt-,huwaytt clan1 and his descendants still swear by his name4 ,once upon a time1 when leading his caravan1 he reached the ,wady ',afl1 and he learned that his enemies1 the ,ma'zah1 and the black slaves who garrisoned ,el-,muwaylah1 were lurking in the ,wady ,marayr4 ,so he placed his loads under a strong guard2 and he hastened1 with his kinsmen of the ,huwaytt1 to the ,hism1 where the ,ma'zah had left their camels undefended3 these he drove off1 and rejoined his caravan rejoicing4 ,the ,ma'zah1 hearing of their disaster1 hurried inland to find out the extent of the loss1 abandoning the black slaves1 who1 nevertheless1 were still determined to plunder the ,kfilah4 ',alayn was apprized of their project2 and1 reaching the ,wady ,umm ,gehaylah1 he left his caravan under a guard1 and secretly posted fifty matchlock-men in ,el-,suwayrah1 east of the hills of ,el-,muwaylah4 ,he then 7behold his cunning67 tethered between the two hosts1 at a place called ,zila'h1 east of the tomb of ,shaykh ,abdullah1,,en#ig ten camel-colts without their dams4 ,roused by the bleating1 the negro slaves followed the sound and fell into the ambush1 and were all slain4 ',alayn returned to the ,sirr country1 when his tribe1 the ,huwaytt1 said to him1 ',hayya 7up67 to battle with these ,ma'zah and ,beni ',ukbah2 either they uproot us or we uproot them6' ,so he gathered the clan1 and marched to a place called ,el-,bayz1,,en#ih where he found the foe in front4 ,on the next day the battle began1 and it was fought out from ,friday to ,friday2 a truce was then made1 and it was covenanted to last between evening and morning4 ,but at midnight the enemy arose1 left his tents pitched1 and fled to the ,hism4 ',alayn followed the fugitives1 came up with them in the ,wady ,sadr1 and broke them to pieces4 ,upon this they took refuge in ,egypt and ,syria4 ,after a time the ,beni ',ukbah returned1 and obtained pardon from ',alaya'n the ,huwayti1 who imposed upon them six conditions4 ,firstly1 having lost all right to the land1 they thus became 'brothers' 7i4e4 serviles74 ,secondly1 they agreed to give up the privilege of escorting the ,hajj-caravan4 ,thirdly1 if a ,huwayti were proved to have plundered a pilgrim1 his tribe should make good the loss2 but if the thief escaped detection1 the ,beni ',ukbah should pay the value of the stolen property in coin or in kind4 ,fourthly1 they were bound not to receive as guests any tribe 7enumerating a score or so7 at enmity with the ,huwaytt4 ,fifthly1 if a ,shaykh of ,huwaytt fancied a dromedary belonging to one of the ,beni ',ukbah1 the latter must sell it under cost price4 ,and1 sixthly1 the ,beni ',ukbah were not allowed to wear the ',ab or ,arab cloak4,,en#ii ,the ,beni ',ukbah were again attacked and worsted1 in the days of ,sultan ,selim1 by their hereditary foe1 the ,ma'zah4 ,they complained at ,cairo2 and the ,mamlk ,beys sent down an army which beat the enemy in the ,wady ,surr4 ,they had many quarrels with their southern neighbours1 the ,baliyy3 at last peace was made1 and the land was divided1 the ,beni ',ukbah taking the tract between ,wadys ,da'mah and ,el-,muzayrib4 ,since that time the tribe has been much encroached upon by the ,huwayta't4 ,it still claims1 however1 as has been said1 all the lands between ,el-,muwaylah and ,makn1 where they have settlements1 and the ,jebel ,harb1 where they feed their camels4 ,they number some twenty-five to thirty tents1 boasting that they have hundreds2 and1 as will appear1 their ,shaykh1 ,hasan el-',ukbi1 amuses himself by occasionally attacking and plundering the wretched ,maknwis1 or people of ,makn1 a tribe weaker than his own4 ,chapter ,,vi4 ,to ,makn1 and ,our ,work ,there--the ,magni or ,maknwis4 ,after a silly fortnight at old ,madima1 ,i resolved to march upon its seaport1 ,makn1 the ,greek of ,ptolemy1 which the people call also ,madyan4,,en#ajj ,we set out at seven a4m4 7,january #beth72 and1 after a walk of forty-five minutes1 we were shown by ,furayj a ,ghadr1 or shallow basin of clay1 shining and bald as an old scalp from the chronic sinking of water4 ,in the middle stood two low heaps of fine white cement1 mixed with brick and gravel2 while to the west we could trace the framework of a mortared ,fiskyyah 7cistern71 measuring five metres each way4 ,the ruin lies a little south of west 7#bda deg4 mag47 from the greater ,shigd2 and it is directly under the catacombed hill which bears the ,praying-place of ,jethro4 ,a tank in these regions always presupposes a water-pit1 and there are lingering traditions that this is the ,well of ,moses1 so generally noticed by medival ,arab geographers4 ,it is the only one in the ,wady ,makn1 not to mention a modern pit about an hour and a half further down the valley1 sunk by the ,bedawin some twenty feet deep3 the walls of the latter are apparently falling in1 and it is now bone-dry4 ,but the veritable ,moses' ,well seems to have been upon the coast2 and1 if such be the case1 it is clean forgotten4 ,true1 ,mas'd1 the mad old ,ma'zi1 attempted to trace a well inside our camp by the seashore2 but the ,beni ',ukbah1 to whom the land belongs1 had never heard of it4 ,after marching about six miles1 we entered a gorge called ,umm el-,bbn1 the ,mother of ,gates1 formed by the stony spurs of the ,wady bank3 the number of birds and trees1 especially in the syenitic valleys1 showed that water could not be far off4 ,at #aj4aj a4m4 a halt was called at the half-way place1 a bay or hollow in the left cliff1 ,el-,humayrah--the ,little ,red--an overhanging wall of ruddy grit some eighty feet high1 with strata varying in depth from a few lines to as many fathoms1 all differing in colour1 and all honeycombed1 fretted1 and sculptured by wind and rain4 ,above the red grit1 weathered into a thousand queer shapes1 stood strata of chloritic sand1 a pale yellow-green1 and capping it rose the usual dull-brown carbonate of lime4 ,large fossil oysters lay in numbers about the base1 suggesting a prehistoric feast of the ,titans4 ,amongst them is the monstrous ,tridacna 7gigantea71 which sometimes attains a growth of a yard and a half2 one of these is used as a bnitier at the church of ,saint ,sulpice1 ,paris4 ,amongst the layers were wavy bands of water-rolled crystals1 jaspers1 bloodstones1 iron-revetted pebbles1 and almonds1 which1 in the ,brazil1 accompany and betray the diamond4,,en#aja ,we had no time to make a serious search2 but1 when the metals shall be worked1 it will1 perhaps1 be advisable to import a skilled prospecter from the ,brazil or the ,cape of ,good ,hope4 ,at noon we met the heaven-sent1 life-sustaining sea-breeze2 and now the broad and well-marked ,wady ,makn1 with its rosy-pink sands1 narrowed to a gut1 flanked and choked on both sides1 north and south1 by rocks of the strangest tricolour1 green-black1 yellow-white1 and rusty-red4 ,the gloomy peak1 which had long appeared capping the heights ahead1 proved to be the culmination of a huge upthrust of porphyritic trap4 ,bottle-green when seen under certain angles1 and dull dead sable at others1 it was variegated by cliffs and slopes polished like dark mirrors1 and by sooty sand-shunts disposed at the natural slope4 ,crumbling outside1 the lower strata pass from the cellular to the compact1 and are often metalliferous when in contact with the quartz3 at these ,salbandes the richest mineral deposits are always found4 ,set in and on the black flanks1 and looking from afar like the gouts of a bloodstone1 are horizontal beds1 perpendicular spines1 and detached blocks of felsitic porphyry and of rusty-red syenite1 altered1 broken1 and burnt by plutonic heat4 ,in places1 where the trap has cut through the more modern formations1 it has been degraded by time from a dyke to a ditch1 the latter walled by the ruddy rocks1 and sharply cut as a castle-moat4 ,and already we could see1 on the right of the ,wady1 those cones and crests of ghastly1 glaring white gypsum1 which we had called the ,hats4 ,these gloomy cliffs1 approaching the maritime plain1 sweep away to the south1 and melt into the ,red ,hills visited on our first excursion4 ,they are known as the ,jebel el-',abdayn--of the ,two ,slaves3 this1 perhaps1 is the ,doric pronunciation of the ,bedawin for ,abdn--slaves4 ,presently we sighted the familiar features of the seaboard1 described in my first volume1 especially the ,rughmat el-,margas to the north2 and westward the ,gulf of ',akabah1 looking cool and blue in the ,arabian glare4 ,after five hours and thirty minutes 7 seventeen miles and a half7 in the saddle we reached ,makn4 ,i had thought of encamping near the ,praying-place of ,moses1 a fine breezy site which storms would have made untenable4 ,as at ,sharm1 camels must turn off to the right over the banks when approaching the mouth of the ,wady ,madyan1 whose bed is made impassable by rocks and palm-thicket4 ,we then proposed to pitch the tents upon the valley sands within the ,gate1 but this was overruled by the ,sayyid1 who told grisly tales of fever and ague4 ,finally1 we returned to our former ground1 near the old conglomerates and the mass of new shells1 which ledge the shore of the little harbour4 ,approaching it1 we were delighted to see the gunboat ,mukhbir steaming up1 despite the contrary wind1 from ,sharm ,yhrr2 she was towing the ,sambk1 which brought from ',aynnah ,bay our heavy gear1 rations1 and tools4 ,this was a stroke of good luck3 already we were on half rations1 and provant for men and mules threatened to run short4 ,our week at ,makn 7,january #be--;,february #b7 justified the pleasant impression left by the first visit1 and enabled us to correct the inaccuracies of a flying survey4 ,this ,valley of ,waters1 with its pink and yellow 7chloritic7 sands1 is bounded on the right near the sea by a sandbank about one hundred feet high1 a loose sheet thinly covering the dykes of syenite and the porphyritic trap which in places peep out4 ,possibly it contains1 like the left flank1 veins of quartz1 lowered by corrosion1 and concealed by the sand-drift spread by the prevalent western winds4 ,the high-level abounds in detached springs1 probably the drainage of the ,rughmat ,makn1 the huge horse or buttress of gypsum bearing north-east from the harbour4 ,the principal veins number three4 ,the uppermost and sweetest is the ,ayn el-,tabbkhah2 in the middle height is ,el-,tyuri 7,umm el-,tuyr71 with the dwarf cataract and its tinkling song2 whilst the brackish ',ayn el-,fara' occupies the valley sole4 ,besides these a streak of palms1 perpendicular to the run of the ,wady1 shows a rain-basin1 dry during the droughts1 and1 higher up1 the outlying dates springing from the arid sands1 are fed by thin veins which damp the rocky base4 ,hence1 probably1 ,dr4 ,beke identified the place with the ,elim of the ,exodus3 his artist's sketch from the sea 7p4 #cdj7 is1 however1 absolutely unrecognizable4 ,the high-level spring and the middle water rise in sandy basins2 course down deeply furrowed beds of grit2 and1 after passing through a tangle of vegetation1 a dense forest of palms1 alive and dead1 and open patches sown with grain1 wilfully waste their treasures in the upper slope of the right bank4 ,this abundance of water has developed a certain amount of industry2 although the ,bedawin tear to pieces the young male-dates1 whose tender green growth1 at the base of the fronds1 supplies them with a chaw4 ,a number of artificial runners has been trained to water dwarf barley-plots1 whose fences of date-fronds defend them from sheep and goats2 and further down the bank are the fruit trees which first attracted our attention4 ,the low-level water consists of two springs4 ,the upper is the ',ayn el-',arynah1 springing from the sands under the date-trees which line the right and left sides3 apparently it is the drainage of a gypsum hat1 called ,el-,kulayb1 the ,little ,dog--in their ,doric the ,bedawin pronounce the word ,galib4 ,further down the bed1 and divided by a tract of dry sand1 is the ',ayn el-,fara'i1 which also rises from both banks1 forms a single stream1 sleeps in deep pellucid pools like fairy baths among the huge boulders of grey granite1 and finally sinks before reaching the shore4 ,when these waters shall again be regulated1 as of old1 they will prove amply sufficient for the vegetable and the mineral4 ,anton1 the ,greek1 who everywhere saw the shop1 was so charmed with the spot1 that he at once laid out his establishment3 here shall be the hotel2 there the billiard and gambling room1 and there the garden1 the kiosk1 the buvette--in fact1 he projected a miner's paradise4 ,on the crest of this right bank1 above the vegetation1 lies the traditional ,musallat ,mus 7,moses' ,oratory71 of which the foundations1 or rather the base-stones1 are in situ4 ,the larger enceinte measures1 without including two walls projecting from the north-east and north-west angles1 an oblong of thirty-seven by twenty-five feet2 and1 as usual with ,midianite ruins1 it has been built of all manner of material4 ,the inner sanctum opens to the west1 the northern and southern basement-lines only remaining3 the former is composed of eight blocks of gypsum resembling alabaster1 five being larger than the others2 and the southern of three4 ,upon these the ,bedawin still deposit their simple ex-votos1 oyster and other shells1 potsherds1 and coloured pebbles4,,en#ajb ,the left or opposite bank1 which wants water1 is formed by the tall conglomerate-capped cliffs1 which support the ,muttali' or hauteville1 and by the warty block called ,jebel el-,fahst4 ,in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian 7,chap4 ,,xii47 it is called ,el-,muzayndi1 an error of my informants for ,el-,muzedi3 the latter is the name of the small red hill north of our camp4 ,i again visited the high town1 which is about a hundred feet above the valley3 presently it will disappear bodily1 as its base is being corroded1 like the ,jebel el-,safr of ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,the walls still standing form a long room running north-south2 and the two adjoining closets set off to the north-east and south-east4 ,this sadly shrunken upper settlement covers the remnant of the rocky plateau to the east3 there are also traces of building on the southern slopes4 ,ruined heaps of the usual material1 gypsum1 dot and line the short broad valley to the north1 which rejoices in the neat and handy name1 ,wady ,majr ,sayl ,jebel el-,mar4 ,here1 however1 they are hardly to be distinguished from the chloritic spines and natural sandbanks that stud the bed4 ,the only antiquities found in the ,muttali' were a stone cut into parallel bands1 and the fragment of a basalt door with its pivot acting as hinge in the upper part3 it reminded me of the ,grco-,roman townlets in the ,haurn1 where the credulous discovered giant ,cities and similar ineptitudes4 ,our search for ,midianite money was in vain2 ,mr4 ,clarke1 however1 picked up1 near the sea1 a silver ,taymr1 the ,moghal1 with a curiously twisted ,kufic inscription4 7,a4,h4 #gcd74 ,the ',ushash or frond-huts of the ,maknwi and the ,beni ',ukbah were still mostly empty4 ,at this season1 all along the seaboard of ,north-,western ,arabia1 the ,bedawin are grazing their animals in the uplands1 and they will not return coastwards till ,july and ,august supply the date-harvest4 ,the village shows the inconsquence of doors and wooden keys to defend an interior made of ,cadjan1 or dry date-fronds1 which1 bound in bundles1 make a good hedge1 but at all times a bad wall4 ,one of its peculiar features is what looks like a truncated and roofless oven2 in this swish cylinder they pound without soaking the date-kernels that feed their camels1 sheep1 and goats4 ,a few youths1 however1 who remained in this apology for a deserted village1 assisted us in night-fishing with the lantern2 and they brought from the adjoining reefs the most delicate of shell and scale fish4 ,the best were the langoustes 7,palinurus vulgaris71 the clawless lobsters called crawfish 7crayfish7 in the ,united ,states1 and the agosta or avagosta of the ,adriatic3 it was confounded by the ,egyptian officers with ,ab ,galambo1,,en#ajc the crab 7,cancer pelagicus74 ,the echinidae of various species1 large-spined and small-spined1 the latter white as well as dull-red1 were preserved in spirits4,,en#ajd ,amongst the excellent fish1 the ,marjn 7a ,scina7 the ,sultan el-,bahr1 the ,palamita 7,scomber71 the ,makli 7red mullets1 ,mugil cephalus71 and the ,bri1 were monstrous animals1 with big eyes and long beaks like woodcocks2 some of these were garnished with rows of ridiculously big teeth4 ,i failed to procure live specimens of small turtle1 and yet the huts were full of carapaces1 all broken and eight-ribbed4 ,one species1 the ,sakar1 supplies tortoise-shell sold at ,suez for #aej piastres per ,ratl or pound2 the ,bsa'h1 another large kind without carapace1 is used only for eating3 both are caught off the reefs and islets4 ,an eel-like water-snake 7,marrna ,murna ,ophis7 showed fight when attacked4 ,the ,arabs do not eat it1 yet they will not refuse the ,shaggah1 or large black land-snake4 ,the enforced delay at ,makn gave us the opportunity of making careful reconnaissances in its neighbourhood4 ,during the last spring ,i had heard of a ,jebel el-,kib't 7sulphur-hill7 on the road to ',aynnah1 but no guide was then procurable4 ,shortly after our return1 a ,bedawi named ,jzi brought in fine specimens of brimstone1 pure crystals adhering to the ,secondary calcaire1 and possibly formed by decomposition of the sulphate of lime4 ,if this be the case we may hope to find the mineral generally diffused throughout these immense formations2 of course1 in some places the yield will be richer and in others poorer4 ,further investigation introduced us1 as will be seen1 to two southern deposits1 without including one heard of in ,northern ,sinai4 ,all lie within a short distance of the sea1 and all are virgin3 the ,bedawin import their sulphur from the ,barr el-',ajam1 the popular name for ,egypt1 properly meaning ,persia or any non-,arab land4 ,thus1 in one important article ,midian rivals1 if not excels1 the riches of the opposite ,african shore1 where for a single mine thirty millions of francs have been demanded by way of indemnity4 ,betimes on ,january #bfth1 a caravan of four camels1 for the two quarrymen and the guide1 set off southwards1 carrying sacks1 tools1 and other necessaries4 ,they did not return till the morning of the third day2 ,jzi had lost the road1 and the ,bedawin rather repented of having been so ready to disclose their treasures4 ,of course1 our men could not ascertain the extent of the deposits2 but they brought back rich specimens which determined me to have the place surveyed4 ,unfortunately ,i had forgotten a sulphur-still2 and the engineer vainly attempted to extract the ore by luting together two iron mortars1 and by heating them to a red heat4 ,the only result was the diffusion of the sulphur crystals in the surrounding gypsum4 ,this discovery gave me abundant trouble2 the second search-party was a failure2 and it was not till ,february #ahth that ,i could obtain a satisfactory plan of the northern ,jebel el-,kibrt4 ,at ,makn ,i was much puzzled by the presence of the porous basalt1 which had yielded to the first ,expedition a veinlet of electron--gold and silver mixed by the hand of ,nature4 ,the plutonic rock1 absent from the ,wady ,makn1 appears in scatters along the shore to the north4 ,our friend ,furayj knew nothing nearer than ,el-,harrah1 the volcanic tract bounding the ,hism on the east1 and distant some five days' march4 ,this was going too far2 querns of the same material1 found in all the ruins1 suggested a neighbouring outcrop4 ,moreover1 during the last spring1 ,i had heard of a mining site called ,nakhil ,tayyib ,ism1 the ,palm-orchard 7of the ,mountain7 of the ,good ,name1 in the so-called range to the north of ,makn4 ,lieutenant ,amir was despatched 7,january #bgth7 to seek for basalt1 with a small dromedary-caravan1 under the lead of ,shaykh ,furayj4 ,after winding for about two hours along the shore1 which is cut by the broad mouths of many a ,wady2 and whose corallines1 grits1 and limestones are weathered into the strangest shapes2 he left to the right 7east7 the light-coloured ,jebel ,sukk4 ,on the southern side of the ,wady 7,sukk7 which drains it to the sea1 a hill of the porous stone which the ,arabs call ,hajar el-,harrah appeared4 ,the specimens brought home1 si vera sunt exposita1 if they be really taken from an outcrop1 prove that volcanic centres1 detached1 sporadic1 and unexpected1 like those found further north1 occur even along the shore4 ,as will afterwards appear1 another little ,harrah was remarked by ,burckhardt 7,syria1 p4 #ebb71 about one hour and a quarter north of ,sinaitic ,sherm4 ,he says1 ,here for the first and only time1 ,i saw volcanic rocks1 and he considers that their extension towards ,ras ,ab787 ,mohammed may have given rise to the name ,greek4 ,wellsted1,,en#aje who apparently had not read ,burckhardt1 makes the same remark4 ,the many eruptive centres in the limestones of ,syria and ,palestine were discovered chiefly by my late friend1 the loved and lamented ,charles ,f4 ,tyrwhitt-,drake4 ,it would be interesting to ascertain the relation which they bear to tile great lines of vulcanism in the far interior1 the ,haura'n and the ,harrah1 subtending the coast mountains4 ,and ,dr4 ,beke1 another friend now no more1 would have been delighted to know that his ,true ,mount ,sinai was not unconnected with a volcanic outbreak4 ,beyond the ,wady ,sukk1 a bad rough path leads along the base of the ,tayyih ,ism ,mountain2 then the cliffs fall sheer into the sea1 explaining why caravans never travel that way4 ,yet there was a maritime road1 for we know that ,ab ,sufyn1 on his way from ,syria to fight the battle of ,bedr 7,a4,h4 #b71 passed by a roundabout path for safety1 along the shore of ,midian4 ,thus compelled1 the track bends inland1 and enters a ,nakb1 a gash conspicuous from the ,gulf1 an immense caon or couloir that looks as if ready to receive a dyke or vein4 ,curious to say1 a precisely similar formation1 prolonged to the south-west1 cuts the cliffs south of ,mars ,dahab in the ,sinaitic ,peninsula4 ,the southern entrance to the gorge bears signs of human habitation3 a parallelogram of stones1 #abj paces by #ia1 has been partially buried by a land-slip 7872 and there are remnants of a dam measuring about a hundred metres in length 7874 ,about three hundred yards higher up1 water appears in abundance1 and palm clumps grow on both sides of it4 ,here1 however1 all trace of man is wanting2 the winter torrents must be dangerous2 and there is no grass for sheep4 ,the crevasse now becomes very wild2 the ,pass narrows from fifty to ten paces1 and1 in one section1 a loaded camel can hardly squeeze through2 whilst the cliff-walls of red and grey granite 787 tower some two thousand feet above the thread of path4,,en#ajf ,water which1 as usual1 sinks in the sand1 is abundant enough in three other places to supply a large caravan2 and two date-clumps were passed4 ,hence1 if all here told be true1 the ,nakhil 7palm-plantation7 ,tayyib ,ism reported to the first ,expedition4 ,after covering sixteen miles in five hours1 the caravan had not made more than half the distance to the ,bir el-,mshi1 where a small ,mars1 or anchorage-ground1 called ,el-,suwayhil 7the ,little ,shore7 nestles in the long sand-slope between the mountain ,tayyib ,ism and its huge northern neighbour1 the ,mazhafah block4 ,from this ,well of the ,walker1 a pass leads to the ,wady ,marsha'1 where1 according to certain ,bedawin1 are found extensive ruins and ,bbn 7doors71 or catacombs4 ,the whole is1 however1 an invention2 our ,sayyid had ridden down the valley during his journey to ,el-,hakl4 ,on the next day another reconnaissance was made4 ,i had been shown fine specimens of quartz from the ,eastern highlands2 moreover1 a bottle of bitter or sulphur-water from the ,wady ,mab'g1 the oblique or crooked valley1 mentioned in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1,,en#ajg had been brought to us with much ceremony4 ,those who tasted it1 indeed1 were divided as to whether it smacked more of brimstone or of ammonia4 ,accordingly1 ,mr4 ,clarke and ,lieutenant ,yusuf walked up the ,wady ,makn1 and ascended the ,mab'g1 where the mineral spring proved to be a shallow pool of rain-water1 much frequented by animals1 camels included4 ,search for the ,mar was more successful3 they found a network of veins in the sandstone grits 787 of the ,jebel ,umm ,lasaf2 and they thus established the fact that the white stone abounds to the east as well as to the south of ,makn4 ,meanwhile we were working hard at the ,jebel el-,fahst1 the great discovery of the northern journey4 ,i had been struck by the name of the watercourse to the north of the hauteville1 ,wady ,majr ,sayl ,jebel el-,mar--the ,nullah of the ,divide of the ,torrent 7that pours7 from the ,mountain of ,quartz4 ,moreover1 a ,makna'wi lad1 ',id bin ,mohsin1 had brought in fine specimens of the ,negro or iridescent variety1 offering to show the place4 ,lastly1 other ,bedawi had contributed fine specimens of ,mar1 with the grey copper standing out of it in veins4 ,on the evening of ,january #bgth we walked up the picturesque mouth of the ,makn valley4 ,after passing the conglomerate ,gate1 and the dwarf plantations on both sides above it1 we reached in forty-five minutes the spot where the lower water1 ',ayn el-,fara'1 tumbles over rocks of grit and granite4 ,on the left bank1 denoted by a luxuriant growth of rushes1 is an influent called ,sha'b el-,kzi1 or the ,judge's ,pass4,,en#ajh ,ascending it for a few paces1 we struck up the broad and open ,fiumara1 which ,i shall call for shortness ,wady ,majr4 ,the main trunk of many branches1 it is a smooth incline1 perfectly practicable to camels2 with banks and buttresses of green-yellow chloritic sands1 and longitudinal spines outcropping from the under surface4 ,it carries off the surplus water from the north-western slopes of that strange wavelike formation1 the ,jebel el-,fahst1 which bounds the right 7southern7 bank of the ,wady ,makn4 ,presently we sighted the ,jebel el-,maru'1 the strangest spectacle4 ,the apex of the gloomy porphyritic trap is a long spine of the tenderest azure-white1 filmy as the finials of ,milan ,cathedral1 and apparently melting into thin air4 ,its crest seems abnormally tall and distant2 and below it a huge grey vein1 horizontal and wavy1 cuts and pierces the peaklet of red rock2 and is cut and pierced1 in its turn1 by two perpendicular dykes of porphyritic trap1 one flanking the right and the left shoulders of the low cone4 ,when standing upon the hauteville during my first visit1 ,i had remarked this white ,lady of a vein1 without1 however1 attaching to it any importance4 ,after a quarter of an hour's walk up the ,wady ,majr1 we came to the sandy base of the rocky ,fahst2 and climbed up a torrent-ladder with drops and stiff gradients1 which were presently levelled for the convenience of our quarrymen4 ,a few minutes' swarming placed us upon the narrow knife-like ridge of snowy quartz1 so weathered that it breaks under the hand3 this is the aerial head which from below appears so far4 ,the summit1 distant from our camp about one direct mile and a quarter1 gives #cee degrees to the ,gypsum-hill1 ,ras el-,trah1 on the shore2 #ceh degrees to the palm-clump nearest the sea1 and due north 7#cfj degrees1 all magnetic7 to the tents1 which are well in sight4 ,the altitude is about six hundred feet 7aner4 #bi4dj74 ,the view from this summit of the ,fahst is charming as it is extensive4 ,westward and broad stretching to the north-west lies the fair blue gulf that shows1 on its far side1 the broken mountains of the ,sinaitic ,peninsula4 ,northwards1 at our feet1 stretch the palm-groves of ,makn1 a torrent of verdure pouring towards the shore4 ,a little to the left1 sheltered from the boreal wind by the white gypseous ridge1 ,ras el-,trah 7the ,head that surrounds71 and flanked at both ends by its triangular reefs1 the ,sharm ,makn1 the past and future port of the mines1 supports the miniature gunboat no larger than a cock1 and the ,sambk dwarfed to a buoy4 ,beyond the purpling harbour1 along the glaring yellow shore1 cut by broad ,wady-mouths and dotted here and there with a date-clump1 the corallines1 grits1 and sandstones are weathered to the quaintest forms1 giant pins and mushrooms1 columns and ruined castles4 ,these maritime lowlands are bounded on the north by heights in three distinct planes3 the nearest is the ,jebel ,sukk1 low and white2 farther rises ,tayyib ,ism1 a chocolate-coloured mass studded with small peaks2 while the horizon is closed by the grand blue wall1 the ,jebel el-,mazhafah4 ,in places their precipices drop bluff to the sea2 but the huge valley-mouths separating the two greater ridges1 have vomited a quantity of sand1 forming the tapering tongue and tip known as the ,little ,shore4 ,turning to the east and the south-east we have for horizon the ,wady el-,kharaj 7,el-,akhraj871 backed by its immense right bank of yellow gypsum1 which dwarfs even the ,rughmat ,makn1 and over it we catch sight of the dark and gloomy ,kalb el-,nakhlah1 a ridge which1 running parallel with and inland of the ,fahst1 will be worked when the latter is exhausted4 ,we at once recognized the value of this discovery when1 reaching the tents1 we examined the quartz1 and found it seamed and pitted with veins and geodes containing ,colorado1 earthy and crumbling metallic dust1 chlorure1 iodure1 and bromure of silver1 with various colours1 red1 ochre-yellow1 and dark chocolate-brown4 ,it stained the fingers1 and was suspiciously light--n'importe4 ,i must regret that here1 as indeed throughout the exploration1 all our specimens were taken from the surface3 we had not time to dig even a couple of feet deep4 ,the lad ',id almost fainted with joy and surprise when the silver dollars were dropped into his hand1 one by one1 with the reiteration of ,here's another for you6 and here's another6 ,this lavishness served to stimulate cupidity1 and every day the ,bedawin brought in specimens from half a dozen different places4 ,but the satisfaction was at its height when the crucible produced1 after cupellation1 a button of silver weighing some twenty grammes from the hundred grammes of what the grumbling ,californian miners had called1 in their wrath1 dashed black dust2,,en#aji and when a second experiment yielded twenty-eight grammes 7each fifteen grains and a half7 and ten centigrammes from #aaa grammes1 or about a quarter of a pound avoirdupois4 ,in the latter experiment also1 the culot came away without the litharge1 which almost always contains traces of silver and antimony4 ,hence we concluded that the proportions were #cj3aaj--;a magnificent result1 considering that #ab-a_/b3ajj is held to be rich ore in the silver mines of the ,pacific ,states4,,en#aaj ,the engineer was radieux with pride and joy4 ,the yellow tint of the buttons promised gold--two per cent48 ,three per cent48 ,immense wealth lay before us3 a ton of silver is worth #bej1jjj francs4 ,meanwhile--and now ,i take blame to myself--no one thought of testing the find1 even by a blow with the hammer4 ,alas6 ,,the ,,splendid ,,buttons ,,proved ,,to ,,be ,,iron1 ,,containing ,,only ,,two ,,and ,a ,,half ,,grammes ,,of ,,silver ,,to ,,one ,,hundred ,,kilogrammes4,,en#aaa ,i can afford to make merry on the absurd mistake1 which at the time filled the camp with happiness4 ,the ,jebel el-,fahst played us an ugly trick2 yet it is1 not the less1 a glorious metalliferous block1 and ,i am sure of its future4 ,the rest of our time at ,makn was given to the study of this discovery4 ,the great quartz-wall or vein runs nearly due north and south1 with a dip of #e degrees west2 it has pierced the syenite1 forming a sheet down one peak1 spanning a second1 and finally appearing in an apparently isolated knob1 that bore from the apex #bae degrees 7mag47 ,the upper part1 like that of the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 is apparently sterile3 at a lower horizon it becomes panach2 and at last almost all is iridescent--in fact1 it is the ,filon ,husayn1 still richer in veins and geodes4 ,the filets and fibrils of dust are exposed to sight in the flanks1 and near the base of the great quartz-vein3 we should never have been able to remove the barren upper capping4 ,every day's work brought with it some novelty4 ,the ,jebel el-,mar1 the centre or focus of the formation1 was found to push out veins to the north1 extending within a few yards of the ,wady ,makn's mouth4 ,here1 however1 the quartz imbedded in grey granite appears cupriferous1 producing fine grey copper 7872 and the same is the case to the east of the ,fahst block4 ,other green-tinged veins were found bearing #bje degrees 7mag47 from our camp4 ,there is also a quartz-hill whose valley-drain1 about a mile and a third long1 leads down to the sea1 about two minutes' walk south of the southern clump of tabernacles occupied by the ,maknwis4 ,the dust is richest1 as usual1 at the walls where the vein is in immediate contact with the heat-altered granites1 whose red variety1 containing very little mica1 becomes quasi-syenitic4 ,certain of the ,expedition thought that the ,fahst showed signs of having been worked by the ancients3 my eyes could see nothing of the kind4 ,and here1 as in other parts of our strange country1 there is a medley1 a confusion of different formations4 ,on ,february #bnd1 the day before we left ,makn1 the ,arabs brought in heavy masses of purple-black1 metalliferous rock1 scattered over the gorges and valleys south of the ,jebel el-,fahst2 while others declared that they could point out a vein in situ4 ,our engineer declared it to be argentiferous galena1 but it proved to be magnetic iron4 ,his assays were of the rudest3 he broke at least one crucible per day1 lamenting the while that he had been supplied with ,english articles1 instead of creusets de ,bourgogne4 ,and no wonder6 ,he treated them by a strong blast in a furious coal-fire without previous warming4 ,his muffle was a wreck1 and such by degrees became the condition of all his apparatus4 ,however1 as we sought1 so we found3 hardly a ,bedawi lad in camp but unpouched some form of metallic specimens4 ,the ,shaykhs declared that the wealth of ,krn must have been dug here2 and ,i vainly told them that the place of punishment of ,korah1 ,dathan1 and ,abiram is still shown by ,christians in the ,convent of ,mount ,sinai4,,en#aab ,on ,january #bhth1 after a ruddy and cloudy sunset1 ,el-,ayli1 the ',akabah wind1 beginning at eleven p4m41 gave us a taste of his quality4 ,these northers are the ,tyrants of the ,gulf2 which1 comparatively unbroken by capes and headlands1 allows them all their own way1 carrying a strong swell1 and at times huge waves1 to meet the tide inflowing from the ,red ,sea4 ,the storm began with a rush and a roar1 as if it came from above4 ,the gravel1 striking the canvas1 sounded like hail or heavy rain-drops2 it then kicked down at one blow the two large tents3 they had been carefully pitched above the reach of water1 when wind only was to be guarded against4 ,fortunately most of our goods were packed1 in expectation of embarking on the morrow2 but the fall broke all the breakables that were not under cover1 and carried newspapers and pamphlets1 including--again1 alas6--the ,reseau ,pentagonal of ,elie de ,beaumont1 over the plain southwards till arrested by the heights of ,jebel el-,fahst4 ,this ,bora1 as it would be called on the ,adriatic1 makes the air exceptionally cold and raw before dawn3 it appears to abate between noon and sunset1 and it is most violent at night3 it either sensibly increases or lessens in turbulence with moonrise2 and it usually lasts from three to seven days4 ,we rigged up one of the native huts with the awning of a tent1 till it looked very like a ,gypsy dwelling1 and in patience we possessed our souls1 grumbling horridly like ,britons4 ,poor ,captain ,mohammed of the ,mukhbir1 who had already escaped one shipwreck1 was in mortal terror3 he at once got up steam1 and kept his weary vigil all night4 ,he was perfectly safe1 as the northern reef1 under which the ,sambk ,musahhil rode easily as if in smooth water1 and the headland1 ,ras el-,trah1 formed a complete defence against the ,ayl1 while the natural pier to the south would have protected him from its complement1 the ,azyab or south-easter4 ,but it would have been very different had the storm veered to the west1 and the terrible ,gharbi set in4 ,the port of ,makn1 which has been described in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1,,en#aac can hardly be called safe2 on the other hand1 its floor has not been surveyed1 and a single brise-lame seawards would convert it into a dock4 ,i should propose a gallegiante1 a floating breakwater1 tree-trunks in bundles strongly bound together with iron cramps and bands1 connected by stout rings and staples and made fast by anchors to the bottom4 ,and1 at any rate1 on the ,sinaitic shore opposite1 at the distance of thirteen knots1 there is1 as will appear1 an admirable harbour of refuge4 ,next day the cloud-veil lifted2 and the mountains of ,sinai and ,midian1 which before had been hidden as if by a ,november fog in ,london1 again stood out in sharp and steely blue4 ,i proposed to board the gunboat4 ,afloat we should have been much more comfortable than ashore in the raw1 high1 and dusty-laden wind4 ,the ,egyptian officers1 however1 quoted the unnautical ,fellah's favourite saws1 ,el-barro birr li-,ahlihi--,earth is a blessing to those upon her--,zirtat el-,jiml1 wa l tasbh el-,samak--,the roar of the camels and not the prayer,,en#aad of the fish2 and the sailors' saying1 ,kalb el-,barr1 wa l ,sab el-,bahr--,better be a dog ashore than a lion afloat4 ,the public voice was decidedly against embarking2 so two more days of gale were spent in adding to our collection of mineralogy4 ,on the other hand1 the ,sayyid and the three ,shaykhs were anxious for a speedy return to ,el-,muwaylah1 where the ,hajj-caravan was expected on ,safar #aj 7 ,february #aath71 and where their presence would be officially required4 ,on the last day of ,january ,i boated off to the ,mukhbir several tons of the specimens collected during the northern march2 including the iron1 the sulphur1 and the fine white gypsum1 crystalline and amorphous1 which forms the ,rughmat ,makn ,lieutenant ,yusuf and ,m4 ,philipin were directed to remain in camp until they should have collected and placed upon the seashore1 ready for embarkation on our return1 one ton of white quartz1 three tons 7 one cubic metre7 of the iridescent variety1 and four boxes half full of the silver 7iron7 dust whose veins and pockets seam the ,negro4 ,they were also to wash in the cradle two tons of the pounded ,cascalho 7conglomerate gravel72 one ton of the green-yellow chloritic or serpentine sand forming the under surface of the ,wady ,makn1 reduced to four ,girbahs or water-sacks2 and five tons of the dark metal 7not argentiferous galena74 ,after that they were to visit the northern ,sulphur-hill2 estimate its contents1 trace1 if possible1 its connection with adjoining formations2 map the country and prospect for wood1 water1 and harbour4 ,lastly1 they were ordered to march with the whole camp1 including our mules1 upon ,el-,muwaylah1 and there to await my return4 ,the three normal days of ,el-,ayl had come and gone2 still the ,fortuna,,en#aae did not fall4 ,the water1 paved with dark slate1 and domed with an awning of milky-white clouds1 patched here and there with rags and shreds of black wintry mist that poured westward from the ,suez ,gulf1 showed us how ugly the ,birkat ',akabah can look4 ,as in ,iceland also1 the higher rose the barometer1 the higher rose the norther2 the latter being a cold dry wind is1 consequently1 a heavy wind4 ,and when the sky was comparatively clear and blue1 the display of cirri was noticeable4 ,in some places they formed filmy crosses and thready lozenges2 in others the wrack fell into the shape of the letter ,z2 and from the western horizon the curl-clouds shot up thin rays1 with a common centre hid behind the mountains of ,sinai1 affecting all the airs of the sun4 ,before leaving ,makn ,i must give an account of its peculiar tribe1 concerning which ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian,,en#aaf contained sundry inaccuracies4 ,these men are not the pauper descendants of the wealthy ,midianites2 they cannot boast of ancient race or of noble blood2 and their speech differs in nothing from that of the ,arabs around them4 ,there can be no greater mistake than to suppose that they represent in any way the ancient ,nabathans4 ,in features1 complexion1 and dress they resemble the half-settled ,bedawin around them2 and1 like these1 they show a kind of connection with the ,sinaitic tribes4 ,the ,magni1,,en#aag to whom only the southern clump of huts at ,makn belongs1 call themselves ,faw'idah1 ,zubidah1 and ,ramzn1 after families of the ,juhayni stock2 and the ,faw'idah have1 by descent1 some title to the name4 ,they are1 however1 considered to be ,khaddamn 7serviles71 like the ,hutaym race1 by their neighbours1 who give tile following account of their origin4 ,an ,egyptian silk-seller1 who accompanied the ,hajj-caravan1 happened to fall asleep at ,kubzah1 between the stations of ',aynnah and ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,his companions went their ways1 and he1 like a bean-eater as he was1 fearing to follow them alone1 made for ,makn4 ,having married and settled there1 and seeing in the fertility of the soil a prospective spec41 he sent to his native country for ,fellahn--cultivateurs and peasants--who were collected from every part of ,pharoah-land and its neighbourhood4 ,the new-comers were compelled to pay one-half of their harvest1 by way of ,el-,akhwah 7the brother-tax71 in token of subjugation1 to the ,beni ',ukbah1 the owners of the soil4 ,they have gradually acquired ,milk 7legal title7 to the ground4 ,according to some1 they first settled at ,makn in the days of the ,beni ',amr1 whom they subsequently accompanied to the ,hism1 when flying from the victorious ,muslimah4 ,after peace was patched up1 they were compelled to make over one-fourth of the date-harvest as ,el-,akhwah to the ',imrn-,huwaytt and to the ,ma'zah2 whilst the ,tagaygt-,huwaytt claimed a ,bursh1 or mat of fine reeds1 as a poll-tax from every head of man4 ,under these hard conditions they are left unmolested2 and everything taken from them is restored by the ,shaykhs who receive tribute4 ,they have no chief1 although one ,slim ibn ,juwayfili claims the title4 ,before #ahff the ,magni numbered about a hundred tents3 the ,wady ,makn was then1 they say1 a garden2 and its cultivators were remarkable for their goodness and hospitality to strangers4 ,but in that year a feud with the ,beni ',ukbah was excited1 as often happens1 by the belli teterrima causa2 the women quarrelled with one another1 saying1 ,thy husband is a slave to my husband1 and so forth4 ,the little tribe1 hoisting two flags of red and white calico with green palm-fronds for staves1 dared the foe to attack it2 after a loss of four killed and sundry wounded1 all ran away manfully1 leaving their goods at the mercy of the conqueror4 ,shaykh ,hasan el-',ukb was assisted by the ,ma'zah in looting the ,magni huts1 and in carrying off the camels1 while ,shaykh ,furayj vainly attempted conciliation4 ,shortly afterwards the ,maknwis went in a body to beg aid from ,hammd el-,sofi1 ,shaykh of the ,turbn tribe1 which extends from ,ghazzah 7,gaza7 westwards to ,egypt4 ,marching with a host of armed followers1 he took possession of the palm-huts belonging to the ,beni ',ukbah1 when the owners fled in turn1 leaving behind their women and children4 ,furayj hastened from ',aynnah to settle the quarrel2 and at last the ,sofi said to him1 ,whilst ,i protect the ,magni1 do thou protect the ,beni ',ukbah4 ,whereupon the latter returned from their mountain-refuge to ,el-,muwaylah4 ,the ,magni at the present time are mostly camped about ',aynnah2 and only some fifteen head1 old men1 women1 and boys1 who did not take part in the fight1 and who live by fishing1 remain at ,makn under the protection of the ,beni ',ukbah4 ,hence the waters are waste and the fields are mostly unhoed4 ,such is the normal condition of ,arabia and the ,arabs4 ,what one does the other undoes2 what this creates1 that destroys4 ,professor ,palmer tells us1 ,another misconception is that all ,arabs are habitual thieves and murderers4,,en#aah ,fear of the terrible vendetta1 the blood feud and the blut-geld1 amounting to about eight hundred dollars1 prevents the ,bedawin1 here as elsewhere1 slaying any but strangers4 ,the traveller's experience1 however1 was chiefly of the ,towarah or ,sinaitic ,bedawin1 a race which1 bad as bad could be in the early quarter of the present century1 has been thoroughly tamed and cowed by the fear of ,allah and the ,consul4 ,and the curse pronounced by the ,jews against their brother ,ishmael1 his hand shall be against every man1 etc41 must1 as was known even in the days of ,gibbon1 be taken with many a grain of salt4 ,yet the ,bedawin of ,midian have till late years been a turbulent mixed multitude1 and are ready to become troublesome again4 ,it is only by building forts and by holding the land militarily1 that the civilized can hope to tame this vermin4 ,i repeat1 however1 my conviction that the charming ,makn ,valley is fated to see happy years2 and that the ,wild ,man who1 when ruled by an iron hand1 is ever ready to do a fair day's work for a fair wage 7especially victuals71 will presently sit under the shadow of his own secular vines and fig-trees4 ,about midnight on ,february #bnd1 the tempestuous northerly gale1 which had now lasted four days and five nights1 ceased almost suddenly3 the signs of the approaching calm were the falling of the mercury1 the increased warmth of the atmosphere1 and the shifting of the wind towards the east4 ,all hailed the change with joy4 ,the travellers looked forward to ending their peregrinations1 while the voyagers1 myself included1 hoped safely to steam round the ,gulf el-',akabah1 and to trace1 as correctly as possible1 the extent1 the trend1 and the puissance of the quartz-formations4 ,at ,cairo ,mr4 ,consul ,rogers told me he had found them in large quantities veining the red grits of ,petra2 and ,i thought it possible that the white stone may extend under the waters of ',akabah into the peninsula of ,sinai4 ,chapter ,,vii4 ,cruise from ,maknto ,el-',akabah4 ,this ,red ,sea in the ,land of ,edom 7#a ,kings ix4 #bf7 is still1 as ,wellsted entitles it1 a vast and solitary ,gulf4 ,it bears a quaint resemblance to that eastern fork of the northern ,adriatic1 the ,quarnero1 whose name expresses its terrible storms2 while the ,suez branch shows the longer stretch of the ,triestine bifurcation4 ,yamm ,elath or ,eloth1 as the ,hebrews called ,el-',akabah1 has1 by the upheaval of the land1 lost more of its fair proportions than its western sister4 ,it was at one time the embouchure of the ,jordan1 extending up the ,wady el-',arabah to the ,asphaltite ,lake 7,dead ,sea71 before the former became1 so to speak1 a hill and the latter a hole4 ,this view dates from olden times4 ,si suppone1 says ,cornelius ,lapide1,,en#aai che sia un sollevamento che accadde1 mentre un abbassamento formava il ,mar ,morto2 e che il ,giordano si gettasse nel ,golfo ,elanitico 7,yamm ,ailath71 ci nel ,mar ,rosso1 prima della destruzione di ,sodoma4 ,for the latter date we have only to read1 ,when a movement of depression sank the lower ,jordan ,valley1 and its present reservoirs1 the ,tiberias ,lake and the ,dead ,sea1 to their actual level4 ,there is nothing marvellous nor unique in the feature1 as it appears to those suffering from that strange malady1 ,holy ,land on the ,brain4 ,the ,oxus and the ,caspian show an identical formation1 only the sinking has been on a smaller scale4 ,wellsted was unfortunate1 both in his weather and in his craft4 ,to encounter a sea of breakers and northerly gales with a high and dangerous swell in a wretched bugal 7i4e4 ,sambk71 and in that perfect tub1 the ,palinurus1 was somewhat like tempting ,providence1--if such operation be possible4 ,no wonder that in this ,gulf1 in a course of only ninety miles1 the nautical mishaps were numerous and varied4 ,the surveyor1 however1 neglected a matter of the highest interest and importance1 namely1 to ascertain whether there be any difference of level between the heads of the ,suez and the ',akabah waters4 ,the vicinity of continuous maritime chains1 varying from six to nearly nine thousand feet1 suggests an amount of attraction 7theoretically7 sufficient to cause a sensible difference of plane4 ,it would be well worth while to run two lines of survey1 one from ,el-',akabah to ,suez1 and the other down the eastern flank of the ,sinaitic ,peninsula4 ,the ,mukhbir1 like the ,palinurus1 promised a certain amount of excitement4 ,her boiler1 ,i have said1 was honeycombed2 it was easy to thrust one's fist through it4 ,mr4 ,david ,duguid1 the engineer1 who on one occasion worked thirty-six hours at a stretch1 had applied for sixty new tubes1 and he wanted one hundred and fifty3 we began with two hundred and forty2 we lost1 when in the ,gulf1 from three to nine per diem1 a total of seventy five2 and the work of the engine-room and the ship's carpenters consisted in plugging fractures with stays1 plates1 and wedges4 ,presently the steam-gauge 7manomtre7 gave way1 making it impossible to register pressure2 the combustion chamber showed a rent of eighteen inches long by one wide1 the result of too rapid cooling2 and1 lastly1 the donkey-engine struck work4 ,under these happy circumstances bursting was not to be expected2 breaking down was1 a regular collapse which would have left us like a log upon the stormy waves4 ,a new boiler might have cost1 perhaps1 #ijj1 and the want of one daily endangered a good ship which could not be replaced for #ijjj4 ,i therefore determined upon a ,safer ,khoriyyah1 that is1 steaming by day and anchoring at night in some snug bay4 ,it was also agreed1 nem4 con41 to tow the ,sambk ,el-,musahhil1 in order that1 should accidents happen1 it might in turn act tug to the steamer2 or even1 at a pinch1 serve us as a lifeboat4 ,nothing becomes ,makn better than the view on leaving it4 ,a varied and attractive picture this1 with the turquoise-blue of the deep water1 the purple and leek-green tints of the shoaly and sandy little port1 and the tawny shore dotted by six distinct palm-tufts4 ,they are outliers of the main line1 yon flood of verdure1 climbing up and streaming down from the high1 dry1 and barren banks of arenaceous drift1 heaped up and filmed over by the wind1 and1 lastly1 surging through its narrow ,gate1 with the clifflets of conglomerate forming the old coast4 ,add the bluff headland of the ,ras el-,trah to the north of the harbour1 and behind it the ,rughmat ,makn1 the greenish-yellow1 flat-backed horse of ,madyan1 which1 shimmering in the sunset with a pearly lustre1 forms the best of landmarks4 ,finish to the south of the ,wady with the quaint chopping outlines of the ,jebel el-,fahst1 resembling from afar a huge alligator lying on the water2 with the similar but lower forms to the north of the valley1 both reflected in the ,jibl el-,hamr 7the ,red ,hills71 whose curtains of green-black trap are broken by sheets of dull dead-white plaster4 ,cap the whole with the mighty double quoin of gypseous ,jebel el-,kharaj1 buttressing the eastern flank of its valley1 and with the low1 dark metal-revetted hills of the ,kalb el-,nakhlah1 a copy of the ,fahst4 ,throw in the background1 slowly rising as you recede from the shore1 a curtain of plutonic peaks and buttresses1 cones1 quoins1 cupolas1 parrot-beaks2 with every trick of shape1 from the lumpy ,zahd to the buttressed and pinnacled ',urnub2 with every shade of mountain-tint between lapis-lazuli and plum-purple4 ,dome the whole with that marvellous transparent sky1 the ocean of the air1 that spreads loveliness over the rugged cheek of the ,desert2 and you have a picture which1 though distinctly ,arabian1 you can hardly expect to see in ,arabia4 ,from the offing1 also1 we note how the later formations1 granite and syenite1 seamed with a network1 and often topped by cones1 of porphyritic trap1 have upthrust1 pierced1 and isolated the older ,secondaries4 ,we traced this huge deposit of sulphates and carbonates of lime from the southern ,wady ,hamz1 through the islets at the mouth of the ,birkat ',akabah1 all along the shore of ,north ,midian4 ,here it crosses diagonally the northern third of the ',akabah ,gulf1 and forms the north-eastern base of the ,sinaitic ,peninsula2 whilst eastward it stretches inland as far as ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,the general disposition suggests that before the upheaval of the ,ghts1 the ,jibl el-,tihmah1 this vast gypseous sheet was a plain and plateau covering the whole country1 till a movement of depression1 caused by the upheaval of the igneous mountains1 sank in it the ,gulf of ',akabah4 ,at present the surface is here flat1 there hilly like huge billows breaking mostly to the north1 and reaching an altitude of twelve hundred feet above the surface4 ,hence the lines stretching north-south1 the ,fahst1 the ,red ,hills1 and the ,kalb el-,nakhlah1 look like so many volcanic island-reefs floating in a sea of greenish-yellow ,secondaries4 ,like the old ,irish post-horse1 the difficulty and danger of our kettle consisted in starting it3 two tubes at once burst1 and a new hole yawned in the boiler2 moreover1 our anchor had been thrown out in a depth of seventy-three feet4 ,enfin6 ,at nine a4m4 7,february #crd7 we stood straight for the ,sinaitic shore1 distant thirteen miles 7direct geographical71 and in three hours we made the ,sharm1 ,mars or ,minat el-,dahab--the ,golden ,anchorage1 ,cove1 or ,port4,,en#abj ,another hour was spent in steaming southwards to the ,dock-harbour1 wrongly so called in the charts2 the pilots1 and the many ,sambks that take refuge in it1 know the place only as ,mnt ,gini 7,jini74 ,the northern baylet1 preferred when southerly winds blow1 is simply the embouchure of the ,wady ,dahab 7,fiumara of ,gold74 ,the name is properly applied to the sub-maritime section of the valley draining the eastern flanks of the so-called ,mount ,sinai4 ,this great watercourse breaks through the ,ghts which1 always fringing similar peninsulas1 peak to the south4 ,it reaches the ,gulf at a shallow sag marked by a line of palms1 the centre of three3 they are fed by their several ,nullahs1 and are watered with the brackish produce of sundry wells4 ,the statio malefida is defended to the north by a short sandspit and a submerged reef2 and southwards by a projection of sandstone conglomerate4 ,the latter1 running from north-east to south-west1 subtends this part of the coast1 and serves to build up the land2 after a few years the dbris swept down by the watercourses will warp up the shallows1 dividing shore from outlier4 ,such1 in fact1 seems to be the general origin of these sandspits2 beginning as coralline reefs1 they have been covered with conglomerates1 and converted into terra firma by the rubbish shot out by the ,wady-mouths4 ,the southern port1 ,gini1 is formed by a bend in the reef which sweeps round from east to south-west like a scorpion's tail4 ,the natural sea-wall1 at once dangerous and safety-giving1 protects1 to the south and south-east1 diabolitos of black rock visible only at high tide3 inshore the sickle-shaped breakwater runs by east to south-west1 becoming a sandy hook1 and enclosing a basin whose depth ranges from seven to twelve fathoms4 ,its approach from the south is clean2 and the western opening is protected by the tall screen of coast cliffs1 the ,jebel el-,gini1 whose deep-black porphyritic gorge seemingly prolongs that of ,midianite ,tayyib ,ism4 ,this is a section of the ,jibl el-,samghi1 the coast-range which extends as far north as the ,wady ,wati'r4 ,the ,dock-port1 so useful when the terrible norther blows1 has an admirable landmark1 visible even from ,sinfir ,island1 and conspicuous at the entrance of the ,gulf4 ,where the sandy slopes of ,south-,eastern ,sinai-land end1 appears a large white blot1 apparently supporting a block1 built1 like a bastion1 upon a tall hill of porphyritic trap4 ,we called this remnant of material harder than the rest1 ,burj el-,dahab--the ,tower ,hill of ,dahab4 ,i have been minute in describing the ,golden ,harbour3 scant justice has been done to it by the ,hydrographic ,chart1 and it will prove valuable when the ,makna' mines are opened4 ,ahmed ,kaptn vainly attempted soundings--he was too ill to work4 ,wellsted's identification of the site with ,ezion-geber 7ii4 ix471 and the reef with the rock-ledge which wrecked ,jehosaphat's fleet1 has one great objection--no ruins are known to exist near it4,,en#aba ,the formation of this part of ,sinai1 as far as we can see from the shore1 reflects1 in wilder forms and more abrupt lines1 the opposite coast of ,midian3 there is1 however1 the important difference that the ,secondaries and the quartz-veins1 there so important1 are here wanting4 ,the skeletons of mountain and hill appear as if prolonged under water4 ,the ruddy syenite is dyked and veined by the familiar network of green-black porphyritic trap2 the filons are disposed in parallels striking north-south1 with a little easting2 the dip is westerly 7about #ce degrees mag471 and the thickness extends to hundreds of feet1 often forming a foundation for the upper cliff4 ,the subaerial parts are the same warty and pimply growth which appears on the other side4 ,nothing could be more wearisome to the ,alpine climber than such a country3 he would scale the peaks and ridges for fifty feet1 to descend thirty on the other side2 and the frequent ,wadys1 ankle-deep in loose sand1 generally end in steep stony couloirs4 ,the watercourses1 whose broad mouths are scattered with thin green1 contain pebbles and rolled quartzes1 including fine specimens of the crystallized variety4 ,we landed1 after an hour's row in the gig1 at the central or main line of palms2 and on the banks of ,wady ,dahab1 here a full mile wide1 we found the works of man1 like those of ,nature1 a copy of ,makn4 ,the date trees and clumps are hedge-closed2 two scatters of ',ushash 7tabernacles7 show round towers of rough stone1 broken and patched with palm-frond2 and1 further north of the ,golden ,valley1 a few old ,arab graves have been weathered into mere heaps of large stones4 ,these are the ,kubur el-,nasr 7,nazarene's ,graves7 of ,burckhardt1,,en#abb a name apparently forgotten by the present generation4 ,we vainly sought and asked after ruins3 of old1 however1 ,d'zahab might have served to disembark cargo which1 by taking the land-route northwards1 as the ,christian pilgrims still do from ,el-,nuwaybi'1 would avoid the dangerous headwaters of ,el-',akabah4 ,nor could we believe with ,pococke,,en#abc that the place derived its name from the mica shining like gold2 his theory is stultified by the fact that mica is by no means a prominent feature1 even had the ,ancients been so ignorant as to be deceived by it4 ,the people were by no means communicative4 ,an elderly man1 with a red turban and sword by side1 hurried away from us when we addressed him1 leaving his middle-aged wife to follow with a babe on shoulder and a boy in hand3 she also refused to speak1 waving her hand by way of reply to every question4 ,at last a semi-civilized being1 acquainted with the ,convent of ,st4 ,catherine1 ,selm bin ,husayn1 of the ,muzaynah tribe1 satisfied our curiosity in view of tobacco1 and offered a rudely stuffed ibex-head for a shilling4 ,in the evening our fishermen visited the reef1 which supplied admirable rock-cod1 a bream 787 called ,sultan el-,bahr1 and ,marjn 7a ,scina72 but they neglected the fine ,sirinjah 7sponges71 which here grow two feet long4 ,the night was dark and painfully still1 showing nought but the youngest of moons1 and the gloomiest silhouettes of spectral mountains4 ,we set out at seven a4m4 on the next day1 when an ,azyab or south-easterly wind was promised by the damp air1 the slaty sea1 and the gloomy nimbi on the hill-tops4 ,a small party landed after two hours' steaming1 in search of quartz1 which proved to be chloritic sandstones and limestones4 ,in the broad valley they found a few ,muzayni families1 with their camels1 sheep1 and goats4 ,these unfortunates had no tents1 sleeping under the trees2 they were desperate beggars1 and1 although half-starved1 they asked a napoleon for a kid1 declaring that such was its price at the quarantine station of ,tor4 ,here the errors of the ,hydrographic ,chart1 which have been copied literally by the latest and best popular books such as ,professor ,palmer's ,desert of the ,exodus1 began to excite our astonishment4 ,for instance1 ,ras ,kusayr 7the ,short ,one7 becomes ,ras ,arser--what a name for a headland6 ,a good survey will presently become a sine qu non4 ,unfortunately ,ahmed ,kaptn was suffering so much that ,i could not ask him to make solar observations2 while the rest of us had other matters in hand4 ,it was a great disappointment1 where so much useful work remains to be done4 ,hereabouts the sterile horrors of the hideous ,sinaitic shore seem to reach their climax4 ,the mountains become huge rubbish-heaps1 without even colour to clothe their indecently nude forms2 and each strives with its neighbour for the prize of repulsiveness4 ,the valleys are mere dust-shunts that shoot out their rubbish1 stones1 gravel1 and sand1 in a solid flow1 like discharges of lava4 ,and1 as ,jebel ,mazhafah1 on the opposite coast1 is the apex of the visible eastern ,ghts1 so beyond this point the ,sinaitic sea-chain of mountains begins to decline into mere hills1 while longer sand-points project seawards4 ,such is the near1 the real aspect of what1 viewed from ,makn1 appears a scene in fairy-land1 decked and dight in heavenly hues of blue and purple and rosy light-- ,where the bald blear skull of the ,desert ,with golden mountains is crowned4 ,the first sign of a change of formation appeared near the ,lower 7southern7 ,nuwaybi' 7the ,little ,spring71 which the chart calls ,wasit4 ,here the shore shows blots of dead-white and mauve-red1 in which our engineer at once detected quartz4 ,seeing it prolonged in straight horizontal lines1 and the red overlying the white1 ,i suspected kaolin and the normal ,tau 7coloured clays73 my conjecture was confirmed on the next day4 ,hereabouts1 ,wellsted 7ii4 #aea7 also remarked the colouring of the hills1 which resemble those of ,sherm2 some of a deep-blue tinge1 and others streaked with a brilliant red and violet4 ,we then doubled a long sandspit running out to sea eastward1 and forming1 on the north1 a deep bay well protected from the souther2 whilst several lines of reef and shallow to the north defend it from the angry ,bora4 ,this anchorage is known to the pilots as ,wsit2 and it occupies the southern half of the bay1 the northern half and its palm-groves being called the ,upper ,nuwaybi'4 ,about ,wsit the date-palms are scattered1 and the large sand-drifts ever threaten to bury them alive4 ,behind it yawns the great gash1 ,wady ,watr1 which shows its grand lines even from the opposite side of the gulf3 this is the route by which ,christian pilgrims from ,syria make the ,sinai monastery1 rounding on camels the northern end of ,el-',akabah4 ,the main valley receives from the north the ,wady el-',ayn1 which can be reached in half a day4 ,from the south1 distant one whole march1 comes the ,wady el-,hazrah4 ,this is doubtless the ,hazeroth of the ,exodus1 meaning the fenced enclosures of a pastoral people2 and a modern traveller figures and describes it as the most beautiful and romantic landscape in the ,desert4 ,at least1 so said the lately shipped guide1 ,mabru'k ibn ,sulayyim el-,muzayni4 ,after a run of six hours and thirty minutes 7 thirty miles71 we cast anchor off ,wsit3 there was nothing to see ashore1 save some wretched ,muzaynah1 two males and three females1 helpmates meet for them1 living like savages on fish and shell-molluscs2 drinking brackish water1 and sleeping in the bush1 rather than take the trouble to repair the huts4 ,they have no sheep1 but a few camels2 and1 by way of boats1 they use catamarans composed of two palm-trunks3 their home-made hooks resemble the schoolboy's crooked pin4 ,yet these starvelings would not fetch specimens of the white stuff1 distant1 perhaps1 two direct miles of cross-cut1 seen near ,nuwaybi'1 and still visible4 ,they also refused1 without preliminary bakhshsh1 to show or even to tell where certain ruins1 concerning which they spoke or romanced1 are found in their hills4 ,and yet there are theologians who would raise ,poverty1 the most demoralizing of all conditions1 to the rank of an ecclesiastical virtue4 ,at #f #cj a4m4 on the next day1 the ,mukhbir stood eastwards to avoid the northern reef4 ,presently we passed the ,upper ,nuwaybi'1 a creeklet to the north-west of ,wsit1 with a straggling line of palms fed by the huge ,wady ,muzayrj4 ,from this point to the ',akabah head all the coast is clean of man4 ,the ,jibl el-,samghi now become the ,sinaitic ,jibl el-,shafah 7,lip ,mountains71 the latter stretching northwards to the ,hajj-road1 and forming the western wall of the ',arabah valley1 whose name they assume 7,jibl el-',arabah74 ,the scene abruptly shifts4 ,a mottle of clouds sheds moving shadows over the hill-crests1 and relieves them from the appalling monotony of yesterday4 ,brilliant rainbow hues1 red1 green1 mauve1 purple1 yellow and white clays1 gleam in the lowlands1 and form dwarf bluffs2 while inland1 peering above the granites1 the syenites1 and the porphyries of the coast1 pale quoins and naked cones again show the familiar ,secondary formation of ,midianitish ,makn4 ,we were not surprised to hear that sulphur had been found in the gypsum of these eastern ,ghts of ,sinai1 when a ,jebel el-,kib't1 approached by the ,wady ,suwayr1 was pointed out to us4 ,the natural deduction is that the brimstone formation is1 like the turquoise1 the copper1 and the manganese1 a continuation of the beds that gave a name to ,mafka-land2 while the metalliferous strata round1 in horseshoe-form1 the head of ,el-',akabah1 and run down the ,arabian shore1 till they become parallel with those subtending the seaboard of ,africa4 ,the view of the eastern or ,midianite coast was even more varied and suggestive4 ,far inland1 and tinged light-blue by distance1 rose the sharp1 jagged1 and sawlike crests of ,el-,sharaf1 under which the ,hajj-caravan wends its weary way1 thus escaping the mountains which dip perpendicularly into the sea4 ,then come the broad and sandy slopes1 here and there streaked with dark ridges1 spanned by the ,sultni or ,sultan's high-road1 and stretching from the ,gulf to the inner heights4 ,the latter are no longer a double parallel chain3 they bend from south-south-east to north-north-west1 and become the ,jibl el-,shar'1 anciently ,mount ,seir2 in fact1 the eastern retaining-wall of the great ,wady ',arabah4 ,evidently they are primary1 but a white and purple patch1 visible from afar1 suggested a ,secondary remnant4 ,several of the peaks1 especially the blue block ,el-,yitm1 appeared to be of great height2 we all remarked its towering stature and trifid headpiece1 apparently upwards of five thousand feet high1 before we had heard the tale attached to it4 ,abreast of us and on the shore1 lie the large inlet and little islet ,el-,humayzah3 the surveyors have abominably corrupted it to ,omeider4 ,north of it a palm grove1 lining the mouth of a broad ,wady which snakes high up among the sands and stones1 denotes the ,hajj-station1 ,el-,hakl 7,hagul71 backed by tall arenaceous buttresses4 ,after six hours 7 twenty-two knots and a half71 we anchored in the deep channel1 about three-quarters of a kilometre wide1 that separates the ,sinaitic mainland from the northern one of the only two islands known in the ',akabah ,gulf1 a scrap of rock crowned with picturesque grey ruins4 ,the ,jezrat ,fara'n of the maps1 the ,isle of ,pharaoh1 concerning whom traditions are still current1 it is known to the ',akabites only as ,jebel el-,kala'h or ,fort-hill3 hence ,el-,graa in ,laborde1 and ,jezrat ,el-,q reieh in ,arconati4,,en#abd ,burckhardt alone mentions that the ruins are known as ,el-,dayr--the ,convent4 ,this human lair is encircled by barrier-reefs of coralline1 broad to the south-west and large in scattered places3 eastward they form a shallow wall-like ledge1 beyond which blue water at once begins4 ,the island-formation is that of the opposite coasts1 ,midian and ,sinai1 grey granite dyked with decaying porphyritic trap1 and everywhere veined with white and various-coloured quartzes4 ,the shape is a long oval of about three hundred and twenty by one hundred and fifty-two metres2 a saddleback with two stony heads1 the higher to the north1 rising a hundred feet or so above sea-level4 ,pommel and cantle are connected by a low seat1 a few yards of isthmus2 and the three divisions1 all strongly marked1 bear buildings4 ,the profile from east and west shows four groups3 to the extreme north a tower1 backed by the castle donjon1 on the knob of granite here and there scarped2 the works upon the thread of isthmus2 and the walls and bastions crowning the southern knob1 which1 being lower1 is even more elaborately cut to a perpendicular4 ,we landed upon the eastern side of the islet rock1 where the trunk of a broken mole is covered in rear by a ruined work4 ,here1 being most liable to attack1 the fortifications are strongest2 whereas on the west side only a single wall1 now strewn on the ground1 with square ,burj at intervals1 defends the little boat-harbour4 ,the latter appears at present in the shape of a fish-pond1 measuring sixty by forty metres2 sunk below sea-level1 fed by percolation1 and exceedingly salt4 ,to the east of this water1 black cineraceous earth shows where the smith had been at work3 we applied the quarrymen to sift it1 without other results but bits of glass1 copper1 and iron nails4 ,the pier leads to a covered way1 enabling the garrison safely to circulate round the base of the islet4 ,behind it a path1 much broken and cumbered by dbris of the walls1 winds up the southern face of the northern hill1 which supports the body of the place3 it meets another track from the west1 and a small work defends their junction4 ,below it1 outside the walls1 we found a well sunk about eight feet in the granite1 and cemented with fine lime1 the red plaster in places remaining4 ,above this pit a ,mihrb1 or prayer-niche1 fronting ,meccah-wards 7more exactly #age degrees mag47 shows the now ruinous mosque3 the ,bedawi declare that it was built by a ,pasha4 ,higher again1 upon a terreplein1 are lines of tanks laid out with all that lavishness of labour which distinguishes similar works in ,syria3 it is1 however1 difficult to assign any date to these constructions4 ,the cisterns were explored by ,mr4 ,clarke and ,lieutenant ,amir1 who dug into and planned them4 ,they descended by ropes1 although there are two flights of steps to the west and the south-west4 ,the tanks are built up from the base with blocks one foot nine inches long3 seven inches deep of rubbish were cleared away before reaching the floor1 composed of black stones bedded in layers of cement above and below1 and resting upon the ground-rock4 ,the diggings yielded only big pieces of salt fallen from the walls1 and a broken handmill of basalt4 ,the sides are supported by pilasters of cut stone1 and the crown by four pillars in a double row3 the dividing arches1 according to the plan1 are not symmetrical4 ,hard by1 measuring twelve metres by twelve1 is the quarry whence the stone was taken2 and near it stands the normal ,egyptian pigeon-tower1 with its nest-niches4 ,the donjon or body is defended by an enceinte1 opening northwards upon a large yard1 where1 doubtless1 the garrison mustered1 and whence a flight of steps leads to the wicket4 ,the inside of the works shows the roofless party-walls still standing2 and the ground is scattered over with the remains of many different races3 there are drums of columns and fragments of marble pillars1 but no sign of an inscription4 ,even in the upper ramparts two epochs are distinctly traceable1 the medival and the modern4 ,the lower ashlar1 mostly yellow grit1 is cut and carefully cemented2 the upper part is generally of rough dry stone1 the plutonic formations of the islet heaped up with scanty care4 ,the embrasures are framed with decaying palm-trunks2 the loop-holes belong partly to the age of archery2 and nothing can be ruder than the battlements placed close together1 as if to be manned by bowmen1 while in not a few places there are the remains of matting between the courses4 ,at the highest part we found another carefully cemented ,sehrij1 or underground cistern1 with two sharp-topped arches divided by a tall column1 ,saracenic certainly and not ,doric3,,en#abe above it a circular aperture1 arched round with the finest bricks1 serves to lighten the superstructure4 ,it communicates to the north with a ,hammm1 whose plan is easily traced by the double flues and earthenware tubes1 well made and mortared together4 ,here we found inscribed on the plaster1 ,arona ,linant #bb ,mars #ahdf4 ,the southern knob of the islet supports similar but inferior constructions1 still more ruinous withal3 its quarry is on the lower slopes1 and its granitic base has also been scarped seawards4 ,two stout walls1 twelve feet thick below and six above1 crossing the length of the rock from north to south1 here meet in a ,burj which shows signs of fine tiles on an upper floor2 whilst a third wall forms a southern spine bisecting the tail of the ,jezrat4 ,the castle is much more dilapidated than when sketched by ,ruppell1 the first ,frank who visited ,el-',akabah1 in #ahbf4 ,his illustration 7p4 #bad7 of ,ruinen auf der ,insel ,emrag shows a single compact building in good preservation1 the towers being round1 when all are square2 and it is garnished with the impossible foreground and background of his epoch2 the former1 enlivened with a ,noah's-,ark camel1 being placed quite close1 when it is distant some ten miles4 ,in the ,german naturalist's time1 the now desolate island was occupied by die ,emradi1 a tribe which he suspected to be ,jewish1 and of which he told the queerest tales3 ,i presume they are the ',imrm-,huwaytt of ,el-,hakl and the ,hism4 ,wellsted's short description 7,,ii4 ix7 is still correct as in #ahch4 ,the castle is evidently ,european1 built during the days when the ,crusaders held ,el-',akabah2 but it probably rests upon ,roman ruins2 and the latter1 perhaps1 upon ,egyptian remains of far older date4 ,it protected one section of the oldest overland route1 when the islet formed the key of the ,gulf-head4 ,it subsequently became an eyrie whence its robber knights and barons--including possibly ,john1 the ,christian ruler of ',akabah 7,a4,d4 #fcj71 and1 long after him1 madcap ,rainald de ,chatillon 7,a4,d4 #aahb7--;could live comfortably and sally out to plunder merchants and pilgrims4 ,the ,saracenic buildings may date1 as the popular superstition has it1 from the reign of ,salh el-,dn 7,saladin7 who1 in ,a4,d4 #aafg1 cleared his country of the ,infidel invader by carrying ships on camel-back from ,cairo4 ,later generations of thieves1 pirates1 and fishermen naturally made it their refuge and abode4 ,i hardly anticipate for it great things in the immediate future1 although it has been proposed for a coal-dept4 ,after a day given to tube-tinkering with tompions1 stays1 plugs1 plates1 and wedges1 to the distraction of the ship's carpenter and blacksmith1 steam was coaxed up2 and1 at #i4ae a4m4 7,february #gth71 we ran northwards through the deep narrow channel1 rounding the upper end of the ,pharaohnic islet4 ,here the encircling wall is defended by two square ,burj1 to the north-east and to the northwest1 flanking what is probably the main entrance4 ,on the ,sinaitic mainland to port1 the broad mouth of the ,wady el-,masri leads to the ,nakb1 the rocky ,pass which1 so much dreaded till repaired by ,abba's ,pasha1 is popularly said to be described in ,el-',akabah--the ,steep4 ,the ,bedawin1 however1 declare that the locale is so called because the ,gulf here heels 7,ya'kkab el-,bahr71 that is1 comes to an end4 ,at the head of the sea1 the confused mass of the ,sinaitic mountains range themselves in line to the west1 fronting its sister wall1 the grand block ,el-,shar' 7,seir72 while in the middle lies the southern section of the ,ghor1 the noble and memorious ,wady el-',akabah1 supposed to have given a name to ,arabia4,,en#abf ,the surface-water still rolls down it after rains2 and the mirage veiling the valley-sole prolongs the ,gulf-waters far to the north1 their bed in the old geologic ages4 ,the view was charming to us2 for the first time since leaving ,suez we saw the contrast of perpendicular and horizontal1 of height and flat4 ,nothing could be more refreshing1 more gladdening to the eye1 after niente che montagne1 as the poor ,italian described the ,morea1 than the soft sweeps and the level lines of the hollow plain3 it was enjoyable as a heavy shower after an ,egyptian summer4 ,on the next day also1 the play of light and shade1 and the hide and seek of sun-ray and water-cloud1 gave the view a cachet of its own4 ,i am sorry to see that scientific geologist1 ,mr4 ,john ,milne1 ,f4,g4,s41,,en#abg proposing to cut through the two to five hundred feet of elevation which separate the ,gulf from the ,dead ,sea1 some thirteen hundred feet below water level4 ,does he reflect that he simply proposes to obliterate the whole lower ,jordan8 to bury ,tiberias and its lake about eight hundred feet under the waves8 in fact1 to overwhelm half the ,holy ,land in a brand-new nineteenth-century deluge1 the ,deluge of ,milne8 ,all were delighted at having reached our northernmost point1 without another visit from ,el-,ayli'4 ,after one hour and thirty-five minutes 7 seven miles7 the ,mukhbir anchored1 in twelve fathoms of water1 a couple of hundred yards off the fort and its dependent group of brown-grey mud buildings1 half concealed by the luxuriant palms4 ,the roads are safe enough3 here the north wind has not yet gained impetus2 the south-easter is bluffed off by a long point2 and in only the strongest ,gharb 7westers7 ships must run for refuge under the cliffs of ,sinai4 ,this is not the place to enter into the history of ,elath1 ,ailat1 ,ailah1 lana1 ',akabah1 or ',akabat-,aylah3 ,robinson 7i4 #bej-bed7 and a host of others give ample and reliable details4 ,suffice it to say that the site is mentioned in the ,wanderings 7,deut4 ii4 #h71 which must not be confounded with the ,exodus4 ,it is subsequently connected with the gold-fleet 7,i ,kings ix4 #bf1 etc472 and1 conquered by ,rezin1 king of ,syria 7,b4,c4 #gdj71 it was permanently lost to the ,jews 7#b ,kings xvi4 #f74 ,under the ,romans1 this great station upon the ,overland between the southernmost ,nabathan port1 ,leuk ,kme1 and ,petra1 the western capital1 was a ,prsidium held by the ,tenth ,legion2 and a highway connected it with ,gaza 7,ghazzah71 measuring one hundred and twenty direct miles1 when the ,isthmus of ,suez numbers only ninety-five4 ,in ,christian times it had a prince and a bishop2 and1 under ,mohammed and the early ,moslems1 it preserved an importance which lasted till the days of the ,crusaders4 ,el-,makrzi describes its ruins1 and here places the northern frontier of the ,hejaz3 in his day ,madyan was thus a section of the ,tihmat el-,hejaz1 the maritime region of the ,moslems' ,holy ,land4 ,a group of camels had gathered on the shore2 and inland lay a mob of pilgrims1 the ,hajj el-,maghribah1 numbering some three thousand ,north-,west ,africans2 an equally large division had already preceded them to ,suez4 ,letters from ,egypt assured us that cholera had broken out at ,meccah and ,jeddah1 killing in both places ninety-eight per diem4 ,here the pilgrims swore by their ,allah that all were1 and ever had been1 in perfect health2 it is every man's business to ignore the truth1 to hide the sick1 and to bury the dead out of sight4 ,hard swearing1 however1 did not prevent the ,hajj undergoing a long quarantine before entering ,suez4 ,the ,english journals had reported another disaster3 ,now that the ,sultn's power is collapsing1 the most powerful ,bedaween tribes are rising because their subsidies are withheld4 ,for weeks the great pilgrim-traffic of autumn 78 add the other three seasons7 was arrested by them2 and even between ,medina and ,mecca the road is unsafe4 ,of this ,i could hear nothing4 ,we awaited1 on board1 the departure of the pauper and infected ,mogrebbins3 when the place was clear we fired a gun1 and1 after an answer of three1 ,i received the visits of the fort officials4 ,they were civility itself2 they immensely admired our two splendid buttons of poor iron2 and they privily remarked1 with much penetration1 that the colour was that of brass3 they were1 in truth1 far wiser than we had been4 ,with them came ,mohammed ibn ,jd 7not ,ijt7 el-',alaw 7of the ',alawlyyin-,huwaytt71 who styles himself ,shaykh of ,el-',akabah3 he is remarkable for frank countenance1 pleasant manners1 and exceeding greed4 ,he was gorgeously arrayed in an overall 7',abyah7 of red silk and gold thread 7,gasab71 covering a similar cloak of black wool3 besides which1 a long-sleeved ,egyptian caftn1 striped stuff of silk and wool1 invested his cotton ,kams and ,libs 7bag-breeches74 ,to his ,a'kl or fillet of white fleecy wool hung a talisman2 his ,khuff 7riding-boots7 were of red morocco1 and his sword-scabbard was covered with the same material4 ,the ,arab ever loves scarlet1 and all varieties of the sanguine hue are as dear to him as to the ,british soldier4 ,we held sundry long confabs with ,shaykh ,mohammed1 who seemed to know the neighbourhood unusually well4 ,he declared that there were ruins but no trees at ',ayn el-,ghadya'n1 distant one day's march up the ,wady el-',arabah1 and lying near the western wall4 ,this is the place first identified by ,robinson1 who says nothing about the remains1 with ,ezion-geber1 while ,dean ,stanley 7,sinai1 etc41 p4 #he7 opines that we have no means of fixing the position of the ,giant's shoulder-blade4,,en#abh ,josephus 7,antiq41 viii4 #f1 #d7 places it near lana2 and the present distance from the sea1 like that of ,heroopolis 7,shaykh el-,ajrd87 from ,suez1 may show the rise of the ,wady el-',arabah within historic times4 ,the ,shaykh assured us that ,mar was to be found everywhere among the hills east of ,el-',akabah1 and ,mr4 ,milne 7,beke1 p4 #dje7 brought from the very summit of the true ,mount ,sinai 7,jebel el-,yitm7 a fine piece of quartz1 the same kind of stone as the ,brazilian pebbles of which they make the best spectacles4 ,we carried off a specimen of native copper from the ,sinaitic ,jebel and ,wady ,raddd1 some six hours to the north-west of the fort3 it is found strewed upon the ground but not in veins 7874 ,the stone looked so new that we concluded it to be the work of later generations2 and the traces of smelting furnaces at old ,elath confirmed the idea4 ,shaykh ,mohammed1 who boasted that his tribe could mount five hundred horses--by which understand five--offered his safeguard to the ,hism1 three easy marches1 without pass or climax1 up the ,wady ,yitm to the east1 and behind the range ,el-,shar'4 ,he made the region begin northwards at one day south of ,el-,ma'n1 the fort lying to the east-south-east of ,petra2 and he confirmed the accounts of ,mabrk1 the guide1 who was never tired of expatiating upon its merits4 ,the fountains flow in winter1 in summer the wells are never dry2 the people1 especially the ,huwaytt1 are kind and hospitable2 sheep are cheap as dirt4 ,at ,jebel ,saur a ,maghrabi magician raised a ,kidr ,dahab 7golden pot72 but1 his incense failing at the critical moment1 it sank before yielding its treasures4 ,pointing north-eastwards to the majestic pile in the ,shara or ,seir ,mountains1 the ,jebel el-,yitm1,,en#abi a corruption of ,el-,yatim1 the ,shaykh told us a tale that greatly interested us4 ,it appears1 ,i have said1 a remarkable formation from whose group of terminal domes and pinnacles the tomb of ,aaron on ,mount ,hor is1,,en#acj they say1 visible2 and it is certainly the highest visible peak of the grand wall that forms the right bank of the ,wady ,yitm4 ,thus it is but one of a long range2 and the ,bedawin visit it1 to make sacrifice1 according to universal custom1 at the tomb of a certain ,shaykh ,bkir4 ,here1 some years ago1 came an old man and a young man in a steamer 7,erin7 belonging to his ,highness the ,khediv3 the former told the ,arabs that in his books the height was called the ,jebel el-,nr 7,mountain of ,light71 a title which apparently he had first applied to the ,jebel el-,lauz2 and the latter climbed to the mountain-top4 ,after that they went their way4 ,i quite agree with my lamented friend1 ,dr4 ,beke1 that it is an enormous blunder to transfer ,midian1 the ,east ,country1 to the west of ,el-',arabah1 and to place it south of the ,south ,country 7,el-,negeb1 ,gen4 xx4 ,i74 ,i own that it is ridiculous to make the ,lawgiver lead his fugitives into a veritable cul-de-sac1 then a centre of ,egyptian conquest4 ,evidently we have still to find the true ,mount ,sinai1 if at least it be not a myth1 pure and simple4 ,the profound ,egyptologist1 ,dr4 ,heinrich ,brugsch-,bey1 observes that the vulgar official site lies to the south of and far from the line taken by the ,beni ,israil1 and that the papyri show no route leading to it2 whilst many have remarked that the ,sinai of the ,exodus is described as a single isolated mountain or hill1 not as one projection from a range of heights4,,en#aca ,i would also suggest that the best proof of how empirical is the actual identification1 will be found in the fact that the ,jews--except only the ,rev4 ,jos4 ,wolff 7#ahba7--;have never visited1 nor made pilgrimages to1 what ought to be one of their holiest of holy places4 ,this crucial point has been utterly neglected by the officers of the ,ordnance ,survey of ,sinai4 ,it is evident that ,jebel ,serbal dates only from the early days of ,koptic ,christianity2 that ,jebel ,mus1 its ,greek rival1 rose after the visions of ,helena in the fourth century2 whilst the building of the convent by ,justinian belongs to ,a4,d4 #ebg4 ,ras ,sufsafah1 its rival to the north1 is an affair of yesterday1 and may be called the invention of ,robinson2 and ,jebel ,katerina1 to the south1 is the property of ,ruppell4 ,thus the oft-quoted legends of the ,sinaitic ,arabs are mere monkish traditions1 adopted by ,ishmaelitic ignorance4 ,the great ,lawgiver probably led his horde of fugitive slaves over the plains of ,el-,negeb and ,el-,tih1 north of the so-called ,sinaitic mountain-blocks1 marching in small divisions like those of a modern ,bedawi tribe2 and we know from the latest surveys that the land1 now alternately a fiery or frozen wilderness1 was once well supplied with wood and water4 ,the true ,mount ,sinai is probably some unimportant elevation in the ,desert named by moderns after the ,wanderings4 ,dr4 ,beke1 ,i am persuaded1 is right in denying that ,mount ,sinai occupies the site at present assigned to it2 but ,i cannot believe that he has found it in the ,jebel el-,yitm1 near ,el-',akabah4 ,his ,mount ,brghir is evidently a corruption of the ,wali on the summit1 ,shaykh ,bkir--a common ,arab name4 ,his ,mountain of ,light is a term wholly unknown to the ,arabs1 except so far as they would assign the term to any saintly place4 ,the sounds heard in the mountain like the firing of a cannon1 is a legend applied to two other neighbouring places4 ,all the ,bedawin still sacrifice at the tombs of their ,santons3 at the little white building which covers the reputed tomb of ,aaron1 sheep are slaughtered and boiled in a huge black cauldron4 ,the pile of large rounded boulders bearing cut ,sinaitic inscriptions 7p4 #dbc7 are clearly ,wusm3 these tribal-marks1 which the highly imaginative ,m4 de ,saulcy calls planetary signs1 are found throughout ,midian4 ,the name of the ,wady is1 ,i have said1 not ,el-,ithem1 but ,el-,yitm1 a very different word4 ,lastly1 the ,mountain ,eretwa1 or ,ertwa 7p4 #djd71 is probably a corruption of ,el-,taur 7,el-,hism71 the inaccessible wall of the plateau1 which ,dr4 ,beke calls ,jebel ,hism4 ,my old friend1 with his usual candour and straightforwardness1 honestly admitted that he had been egregiously mistaken with respect to the volcanic character of 7the true7 ',mount ,sinai4' ,but without the eruption1 the fire and smoke theory1 what becomes of his whole argument8,,en#acb ,save for the death of my friend1 ,i should have greatly enjoyed the comical side of his subject2 the horror and disgust with which he1 one of the greatest of geographical innovators1 regards a younger rival theory1 the exodist innovation of ,dr4 ,heinrich ,brugsch-,bey4 ,the latter is the first who has rescued the ,march of the ,children of ,israel from the condition of mere guesswork described by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,holland4 ,under the guidance of our new acquaintances1 we rowed to the site of ,elath1 which evidently extended all round the ,gulf-head from north-east to north-west4 ,linant and ,laborde 7,voyage de l',arabie ,petre1 etc41 ,paris1 #ahcj7 confine it to the western shore1 near the mouth of the ,wady el-',arabah1 and make ,ezion-geber to face it as suggested by the writings of the ,hebrews4 ,disembarking at the northern palm-clump1 we inspected ,el-,dr1 the old halting-place of the pilgrim-caravan before ,new ',akabah was founded4 ,the only ruins,,en#acc are large blocks under the clearest water1 and off a beach of the softest sand1 which would make the fortune of a bathing-place in ,europe4 ,further eastward lies an enclosed date-orchard called ,el-,hammm3 the two pits in it are said to be wells1 but ,i suspect the treasure-seeker4 ,inland and to the north rise the mounds and tumuli1 the sole remains of ancient ,elath1 once the port of ,petra1 which is distant only two dromedary marches4 ,during rain-floods the site is an island3 to the west flows the surface-water of the ,wady el-',arabah1 and eastward the drainage of the ,wady ,yitm has dug a well-defined bed4 ,a line of larger heaps to the north shows where1 according to the people1 ran the city wall3 finding it thickly strewed with scoriae1 old and new1 ,i decided that this was the ,siyghah or smiths' quarter4 ,between it and the sea the surface is scattered with glass1 shards1 and slag3 ,i inquired in vain for written stones1 and for the petroleum reported to exist in the neighbourhood4 ,shaykh ,mohammed declared that of old a chain stretched from the ,pharaohnic island-castle to the ,jebel el-,burayj or ,kasr el-,bedawi on the ,midianite shore3 this chain is a lieu commun of ,eastern legends4 ,the ,bedawi's ,castle is mentioned by ,robinson and ,burckhardt 7,syria1 p4 #eaj71 as lying one hour south of ,el-',akabah4 ,moreover1 the ,wady ,yitm1 whose upper bed shows two ruins1 was closed1 at the narrow above the mouth1 by a fortified wall of stone and lime1 thus cutting off all intercourse with the interior4 ,the ,bedawin declare it to be the work of ,king ,hadd 7,iron71 who thus kept out the ,ben ,hill of ,el-,nejd4 ,we were shown large earth-dams1 thrown across the embouchure of the torrent to prevent the floods injuring the palm-groves of ,new ',akabah4 ,these may date from ancient days1 when the old city here extended its south-eastern suburb2 as usual1 they have become a cemetery1 modern and ,moslem2 and on the summit of the largest the holy ,shaykh el-,girm 7,jirm7 still names his ruined tomb4 ,walking round the eastern bay1 where the ubiquitous black sand striped the yellow shore1 we observed that the tide here rises only one foot1,,en#acd whereas at ,suez it may reach a metre and a half to seven feet4 ,according to the chart1 the springs attain four feet at ,omeider 7,el-,humayzah71 some nineteen direct knots to the south2 and in the ,sharm ,yhrr we found them about one metre4 ,presently we entered1 by wooden doors with locks and keys1 the carefully kept palm-groves1 walled with pis and dry stone4 ,wells were being sunk2 and a depth of nine to ten feet gave tolerably sweet water4 ,striking the broad northern trail which leads to the ,wady ,yitm and to the upper ,el-',arabah1 still a favourite camping-ground of the tribes1,,en#ace we reached the modern settlement1 which has something of the aspect of a townlet1 not composed1 like ,el-,muwaylah1 of a single house4 ,the women fled at our approach1 as we threaded the alleys formed by the mud tenements4 ,the fort,,en#acf is usually supposed to have been built by ,sulta'n ,selim ,i41 in ,a4,d4 #aeag1 or three years before his death1 after he had subdued the military aristocracy of the ,mamlks1 who had ruled ,egypt for three centuries4 ,much smaller than that of ,el-,muwaylah1 it is the normal affair3 an enceinte once striped red and white2 curtains flanked by four ,burj1 all circular1 except the new polygon to the north-west2 and a huge1 gloomy main-gateway fronting north1 and flanked by two bastions4 ,on the proper right side is a circle of stone bearing1 without date1 the name of ,sultn ,selim ,khan el-,ftih1 who first laid out the pilgrim-route along the ,red ,sea shore4 ,inside the dark cool porch a large inscription bears the name ,el-,ashraf ,kansr 7sic7,,en#acg ,el-,ghori1 the last but one of the ,circassian ,mamlk kings of ,egypt1 who was defeated and slain by the ,turkish conqueror near ,aleppo in ,a4,d4 #aeja4 ,above it stand two stone shields dated ,a4,h4 #iib 7 ,a4,d4 #aehc--aehd74 ,in the southern wall of the courtyard is the mosque1 fronted by a large deep well dug1 they say1 during the building of the fort3 it still supplies the whole ,hajj-caravan with warmish sweet water4 ,on the ground lies a good brass gun with ,arabic inscription and numerals2 and the towers1 commanding the little kitchen-gardens outside the fort-wall1 are armed with old iron carronades4 ,the garrison1 consisting of half a dozen gunners and a few ,ba'sh-,buzuks1 looks pale1 bloodless1 and unwholesome3 the heats of summer are almost unsupportable2 and ',akabah has the name of a little hell4 ,moreover1 they eat1 drink1 smoke1 sleep1 chat1 quarrel1 and never take exercise3 the officers complained sadly that ,i had made them walk perhaps a mile round the bay-head4 ,and yet they have1 within two days of sharp ride1 that finest of sanitaria1 the ,hism1 which extends as far north and south as they please to go4 ,i at once made arrangements for a dromedary-post to ,suez1 and wrote officially to ,prince ,husayn ,pasha1 requesting that his ,highness would exchange the ,mukhbir for a steamer less likely to drown herself4 ,moreover1 the delay at ,maghir ,shu'ayb had exhausted our resources2 and the ,expedition required a month's additional rations for men and mules4 ,the application was1 it will appear1 granted in the most gracious manner1 with as little delay as possible2 and my wife1 who had reached ,cairo1 saw that the execution of the order was not put off till the end of ,march4 ,messrs4 ,voltra ,brothers were also requested to forward another instalment of necessaries and comforts2 and they were as punctual and satisfactory as before4 ,for this postal service1 and by way of propitiatory present1 ,shaykh ,mohammed received ten dollars1 of which probably two were disbursed4 ,we therefore parted fast friends1 he giving me an especial invitation to his home in the ,hism1 and ,i accepting it with the firm intention of visiting him as soon as possible4 ,meanwhile ,mr4 ,clarke and ,ali ,marie were busy with buying up such stores as ,el-',akabah contains2 and the officers of the fort1 who stayed with us to the last1 were profuse in kind expressions and in little gifts which1 as usual1 cost us double their worth4 ,in these lands one must expect to be done as surely as in ,italy4 ,what the process will be1 no one knows till it discloses itself2 but all experts feel that it is in preparation4 ,,note ,,on ,,the ,,supplies ,,to ,,be ,,bought ,,at ,,el-',,akabah4 ,the following is a list of the stores with their prices4 ,it must be borne in mind that the ,hajj-caravan was passing at the time we visited ,el-',akabah4 ,a large sheep cost half a napoleon2 the same was the price of a small sheep1 with a kid4 ,fowls 7seventy-one bought71 thirteen pence each2 pigeons1 sixpence a head4 ,eggs 7sixty71 two for threepence4 ,tobacco 7#h lbs471 coarse and uncut1 but welcome to the ,bedawin1 one shilling per pound4 ,samn 7liquefied butter for the kitchen7 also one shilling per pound4 ,this article is always dear in ,arabia1 but much cheaper than in ,egypt4 ,pomegranates 7fifty71 four shillings a hundred4 ,onions 7one kanta'r or cwt471 one sovereign4 ,thin-skinned ,syrian raisins1 fivepence per pound4 ,dried figs1 twopence halfpenny per pound4 ,matches 7sixteen boxes71 three halfpence per box4 ,a small quantity of grain may be bought4 ,lentils 7,revalenta ,arabica7 are to be had in any quantity1 and they make an admirable travelling soup4 ,unfortunately it is supposed to be a food for ,fellahs1 and the cook shirks it--the same is the case with junk1 salt pork1 and pease-pudding on board an ,english cruiser4 ,sour limes are not yet in season2 they will be plentiful in ,april4 ,a little garden stuff may be had for salads4 ,the list of deficiencies is great2 including bread and beef1 potatoes1 ',rki1 and all forms of diffusable stimulants4 ,here1 as at ,cairo1 the piastre is of two kinds1 metallic 7debased silver7 and non-metallic4 ,government pays in the former1 which is called ,sgh 7coin72 and the same is the term throughout ,egypt4 ,the value fluctuates1 but #ig-a_/b may be assumed one sovereign 7,english71 and one hundred to the ,egyptian lira4 ,the second kind1 used for small purchases1 is not quite half the value of the former 7#bje3ajj72 in ,north-,western ,arabia it is called ,abyas 7white71 and ,tarf 7tariff72 the latter term in ,cairo always signifying the ,sgh or metallic4 ,the dodges of the ,shroffs1 or money-changers1 make housekeeping throughout ,egypt a study of arithmetic4 ,they cannot change the value of gold1 but they rush the silver as they please2 and thus the dollar-sinko 7i4e4 the five-franc piece71 formerly fetching #ai4aj1 has been reduced to #ah4cj4 ,the ,khurdah1 or copper-piastre1 was once worth a piastre2 now this coin of the realm has been so debased1 that it has gradually declined through #aie to #ejj and even #fej for the sovereign4 ,moreover1 not being a legal tender1 it is almost useless in the market4 ,as regards the money to be carried by such expeditions1 anything current in ,egypt will do4 ,the ,bedawin prefer sovereigns when offered five-franc pieces1 and vice versa4 ,the ,egyptian sovereign of #ajj piastres 7metallic7 or #bej current must not be confounded with the ,turkish #hg4cj 7curr4 #age4bj to #ahj74 ,the napoleon averages #gg4f 7curr4 #afj72 the dollar varies according to its kind2 the shilling is #c4ce 7curr4 #aj71 and the franc #c4ce 7curr4 #h74 ,it is necessary to lay in a large quantity of small change by way of bakhshsh1 such as ten and twenty parah bits 7#dj #a piastre74 ,chapter ,,viii4 ,cruise from ,el-',akabah to ,el-,muwaylah--the ,shipwreck ,escaped,rsum of the ,northern ,journey4 ,i resolved upon hastening back with all speed to ,el-,muwaylah1 finishing1 by the way1 our work of quartz-prospecting on the ',akabah ,gulf4 ,thus far it had been a success2 we heard of ,mar in all directions4 ,but all had not gone equally well4 ,we had already on two occasions been prevented by circumstances from visiting the mysterious ,hism1 and we now determined to devote all our energies to its exploration4 ,two heavy showers having fallen during the dark hours1 on ,february #hth ,aurora looked as if she had passed a very bad night indeed4 ,the mist-rack trailed along the rock slopes1 and rested upon the ,wady-sands2 the mountains veiled their heads in clouds1 and-- ,above them lightnings to and fro ran coursing evermore1 ,till1 like a red1 bewildered map1 the skies were scribbled o'er4 ,meanwhile1 in the north-west and south-west we saw--rare thing in ,arabia6--,iris holding two perfect bows at the same time1 not to speak of wind dogs4 ,zephyrus1 the wester1 here a noted bad character1 rose from his rocky couch strong and rough1 beating down the mercury to #ef degrees ,f43 after an hour he made way for ,eurus2 and the latter was presently greeted by ,boreas in one of his most boisterous and blustering moods4 ,we steamed off1 with only a single stoppage for half an hour to cool the engine-bearings1 at #g4cj a4m42 and1 after one mile we passed1 on the ,arabian side1 a ruin called ,kasr el-,bint--the ,girl's ,palace4 ,beyond it lies the ,kasr el-,bedawi1 alias ,el-,burayj 7of the ,little ,tower or ,bastion71 the traditional holding-pier of the great chain4 ,when ,wellsted 7ii4 #adf7 says1 ,here 7i4e4 at the ,kasr el-,bedawi71 ,i am told1 there is a chain extending from the shore to a pier built in the sea--he evidently misunderstood the ,arabs4 ,the eastern coast of ,el-',akabah begins with an abrupt mountain-wall1 like that which subtends the whole of the ,sinai shore1 till it trends south of the ,m'nat el-,dahab4 ,after three miles the heights fall into a stony1 sandy plain1 which rises regularly as a rake1 or stage-slope1 to the ,shar' 7,seir7 range1 which closes the horizon4 ,after two hours and forty five minutes we passed into the fine1 open1 treacherous ,bay of ,hagul 7,el-,hakl71 distant thirteen knots from ,el-',akabah ,fort1 to which it is the nearest caravan-station4 ,on the north-east1 and stretching eastward1 are the high horse1 or dorsum1 and the big buttresses of the long1 broad ,wady1 which comes winding from the south-east4 ,they appear to be a body of sand2 but1 as usual on this coast1 the superficial sheet1 the skin1 hardly covers the syenite and porphyritic trap that form the charpente4 ,between west and south1 a long spit1 high inland1 and falling low till where its sandstone blufflet meets the sea1 proves to be the base of a large and formidable reef1 which extends in verdigris patches over the blue waters of the bay4 ,it is not mentioned by ,wellsted 7ii4 #adi71 who describes ,ha'gool on the ,arabian shore1 as a small boat-harbour much exposed to the northerly winds4 ,the embouchure of the ,wady nourishes four distinct clumps of date-trees1 well walled round2 a few charred and burnt1 the most of them green and luxuriant4 ,these lines are broken by the channels which drain the surface water2 and between the two western sections appear the ragged frond-huts4 ,not a soul was seen on shore4 ,the wind blew great guns outside the bay1 and the inside proved anything but calm4 ,as the water was fifty-eight fathoms deep near the coast1 our captain found no moorings for his ship1 except to the dangerous reef2 and we kept drifting about in a way which would have distracted sensitive nerves4 ,i had been told of ruins and tumuli at ,el-,hakl1 which denote1 according to most authorities1 the ,mesogeian town ,greek7,ancale73 ,ptolemy 7vi4 #g1 #bg7 places this oppidum ,mediterraneum between ,mkna or ,mana 7,madyan71 and ,madima 7,maghir ,shu'ayb71 the old capital4 ,unwilling1 however1 to risk the safety of the gunboat1 where nothing was to be expected beyond what we had seen at ,el-',akabah1 ,i resolved1 after waiting half an hour1 not to land4 ,the ,sambk received a cargo of quarrymen and sacks1 in order to ship at ,makn the argentiferous galena and other rocks left by ,lieutenant ,yusuf and ,m4 ,philipin upon the shore2 and1 that done1 she was directed to rejoin us at ,trn ,island4 ,as long as the norther coursed high1 she beat us hollow2 in the afternoon1 however1 when the gale1 as usual1 abated1 she fell off1 perhaps purposely1 not wishing to pass a night in the open4 ,by sunset her white sail had clean disappeared1 having slipped into some snug cove4 ,the ,arabian shore is here of simpler construction than that of ,sinai2 consequently the chart has had a better chance4 ,the ,mukhbir resumed her way southwards in glorious weather1 a fresh breath blowing from the north2 and fleecy clouds variegating the sky1 which was almost as blue as the waves ,after six miles and a half from ,el-,hakl and nearly twenty from ,el-,akabah1 she ran to the west of ,el-,humayzah ,island1 the ,omasr of ,wellsted 7ii4 #adi71 between which and the mainland is a well sheltered berth4 ,it is a great contrast with the ,hill of the ,fort1 the ,pharaohnic rock1 this lump some eighty feet high1 built of ,secondary gypsum and yellow serpentine like the coast behind it4 ,gleaming deadly white1 pale as a corpse in the gorgeous sunshine1 and utterly bare1 except for a single shrub1 it is based upon a broad1 dark-coloured barrier-reef4 ,local tradition here places the ,kasr el-,bedawyyah1 ,palace of the ,bedawi ,woman 7or ,girl71 but we saw neither sign of building nor trace of population in the second island which the ,gulf el-',akabah owns4 ,we then passed sundry uninteresting features1 and night fell upon us off ,jebel ,tayyib ,ism1 where familiar scenes began to present themselves4 ,the captain had already reduced speed from four and a half to three knots1 his object being to reach the ,bughz or ,gulf-mouth after dawn4 ,but as midnight drew near it became necessary to ride out the furious gale with the gunboat's head turned northwards4 ,m4 ,lacaze1 a stout-hearted little man1 worked half the night at the engine1 assisting ,mr4 ,duguid4 ,about four a4m4 7,february #hth7 a lull in the storm allowed her to resume her southerly course2 but two hours afterwards1 an attempt to make the ,makn shore1 placing her broadside on to the wind1 created much confusion in the crockery and commotion among the men4 ,always a lively craft1 she now showed a ,vokes-like agility2 for1 as is ever the case1 she had no ballast1 and who would take the trouble to ship a few tons of sand8 ,at such moments the engine was our sole stand-by3 had it played one of its usual tricks1 the ,mukhbir1 humanly speaking1 was lost2 that is1 she would have been swamped and water-logged4 ,as for setting sail1 it was not till our narrow escape that ,i could get the canvas out of stowage in the hold4 ,as the morning wore on the ,gulf became even rougher1 with its deep and hollow waves2 they seemed to come from below1 as if bent upon hoisting us in the air4 ,the surface-water shivered2 and the upper spray was swept off by the north wind1 which waxed colder and more biting as we steered sunwards4 ,the ,sinaitic side now showed its long slopes2 and at #i4de a4m4 we passed the palms of the ,nebk anchorage1 some six miles from the ,gate4 ,on the shore of ,midian1 south of the dark ,fahst ,mountains1 four several buttresses of gypsum1 decreasing in size as they followed one another eastwards1 trended diagonally away from the sea4 ,this part of the ,arabian coast ends in a thin point3 the maps call it ,ras ,fartak2 and the pilots ,shaykh ,ham1,,en#ach from a holy man's tomb to which pious visitation is made4 ,the other land-tongue1 adjoining to the south1 is known as the ,umm ,rus1 or ,mother of ,heads4 ,i cannot find out whence ,ruppell borrowed his ,omel ,hassanie 7,umm el-,hassn874 ,as we approached the ugly gape of the formidable ,gulf1 the waves increased in size1 and coursed to all directions1 as if distorted by the sunken reefs4 ,the eastern jamb is formed by ,trn ,island2 the western by the sandy ,ras ,nasrni1 whose glaring tawny slope is dotted with dark basaltic cones1 detached and disposed like great ninepins4 ,beyond this cape the ,sinaitic coast1 as far as ,ras ,mohammed1 the apex of the triangle1 is fretted with little indentations2 hence its name1 ,el-,shurm--the ,creeks4 ,near one of these baylets1 ,wellsted chanced upon volcanic rocks which are not found in any other part of the peninsula3 this sporadic outbreak gives credibility to the little ,harrah reported to be found upon the bank of the ,midianitish ,wady ,sukk4 ,a hideous1 horrid reef1 dirty brown and muddy green1 with white horses madly charging the black diabolitos1 whose ugly heads form chevaux de frise1 a stony tongue based upon ,trn ,island1 and apparently connected from the eastern coast behind1 extends its tip to mid-channel4 ,the clear way of the dreaded ,bughz is easily found in the daytime3 at night it would be almost impossible2 and when ,midian shall be rehabilitated1 this reef will require a ,pharos4 ,adieu1 small spitfire of a ,gulf6 ,the change from the inside to the outside of the ,birkat el-,akabah was magical4 ,we at once glided into summer seas1 a mosaic of turquoise and amethyst1 fanned by the softest of breezes1 the thermometer showing on deck #fc deg ,f4 ,perhaps the natural joy at our lucky escape from making a hole in the water caused the beauties of the weather and the glories of the scenery to appear doubly charming4 ,our captain might have saved fifteen miles by taking the short cut north of ,trn ,island1 under whose shelter we required a day for boiler-tinkering4 ,his pilot1 however1 would not risk it1 and we were compelled1 nothing loth and little knowing what we did1 to round for a second time the western and southern shores4 ,the ,hill of ,birds1 which some have identified with the classical ,island of ,isis1,,en#aci shows a triune profile1 what the ,brazilians call a ,moela or gizzard4 ,of its three peaks the lowest is the eastern2 and the central is the highest1 reaching seven hundred1 not a thousand1 feet4 ,viewed from within the ,gulf1 it is a slope of sand which has been blown in sheets up the backing hills4 ,the ground plan1 as seen from a balloon1 would represent a round head to the north1 a thin neck1 and a body rudely triangular1 the whole measuring a maximum of five miles in length3 the sandy northern circlet1 connected by the narrowest of isthmuses1 sweeping eastward1 forms the noted port4 ,the material is the normal ,secondary formation1 sulphates and carbonates of lime supporting modern corallines and conglomerates of shell4 ,horizontal lines of harder stone are disposed in huge steps or roads that number three to six on the flank of the western peak3 the manganese-coloured strata which appeared at ,maghir ,shu'ayb1 and in the rent bowels of the ,rughmat ,makn1 are conspicuous from the south4 ,the whole has been upheaved by syenite1 which1 again1 has been cut by dykes of plutonic stone1 trap and porphyry4 ,at two p4m4 we anchored in a roadstead to the south-east of the island1 open to every wind except the norther4 ,i had sent ,lieutenant ,amir and sundry quarrymen ashore1 to inspect what looked like a vein of sulphur4 ,they delayed two hours1 instead of a few minutes2 the boiler was grumbling for rest1 and1 not wishing to leave them adrift in an open boat1 ,i imprudently consented to await them in a roadstead where the coast was dangerous1 instead of proceeding1 as had been intended1 to the fine land-locked port1 nature-hollowed in the eastern side of the island4 ,the old captain pitifully represented to me that his crew could not row2 and this ,i found to be generally the case3 ten miles with the oar would be considered a terrible corve by the ,egyptian man-o'-war's man4 ,after blowing off steam1 we at once went a-fishing4 ,the only remarkable result was the discovery that this corner of the ,red ,sea is a breeding-ground for sharks3 we had not seen one in the ,gulf of ,el-',akabah1 where last ,april they swarmed4 ,here1 however1 the school contained all sizes and every age1 and they regarded us curiously with their cat's eyes1 large1 dark1 and yellow-striped down the middle4 ,a small specimen1 that had just cut its teeth1 was handed over to the cook1 despite his loudly expressed disgust4 ,the meat was somewhat mealy and shortfibred2 but we pronounced in committee the seadog to be thoroughly eatable when corrected by pepper1 garlic1 and ,worcester sauce4 ,the corallines near the shore were finely developed3 each bunch1 like a tropical tree1 formed a small zoological museum2 and they supplied a variety of animalculae1 including a tiny shrimp4 ,the evening saw a well-defined halo encircling the moon at a considerable distance2 and ,mr4 ,duguid quoted the ,scotch saw-- ,a far-awa' bruch's a near-awa' blast4 ,the blast was nearer than we expected2 and1 during the rest of the journey1 the bruch rarely if ever deceived us4 ,yet the night was not much disturbed by the furious northerly gusts1 showing that the storm which we had escaped was raging in the still-vexed ',akabah4 ,next morning we landed to the south-west of ,trn's easternmost peak1 with a view of prospecting and adding to our collections4 ,on the shore1 about three hundred feet from the sea1 is a bank of dead shells which are not found on the northern or sandy end of the island3 near the water most of them are tenanted by paguri 7hermits74 ,we caught a number of crabs and small fish1 and we carried off a single rock-oyster3 as yet we had not found out that the ,ustrda--the vulgar form of the ,hellenic and classical ,istiridiy--abounds in these seas4 ,after thirty minutes' walk up the southern plane of the prism1 composed of gypseous and coralline rocks1 veins of white petrosilex resembling broken columels1 streaks of magnetic black sand1 and scatters of grit and harder stones1 we reached the summit of the little ridge4 ,it afforded a fine bird's-eye view of the splendid middle port2 of the false harbour2 of the real shoal to its south-east1 and of the basin which seems to form ,sinfir ,island4 ,we now bent to the south-west4 ,here the surface is much cut and broken by sandy ,wadys1 dotted with a few straggling plants3 to our right was a ,goz or inclined arenaceous bank1 where the south wind had sifted the sand from the gravel1 disposing the former in the hollows1 and the latter on the crest of the ripples4 ,presently we reached a strange formation which1 seen from the east1 appears a huge vein1 red and rusty1 beginning close to the sea1 and crossing the body of the island from south to north1 while a black cone is so disposed that its southern front simulates a crater4 ,a narrow gorge opens upon a semicircular hollow lined with ochraceous or ferruginous matter2 in fact1 part of the filon1 which sends off fibrils in all directions4 ,the confusion of formations was startling4 ,the floor was here of white petrosilex1 there of grey granite1 variegated with squares and lozenges1 drops and pineapples1 red1 green1 neutral tinted1 and disposed by oxides of iron and copper in natural designs that looked artificial4 ,scattered over the bed of the upper ravine beyond the hollow1 were carbonates of lime1 ruddy brown and chocolate-hued1 here a pudding-stone1 there porous like basalt3 the calcareous sulphates were both amorphous and crystalline1 the latter affected by contact with plutonic matter4 ,the walls of the gash showed a medley of clay breccias1 disposed in every imaginable way2 and divided by horizontal veins of heat-altered quartz4 ,a few paces further led to the head of the ravine1 where a tumble of huge rocks1 choking the bed1 showed that the rain-torrents must at times be violent4 ,meanwhile1 ,mr4 ,clarke and ,lieutenant ,amir had walked to the large central harbour1 hoping there to hit upon sweet water and some stray ,hutaym fishermen1 who would show us what we wanted4 ,they did not find even the vestige of a hut4 ,the two exploring parties saw only three birds in the ,isle of ,birds1 and not one of the venomous snakes mentioned at ,tehran by ,wellsted 7,,ii4 ix471 and described as measuring about thirty inches1 of a slender form1 with black and white spots4 ,we also utterly failed to discover the sulphur which was once abundant and the naphtha which1 according to the same authority1 was produced here in considerable quantities1 and was used by the ,arab mariners to pay their boats4 ,the evening was exceptionally fine and calm2 and we expected on the morrow 7,february #aath7 a quiet return to ,el-,muwaylah4 ,yet a manner of presentiment induced me to summon the engineer and his native assistants1 and to promise the latter a liberal bakhshsh1 if by hard work at the boiler all night1 and by rigging up the ship's pump instead of a donkey-engine1 they could steam off at dawn4 ,unexpectedly1 about four a4m41 a violent sandy and misty wester began to blow2 and all fancied that we had set sail to the south4 ,quite the contrary6 ,the engine was still under repair4 ,the ,mukhbir was being tossed and rolled by the inshore set1 and the sequel is quickest told by an extract from my ,penny3-- ,written in sight of ,death4 ,wind roaring furiously for victims3 waves worse4 ,no chain can stand these sledge-hammer shocks4 ,chain parts1,,en#adj and best sheet-anchor with it4 ,bower and kedge anchors thrown out and drag4 ,fast stranding broadside on3 sharp coralline reef to leeward1 distant #aej yards4 ,sharks6 ,packed up necessaries4 ,sambk has bolted1 and quite right too6 ,engine starts some ten minutes before the bump4 ,engineer admirably cool2 never left his post for a moment1 even to look at the sea4 ,giorgi 7cook7 skinning a sheep3 he has been wrecked four times1 and don't care4 ,deck-pump acting poorly4 ,off in very nick of time1 #i4ae a4m4 ,general joy1 damped by broadside turned to huge billows4 ,lashed down boxes of specimens on deck1 and wore round safely4 ,made for ,sinfir1 followed by waves threatening to poop us4 ,howling wind tears mist to shreds4 ,second danger worse than first4 ,run into green water3 fangs of naked rock on both sides within biscuit-throw2 stumps show when the waves yawn4 ,nice position for a band-box of old iron6 ,with much difficulty slipped into blue water4 ,rounded south end of spit1 and turned north into glorious ,sinfir ,bay4 ,safe anchorage in eight fathoms4 ,anchor down at #aj3ae a4m41 after one hour of cold sweat4 ,distance seven miles on chart1 nine by course3 ,mukhbir never went so fast2 blown like chaff before wind4 ,faces cleared up4 ,all-round shaking of hands2 ,el-,hamdu li'llhi1' followed by a drink4 ,some wept for joy4 ,the engine1 or rather the engineer1 had saved us3 as the saying is1 it was touch and go--the nearest thing ,i ever did see4 ,had the rotten old boiler struck work for five minutes when we were clearing out of ,trn1 or steaming along ,sinfir shore1 nothing could have kept the ship afloat4 ,those who behaved best1 a fireman1 a boy who crept into the combustion-chamber to clear it1 and helmsman who1 having been at ,liverpool1 spoke a little ,english1 were duly bakhshsh'd4 ,the same reward was given by mistake to the boilermaker1 ,mohammed ,sa'd ,haddd1 who had malingered1 instead of working1 through the night4 ,at ,suez he had the impudence to ask me for a ,shahdah 7testimony7 to his good character4 ,on the whole the conduct of the crew was worthy of all praise4 ,in a decently equipped ,english steamer we should have laughed at this storm1 and whistled for more wind2 but the condition of the ,mukhbir quite changed the case4 ,the masts might have rolled out1 or she might have sprung a leak at any moment4 ,and supposing that we had escaped the crash upon the reef1 the huge waves1 and the schools of sharks1 our situation would have been anything but pleasant4 ,the ,island of ,trn1 as has been shown1 is a grisly scrap of desert3 it has no sweet water2 and its three birds would not long have satisfied thirty hungry men4 ,it is far from the mainland2 the storm1 which lasted through two days1 was too violent for raft or boat to live1 and at so early a season native craft are never seen on these seas4 ,briefly1 a week might have elapsed before our friends at ,el-,muwaylah1 who were startled by the wildness of the wind1 could have learned our plight1 or could have taken measures to relieve the castaways4 ,sinfir ,island1 which we have to thank for giving us hospitality on two occasions1 consists mainly of a bay4 ,viewed by the norma verticalis1 it is shaped like an ugly duckling1 with an oval 7,wellsted says a circular7 body of high ground disposed north-east to south-west2 and with head and neck drooping westward so as to form a mighty pier or breakwater4 ,the watery plain within is out of all proportion to the amount of terra firma4 ,the body-profile shows straight-backed heaps of gypsum1 some two hundred feet high1 which become quoin-shaped about the middle of the isle3 these hillocks are connected by low strips of sand growing the usual vegetation1 especially the pink ,statice pruinosa4 ,presently our ,sambk1 which had also lost chain and anchor before she could run out of the storm1 appeared to the north-west of the bay2 and a pilgrim-craft1 bound for ,suez1 was our companion in good fortune4 ,a party landed to examine ,sinfir1 which still shows signs of a junction with ,trn4 ,in days when the ,secondary formation was an unbroken street1 the whole segment of a circle1 extending from ,sharm ,yhrr to northern ,sinai1 must have been dry land2 these reefs and islands are now the only remnants4 ,the islet itself seems lately to have been two3 the neck and head are one1 and the body is another2 an evident sea-cliff marks the junction1 and what appears like a ,wady below it1 is the upraised sea-bed of coralline4 ,to the north-west1 and outside this strip1 lies the little port defended by a network of reefs1 in which our ,sambk had first taken refuge4 ,the bay-shore bears traces of more than one wreck2 and in the graveyard used by the native sailor1 an open awning of flotsam and jetsam looks from afar like a tumble-down log-hut4 ,the number of reefs and shoals shown by stripes of vivid green water promised excellent fishing1 and failed to keep its promise4 ,at length1 after a third wasted day1 we managed1 despite a new hole in the old boiler1 to steam out of hospitable ,sinfir at #f3cj a4m4 on the auspicious ,wednesday1 ,february #ac4 ,the appearance of the ,mukhbir must have been originale enough3 her canvas had been fished out of the hold1 but in the place of a mainsail she had hoisted a topsail4 ,we passed as close as possible to the islet-line of ,secondary formation1 beginning with ,shu'shu'1 the wedge bluff-faced to south3 the ,palinurus anchored here in a small bight on the north-east side1 between two reefs1 and narrowly escaped being wrecked by a northerly gale4 ,at #aj3de a4m4 we were alongside of ,barhkn1 a double feature1 lumpy and cliffy1 connected by a low sandy isthmus3 the eastern flank gives good shelter to native crafts4 ,lastly came ,yub'1 the compound quoin1 the loftiest of the group1 upwards of #cej feet high1 with its low-lying neighbour ,wlih4 ,these islets have classical names1 as ,i have before mentioned1,,en#ada and appear once to have been inhabited3 even at ,yub'1 the least likely of all1 we heard from several authorities of a deep rock-cut well1 covered with a stone which the ,arabs could not raise4 ,and now we were able to cast an intelligent glance in review of the scenes made familiar by our first or northern march4 ,the surpassing purity of the transparent atmosphere1 especially at this season1 causes the land to look as near at twenty as at ten miles2 and thus both distances1 showing the horizon with the utmost distinctness1 appear equally close to the ship4 ,beginning towards ,el-,akabah1 the ,jebel el-,znah behind ,maghir ,shu'ayb1 and its mighty neighbour1 the ,jebel el-,lauz1 form the horizon of mountains which are not the least amongst the giants4 ,southwards appear the ,jibl el-,tihmah1 the noble forms of the seaboard1 the parallel chains noting the eastern boundary of ,madyan 7,proper72 while behind them the ,jibl el-,shafah1 reduced to blue heads and fragments of purple wall1 are evidently disposed on a far more distant plane4 ,as regards the ,jibl el-,tihmah1 ,i have registered ad nauseam the names of the eight several blocks into which1 between ,el-,zahd north and ,el-,shrr south1 the curtain1 rising from a sea-horizon1 seems to divide itself4 ,every one consulted gave me a new or a different term2 and apparently seamen and landsmen have their separate nomenclature4 ,thus1 the pilots call the ,fs1 ,harb and ,dibbagh blocks1 ,jibl el-,musaybah1 ,tiryam1 and ,dmah1 after the ,wadys and main valleys that drain them4 ,the ,bedawin1 again1 will name the whole block after the part most interesting to them3 thus the tower-like formation characterizing ,jebel ,dibbagh was often called ,jebel el-,jimm1 and even this1 as will afterwards appear1 was not quite exact4,,en#adb ,we fired a gun off ,el-,muwaylah1 where our camp1 ranged in long line1 looked clean and natty4 ,at five p4m4 we were once more at home in our old quarters1 the ,sharm ,yhrr3 the day's work had numbered fifty direct geographical miles between ,sina'fir and ,el-,muwaylah1 with five more to our dock4 ,rsum ,our journey through ,madyan ,proper 7,north ,midian7 had lasted fifty-four days 7,december #ai1 #ahgg1 to ,february #ac1 #ahgh74 ,during nearly two months the ,expedition had covered only #aje to #ajg miles of ground3 this1 however1 does not include the various by-trips made by the members1 which would more than double the total2 nor the cruise of two hundred miles round the ,gulf of ,akabah1 ending at ,el-,muwaylah4 ,the total of camels employed varied from #ajf to #fa1 and their hire1 including bakhshsh and all minor charges1 amounted1 according to ,mr4 ,clarke1 to #caf #ads4 #c;d4 ,this section of ,north ,midian may be described as essentially a mining country1 which1 strange to say of a province so near ,egypt1 has been little worked by the ,ancients4 ,the first ,khedivial ,expedition brought back specimens of free gold found in basalt1 apparently eruptive1 and in corundophyllite1 which the engineer called greenstone porphyry3 silver appeared in the red sands1 in the chloritic quartz1 and in the titaniferous iron of the ,jebel el-,abayz2 the value being #bfe to #cjj francs per ton1 with traces in the scori4 ,the second ,expedition failed to find gold1 but brought back argentiferous galena in copper-stained quartz1 and possibly in the ochraceous red veins seaming the ,secondary gypsum2 with silicates and carbonates of copper3 select specimens of the latter yielding the enormous proportion of forty per cent4 ,in this northern region the great focus of metallic deposit appears to lie between north lat4 #bh #dj' and #bg #ej'2 that is1 from the ,jebel ,tayyib ,ism1 north of ,makn1 to the southern basin which contains the ,jebel el-,abyaz or ,white ,mountain4 ,its characteristics are the argentiferous and cupriferous ores1 whereas in ,south ,midian gold and silver were worked2 and the parallelogram whose limits are assigned above1 might be converted into a ,northern ,grant4 ,concerning the immense abundance of gypsum1 and the sulphur which is suspected to be diffused throughout the ,secondary formation1 ample details have been given in the preceding pages4 ,the principal ruins of ancient settlements1 and the ateliers1 all of them showing vestiges of metal-working1 numbered eight3 these are1 beginning from the south1 ,tiryam1 ,sharm1 ,aynnah1 the ,jebel el-,abyaz1 ,maghir ,shu'ayb1 ,makn'1 ,tayyib ,ism1 and ,el-,akabah4 ,maghir ,shu'ayb1 the ,madima of ,ptolemy1 is evidently the ancient capital of the district4 ,it was the only place which supplied ,midianitish 7,nabathan7 coins4 ,moreover1 it yielded graffiti from the catacombs2 fragments of bronze which it will be interesting to compare by assay with the metal of the ,european prehistoric age2 and1 finally1 stone implements1 worked as well as rude4 ,i will end with a few words concerning the future industry of ,north ,midian4 ,for the success of these mines the greatest economy will be necessary4 ,the poorest ore can be treated on the spot by crushing and washing1 where no expenditure of fuel is required4 ,the richer stone1 that wants roasting and smelting1 would be shipped1 when worth the while1 from ,north ,midian to ,suez3 there coal is abundant1 and the deserted premises of ,dussaud-,bey1 belonging to the ,egyptian ,government1 would form an excellent site for a great usine centrale4 ,finally1 the richest specimens--especially those containing1 as many do1 a medley of metals--would be treated with the least expenditure1 and the greatest advantage1 at ,swansea or in other parts of ,england1 where there are large establishments which make such work their specialty4 ,the following analyses of the specimens brought home by the first ,khedivial ,expedition1 were made at the ,citadel1 ,cairo1 by the well-known chemist1 ,gastinel-,bey1 in conjunction with ,m4 ,george ,marie1 the engineer attached to the ,expedition3-- ,analyses 7,mm4 ,gastinel-bey and ,george ,marie of ,cairo7 of ,rocks ,brought ,home by the ,first ,khedivial ,expedition4 7,all by ,voie ,sche47 ,gold 7assay on #ajj grammes7-- #a4 ,in basalt 7lava874 #b4 ,in serpentine4 7,none in white quartz47 ,silver-- #a4 ,in ,filon ,husayn1 #a_/ajjj #bfe to #cjj francs per ton 7very good74 #b4 ,in red sands1 #a_/aj1jjj 7 #bj francs per ton74 #c4 ,in scori1 traces4 7,none in white quartz or in the black sands47 ,copper-- #a4 ,in ,aynnah quartz1 #d #a_/b per #ajj4 #b4 ,in ,filon ,husayn1 #b #a_/b to #c4dj per cent4 ,filon ,husayn ,titaniferous iron1 #hf4ej ,silica1 #aj4aj ,copper1 #c4dj4 #c4 ,in chloritic slate1 #a4dj per cent4 7,chloritic slate of ,makn' ,silica1 #ij4ej ,carbonate of lime1 #e4fj ,oxide of iron1 #b4cj ,copper1 #a4dj47 ,sulphur 7,jebel el-,kibri't of ,el-,muwaylah7-- #d per cent4 above4 #i ditto below4 ,lead everywhere4 ,calamine 7zinc7 very rich4 ,part ,,ii4 ,the ,march ,through ,central and ,eastern ,midian4 ,chapter ,,ix4 ,work in and ,around ,el-,muwaylah4 ,we arrived at ,el-,muwaylah too late to meet the ,hajj-caravan1 which1 home returning1 had passed hurriedly through the station on ,february #ith4 ,this institution has sadly fallen off from its high estate of a quarter of a century ago4 ,then commanded by an ,amir el-,hajj--,lord of the ,pilgrimage--in the shape of two ,pashas 7generals71 it is now under the direction of a single ,bey 7colonel74 ,the ,true ,believers1 once numbering thousands1 were reduced in #ahgg-gh to some eight hundred souls1 of whom only eighty appeared at ,el-,muwaylah2 and the peculiar modification of modern days is that the ,mahmal is escorted only by paupers4 ,yet the actual number of the ,hjis who stand upon ,jebel ,araft1 instead of diminishing1 has greatly increased4 ,the majority prefer voyaging to travelling2 the rich hire state-cabins on board well-appointed ,infidel steamers1 and the poor content themselves with ,faithful ,sambks4 ,indeed1 it would seem that all the present measures1 quarantines of sixty days 767 and detention at wretched ,tor1 comfortless enough to make the healthiest lose health1 are intended to discourage and deter palmers from proceeding by land4 ,if this course be continued1 a very few years will see the venerable institution represented by only the ,mahmal and its guard4 ,the late ,sa'id ,pasha of ,egypt once consigned the memorial litter per steam-frigate to ,jeddah3 the innovation saved ,ghafr 7blackmail7 to the ,bedawin2 but it was not approved of by the ,moslem world4 ,the ,hjis were so poor that they had nothing for barter or for sale4 ,happily1 however1 there was a farrier amongst them1 and ,lieutenant ,yusuf took care that our mules were properly shod4 ,m4 ,philipin had been a marchal ferrant1 but a kick or two had left him no stomach for the craft4 ,our two fellow-travellers1 with the whole camp1 had set out from ,makn on ,february #fth1 and marched up the great ,wady el-,kharaj4 ,along the eastern flank of the ,jebel el-,fahst1 the ,iron ,mountain1 they found many outcrops of quartz1 a rock which appears sporadically all the way to the northern soufrire4 ,in two places it was green-stained1 showing copper1 while in another hydrated oxide and chromate of iron 7hematite7,,en#adc abounded4 ,after a stage of four hours and twenty minutes they left the caravan1 struck off to the west1 accompanied by ,shaykh ,furayj1 and reached their destination4 ,here1 however1 they met with accidents3 the mules bolted1 followed by the ,shaykh's dromedary1 and they were obliged to hurry off for fear of losing the caravan1 now well ahead of them4 ,thus1 when ,i had ordered ,lieutenant ,yusuf to make a detailed plan of the formation1 he had spent exactly ten minutes on the spot1 and he appeared not a little proud of his work4 ,this young officer was not a pleasant companion4 ,he had doubtless received his orders1 but he carried them out in a peculiarly disagreeable way1 taking notes of all our proceedings under our eyes4 ,together with ,lieutenant ,amir1 he began to make a collection of geology3 both1 being utterly innocent of all knowledge1 imitated us in picking up specimens2 mixed them together without notes or labels2 and1 on return to ,cairo1 duly presented them at the ,citadel4 ,this was all that was required4 ,the papers were written to and reported as follows3 ,closer examination has shown that the turquoises' brought to ,cairo are merely malachite 7672 and that the existence of any such quantity of gold as would pay for the working is1 to say the least of it1 very doubtful4,,en#add ,the whole camp1 indeed1 was seized with a mania for collecting3 old ,hji ,wali again gathered bits of quartz1 which he once more presented as gold-stone to his friends and acquaintances at ,zagzig2 and ,anton1 the dragoman1 triumphantly bore away fragments bristling with mica-slate1 whose glitter he fondly conceived to be silver4 ,lieutenant ,yusuf was presently despatched with three soldiers1 three quarrymen1 ,jz1 the ,arab guide of a former visit1 and eight camels1 to bring back specimens of the copper silicate to the south of ,aynnah1 and to make a regular survey of the northern solfatara4 ,he set out early on ,february #ahth1 and after twenty-one hours of caravan-marching reached the ,jebel el-,fara'4 ,here the outcrop is bounded north by the ,wady el-,fara'1 and south by the ,wadys el-,markhah and ,umm ,nrn1 the latter forming the general recipient of these ,nullahs4 ,the ,jebel is about #abj feet high1 of oval form1 stretching #agej metres from north-north-west to south-south-east4 ,the rich silicate 7not carbonate7 of copper1 which disdains a streak and affects the file1 is found1 as usual with this ore1 only in one part of the valley to the south-west1 some thirty-five feet above the sole3 it is a pocket1 a circumscribed deposit1 as opposed to a true vein or a vein-fissure4 ,the adjoining rocks contain carbonates of iron and copper1 and the ore-mass is apparently carbonate of lime4 ,this second visit generally confirmed the report of ,ahmed ,kaptn1 except that there were no signs of working1 as he had supposed4 ,the travellers passed the whole of ,february #bjth at the diggings1 made a plan1 and sent back two camel-loads 7four sacks7 of the gangue1 in charge of a soldier1 to the ,fort of ,el-,muwaylah4 ,on the next day the little party made for the ,wady ,aynnah1 and1 striking to the left of the straight line1 crossed the maritime country1 here a mass of ,wadys1 including our old friend the ,afl4 ,this highway to the northern ,hism falls1 ,i have said1 into the ,mnat el-,aynt1 a portlet useful to ,sambks3 its sickle-shaped natural breakwater1 curving from west to south1 resembles that of ,sinaitic ,mars el-,gini1 and those which are so common in ,western ,iceland4 ,on ,february #bbnd1 a very devious path1 narrow and rocky1 lasting for one hour1 led them1 about noon1 to the northern ,jebel el-,kibrt4 ,the distance from ,el-,muwaylah is about sixty-six miles2 and the country west of a line drawn from ,aynnah to ,makn was1 before this march1 utterly unknown to us1 consequently to all the civilized world4 ,lieutenant ,yusuf's two journals checking each other1 his plan and his specimens enable me to describe the northern deposit with more or less accuracy4 ,the ,sulphur-hill is a long oval of four hundred metres 7east-west71 by a maximum of one hundred and eighty 7north-south72 but it extends branches in all directions3 the mineral was also found in a rounded piton1 a knob on the ,wady ,musayr1 attached to the north-eastern side4 ,the flattened dome is from fifty to sixty feet high1 and the piton one hundred and forty4 ,the metal underlying a dark crust1 some twelve to fifteen centimetres thick1 appears in regular crystals and amorphous fragments of pure brimstone pitting the chalky sulphate of lime3 blasting was not required2 the soft material yielded readily to the pick4 ,this gypseous or ,secondary formation was found to extend1 not only over the adjacent hills1 but everywhere along the road to ,makn4 ,the important point which now remains to be determined is1 ,i repeat1 whether sulphur-veins can be found diffused throughout these non-plutonic rocks4 ,lieutenant ,yusuf fixed his position by climbing the adjacent hills1 whence ,sina'fir bore #aij1 and ,shu'shu' #aej 7both magnetic72 while greater elevations to the west shut out the view of lofty ,ti'ra'n1 and even of the ,sinaitic range4 ,the nearest water in the ,wady el-,nakhil to the north-east was reported to be a two hours' march with loaded camels 7 five miles7 ,several little ports1 quite unknown to the ,hydrographic ,chart1 were visited4 ,these are1 beginning from the north1 the ,mnat ,hamdn1 lying between ,makn and ,dabbah2 a refuge for ,sambks defended1 like that of old ,madyan1 by rising ground to the north4 ,about three miles and a quarter further south is the ,sharm ,dabbah1 the ,sherm ,dhaba1 good anchorage of the ,chart3 this mass of reefs and shoals may have been one of the excellent harbours mentioned by ,procopius4 ,it receives the ,wady ,sha'b el-,gnn 7,jnn71 the ,watercourse of the ,demons' 7,ja'nn7 ,ravine1 flowing from a haunted hill of red stone1 near which no ,arab dares to sleep4 ,from that point the travellers struck nine miles and a half to south-east of ,ghubbat ,suwayhil3 this roadstead1 used only by native craft1 lies eastward of the long point forming the ,arabian staple of the ,gulf el-,akabah's gate1 where the coast-line of ,midian bends at a right angle towards the rising sun4 ,adjoining it to the east1 and separated by a long thin spit1 is the ,ghubbat el-,wagab 7,wajb71 the mouth of the watercourse similarly named3 it is also known to the ,katrah or smaller vessel1 and about a mile up its bed1 which comes from the north-east1 there is a well4 ,according to ,jzi1 the guide1 this ,ghubbah 7gulf71 distant only four to five hours of slow marching from the ,sulphur-hill1 will be the properest place for shipping produce4 ,in another eastern feature1 the ,wady ,giyl 7,jiyl71 distant some eleven miles and a half from ,aynnah and ending in a kind of sink1 there is a fine growth of palms1 about a quarter of a mile long1 and a supply of wild 7brackish7 water in wells and rain-pools4 ,these uninteresting details will become valuable when the sulphur-mines of ,north ,midian are ripe for working4 ,from the ,ghubbat el-,wagab1 the path1 easy travelling over flat ground1 strikes to the north-east2 and1 fourteen miles and a half beyond1 joins the ,aynnah highway4 ,on ,february #bfth1 at the end of nine days' work1 ,lieutenant ,yusuf returned to ,el-,muwaylah with two sacks of sulphur-bearing chalk which justified his previous report4 ,as will appear1 the ,expedition was still travelling through the interior3 after a halt for rest at head-quarters1 he rejoined us on our northward route from ,zib1 and ,i again found useful occupation for his energies4 ,upon our happy return home1 i4e4 ,sharm ,yhrr1 preparations for a march upon the ,hism were at once begun4 ,my heart was firmly fixed upon this project1 hoping to find an unworked ,california to the east of the ,harrah volcanoes2 but the ,shaykhs and camel-men1 who did not like the prospect of a rough reception by the ,ma'zah bandits1 threw sundry small stumbling-blocks in our path4 ,it was evidently useless to notice them so far from the spot2 they would develop themselves only too well as we approached the tribal frontier4 ,while these obstacles were being cleared away1 we carefully examined the little dock that had so often given us shelter in the hour of need2 and ,i set a small party to work at the central ,jebel el-,kibri't1 which had been explored by the first ,expedition4 ,sharm ,yhrr is the usual distorted ,t1 a long channel heading in a shorter cross-piece3 it is formed by the confluence of four valleys1 all composed of corallines and conglomerates of new sandstone4 ,those to the north and the north-west show distinct signs of upheaval2 the two eastern features1 known as the ,wady el-,hrr 7the ,hot ,watercourse71 of which ,yhrr appears to be a corruption1 bear marks of man's hand4 ,the dock is divided into an outer and inner port by a projecting northern point which is not sufficiently marked in the ,chart 7enlarged plan74 ,at this place1 where the tide rises a full metre1 the crew of the ,mukhbir had built a jetty of rough boulders1 by way of passe-temps and to prevent wading4 ,native craft lie inside1 opposite the ruins of a stone house3 the existence of a former population is shown by the many graves on the upper plateau4 ,in the northern ,wady el-,hrr1 also1 we picked up specimens of obsidian1 oligistic iron1 and admirably treated modern 787 slags showing copper and iron2 evidently some ,gypsy-like atelier must once have worked upon the ,wady ,yhrr4 ,the obsidian also has apparently been subjected to the artificial fire2 and a splinter of it contains a paillette of free copper4 ,what concerned us most1 however1 was the discovery of oysters1 which1 adhering to the reefs projected under water from the rocky northern cliff1 formed a live conglomerate2 and from the present time forwards we found the succulent molluscs in almost every bay4 ,those to the south1 where the shallows overlie sand and mud1 are not so good4 ,at this season the ,ustrda is flat1 fleshy1 and full sized2 the shell has a purple border1 and the hinge muscle of the savage1 far stronger than that of the civilized animal1 together with its exceeding irregularity of shape1 giving no purchase to the knife1 makes oyster-opening a sore trouble4 ,we tried fire1 but the thick-skinned things resisted it for a long time2 and1 when they did gape1 the liquor had disappeared1 thereby spoiling the flavour4 ,the beard was neither black1 like that of the ,irish1 nor colourless1 as in the ,english oyster4 ,the ,bedawin1 who ignore the delicacy1 could not answer any questions about the spatting season--probably it is earlier than ours1 which extends through ,june2 whether also a close time is required1 as in ,england to ,august #dth1 we could not guess4 ,the young probably find a natural culch in the many shells1 cockle and others1 that strew the rock1 sand1 and clay4 ,knowing that my gallant friend1 ,admiral ,mc,killop 7,pasha7 of ,alexandria1 takes great interest in ostreoculture1 ,i sent him from ,suez a barrel of the best ,midianites ,the water had escaped by the carelessness of the magazine-man3 enough1 however1 remained alive to be thrown into the harbour ,eunostos1 where they will1 ,i hope1 become the parents of a fine large progeny of natives4 ,similarly we had laid in a store of forty-two langoustes 7crayfish7 for presentation at ,court1 and to gladden the hearts of ,cairne friends3 our ,greeks placed the tubs in the sun and so close to the funnel1 that1 after about three hours1 all the fine collection perished ignobly4 ,we will now proceed to the central ,jebel el-,kibri't2 a superficial examination of which by the first ,expedition,,en#ade proved that the upper rock yielded four1 and the lower nine1 per cent4 of tolerably pure brimstone4 ,the shortest cut from the dock-harbour lies up the southern ,wady ,ha'rr1 with its strangely weathered sandstone rocks1 soft modern grits that look worm-eaten4 ,amongst them is a ledge-like block with undermined base projecting from the left bank3 both the upper and the lower parts are scattered over with ,wasm1 or ,arab tribal marks4 ,on our return from ,el-,wijh we found this sandstone tongue broken in two3 the massive root remained in situ1 but the terminal half had fallen on the ground4 ,this was probably the work of an earthquake which we felt at ,sharm ,dumayghah on ,march #bbnd4,,en#adf ,the track then strikes the modern ,hajj-road1 which runs west of and close to the ,sulphur-hill2 the line is a succession of watercourses1,,en#adg and in ,wady ,khirgah we found blocks of the hydrous silicate1 corundophyllite which may be ,serpentine3 it is composed of a multitude of elements1 especially pyrites4 ,after an hour and a quarter's sharp walking1 we hit the broad ,wady el-,kibrt1 which rounds its ,jebel to the south-east1 and which feeds the ,wady el-,jibbah1 itself a feeder of the ,sharm ,jibbah4 ,the latter1 which gave us shelter in the corvette ,sinnr 7,captain ,ali ,bey71 is a long blue line of water bounding the western base of the ,sulphur-hill4 ,this central ,tuwayyil el-,kibrt is an isolated knob1 rising abruptly from ,wady-ground2 measuring some #bdj feet in height1 and about #hhj metres in diameter1 not including its tail of four vertebr which sets off from north-west to south-east4 ,viewed from the north it is1 as the ,egyptian officers remarked1 a regular ,haram 7pyramid71 with a kidney-formed capping of precipitous rock4 ,drinkable water1 like that of the ,wady el-,ghl1 is said to be found in the ,wady el-,kibrt to the north-east2 and the country is everywhere tolerably wooded4 ,the ,bedawin brought us small specimens of rock-crystal and fragments of ,negro-quartz1 apparently rich in metal1 from a neighbouring ,maru4 ,they placed it amongst the hill-masses to the east and south2 and we afterwards found it for ourselves4,,en#adh ,our middle ,sulphur-hill differs essentially from the other two deposits1 the northern near ,makn1 and the southern near ,el-,wijh1 in being plutonic and not sedimentary4 ,one would almost say that it smokes1 and the heat-altered condition of the granite1 the greenstone1 and other rocks1 looking as if fresh from a fire1 suggests that it may be one of the igneous veins1 thrown westward by the great volcanic region1 ,el-,harrah4 ,in parts it is a conglomerate1 where a quantity of quartz takes the place of chalk and gypsum4 ,other deposits are iron-stained and have the appearance of the decomposed iron pyrites which abounds in this neighbourhood4 ,usually the yield is the normal brimstone-yellow1 yet some of the beds are deep red1 as if coloured by ochre or oxide of iron3 this variety is very common in the solfataras of ,iceland2 and ,i have heard of it in the ,jebel ,mokattam1 near ,cairo4 ,the colour is probably due to molecular changes1 and possibly shows greater age than the yellow4 ,m4 ,philipin was directed to take charge of ,sergeant ,mabrk1 the nine quarrymen1 and the ,bedawi owners of two camels to carry his boring-irons1 forge1 and water from ,el-,muwaylah4 ,i advised him to dig at least forty feet down all round the pyramid1 wherever surface-indications attracted notice3 old experience had taught me that such depth is necessary before one can expect to find brimstone beds like those of ,sicily4 ,the borings brought up sulphur from fourteen metres2 beyond these1 six were pierced1 but they yielded nothing4 ,in and around the pyramid ,m4 ,philipin sank five pits2 the northernmost shaft1 half-way up the hill1 gave crystals of the purest sulphur4 ,if the depth of the deposit be not great1 the surface extent is4 ,the pyramid evidently forms the apex of a large vein which strikes north-south4 ,the field consists of this cone with its dependencies1 especially the yellow cliffs to the north and the south1 facing1 in the latter direction1 a large plain cut by the ,wady el-,kibrt4 ,moreover1 a vein of the red variety1 about three kilometres long by twenty-five to thirty metres broad1 lies to the south-east near a gypsum hill3 the latter also yields the crystallized salt which so often accompanies sulphur1 and heaps of gigantic half-fossilized oyster-shells are strewed about it4 ,m4 ,philipin here remained sixteen days 7,february #ah--,march #e71 during our absence in the ,east ,country2 on return we found our good blacksmith much changed for the worse4 ,whilst in hard work he had been half-starved1 the ,jerfn ,bedawin of the neighbourhood having disappeared with their flocks2 he had been terribly worried by the cameleers1 and he had been at perpetual feud with the miserable quarrymen4 ,i never saw a man less fitted to deal with 7two-legged7 natives4 ,the latter instinctively divined that he would rather work himself than force others to work2 and they acted accordingly4 ,the ,expedition was thus divided into four1 three working parties and one of idlers4 ,anton and ,petros were left behind to do nothing as magazine-men4 ,lieutenant ,darwaysh 7the linesman7 who was too weak to ride1 and ,sub-,lieutenant ,mohammed 7the miner7 who was too old to travel1 had charge of the sick2 both found the far niente equally sweet4 ,on ,february #agth ,i again bade adieu to the gunboat ,mukhbir1 and marched with the largest party upon our camp at ,el-,muwaylah1 distant about six miles 7one hour and forty-five minutes74 ,the path from ,sharm ,yhrr crosses the hard sands of the maritime plain1 metalled with the natural macadam of the ,desert4 ,the stone is mostly dark silex1 the hen's liver of the ,brazil1 and its surface is kept finely polished1 and free from patina1 by the friction of the dust-laden winds4 ,the line is deeply gashed by short1 broad gullies3 the ,hajj-road1 running further east1 heads these ugly ,nullahs4 ,the third and largest channel is ,wady ,surr1 the great valley of ,el-,muwaylah1 which may be regarded as the southern frontier of ,madyan 7,proper73 we shall trace it to its head in the ,hism4 ,i had left the camp-pitching at ,el-,muwaylah to the ,egyptian officers1 who naturally chose the site nearest the two northern wells2 a wave of ground hot by day1 cold at night1 windy and dusty at all times2 moreover1 the water was near enough to be horribly fouled4 ,no wonder that in such a place many of the men fell ill1 and that one subsequently died--our only loss during the four months' march4 ,on ,february #ahth we proceeded1 under the misguidance of a ,bsh-,buzk of the fort1 ,ahmed ,slih el-,mal'n1 to inspect a neighbouring ruin called ,ab ,hawwt--the ,father of 7,dwelling-7 ,walls4 ,wallin 7p4 #cj7 declares that1 finding no mention made of ,muweilih in ,arab manuscripts1 nor traces or traditions among the existing generation in the land1 pointing to a high antiquity1 he is inclined to consider it a town of modern origin1 in fact the growth of the ,egyptian pilgrimage4 ,his error is excusable4 ,he was a passing traveller2 and ,i well remember that for a whole year the true name of a hill immediately behind our house at ,damascus remained unknown to me3 we had called it after our own fashion1 and the term had at once been adopted by all our over-polite native friends4 ,indeed1 this is one of the serious difficulties to be encountered1 throughout the ,east1 by the scrupulous traveller whose greatest fear is that of misleading others4 ,the ,expedition had paid four several visits to ,el-,muwaylah1 and had never heard a word about ruins1 when ,i happened to read out before the ,shaykhs assembled at ,maghir ,shu'ayb a passage from ,el-,makrzi treating of the destroyed cities of ,madyan4 ,they at once mentioned half a dozen names lying within short distances of the little salt4 ,amongst them was ,ab ,hawwt1 literally meaning tenement walls1 but here applied1 in the short form ,hawwt1 to ruins in general4 ,had ,wali ,hji1 as ,wallin was called by the ,bedawin1 looked only ten feet beyond the north-eastern tower of the fort1 near the ruins of a modern ,mastabah 7masonry bench71 he would have found long- forgotten vestiges of ovens and slags containing copper and iron4 ,the same will prove to be the case about the inland defence of ,el- ,wijh2 in fact1 all these works seem for obvious reasons to have been built upon sites that have been utilized long before their modern day4 ,el-,muwaylah was probably a more important place than it is at present1 when the reef-harbour1 which now admits native craft only by a gap to the south-west1 had not been choked by shoals4 ,the sandy soil wants only water to produce a luxuriant perennial growth1 and every garden can have its well4 ,but more life is wanting2 a man heaps up a thorn-hedge1 or builds a swish-wall of the brick-clay underlying the ,wady1 and he forgets only to lay out the field within4 ,local history does not1 it is true1 extend beyond two hundred years or so1 the probable date of ,shaykh ,abdullah's venerated sepulchre1 a truncated parallelogram of cut coralline on the ,wady ,sughayyir to the north of the settlement4 ,yet this little salt is too remarkable a site to have remained unoccupied4 ,possibly it is the ,greek1 the ,horse ,village 7and fort 871 which ,ptolemy 7vi4 ,,ii7 places in north lat4 #bf #dj' 7true #bg #dj'71 whilst his ,greek would be the glorious ,shrr1 correctly consigned to north lat4 #bg #bj'4 ,this argues an error of nearly sixty miles by the geographer or his copyists4 ,but ,chapter ,,xii4 will attempt to show that the latitude of ,greek1 the modern ,shuwk1 is also one degree too low4 ,so on the ,east ,african coast ,ptolemy places his ,aromata ,promontorium1 which can only be ,guardafui1 between north lat4 #e and #g1 whereas it lies in north lat4 #aa #da' #d4 ,the ,awwal ,hawwt1 or first ruins1 begin on the right bank of the ,surr after one mile and three quarters from camp2 and bear north-east 7#ee mag47 from the minaret of ,el-,muwaylah ,fort4 ,the position is a sandy basin1 containing old ,bedawi graves1 bounded by a low ridge forming a boulder-clad buttress to the ,wady1 while the circuit of the two may be a mile and a half4 ,a crumbling modern tower1 crowning the right bank1 and two ,mahrkah 7rub-stones7 were the principal remains4 ,the situation must have been well chosen in the days when the heights were wooded1 and the ,wady was a river4 ,we afterwards mapped the body of the place1 lying about three miles from the fort1 showing the ,yub' bank to north-west 7#bih mag472 and nearly due west 7#bfj mag47 ,el-,muwaylah's only house1 the ,sayyid's4 ,the site is a holm or island in the ,wady ,surr1 which here runs east-west1 and splits3 the main line is the southern1 and a small branch1 a mere gully1 occupies the northern bed-side4 ,the chief ruin is an oblong of twenty metres by sixteen1 the short ends facing #aie 7mag472 the whole built of huge pebbles4 ,the interior is composed of one large room to the north1 with sundry smaller divisions to the south1 east1 and west4 ,defence was secured by a wall1 distant #adb metres1 thrown across the whole eastern part of the islet3 outside it are three large pits1 evidently the site of cisterns4 ,the people also told us of a well1 the ,bir el-,ashgham1 which has long been mysteriously hidden4 ,immense labour has also been expended in revetting the northern and southern banks1 both of the islet and the smaller branch-bed1 for many hundreds of yards with round and water-rolled boulders1 even on a larger scale than at ,maghir ,shu'ayb4 ,what all this work meant we were unable to divine4 ,perhaps it belonged to the days when the seaboard of ,midian was agricultural2 and it was intended as a protection against the two torrents1 the ,wadys el-,zila' and ,ab ,zabah1 which here fall into the northern bank4 ,the #ahth of ,february also made itself memorable to the second ,expedition4 ,m4 ,marie was strolling near the old furnaces to the north-east of the fort where1 in #ahgg1 he had picked up an auriferous specimen1 unfortunately lost before it reached ,cairo4 ,here he again found a fragment of serpentine1 broken and water-rolled into the semblance of half a globe2 it showed crust and stains of iron1 filets of white quartz1 and a curve 77 of bright yellow dots1 disposed like the chainlet of an aneroid4 ,thereupon1 we gravely debated whether these were the remains of a vein1 or had been brought to the surface by the rubbing and polishing of the stone in water4 ,i could not but remark that the interior1 which appeared pyritiferous1 did not show the slightest trace of precious metal4 ,still the discovery gave fresh courage to all our people4 ,the trophy was shown to every ,bedawi1 far and near1 with the promise of a large reward 7fifty dollars7 to the lucky wight who could lead us to the rock in situ4 ,the general voice declared that the gold-stone was the produce of ,jebel ,malayh 7,malh73 we afterwards ascertained by marching up the ,wady ,surr that it was not4 ,in fact1 the whole neighbourhood was thoroughly well scoured2 but the results were nil4 ,in due course of time the tarnishing and the disappearance of the metal reduced my scepticism to a certainty3 the gold dots were the trace of some pilgrim or soldier's copper-nailed boot4 ,it was the first time that this ludicrous mistake arose1 but not the last--our native friends were ever falling into the same trap4 ,amongst the minor industries of the ,fort el-,muwaylah must be reckoned selling gazelles4 ,the ,bedawin bring them in1 and so succeed in taming the timid things that they will follow their owner like dogs1 and amuse themselves with hopping upon his shoulders4 ,when thus trained1 ,ariel is supposed to be worth half a napoleon4 ,the wild ones may be bought at almost every fort1 as ,zib or ,el-,wijh4 ,chapter ,x4 ,through ,east ,midian to the ,hism4 ,the ,land of ,midian is by no means one of the late ,prince ,metternich's geographical expressions4 ,the present tenants of the soil give a precise and practical definition of its limits4 ,their ,arz ,madyan extends from ,el-,akabah north 7north lat4 #bi #bh'7 to ,el-,muwaylah with its ,wady1 ,el-,surr 7north lat4 #bg #dj'74 ,it has thus a total latitudinal length of #ajh direct geographical miles4,,en#adi ,south of this line1 the seaboard of ,north-,western ,arabia1 as far as ,el-,hejaz1 has no generic name4 ,the ,bedawin are contented with such vague terms1 derived from some striking feature1 as the ,lands of ,zib1 of ,wady ,salm1 of ,wady ,dmah1 of ,el-,wijh1 to denote the tract lying between the parallels of ,el-,muwaylah and of ,wady ,hamz 7,arabic7 in north lat4 #be #ee' #ae4 ,thus the north-south length of the southern moiety would be #aje direct geographical miles1 or a little less than the northern2 and the grand total would be #bac miles4 ,the breadth of this ,egyptian province is determined by the distance from the sea to the maritime mountains4 ,in ,madyan ,proper1 or ,north ,midian1 the extremes would be twenty-four and thirty-five miles4 ,for the southern half these figures may be doubled4 ,here1 again1 the ,bedawin are definitive as regards limits4 ,all the ,tihmah or lowlands and their ranges belong to ,egypt2 east of it the ,daulat ,shm1 or ,government of ,syria1 claims possession4 ,i have taken the liberty of calling the whole tract ,midian2 the section above ,el-,muwaylah 7,madyan ,proper7 ,i would term ,north ,midian1 and that below it ,south ,midian4 ,in the days of the ancient ,midianites the frontiers were so elastic that1 at times1 but never for a continuity1 they embraced ,sinai1 and were pushed forward even into ,central ,palestine4 ,moreover1 ,i would prolong the limits eastward as far as the ,damascus-,mednah road4 ,this would be politically and ethnologically correct4 ,with the exception of the ,ma'zah country1 the whole belongs to ,egypt2 and all the tribes1 formerly ,nabathan1 are now more or less ,egypto-,arab1 never questioning the rights of his ,highness the ,viceroy1 who garrisons the seaboard forts4 ,of the other points1 historical and geographical1 ,i am not so sure4 ,my learned friend1 ,aloys ,sprenger1 remarks3 ,let me observe that your extending the name ,midian' over the whole country1 as far south as the dominions of the ,porte1 appears to me an innovation by which the identity of the race along the shore of the ,gulf of ,akabah1 coast down to ,wajh and ,hawr1 is prejudged4 ,would it not be better to leave ,midian where it always has been1 and to consider ,bad,,en#aej the centre of ,thamditis1 as it was at the time of ,pliny and ,ptolemy1 and as it continued to be until the ,balee 7,baliyy71 and other ,qodh' 7,kud'7 tribes1 came from ,southern ,arabia1 and exterminated the ,thamdites8 ,this is1 doubtless1 a valid objection3 its only weak point is that it goes too far back4 ,we cannot be ,conservatives in geography and ethnology2 nor can we attach much importance1 in the nineteenth century1 to a race1 the ,beni ,tamd1 which had wholly disappeared before the seventh4 ,on the whole1 it still appears to me that by adopting my innovation we gain more than we lose2 but the question must be left for others to decide4 ,in our days1 two great ,sultnis or highways bound ,madyan the ,less and ,midian the ,greater4 ,the western1 followed by the ,hajj el-,misri 7,egyptian caravan71 dates from the age of ,sultn ,selim ,khn the ,conqueror2 who1 before making over the province to the later ,mamlk ,beys1 levelled rocks1 cut through ridges1 dug wells1 laid out the track1 and defended the line by forts4 ,before that time the road ran1 for convenience of water1 to the east or inland3 it was1 in fact1 the old ,nabathaean highway which1 according to ,strabo1 connected ,leuk ,kme with the western capital1 ,petra4 ,further east1 and far beyond the double chain of maritime mountains1 is the highway followed by the ,hajj el-,shmi 7,syrian or ,damascus caravan71 which sets out from ,constantinople1 musters at ,damascus1 and represents the ,sultan4 ,on both these main lines water is procurable at almost every station2 and to them military expeditions are perforce limited4 ,the parallelogram between the two1 varying in breadth1 according to ,wallin1 from #ij to #abj miles 7direct and geographical71 is irregularly supplied in places with springs1 wells1 and rain-pits1 which can always be filled up or salted by the ,bedawin4 ,the main body of the ,expedition1 ,mr4 ,clarke1 ,,mm4 ,marie and ,lacaze1 ,ahmed ,kaptn1 and ,lieutenant ,amir1 set out from ,el-,muwaylah at #f4cj a4m4 7,february #aith71 escorted by the ,sayyid and the three salaried ,shaykhs1 including our friend ,furayj4 ,the ,remingtons numbered ten1 and there were also ten picks1 of whom five waited upon the mules2 of the sixty-one camels six were dromedaries1 and as the road grew lighter our beasts of burden increased1 somehow or other1 to sixty-four4 ,the caravan now loads in twenty minutes instead of five hours2 and when politik1 or fear of danger1 does not delay us1 we start in a quarter of an hour after the last bugle-sound4 ,this operation is under charge of ,lieutenant ,amir1 who does his best to introduce ,dar-,forian discipline3 the camels being first charged with the ,fints 7metal water-barrels71 then with the boxes1 and lastly with the tents4 ,after passing the ruins of ,ab ,hawwit1 we began at #i3ae a4m4 to exchange the broad ,wady ,surr of the flat seaboard1 with its tall banks of stiff drab clay1 for a gorge walled with old conglomerates1 and threading the ruddy and dark-green foot-hills of the main ,ght4 ,as in the ,wady el-,maka'dah and other winter-brooks1 the red porphyritic trap1 heat-altered argil1 easily distinguished by its fracture from the syenites of the same hue1 appeared to be iron-clad1 coated with a thin crust of shiny black or brown peroxide 7874 ,this peculiarity was noticed by ,tuckey in the ,congo1 by ,humboldt in the ,orinoco1 and by myself in the ,so ,francisco river2 ,i also saw it upon the sandstones of the wild mountains east of ,jerusalem1 where1 as here1 air and not water must affect the oxide of iron4 ,in both cases1 however1 the cause would be the same1 and the polish would be a burnishing of ,nature on a grand scale4 ,after six very slow miles we halted1 for rest and refection1 at a thread of water in the section of the ,surr which receives the ,wady el-,najil4 ,the sides were crowded with sheep and goats1 the latter1 as in the ,syrian lowlands1 almost invariably black2 and the adjoining rocks had peculiar attractions for hares1 hawks1 and partridge4 ,in these upland regions water is almost everywhere1 and generally it is drinkable2 hence the ,bedawin naturally prefer them to the coast4 ,an umbrella-shaped thorn-tree1 actually growing on a hill-top1 and defined by the sky-line1 excited our wonder and admiration2 for here1 as in ,pontus-- ,rara1 nec hc felix1 in apertis eminet arvis ,arbor1 et in terra est altera forma maris4 ,indeed1 throughout our journey this spectacle always retained its charms1 aiding ,fancy to restore the barrens to what they had been in the prosperous days of yore4 ,the ,wady ,surr now began to widen out1 and to become more riant1 whilst porphyry was almost the only visible rock4 ,after a total of ten dawdling miles1 marching almost due east1 we found our tents pitched in a broad and quasi-circular basin1 called ,el-,safh 7the level ground of7 ,jebel ,malh 7,mount ,pleasant871 which the broad-speaking ,bedawin lengthen to ,malayh4 ,our camel-men had halted exactly between two waters1 and equally distant from both1 so as to force upon us the hire of extra animals4 ,we did not grumble1 however1 as we were anxious to inspect the ,afrn 7furnaces7 said to be found upon the upper heights of the ,shrr--of these apocryphal features more hereafter4 ,fresh difficulties6 ,the ,jerfn-,huwaytt tribe1 that owns the country south of the ,surr1 could not be reached under a whole day of dromedary-riding3 in reality they were camped a few furlongs off1 but anything to gain #h per diem for doing nothing6 ,two ,bedawi shepherd-lads promised to act guides next morning1 and duly failed to appear1 or1 more probably1 were forbidden to appear4 ,they had also romanced about ruins1 fountains1 palms1 and rushes in the ,wady el-,kusayb1 the south-eastern influent4 ,at night ,ahmed el-,ukbi1 surnamed ,ab ,khartm1 arrived in camp3 he had travelled more than once to ,tabk1 carrying grain1 and though he had failed as a merchant1 he retained his reputation as a guide4 ,as regards the furnaces1 he also1 like ,furayj1 could speak only from hearsay4 ,opinions were divided in camp3 ,i saw clearly that a stand was being made to delay us for four or five days2 and1 despite grumbling1 ,i resolved upon deferring the visit till our return from the interior4 ,the first march had led us eastward1 instead of north-eastward1 in order to inspect the ,wady ,surr4 ,from the seaboard1 this line1 which drains the northern flank of the ,shrr ,mountains1 appears the directest road into the interior4 ,we shall presently see1 however1 why the devious northern way of the ,wady ,sadr has become the main commercial route connecting ,el-,muwaylah with ,tabk4,,en#aea ,during the evening we walked up the ,wady ,surr1 finding1 in its precipitous walls1 immense veins of serpentine and porphyritic greenstone1 but not a speck of gold4 ,the upper part of the ,fiumara also showed abundant scatters of water-rolled stones1 serpentines1 and hard felspars1 whose dove-coloured surface was streaked with fibrils and at times with regular veins of silvery lustre1 as if brought out by friction of the surface4 ,i offered a considerable sum to a ,jerfn ,bedawi if he would show the rock in situ2 he was evidently ignorant of it1 but1 like others1 he referred us to ,jebel ,malh4 ,the whole of the next day 7,february #bjth7 was spent in northing4 ,leaving the noisy braying caravan to march straight on its destination1 we set out 7#f4ae a4m47 up the ,wady ,guwaymarah1 guided by ,hasan el-,ukb1 who declared that he well knew the sites of the ruined settlements ,el-,khulasah and ,el-,zibayyib4 ,after walking half an hour we turned eastward into a feeder of the ,surr1 the ,wady el-,khulasah1 whose aspect charmed me3 this drain of the inner ,jedayl block was the replica of a ,fiumara in ,somali-land1 a broad tree-dotted flat of golden sand1 bordered on either side by an emerald avenue of dense ,mimosas1 forming line under the green-stone hills to the right1 and the red-stone heights to the left4 ,the interior1 we again remarked1 is evidently more rained upon1 and therefore less sterile and desolate1 than the coast and the sub-maritime regions2 and here one can well imagine large towns being built4 ,at last1 after walking about an hour and a half 7 four miles and a half7 towards the ,shrr1 with our backs turned upon our goal1 the rat-faced little intriguer1 ,hasan1 declared that he knew nothing about ,el-,khulasah1 but that ,zibayyib lay there6 pointing to a bright-red cliffy peak1 ,ab'l-brid1 on the left bank of the ,wady1 and to others whose heads were blue enough and low enough to argue considerable distance4 ,he had intended his cousin ,gabr to be the real guide1 and to take to himself all the credit2 but ,i had sent off the parlous judge in another direction4 ,mr4 ,clarke1 whose cantering mule had no objection to leave its fellows1 rode off with the recreant ,hasan1 whilst we awaited his return under a tree4 ,instead of hugging ,ab'l-brid1 behind which a watercourse would have taken him straight to his destination1 he struck away from the ,wady el-,khulasah4 ,then crossing on foot1 and hauling his animal over1 a rough divide1 he fell1 after six miles instead of two1 into the upper course of the ,wady ,surr1 which he reported to be choked with stones1 and refusing passage to loaded camels--as will afterwards appear1 the reverse is the case4 ,the ruins of ,el-,zibayyib lie at a junction of three1 or rather four1 watercourses4 ,the eastern is the ,surr1 here about five hundred yards broad1 forming a bulge in the bed1 and then bending abruptly to the south2 a short line from the south-west1 the ,wady ,zibayyib1 drains the ,aba'l-brid peak2 and the northernmost is the ,wady el-,safr1,,en#aeb upon which the old place stands cheval4 ,the western part is the larger and the more ruinous4 ,the thin line1 three hundred yards long by thirty broad1 never shows more than two tenements deep1 owing to the hill that rises behind it3 here the only furnace was found4 ,the eastern block measures one hundred yards by forty2 both are razed to their basements1 resembling the miners' settlement on the ,sharm cliff4 ,they attract attention only by their material1 red boulders being used instead of the green porphyries of the hills2 and the now desolate spot shows no signs of water or of palm-groves4 ,mr4 ,clarke rejoined us after a couple of hours1 having lost the dog ,brahim3 under a sudden change of diet it had become too confident of its strength1 and thus it is that dogs and men come to grief4 ,we retraced our steps down the ,wady el-,khulasah1 whose ,jebel is the crupper of the little block ,umm ,jedayl4 ,the lower valley shows a few broken walls1 old ,arab graves1 and other signs of ancient habitation2 but ,i am convinced that we missed the ruins which lay somewhere in the neighbourhood4 ,one ,sulaymn1 a ,bedawi of the ,sellimah-,huwaytt tribe1 who had been rascalized by residence at ,el-,muwaylah1 was hunted up by the energetic ,sayyid2 hoping1 as usual1 that no action would be taken upon mere words1 he declared that ,el-,khulasah stood on the top of a trap-lump4 ,we halted to inspect it1 and ,lieutenant ,amir rode the ,shaytnah1 his vicious little she-mule1 up and down steeps fit only for a goat4 ,again all was in vain4 ,we then travelled over granite gravel along the western foot-hills of ,umm ,jedayl1 in which a human figure or statue had been reported to me3 now1 however1 it became a ,sarbt1 or upright stone4 ,along the flanks of the chief outlier1 the ,jebel el-,ramzah1 distinguished by its red crest and veins1 the slope was one strew of quartz1 whole and broken2 like that which we had seen to the north1 and which we were to see on our southern journey4 ,despising the rotten water offered in two places by the ,umm ,jedayl1 we pitched camp on the fine gravel of the ,sayl ,wady el-,jimm4 ,here ,i heard for the first time1 after sighting it for many weeks1 that the latter is the name1 not of a mountain1,,en#aec but of a ,sha'b or gully in the ,jebel ,dibbagh where waters meet4 ,the ,wady ,kh'shabriyyah1 separating the ,umm ,jedayl from its northern neighbour1 the ,dibbagh1 looks like a highway2 but all declare that it is closed to camels by ,wa'r1 or stony ground4 ,of its ruins more when we travel to the ,shrr4 ,this day's march of four hours 7 ten miles and a half7 had been a series of zigzags--north1 north-east1 west1 and again north4 ,after a cool1 pleasant night we set out at #f4cj a4m4 7,february #bast71 across the broad ,sayl1 towards a bay in the mountains bearing north-north-west1 the mouth of the ,wady ,zennrah4 ,entering the block1 we made two short cuts to save great bends in the bed4 ,the first was the ,sha'b el-,liwwi'1 the ,weiw of ,wallin 7p4 #cjd7--wild riding enough2 the path often winding almost due east1 when the general direction was north-north-east4 ,we saw1 for the first time1 pure greenish-yellow chlorite outcropping from the granite4 ,the animals were apparently hibernating1 and plants were rare2 we remarked chiefly the sorrel and the blue thistle1 or rather wild artichoke1 the ,shauk el-,jemel1 a thorn loved by camels 7,blepharis edulis71 which recalled to mind the highlands of ,syria4 ,the second short-cut1 the ,wady el-,ga'agah1 alias ,sawwn1 was the worse of the two3 the deep drops and narrow gutters in the quartz-veined granite induced even the ,shaykhs to dismount before attacking the descents4 ,this is rarely done when ascending1 for their beasts climb like ,iceland ponies4 ,one of ,m4 ,lacaze's most effective croquis is that showing monture and man disappearing in the black depths of a crevice4 ,some of the hill-crests were weathered with forms resembling the artificial4 ,at the mid-day halting-ground we saw a stone-mother nursing a rock-child1 which might still be utilized in lands where thaumaturgy is not yet obsolete4 ,our course thence lay eastward up the easy bed of the ,fiumara1 an eastern section of an old friend1 the ,wady ,tiryam2 it now takes the well-known name ,wady ,sadr1 and we shall follow it to its head in the ,hism4 ,the scene is rocky enough for ,scotland or ,scandinavia1 with its huge walls bristling in broken rocks and blocks1 its blue slides1 and its polished sheets of dry watercourse which1 from afar1 flash in the sun like living cataracts4 ,on the northern or right bank rises the mighty ,harb1 whose dome1 single when seen from the west1 here becomes a ,tridactylon1 splitting into three several heads4 ,facing it1 the northernmost end of the ,dibbagh range forms a truncated tower1 conspicuous far out at sea3 having no name1 it was called by us ,burj ,jebel ,dibbagh4 ,a little further to the east it will prove to be the monstrous pommel of a dwarf saddleback1 everywhere a favourite shape with the granite outcrop4 ,,mm4 ,clarke and ,lacaze1 who had never before seen anything higher that the hillocks of the ,isle of ,wight or the ,buttes de ,montmartre were hot upon ascending the almost perpendicular sides of the ,burj1 relying upon the parallel and horizontal fissures in the face1 which were at least ten to twenty feet apart4 ,these dark marks1 probably stained by oxide of iron1 reminded me of those which wrinkle the granitic peaks about ,rio de ,janeiro1 and which have been mistaken for hieroglyphs4 ,the valley-sole is parti-coloured2 the sands of the deeper line to the right are tinctured a pale and sickly green by the degradation of the porphyritic traps1 here towering in the largest masses yet seen2 while the gravel of the left bank is warm1 and lively with red grit and syenitic granite4 ,looking down the long and gently waving line1 we feel still connected with the civilized world by the blue and purple screen of ,sinai forming the splendid back-ground4 ,everything around us appears deserted2 the ,ma'zah are up country1 and the ,beni ,ukbah have temporarily quitted these grazing-grounds for the ,surr of ,el-,muwaylah4 ,we camped for the night1 after a total march of eleven miles1 at the ,sayl el-,nagwah1 a short ,nullah at the foot of a granite block similarly named2 and a gap supplied us with tolerable rain-water4 ,on the next day 7,february #bbnd7 we left the ,nagwah at seven instead of six a4m41 and passed to the right a granitic outcrop in the ,wady bed1 a reduced edition of the ,burj4 ,after an hour's slow walking we were led by a ,bedawi lad1 ,hasan bin ,husayn1 to a rock-spur projected northwards from the left side and separating two adjacent ,sayls or torrent-beds1 mere bays in the bank of mountains4 ,a cut road runs to the top of the granite tongue1 which faces the westernmost or down-stream outbreaks of the huge porphyritic masses on the other side of the ,wady ,sadr4 ,the ridge itself is strewed with spalled stone1 quartz broken from the veins that seam the granite1 and with slag as usual admirably worked4 ,not a trace of human habitation appears1 nor is there any tradition of a settlement having existed here2 consequently we concluded that this was another atelier of wandering workmen4 ,below the rock-tongue we found for the first time oxydulated iron and copper1 either free or engaged in trap and basaltic dykes3 the former metal1 also attached in layers to dark-red vermeilled jasper1 here appears streaked with white quartz4 ,resuming our ride1 we dismounted1 after four miles1 at the half-way ,mahattah 7halting-place73 it is a rond-point in the ,wady ,sadr1 marked from afar by a tall blue pyramid1 the ,jebel el-,ga'lah 7,jlah74 ,we spent some time examining this interesting bulge4 ,here the ,jibl el-,tihmah end1 and the eastern parallel range1 the ,jibl el-,shafah1 begins4 ,the former belong to the ,huwaytt and to ,egypt2 the latter1 partly to the ,ma'zah and to ,syria4 ,the geographical frontier is well marked by two large watercourses disposed upon a meridian1 and both feeding the main drain1 the ,sadr-,tiryam4 ,to the north the ,wady ,sawdah divides the granitic ,harb from the porphyritic ,jebel ,sawdah2 while the southern ,wady ,ayln separates the ,dibbagh from the ,jebel ,ayln1 a tall form distinctly visible from the ,upper ,shrr4 ,the rest of our eastward march will now be through the ,shafah massif4 ,it resembles on a lower scale the ,tihmah ,ghts2 but it wholly wants their variety1 their beauty1 and their grandeur4 ,the granites which before pierced the porphyritic traps in all directions1 now appear only at intervals2 and this1 ,i am told1 is the case throughout the northern1 as we found it to be in the southern1 prolongation of the ,lip-range4 ,at the same time there is no distinct geographical separation between the two parallels2 and both appear1 not as if parted by neutral ground1 but rather as topographical continuations of each other4 ,while breaking our fast and resting the mules1 a few shots ringing ahead caused general excitement3 we were now on the edge of the enemy's country4 ,presently three of the ,ma'zah came in and explained1 with their barking voices1 that their people had been practicing at the ,nshn 7target72 which meant ,we have powder in abundance4 ,one of them1 at once dubbed ,el-,nasns 7the ,satyr7 from his exceeding monstrous ugliness--a baboon's muzzle with a scatter of beard--kindly volunteered to guide us1 with the intention of losing the way4 ,the dialogue that took place was something as follows3-- ,what are your names 8 ,a4 ,na'akal wa nashrab6 ,our names are ,we eat and ,we drink6 ,where do we find water to-day8 ,furayj ejaculates1 ,the water of the ,rikb6 ,a4 ,no1 by ,allah6 ,the ,arabs will never allow you to drink6 ,you should be killed for carrying off in ,dums 7skins7 the sand of the ,wady ,jahd 7alluding to ,lieutenant ,amir's trip74 ,we did not pay much heed to these evil signs4 ,ahmed el-,ukb had been sent forward to obtain a free pass from the chiefs1 and we hardly expected that the outlying thieves would be daring enough to attack us4 ,resuming our way1 in a cold wind and a warm sun1 up the upper ,wady ,sadr1 we threaded the various bends to the south and south-east1 with a general south-south-eastern direction4 ,the normal dark-green traps and burnished red porphyries and grits were sparsely clad with the ,shauhat and the ,yasr trees1 resembling the ,salvadora and the ,tamarix4 ,the country began to show a few donkeys and large flocks of sheep and goats2 the muttons have a fine tog1 and sell for three dollars and a half4 ,the women in charge1 whose complexions appeared notably lighter than those of the seaboard1 barked like the men4 ,they were much puzzled by a curious bleating which came from the mules2 and hurriedly counted their kids1 suspecting that one had been purloined1 whilst they had some trouble to prevent the whole flock following us4 ,all roared with laughter when they found that ,mr4 ,clarke was the performer4 ,we crossed two short cuts over long bends in the ,wady2 and at the second found a pot-hole of rain-water by no means fragrant1 except to nostrils that love impure ammonia4 ,it has a grand name1 ,muwah 7for ,miyh7 el-,rikb 7the ,waters of the ,caravan72 and we made free with it1 despite the morning's threats4 ,we again camped in the valley at an altitude of #bbjj feet 7aner4 #bg4hj72 and1 though the thermometer showed #ff ,f4 at five p4m41 fires inside and outside the mess-tent were required4 ,a wester or sea-breeze1 deflected by the ravines to a norther1 was blowing2 and in these regions1 as in the sub-frigid zones of ,europe1 wind makes all the difference of temperature4 ,during the evening we were visited by the ,ma'zah ,bedawin of a neighbouring encampment3 they began to notice stolen camels and to wrangle over past times--another bad sign4 ,setting out on a splendidly lucent morning 7#f3de a4m41 ,february #bcrd71 when the towering heads of ,harb and ,dibbagh looked only a few furlongs distant1 we committed the imprudence of preceding1 as usual1 the escort4 ,our men had become so timid1 starting at the sight of every wretched ,bedawi1 that they made one long for a rash act4 ,after walking about a mile and a half1 we passed some black tents on the left bank1 where the ,sadr enters a narrow rocky gorge2 and suddenly about a dozen varlets were seen scampering over the walls1 manning the ,pass1 and with lighted matches threatening to fire4 ,then loud rang the war-song-- ,hill el-,zawib1 hilla-h2 ,w'abdi ,nuhdak kulla-h6 ,loose thy top-locks with a loosing 7like a lion's mane72 ,and advance thy breast1 all of it 7opponite pectora without shrinking74 ,other varieties of the slogan are3-- ,o man of small mouth 7un misrable76 ,if we fail1 who shall win8 ,and-- ,by thy eyes 7,i swear71 ,o she-camel1 if we go 7to the attack7 and gird 7the sword71 ,we will make it a day of sorrow to them1 and avert from ourselves every ill4 ,we dismounted1 looked to our weapons1 and began to parley4 ,the ragged ruffians1 some of them mere boys1 and these always the readiest to blow the matches of guns longer than themselves1 began with high pretensions4 ,they declared that they would be satisfied with nothing less than plundering us2 they flouted ,shaykh ,furayj1 and they insulted the ,sayyid1 threatening to take away his sword4 ,presently the escort and the ,arab camel-men were seen coming up at the double4 ,the ,ma'zah at once became abject2 kissed our heads and declared there was some mistake4 ,i had already remarked1 whilst the matchlock-men were swarming up the ,wady-sides1 that the women and children remained in camp1 and the sheep and goats were not driven off4 ,this convinced me that nothing serious had been intended3 probably the demonstration was ordered from head-quarters in order to strike us with a wholesome awe4 ,the fellows gently reproached us with travelling through their country without engaging 7and paying7 ,ghafr--guides and protectors4 ,so far1 as owners of the soil1 they were in their right2 and manning a pass is here the popular way of levying transit dues4 ,on this occasion the number of our ,remingtons sufficed to punish their insolence by putting the men to flight1 and by carrying off their camels and flocks2 but such a step would have stopped the journey1 and what would not the ,aborigines ,protection ,society have said and done8 ,i therefore hired one of the varlets1 and both parties went their ways rejoicing that the peace had not been broken4 ,the valley1 winding through the red and green hills1 was dull and warm till the cool morning easter1 which usually set about eight a4m41 began to blow4 ,the effect of increasing altitude showed itself in the vegetation4 ,we now saw for the first time the ,kidd 7,astragalus71 with horrid thorns and a flower resembling from afar the gooseberry3 it is common on the ,hism and in the ,south ,country4 ,the ,kahl 7,echium71 a bugloss1 a borage-like plant1 with viscous leaves and flowers of two colours1--the young light-pink and the old dark-blue1--everywhere beautified the sands1 and reminded me of the ,istrian hills1 where it is plentiful as in the ,nile ,valley4 ,the ,jarad-thorn was not in bloom2 and the same was the case with the hyacinth 7,dipcadi erythraeum71 so abundant in the ,hisma'1 which some of us mistook for a wild onion4 ,the ,zayti 7,lavandula7 had just donned its pretty azure bloom4 ,there were ,reseda1 wild indigo1 ,tribulus 7terrestris71 the blue ,aristida1 the pale ,stipa1 and the ,bromus grass1 red and yellow4 ,the ,ratam 7spartium71 with delicate white and pink blossoms1 was a reminiscence of ,tenerife and its glorious crater2 whilst a little higher up1 the amene ,cytisus1 flowering with gold1 carried our thoughts back to the far past4 ,presently the great ,fiumara opened upon a large basin denoting the ,ras 7head7 ,wady ,sadr3 native travellers consider this their second stage from ,el-,muwaylah4 ,in front the ,jibl ,sadr extended far to the right and left1 a slight depression showing the ,khuraytah1 or ,pass1 which we were to ascend on the morrow4 ,buttressing the left bank of the broad watercourse was the dwarf hill of which we had been told so many tales4 ,by day its red sands gleam and glisten like burnished copper2 during the night fire flashes from the summit3 in truth1 its sole peculiarity is that of being yellow amongst the gloomy heights around it2 whilst the ,wady el-,safr1 higher up to the left1 discharges from its ,jebel a torrent of quartz and syenite1 gravel and sand4 ,ab ,khartm1 the author of the romance1 was among the party3 he only smiled when complimented upon the power of his imagination4 ,this was a day of excitement3 even the mules kept their ears pricked up4 ,after a short nine miles we had camped below the ,jebel ,kibr1 and we had remounted our animals to ascend a neighbouring hill commanding a bird's-eye view of the ,hism plain4 ,there was evidently much excitement amongst the ,bedawi shepherds around us2 and presently ,ahmed el-,ukb1 our messenger1 appeared in sight1 officially heading the five chiefs of the ,ma'zah1 who were followed by a tail of some thirty clansmen4 ,only two rode horses1 wretched garrons stolen from the ,ruwal1 the great branch of the ,anezah1 which holds the eastern regions2 the rest rode fine sturdy and long-coated camels1 which looked ,syrian rather than ,midianite4,,en#aed ,we returned hurriedly to make arrangements for the reception3 our ,shaykhs could not1 without derogating1 go forth to meet the strangers2 but the latter were saluted with due ceremony by the bugler and the escort1 drawn up in line before the mess-tent4 ,after the usual half-hour's delay1 the palaver1 to speak ,africanic1 came up1 and ,m4 ,lacaze had a good opportunity of privily sketching the scene4 ,the ,shaykh1 ,mohammed bin ,atyyah1 who boasts 7falsely7 that he commands more than half the two thousand males composing the tribe1 is a tall1 sinewy man of about fifty1 straight-featured1 full-bearded1 and gruff-voiced3 his official style of speaking from the throat1 a kind of vaccine low1 imitated in camp for many a day1 never failed to cause merriment4 ,his costume rose to the height of ,desert-fashion1 described when pourtraying ,shaykh ,khizr the ,imrni2 his manners were those of a gentleman below the ,pass1 and above it he became an unmitigated ruffian1 who merited his soubriquet ,el-,kalb 7the ,hound74 ,on one side sat his son ,slim1 a large1 beardless lad1 who had begun work by presenting us with a sheep--,giorgi 7cook7 said it cost us #dj4 ,on the other was his eldest brother and alter ego3 the wrinkled ,sagr 7,sakr7 has been a resident at ,cairo1 and still boasts that he received the tribute of a horse from the ,viceroy1 whom he affects to treat as an equal or rather an inferior4 ,the others were old ,sagr's ill-visaged son ,ali1 and1 lastly1 a cunning-eyed villain1 ,abayd bin ,slim1 the rightful heir to the chieftainship1 which1 however1 he had been unable to keep4 ,all the ,shaykhs were dressed in brand-new garments and glaring glossy ,kfyahs 7head-kerchiefs72 they trade chiefly with ,mezrb in the ,haurn2 and1 during the annual passage to and fro of the ,damascus caravan1 they await it at ,tabk1 and threaten to cut off the road unless liberally propitiated with presents of raiment and rations4 ,the ,murtibah 7honorarium7 contributed by ,el-,shm would be about one hundred dollars in ready money to the headman1 diminishing with degree to one dollar per annum3 this would not include free gifts by pilgrims4 ,the ,ma'zah are under ,syria1 that is1 under no rule at all2 and they are supposed to be tributary to1 when in reality they demand tribute from1 the ,porte4 ,in fact1 nothing can be more pronounced than the contrast of the ,bedawin who are subject to ,egypt1 and those supposed to be governed by the wretched ,ottoman4 ,during the palaver all outside was sweet as honey1 to use the ,arab phrase1 and bitter as gall inside4 ,the ,ma'zah1 many of whom now saw ,europeans for the first time1 eyed the barnet 7hat7 curiously1 with a certain facial movement which meant1 ,this is the first time we have let ,christian dogs into our land6 ,they were minute in observing the escort1 and not a little astonished to find that all were negroes--in the old day ,egyptian soldiers1 under the great ,mohammed ,ali ,pasha and his stepson1 ,ibrahim ,pasha1 had made themselves a terror to the ,wild ,man4 ,what had now become of them8 was the mental question4 ,when asked whence they had procured the two horses1 they answered curtly1 ,min ,rabbin--,from our ,lord1 thus signifying stolen goods2 and1 like mediaeval knights1 they took a pride in avowing that not one of their number could read or write4 ,finally a tent was assigned to them2 food was ordered1 and they promised us escort to their dens on the morrow4 ,during the raw and gusty night the mercury sank to #ch ,f41 the aneroid 7#bf4ia7 showing about three thousand feet above sea-level2 and blazing fires kept up within and without the tents1 hardly sufficed for comfort4 ,on the morning of ,february #bdth ,over the wold the wind blew cold2 and the ,egyptian officers all donned their gloves4 ,the early hours were spent in a last struggle with our ,shaykhs1 who now felt themselves and their camels hopelessly entering the lion's lair4 ,the sole available pretext for delay was that their animals could never carry the boxes and tents up the ,pass2 but1 though very ugly reports prevailed concerning the reception of ,ahmed el-,ukb1 and the observations that had been made last night1 not a word was suffered to reach my ears until our retreat had been resolved upon4 ,such concealment would have been inexcusable in a ,european2 in the ,east it is the rule4 ,at #g4ae a4m4 we struck the camp at ,jebel ,kibr1 and moved due eastward towards the ,pass4 ,this north-eastern ,khuraytah 7,col7 is termed the ,khuraytat el-,hism or el-,jils1 after a hillock on the plateau-summit1 to distinguish it from the similar feature to the south-west3 the latter is known as the ,khuraytat el-,zib2 or el-,t h m 1 the local pronunciation of ,tihmah4 ,about two miles of rough and broken ground lead to the foot of the ladder4 ,the zigzags then follow the line of a mountain torrent1 the natural ,pass1 crossing its bed from left to right and from right again to left3 the path is the rudest of corniches1 worn by the feet of man and beast2 and showing some ugly abrupt turns4 ,the absolute height of the ascent is about #dej feet 7aner4 #bf4gj--bf4be7 and the length half a mile4 ,the ground1 composed mostly of irregular rock-steps1 has little difficulty for horses and mules2 but camels laden with boards 7the mess-table7 and long tent-poles must have had a queer time--,i should almost expect after this to see an oyster walking up stairs4 ,of course1 they took their leisure1 feeling each stone before they trusted it1 but they all arrived without the shadow of an accident2 and the same was the case during the two subsequent descents4 ,we halted on the ,sath el-,nakb 7the ,passtop7 to expect the caravan1 and to prospect the surrounding novelties4 ,heaps and piles of dark trap dotted the summit like old graves2 many of the stones were inscribed with tribal marks1 and not a few were capped with snowy lumps of quartz detached from their veins in the porphyry4 ,this custom1 which appears universal throughout ,midian1 has many interpretations4 ,according to some it denotes the terminus of a successful raid2 others make it show where a dispute was settled without bloodshed2 whilst as a rule it is an expression of gratitude3 the ,bedawi erects it in honour of the man who protected or who did a service to him1 saying at the same time1 ,abyaz alayk y ,fula'n--,white 7or happy7 be it to thee6 naming the person4 ,amongst these votive stones we picked up copper-stained quartz like that of ,aynnah1 fine specimens of iron1 and the dove-coloured serpentine1 with silvery threads1 so plentiful in the ,wady ,surr4 ,the ,wasm in most cases showed some form of a cross1 which is held to be a potent charm by the ,sinaitic ,bedawin2 and on two detached water-rolled pebbles were distinctly inscribed l,h and ,vl1 which looked exceedingly like ,europe4 ,apparently the custom is dying out3 the modern ,midianites have forgotten the art and mystery of tribal signs 7,wusm74 ,in many places the people cannot distinguish between inscriptions and ,bill ,snooks his mark1 and they can interpret very few of the latter4 ,looking westward through the inverted arch formed by the two hill-staples of the ,khuraytah1 and down the long valley which had given us passage1 the eye distinguishes a dozen distances whose several planes are marked by all the shades of colour that the most varied vegetation can show4 ,there are black-browns1 chocolate-browns1 and light umber-browns2 bright-reds and dull-reds2 grass-greens and cypress-greens2 neutral tints and ,french greys contrasting with the rosy pinks1 the azures1 the purples1 and the golden yellows with which distance paints the horizon4 ,from a few feet above the ,col-floor appear the eastern faces of the giants of the coast-range2 and our altitude1 some #chjj feet1 gave us to a certain extent a measure of their grand proportions4 ,we now stand upon the westernmost edge of the great central ,arabian plateau1 known as ,el-,nejd 7the ,highlands71 opposed to ,el-,tihmah1 the lowland regions4 ,in ,africa we should call it the true subtending the false coast2 delightful ,dahome compared with leprous ,lagos4 ,this upland1 running parallel with the ,lip-range and with the maritime ,ghts1 is the far-famed ,hism4 ,it probably represents a remnant of the old terrace which1 like the ,secondary gypseous formation1 has been torn to pieces by the volcanic region to the east1 and by the plutonic upheavals to the west4 ,the length may be #agj miles2 the northern limit is either close to or a little south of ,fort ,ma'n2 and we shall see its southern terminus sharply defined on a parallel with the central ,shrr1 not including ,el-,jaww4,,en#aee ,an inaccessible fortress to the south1 it is approached on the south-west by difficult passes1 easily defended against man and beast4 ,further north1 however1 the ,wadys ,afl near ,el-,sharaf1 ,el-,hakl 7,hagul71 and ,el-,yitm at ,el-,akabah1 are easy lines without ,wa'r 7stony ground7 or ,nakb 7ravines74 ,the ,hism material is a loose modern sandstone1 showing every hue between blood-red1 rose pink1 and dead1 dull white3 again and again fragments had been pointed out to us near the coast1 in ruined buildings and in the remains of handmills and rub-stones4 ,possibly the true coal-measures may underlie it1 especially if the rocks east of ,petra be1 as some travellers state1 a region of the ,old1 not the ,new ,red4 ,according to my informants1 the ,hism has no hills of quartz1 a rock which appears everywhere except here2 nor should ,i expect the region to be metalliferous4 ,we ascended the ,jebel el-,khuraytah1 a trap hillock some #abj feet high1 the southern jamb of the ,khuraytah gate3 the summit1 where stands a ruined ,burj measuring fourteen metres in diameter1 gives a striking and suggestive view4 ,after hard dry living on grisly mountain and unlovely ,wady1 this fine open plain1 slightly concave in the centre1 was a delightful change of diet to the eye--the first enjoyable sensation of the kind1 since we had gazed lovingly upon the broad bosom of the ,wady el-,arabah4 ,the general appearance is that of ,eastern ,syria1 especially the ,haurn3 at the present season all is a sheet of pinkish red1 which in later ,march will turn to lively green4 ,on this parallel the diameter does not exceed a day's march1 but we see it broadening to the north4 ,looking in that direction over the gloomy-metalled porphyritic slopes upon which we stand1 the glance extends to a manner of sea-horizon2 while the several planes below it are dotted with hills and hill-ranges1 white1 red1 and black1 all dwarfed by distance to the size of thimbles and pincushions4 ,the guides especially pointed out the ridge ,el-,mukaykam1 a red block upon red sands1 and a far-famed rendezvous for raid and razzia4 ,nearer1 the dark lumps of ,el-,khayrni rise from a similar surface2 nearer still lie the two white dots1 ,el-,rakhamatayn2 and nearest is the ruddy ridge ,jebel and ,jils el-,rawiyn1 containing1 they say1 ruins and inscriptions of which ,wallin did not even hear4 ,the eastern versant of the ,hism is marked by long chaplets of tree and shrub1 disposed along the selvage of the watercourses2 and the latter are pitted with wells sunk after the fashion of the ,bedawin4 ,in this rhumb the horizon is bounded by ,el-,harrah1 the volcanic region whose black porous lavas and honey-combed basalts1 often charged with white zeolite1 are still brought down even to the coast to serve as mortars and handmills4 ,the profile is a long straight and regular line1 as if formed under water1 capped here and there by a tiny head like the ,syrian ,kulayb ,haurn3 its peculiar dorsum makes it distinguishable from afar1 and we could easily trace it from the upper heights of the ,shrr4 ,it is evidently a section of the mighty plutonic outburst which has done so much to change the aspect of the parallel ,midian seaboard4 ,wallin's account of it 7p4 #cjg7 is confined to the place where he crossed the lava-flood2 and he rendered ,el-,harrah1 which in ,arabic always applies to a burnt region1 by red-coloured sandstone4 ,the ,bedawin far more reasonably declare that this ,harrah is not a mere patch as it appears in ,wallin's map1 a narrow oblong not exceeding sixty miles 7north lat4 #bg--bh71 disposed diagonally from north-west to south-east4 ,according to them1 it is a region at least as large as the ,hism2 and it extends southwards not only to the parallel of ,el-,mednah1 but to the neighbourhood of ,yamb'4 ,the upper region has two great divisions3 the ,harrat-,hism or the ,harrah par excellence1 which belongs to the ,ma'zah1 and which extends southwards through ,el-,sulaysilah as far as the ,jaww4 ,the latter region1 a tract of yellow sand1 dotted with ruddy hills1 apparently a prolongation of the ,hism1 separates it from the ,harrat el-,awayraz1 in which the ,jebel el-,muharrak lies4,,en#aef ,this line of volcanism is continued south by the ,harrat el-,mushrif 7,p4,n4 of a man72 by the ,harrat ,suth ,jayd2 and1 finally1 by the ,harrat el-,buhayri4 the latter shows close behind the shore at ,el-,haur1 in nearly the same latitude as ,el-,mednah1 where we shall presently sight it4 ,there is great interest and a general importance in this large coast-subtending eruptive range1 whose eastern counterslope demands long and careful study4 ,sweeping the glance round to south1 we see the southern of the two ,jilsayn1 tall mounds of horizontal strata1 with ironstone in harder lines and finial blocks4 ,this is the ,jils el-,dim1 so distinguished from the northern ,jils el-,rawiyn4 ,the lower edge of the ,hism swells up in red and quoin-like masses1 the ,jibl el-,zwiyah1 and then falls suddenly1 with a succession of great breaks1 into the sub-maritime levels4 ,during our next ten days' travel we shall be almost in continuous sight of its southern ramparts and buttresses4 ,far over the precipices lie the low yellow sands of the ,rahabah1 alias the ,wady ,dmah2 and behind it rises the sky-blue mountain block1 which takes a name from the ruins of ,shaghab and ,shuwk4 ,we breakfasted upon the ,khuraytah crest2 and ,mr4 ,clarke set out to shoot the fine red-legged ,greek partridges 7caccabis7 that haunt the hilltops1 whilst the rest of us marched with the caravan to the nearest camping-ground4 ,about a mile from the ,col1 and lying to the west of the ,jils el-,rawiyn1 it is supplied with excellent drinking-water by the ,miyh el-,jedayd1 lying nine hundred to a thousand metres to the south-east4 ,on the other hand1 fuel1 here a necessary of life1 was wanting2 nor could the camels find forage4 ,thus we were camped upon the western edge of the ,hism4 ,the ,ma'zah ,shaykhs1 who vainly urged us forwards1 showed a suspicious disappointment at our not reaching their quarters on the far side1 where1 they said1 a camel was awaiting to be slaughtered for our reception4 ,meanwhile1 we were enjoying the reverse of hospitality4 ,the ,bedawin evidently now held that all which was ours had become theirs4 ,their excessive greed made them imprudent4 ,not satisfied with eating us up1 with a coffee-pot ever on the fire1 with demanding endless tobacco1 and with making their two garrons devour more barley than our eight mules1 they began to debate1 aloud as usual1 how much ready money they should demand4 ,this was at last settled at four hundred dollars2 and the talk was reported to me by the ,bsh-,buzk ,husayn1 whom they had compelled to cook for them4 ,at the same time unpleasant discussions were beginning3 ,this man stole my camel6 ,that man killed my father1 already took the form of threats2 in fact1 ,i almost repented having brought the ,huwaytt and their camels into the trap4 ,still they all respected ,furayj1 as might be seen by their rising and making room for him whenever he approached the fire4 ,at last an evil rumour arose that the ,ma'zah had determined to supply us with transport1 and had sent messengers in all directions to collect the animals4 ,this step looked uncommonly like a gathering of war-men4 ,i was sorely disappointed1 for more reasons than one4 ,the state of affairs rendered a distant march to the east highly unadvisable4 ,the principal object of this journey had been to investigate the inland depth of the metalliferous deposits2 in fact1 their extent from west to east4 ,their north-south length would be easily ascertained1 but the width would still remain unknown4 ,the ,land of ,midian1 through which we have been travelling1 has evidently been worked1 and in places well worked2 thus the only chance of finding a virgin ,california would be in the unknown tracts lying to the east of the ,harrahs4 ,too bad to be thwarted in such a project by the exorbitant demands of a handful of thieves6 ,the disappointment was aggravated by other considerations4 ,from all that ,i had heard1 the ,hism is a region full of archological interest4 ,already we were almost in sight of the ruins of ,ruf1 lying to the north between the two white dots ,el-,rakhamatayn4 ,further eastward1 and north of the pilgrim-station ,zt-,hajj1 are the remains of ,karyy1 still unvisited by ,europeans4 ,finally1 ,i had been shown1 when too late to inspect the place1 a fragment of a ,nabathan inscription1 finely cut in soft white sandstone3,,en#aeg it had been barbarously broken1 and two other pieces were en route4 ,the stone is said to be ten feet long 7871 all covered with writings1 from which annalistic information might be expected3 it lies1 or is said to lie1 about two hours' ride north of our camp1 and beyond the ,jils el-,rawiyn famed for ,hawwt4 ,at first ,i thought of having it cut to portable size2 but second thoughts determined me to leave it for another visit or for some more fortunate visitor4 ,lastly1 we were informed1 a few weeks afterwards1 that the ,ma'zah ,shaykhs had carried it off to their tents--,i fear piecemeal4 ,it was not pleasant to beat a retreat2 but1 under the circumstances1 what else could be done8 ,no one was to be relied upon but the ,europeans1 and not all even of them4 ,the black escort1 emancipated slaves1 would have run away at the first shot2 except only ,acting-,corporal ,khayr4 ,and when ,i told the officers assembled at mess that we should march back early next morning1 the general joy showed how little they relished the prospect of an advance4 ,then came out in mass the details--many doubtless apocryphal--which should have been reported to me1 and which had carefully been kept secret4 ,the ,ma'zah1 when our messenger first notified our visit1 had declared that they would have no ,nazarenes in their mountains2 that they did not care a fico for ,egypt4 ,why had not ,effendn written to them8 they were his equals1 not his subjects6 ,it was then debated whether they should not raise a force of dromedary-men to fall upon us4 ,some of them proposed to summon to their aid the rival chief1 ,ibn ,herms2 but the majority thought it would be better to reserve for themselves the hundred dollars per diem1 of which they proposed to fleece us4 ,of course1 everything around us was intrigue2 the ,myat taht el-,tibn 7water under the straw7 of the ,arab saying4 ,furayj1 it is true1 looked serene1 and privately offered me to fight the affair out2 but he was alone in the idea4 ,the ,sayyid was tranquil1 as usual2 ,hasan the ,ukbi wore an unpleasant appearance of satisfaction1 as if he had been offered a share in the plunder of the ,huwaytt2 and ,alayn1 a brave man on his own ground1 could hardly conceal his dejection4 ,i might1 it is evident1 have seized ,shaykh ,mohammed1 placed a pistol to his ear1 and carried him off a prisoner2 but such grands moyens must be reserved for great occasions4 ,the worst symptoms in camp were that the ,ma'zah at once knew the whole of my project2 while the ,egyptian officers were ever going to their tents1 and one stayed talking with them till near midnight4 ,february #beth was a day of humiliation4 ,i aroused the camp at #d4cj a4m41 and at once gave orders to strike the tents and load4 ,the command was obeyed in double quick time2 but not before ,shaykh ,mohammed had visited us to propose a march to his home in the east4 ,he was not comfortable2 probably his reinforcements had still to arrive3 his face was calm1 as the ,eastern's generally is2 but his feet trembled1 and his toes twitched4 ,i drily told him of our changed plans1 and he left us in high dudgeon4 ,the tragi-comedy which followed may be divided into six acts3-- #a4 ,the ,ma'zah mount their horses and camels3 ,i walk up to them1 and expostulate about so abrupt a departure without even drinking a friendly cup of coffee4 #b4 ,they dismount1 and squat in council round the fire1 sending on three dromedary-riders to crown a hill commanding the pass4 ,the burning question is now whether armed clansmen are or are not lurking behind the heights4 #c4 ,shaykh ,mohammed comes forward1 and demands blackmail to the extent of two hundred dollars4 ,i offer one hundred dollars4 #d4 ,our hosts break off the debate in a towering rage2 refuse coffee1 and declare that the caravan of ,effendn 7the ,viceroy7 shall not be loaded4 ,mohammed's feet twitch more violently as the camels are made to kneel4 #e4 ,the caravan shows too much emotion4 ,i pay the two hundred dollars into the chief's hands4 ,he at once demands his ,sharaf 7honour7 in the shape of a ,kiswah1 or handsome dress1 and1 that failing1 an additional twenty-five dollars for each of the five headmen4 ,i promise that a robe shall be sent from ,el-,muwaylah4,,en#aeh #f4 ,the caravan sets out for the ,pass1 when the three dromedary-riders open with the war-cry3 it is stopped with much apparatus by the ,shaykhs1 who affect to look upon it as dangerous4 99 99 99 99 99 ,we now marched without delay upon the ,col1 which was reached at #h3ae a4m42 ,mohammed bin ,atyyah having meanwhile disappeared4 ,we descended the ,khuraytat el-,jils in twenty-six minutes1 and dismissed the remainder of our ,ma'zah escort at the foot4 ,i vainly offered them safeguard to ,el-,muwaylah1 which they have not visited for the last dozen years2 all refused absolutely to pass their own frontiers4 ,au revoir ,mohammed ibn ,atyyah and company6 ,having broken our fast and sent forward the caravan1 we at once began to descend the southern ,pass1 the ,khuraytat el-,zib4 ,here the watershed of the ,wady ,surr heads2 and merchants object to travel by its shorter line1 because their camels must ascend two ladders of rocks1 instead of one at the top of the ,wady ,sadr4 ,the ,col was much longer and but little less troublesome than its northern neighbour2 the formation was the same1 and forty-five minutes placed us in a gully1 that presently widened to a big valley1 the ,wady ,dahal or ,el-,khuraytah4 ,we reached it at #ab3cj p4m41 and laid down the distance from the summit of the northern ,col at about five miles and a quarter4 ,the air felt tepid1 the sun waxed hot2 drinking-water was found on the left of the bed1 and a hole in the sole represented a spring1 which the people say is perennial3 we were dismounting to quench our thirst at the latter1 when ,juno plunged into it1 and stood quietly eyeing us with an air of intense satisfaction4 ,we spent that night at a place lower down the ,wady ,dahal1 known as the ,jayb el-,khuraytah 7,collar of the ,col74 ,the term ,jayb is locally applied to two places only2 the other being the ,jayb el-,sa'lwwah1 which we shall presently visit4 ,a larger feature than a ,wady1 it reminds us of a ,norfolk broad1 but it is of course waterless4 ,guards were placed around the camp2 and a wholesome dread of the ,ma'zah kept them wide awake4 ,the only evil which resulted was that none dared to lead our mules to water2 and the poor animals were hardly rideable on the next day4 ,of the ,hism in its present state1 we may say as of ,ushant1 ,qui voit ,ouessant1 voit la mort4 ,nothing can be done towards working the mines of ,midian until this den of thieves is cleared out4 ,it is an asylum for every murderer and bandit who can make his way there--a centre of turbulence which spreads trouble all around it4 ,under the sham rule of miserable ,shm 7,syria71 with its ,turkish ,wlis1 men like the late ,rshid ,pasha1 matters can only wax worse4 ,subject to ,egypt1 the people will learn discipline and cease to torment the land4 ,happily for their neighbours there will be no difficulty in reducing the ,ma'zah4 ,they are surrounded by enemies1 and they have lately been obliged to pay brother-tax to the ,ruwal as a defence against being plundered3 the tribute consists of one piece of hair-cloth about twenty cubits long4 ,on the north1 as far as ,el-,ma'n1 they meet the hostile ,beni ,sakr 7,jawzi71 under the ,shaykh ,mohammed ibn ,jzi2 southwards the ,baliyy1 commanded by ,shaykh ,afnn1 are on terms of blood with them2 eastward stand the ,anezah and the warlike ,sharrt-,hutaym1 who ever covet their two thousand camels3 westward lie in wait their hereditary foes1 the ,huwaytt4 ,shaykh ,furayj1 the tactician1 has long ago proposed a general onslaught of his tribesmen by a simultaneous movement up the ,wadys ,surr1 ,sadr1 ,urnub1 and ,afl3 they seemed to have some inkling of his intentions1 as they hastened to conclude with him a five months' ,altwah or truce4 ,finally1 a small disciplined force1 marching down the ,damascus-,mednah pilgrimage-road to the east1 and co-operating with the ,huwayta't on the west would place this vermin between two fires4 ,the tale of my disappointment may conclude with an ethnological notice of those who caused it4 ,the ,ma'zah is a ,syro-,egypto-,bedawi clan1 originally ,arab1 or rather ,syrian1 but migratory1 as are all ,arabs4 ,it now extends high up the valley of the ,nile1 and it is still found in the ,wady ,mus 7of ,suez7 and on the ,za'farnah block4 ,even in ,egypt it is turbulent and dangerous3 the men are professional robbers2 and their treachery is uncontrolled by the ,bedawi law of honour--they will eat bread and salt with the traveller whom they intend to murder4 ,for many years it was unsafe to visit the camps within sight of ,suez1 until a compulsory residence at head-quarters taught the ,shaykhs manners4 ,the habitat in ,arabia stretches from the ,wady ,mus of ,petra1 where they are kinsmen of the ,tiyhah1 the ,bedawin of the ,th-desert2 and through ,ma'n as far as the ,birkat el-,mu'azzamah1 south of ,tabk4 ,finally1 they occupy the greater part of the ,hism and the northern ,harrah4 ,according to ,mohammed el-,kalb1 these bandits own the bluest of blue blood4 ,their forefather was one ,wl1 who left by his descendants two great tribes4 ,the first and the eldest took a name from their ,ma'z 7he-goats72 while the junior called themselves after the ,annz 7she-goats73 from the latter sprung the great ,anezah family1 which occupies the largest and the choicest provinces of the ,arabian peninsula4 ,meanwhile genealogists ignore the ,ma'zah4 ,wallin would divide the tribe into two1 the ,ma'zah and the ,beni ,atiy3 of the latter in ,midian ,i could hear nothing except that they represent the kinsmen of the ,shaykh's family4 ,we find ,benoo ,ateeyah in maps like that of ,crichton's 7#ahcd71 where the ,ma'zah are laid down further south2 and northwards the ,beni ,atiyyah are a powerful clan who push their razzias as far as the frontiers of ,moab4 ,my informants declare that the numbers of fighting men in the ,midianite division of the race may be two thousand 7two hundred871 and that they are separated only by allegiance to two rival ,shaykhs4 ,the greater half1 under ,ibn ,herms1 is distributed into five clans1 of whom the first1 ,orbn ,khumaysah1 contain two septs4 ,under ,mohammed ibn ,atyyah 7,el-,kalb7 they number also five divisions4 ,amongst them are the ,subt or ,beni ,sabt1 ,sons of the ,sabbath1 that is1 ,saturday2 whom ,wallin suspects to be of ,jewish origin1 relying1 it would appear1 principally upon their name4 ,the ringing of the large bell suspended to the middle pole of the tents at sunset1 to hail the return of the camels and the mystic hour of descending night1 is an old custom still maintained1 because it confers a ,barakat 7blessing7 upon the flocks and herds4 ,certainly there is nothing of the ,bedawi in this practice1 and it is distinctly contrary to the tradition of ,el-,islam2 yet many such survivals hold their ground amongst the highly conservative ,wild ,men1 and they must be looked upon only as local and tribal peculiarities4 ,end of ,vol4 ,i4 ,endnotes ,,en#a ,my collection dates from between the first century ,b4,c4 and the first century ,a4,d42 this can be gathered from comparison with the coins of ,alexander ,jannaeus and his successor1 ,alexander ,,ii4 ,the tetradrachm may belong to the reign of ,alexander the ,great1 or the ages preceding it4 ,,en#b ,here probably disappeared some fine specimens of silicate of copper which caused a delay of three months in the report4--,r4 ,f4 ,b4 ,,en#c ,messrs4 ,edgar ,jackson found in the same box3-- ,silver 7per statute ton7444444444444444#b oz4 #ag dwts4 #aa grs4 ,,en#d ,box ,no4 #cg yielded silver4444#ac dwts4 #a4f grs4 ,,en#e ,box4 ,no4 #dg yielded silver444#ab dwts4 #a4f grms4 ,,en#f ,in boxes ,nos4 #dh and #ea ,mr4 ,jenken found silver #b oz4 #ac dwts4 #h grs42 and #d oz4 #e dwts4 #ab grms4 ,,en#g ,in a fragment of similar turquoise rock1 from the same site 7,ziba71 ,dr4 ,l4 ,karl ,moser1 of ,trieste1 found silver4 ,,en#h ,in a fragment of similar chalcedony1 from the same site 7,aba'l-,maru71 ,dr4 ,moser found specks of free gold4 ,,en#i ,this was the splendid button smelted at ,makna4 ,,en#aj ,the button was pronounced to be almost pure antimony in the ,government ,establishment of ,mines1 ,trieste4 ,,en#aa ,in box ,no4 #d ,messrs4 ,jackson found rough crystals of corundum2 and a qualitative analysis of this sample and box ,no4 #g yielded quartz1 carbonate of lime1 alumina1 and oxide of iron4 ,,en#ab ,the italics are mine4 ,mr4 ,mathey remarks of the specimen containing #dh grains of gold per ton1 ,it would be worthless in its present condition2 if however1 it could be enriched by proper washing and dressing1 and the cost in labour1 etc41 be not too great1 it might be made to give fair returns4 ,,en#ac ,little health at ,cairo prevented my choosing the instruments2 and the result was that at last ,i had to depend upon my pocket-set by ,casella4 ,even this excellent maker's maxima and minima failed to stand the camel-jolting4 ,the barometer1 lent by the ,chief of ,staff 7,elliott ,brothers1 #bd71 contained amalgam1 not mercury4 ,the patent messrad1 or odometer 7,wittmann1 ,wien71 with its works of soft brass instead of steel1 was fit only to measure a drawing-room carpet4 ,m4 ,ebner sold us1 at the highest prices1 absolutely useless maxima and minima1 plus a baromtre aneroide1 whose chain was unhooked when it left the box4 ,m4 ,sussmann1 of the ,muski1 supplied1 for fifty francs1 a good and useful microscope magnifying seventy-five times4 ,the watches from ,m4 ,meyer 7,dent and ,co467 were cheap and nasty ,swiss articles2 but they were also subjected to terrible treatment3--,i once saw the wearers opening them with table-knives4 ,fortunately ,m4 ,lacaze1 the artist1 had a good practical knowledge of instruments2 and this did us many a good turn4 ,,en#ad ,for ,arabian travel ,i should advise aconite1 instead of ,dover's powder2 ,cockle's pills1 in lieu of blue mass2 ,warburg's ,drops1 in addition to quinine2 pyretic saline and ,karlsbad1 besides ,epsom salts2 and chloral1 together with chlorodyne4 ,pain ,killer is useful amongst wild people1 and ,oxley's ginger1 with the simple root1 is equally prized4 ,a little borax serves for eye-water and alum for sore mouth4 ,i need not mention special medicines like the liqueur ,laville1 and the invaluable ,waldl 7oil of the maritime pine71 which each traveller must choose for himself4 ,,en#ae ,it is ,lane's ,kiyakh1 vulg ,kiyk1 and ,michell's ,kyhak1 the ancient ,khoiak1 or fourth month4 ,the ,copts begin their solar year on our ,september #aj-aa2 and date from the #bnd of ,diocletian1 or the ,era of the ,martyrs 7,a4,d4 #bhd74 ,it is the old ,sothic1 or annus quadratus1 which became the ,alexandrine under the ,ptolemies2 and which ,sosigenes1 the ,egyptian1 converted into the ,julian1 by assuming the ,urbs condita as a point de dpart1 and by transferring ,new ,year's ,day from the equinox to the solstice4 ,thus ,kayhk ,i1 #aeid1 would correspond with ,december #i1 ,a4,d4 #ahgg1 and with ,zl-,hijjah #d1 ,a4,h4 #abid4 ,on the evening of ,kayhk #ad 7,december #bbnd7 winter is supposed to set in4 ,the fifth month1 ,tub--,lane's ,toobeh1 and ,michell's ,toubeh1 the ancient ,tobi--is the coldest of the year at ,suez1 on the isthmus and in the adjacent parts of ,arabia2 rigorous weather generally lasts from ,january #bjth to ,february #bjth4 ,in ,amshr1 about early ,march1 torrents of rain are expected to fall for a few hours4 ,the people say of it1 in their rhyming way1 ,amshr1 ,za'bb el-kathir--,amshr hath many a blast2 and ,amshir ,yakul li'l-,zar ',sir6 ,wa yalhak bi'l-tawi'l el-kasi'r4' ,amshr saith to the plants1 ',go 7forth71 and the little shall reach the big4' ,it is divided into three ',ashart or tens--#a4 ',asharat el-',ajz 7of the old man71 from the cold and killing wind ,el-,husm2 #b4 ',asharat el-',anzah 7of the she-goat71 from the blasts and gales2 and #c4 ',asharat el-,r'' 7of the shepherd71 from its change to genial warmth4 ,concerning ,barmaht 7vulg ,barambt71 of old ,phamenoth 7seventh month71 the popular jingle is1 ,ruh el-,ghayt wa ht--,go to the field and bring 7what it yields72 this being the month of flowers1 when the world is green4 ,barmdah 7,pharmuthi76 dukh bi'l-'amdah 7,april6 pound with the pestle67 alludes to the ripening of the spring crops2 and so forth almost ad infinitum4 ,for more information see the ,egyptian ,calendar1 etc4 7,alexandria3 ,mours1 #ahgh71 a valuable compilation by our friend ,mr4 ,roland ,l4 ,n4 ,michell1 who will1 let us hope1 prefix his name to a future edition1 enlarged and enriched with more copious quotations from the weather-rhymes and the folk-lore of ,egypt4 ,,en#af ,this is a most interesting feature4 ,according to ,forskl 7,descriptiones xxix471 ,sunsia litora1 a recedente mari serius orta1 nesciunt corallia2 and he makes the submaritime ,cryptogama regio animalis begin at ,tor 7,raitha7 and extend to 7,gonfoda74 ,near ,suez is the ,newport ,shoal1 which could be sailed over with impunity twenty years ago1 and which is now dangerous3 it resembles1 in fact1 the other reef at the entrance of the ,gulf1 where tile soundings have changed1 in late years1 from #g-g #a_/b fathoms to #c-c #a_/b4 ,geologists differ as to the cause--elevation or accretion by current-borne drift4 ,,en#ag ,in ,chap4 ,,xiv1 we will return to this subject4 ,,en#ah ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 etc4 7,london3 ,c4 ,kegan ,paul ,co41 #ahgh74 ,,en#ai ,assuming the sovereign at #ig piastres #dj parahs1 this hire would be in round numbers one and two shillings2 the shilling being exactly #d piastres #bd parahs4 ,see ,chap4 ,,vii4 for further details4 ,,en#bj ,besides a popular account of the stages in ,the ,gold ,mines of ,midian1 a geographical itinerary has been offered to the ,journal of the ,royal ,geographical ,society4 ,,en#ba ,they were1 perhaps1 a trifle too long for small beasts3 seventy-seven centimtres 7better seventy72 and too deep1 sixty1 instead of fifty-eight4 ,the width 7forty-six7 was all right4 ,the best were painted1 and defended from wet by an upper plate of zinc2 the angles and the bottoms were strengthened with iron bands in pairs2 and they were closed with hasps4 ,at each end was a small block1 carrying a strong looped rope for slinging the load to the pack-saddle2 of these1 duplicates should be provided4 ,in order to defend our delicate apparatus from excessive shaking1 we divided the inside1 by battens1 into several compartments4 ,the smaller cases of bottles and breakables should have been cut to fit into the larger1 but this had been neglected at ,cairo4 ,finally1 not a single box gave way on the march3 that was reserved for the ,suez-,cairo ,railway1 and for landing at the ,london ,docks4 ,,en#bb ,,mm4 ,gastinel 7,bey7 and ,marie give it per cent43-- ,titaniferous iron 4 4 4 44 4 4 4 4 4 4 #hf4ej ,silica 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #aj4aj ,copper 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #c4dj 7#b #a_/b per cent47 ,silver 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 #ajj4j ,,en#bc ,hence1 evidently1 the derivation of the ,marwah hill near ,meccah1 and the famous ,marwah gold mine which we shall visit in ,south ,midian4 ,the ,arabs here use ,jebel el-,mar and ,jebel el-,abyaz 7plur4 ,jibl el-,bayz7 synonymously4 ,,en#bd ,spon3 ,london1 #ahge4 ,a book opening a new epoch1 and duly neglected4 ,,en#be ,so said the engineer4 ,he relied chiefly upon ,m4 ,amede ,burat1 p4 #bbi1 ,gologic ,applique 7,paris3 ,garnier1 #ahgj71 who quotes the compte rendu of ,m4 ,guillemin1 ,c4,e4 to the ,exposition of #ahfg4 ,the latter gentleman1 who probably did not1 like the former1 place ,mexico in ,south ,america1 makes the metalliferous lands measure four-fifths of the total surface4 ,i am much mistaken if the same is not the case with ,midian4 ,,en#bf ,in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 p4 #aga1 ,i erroneously asserted that the ,beden does not extend to these mountains4 ,the second ,expedition could learn nothing about the stag with large branches vaguely spoken of by the ,bedawin4 ,,en#bg ,when miles are given1 ,i mean the statute of #agfj yards as opposed to the geographical2 the latter equals #a minute 7of a degree7 #a ,italian or ,arab #a_/d ,german #a #a_/d ,roman #aj stadia4 ,,en#bh ,were ,i a wealthy man1 nothing would delight me more than to introduce ,london to ,la ,zarzuela1 the ,spanish and ,portuguese opera bouffe4 ,sir ,julius ,benedict tells me that it has reached ,paris4 ,,en#bi ,see ,le ,pionnier1 ,chemin de ,fer ,abyssinien d'apr's les desseins de ,m4 ,j4 ,l4 ,haddan4 ,another valuable form is ,the ,economical 7,mr4 ,russell ,shaw74 ,,en#cj ,chloritic slate is the matrix of gold in the ,brazil and in ,upper ,styria4 ,,en#ca ,chap4 ,,ix4 ,,en#cb ,not ,tayyibat ,ism1 as ,i wrongly wrote in ,the ,gold ,mines of ,midian1 misled by the ,hydrographic ,chart4 ,none of the ,bedawin could explain the origin of the flattering title4 ,,en#cc ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian4 ,chap4 ,,xii4 ,,en#cd ,the so-called ,oriental1 stalactitic1 or variegated alabaster of ,upper ,egypt was nowhere hit upon4 ,,en#ce ,the ,ptolemeian parallel is nearly right2 the place must not be confounded with ,modi'ana or ,modouna 7ibid471 a coast-settlement in north lat4 #bg degrees #de'1 between ,onne and the ,hippos ,mons1 ,monte ,cavallo4 ,,en#cf ,i have no wish to criticize my able predecessor4 ,his map1 all things considered1 is a marvel of accuracy2 and the high praise of ,wellsted 7ii4 #adh7 only does it justice4 ,,en#cg ,the ,muttali 7high town7 when small is termed a ,burj1 pyrgos1 tower1 ,pergamus 787 ,,en#ch ,the ,mashb or camel-stick of all ,arabia is that carried by the ,osiris 7mummy71 and its crook is originally the jackal-headed ,anubis4 ,,en#ci ,the collection has been submitted to ,mr4 ,r4 ,stanley ,poole1 who kindly offered them for inspection to the ,numismatic ,society of ,london 7,nov4 #ba1 #ahgh74 ,,en#dj gypten1 etc41 p4 #bfi1 et seq4 ,,en#da ,les ,inscriptions des ,mines d',or1 etc4 ,paris1 #ahfb4 ,,en#db ,in ,tafel viii4 7p4 #chg71 he has added some cursory notes on the ,sepulcral-,monumente in dem ,thale ,beden4 ,,en#dc ,wellsted1 vol4 ii41 appendix4 ,,en#dd ,all the useful matter has already been borrowed from ,abulfeda4 ,dr4 ,badger tells me that he looked through his ,jardat el-',ajib1 wa ,fardat el-,gharib1 by ,sirj el-,din ,umar ibn el-,ward1 ,a4,h4 #idj 7 ,a4,d4 #aecc--aecd71 where he expected to find1 but did not find1 notices of ,madyan4 ,,en#de ,geschichte gyptens unter den ,pharaonen4 ,nach den ,denkmhlern bearbeitet1 von ,dr4 ,heinrich ,brugsch-,bey4 ,erste deutsche ,ausgabe4 ,leipzig3 ,hinrichs'sche ,buchhandlung1 #ahgg4 ,already the ,premire ,partie had appeared in ,french1 ,histoire d'gypte1 ,introduction--,histoire des ,dynasties i4--xvii42 published by the same house with a second edition in #ahge4 ,an ,english translation of this most valuable compendium1 whose ,german is of the hardest1 is now being printed in ,london4 ,,en#df ,pun1 or ,punt1 the region on both sides of the ,red ,seamouth1 including ,el-,yemen and ,cape ,guardafui1 was made holy by the birth of ,osiris1 ,isis1 and ,horus4 ,dr4 ,brugsch-,bey shows that one of the titles of the he-god was ,bass1 the cat or the leopard 7whence our ,puss72 whilst his wife1 ,bast 7the bissat or tabby-cat of modern ,arabic71 gave her name to ,bubastis 7,pi-,bast1 the city of ,bast74 ,from the ,osiric term 7,bass7 the learned ,egyptologist would derive ,bacchus and his priests1 the ,bacchoi and the ,bacchantes1 whose dress was the leopard's skin4 ,could ,osiris have belonged to the race whose degenerate descendants are the murderous ,somal of modern days8 ,,en#dg ,vulg4 ,snefrou1 he who makes it good2 the ninth of the third ,dynasty2 the twenty-fourth successor of ,mena 7,menes7 in the papyri1 and the twenty-sixth according to ,manetho the priest4 ,he conquered the ,mafka-land1 as the ,sinaitic ,peninsula was then called2 and ,wady ,maghrah still shows his statue1 habited in warrior garb1 with the proud inscription1 ,vanquisher of ,stranger ,races4 ,this campaign lends some colour to my suspicion that ,sinfir ,island1 at the mouth of the ,gulf el-',akabah1 may preserve his name4 ,,en#dh ,the ,german ,trkis1 and the ,english and ,french ,turquoise1 are both evidently derived from ,gemma ,turcica1 ,western ,turkistan being considered tile source of the finest stones4 ,,en#di ,the accompanying lithograph gives a list of the letters and the syllabic signs which occur in the inscription4 not included in this e-text ,,en#ej ,the article ,n is emphatic1 the with the sense of that or those4 ,,en#ea ,khomet signifies1 #a4 ,copper1 #b4 ,metal generally1 as argent1 etc4 ,,en#eb ,mensh is always applied to sea-going ships1 as opposed to ,bari1 ,uu1 ,kerer1 etc41 riverine craft4 ,,en#ec ,kemi signifies1 #a4 ,found1 #b4 ,found out1 discovered4 ,,en#ed ,that is1 the royal pavilion at ,thebes4 ,,en#ee ,the word ,deb 7brick7 still survives in the ,arabic ,tob1 and1 perverted to the ,iberian ,adobe 7,et-tob7 it has travelled to ,mexico4 ,,en#ef ,hefennu1 as is shown by the ideograph to the right over the three perpendiculars denoting plurality1 may be either a frog or a lakh 7one hundred thousand74 ,,en#eg ,the ,egyptians divided gold into four qualities--#a1 #b1 #c1 and two-thirds4 ,but it is not known whether ,no4 #a was the best1 and we can only guess that two-thirds alluded to some alloy4 ,,en#eh ,the same as the ,shu'ayb of my pages4 ,,en#ei ,for a notice of ,moses' ,well1 now quite forgotten by the ,arabs1 see ,chapter ,,vi4 ,,en#fj ,for an account of these diggings1 see ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 ,chap4 ,,ix4 ,,en#fa ,this strange legend will be found copied into many subsequent authors4 ,,en#fb ,el-,abjad1 the oldest existing form of the ,arabic alphabet2 to judge from its being identical with the ,hebrew4 ,it is supposed to date from after the beginning of the ,christian era1 when the ,himyaritic form fell into disuse1 and it is now used in chronograms only4 ,,en#fc ,l'auteur est doublement inexact en avanc1 ant que l',aboudjed se compose de vingt-quatre lettres seulement1 d'abord parce que les six mots qu'il numre ne renferment que vingt-deux lettres1 et en second lieu1 parce qu'il oublie de citer les deux derniers mots techniques1 ,arabic et ,arabic1 lesquels compltent les vingt-huit lettres prises comme valeurs nume'riques 7,voyez l',expos des signes de numration chez les ,orientaux1 par ,m4 ,pihan1 p4 #aii et suiv474 ,to this ,i may add that the ,french translators have sadly corrupted the words which should be ,abjad1 ,hawwaz1 ,hutti1 ,kalaman1 ,sa'fas1 and ,karashat2 whilst ,sakhiz and ,zuzigh are not found in the ,hebrew and cognate dialects4 ,,en#fd ,the ,gate of ,lamentation1 vulgarly and most erroneously written1 ,babelmandel4 ,,en#fe ,that is1 spoiled1 dry2 instead of honoured1 respected4 ,the difference of the words is in the pointing of the third letter1 and the change of m and l4 ,,en#ff ,not to be confounded with a cosmography of the same name by ,ahmed ibn ,yahy el-,sh'ir4 ,cf4 ,journal of the ,royal ,geographical ,society1 vol4 xx4 of #ahej1 p4 #cdc4 ,,en#fg ,this route1 from ,suez to ,el-',akabah1 probably one of the oldest in this world1 has been traversed perfunctorily by ,burckhardt and by ,beke4 ,it still wants a detailed survey1 and even hieroglyphic inscriptions may be expected4 ,beke's map marks ,hawwit 7ruins7 near one of his nighting-places1 but apparently the remains were not visited4 ,,en#fh ,the ,syrian ,hajj no longer pass through ,el-',akabah to ,makn1 but inland or eastward of it4 ,the reason is made evident in ,chap4 ,,vii4 ,,en#fi ,thus the ,khl or ,khr of the old ,egyptians1 meaning a mixed multitude1 were originally ,phoenicians and domiciled from earliest ages about ,lake ,menzlah4 ,so the mixed multitude1 or mingled people1 which followed ,israel from ,egypt would be a riff-raff of strangers4 ,d',herbelot says 7sub voce ,midian73 ,quoyque les ,madianites soient reputez pour ,arabes1 neanmoins ils ne sont pas du nombre des ,tribus qui partageoient l',arabie1 et dont les ,auteurs nous ont rendu un compte exact dans leur ,histoire et dans leurs ,genealogies2 de sorte qu'il passe pour un peuple tranger qui s'est tabli parmi eux4 ,yet1 as we have seen by the foregoing extracts1 ,madyan was reckoned within the territory of ,el-,medi'nah1 i4e4 the ,hejaz4 ,caussin de ,perceval 7,essai sur l',histoire des ,arabs avant l',islamisme7 regards the old ,midianites as one of the ,races teintes2 and he makes them 7vol4 i4 p4 #bc7 descendants of ,cthura1 ,abraham's second wife4 ,in vol4 ii4 p4 #bcb1 he brings the ,banu-,djodha'm 7,juzm7 from ,el-,yemen1 and settles them in the country of the ancient ,midianites4 ,he adds3 ,la region sur laquelle ils taient rpandus avec leurs frres les ,benou-,lakhm1 et1 je crois aussi1 avec les families ,codhaites1 de ,bali 7,baliyy7 et de ,cayn1 touchait par l'ouest la ,mer ,rouge1 par le nord au pays que les ,romains appelaient troisime ,palestine1 par le sud aux dserts 4 4 4 par l'est1 enfin1 au territoire de ,daumat-,djandal sur laquelle campaient les ,benou-,kelb1 tribu ,codhate1 alors ,chrtienne1 et allie ou sujette des ,romains4 ,in vol4 iii4 p4 #aei1 he recounts from the ,trkh el-,khams1 and the ,srat el-,rasl1 how ,zayd made an expedition against the ,djodhm 7,juzm7 established at ,madyan on the coast of the ,red ,sea4 ,the warrior captured a number of women and children who were exposed for sale1 but the ,prophet1 hearing the wails of the mothers1 ordered that the young ones should not be sold apart from the parents4 ,,en#gj ,the ,burd1 or ,burdah1 was worn by ,mohammed1 as we know from a celebrated poem1 for which see ,d',herbelot1 sub voce ,bordah4 ,,en#ga ,michaud 7,hist4 des ,croisades1 ii4 #bg7 says3 ,une fois qu'il 7,saladin7 ft maitre de la capitale 7,damascus72 son arme victorieuse et l'or pur appel ,obreysum 7,ubraysun ou ,hubraysum7 qu'il tirait de l',e'gypte1 lui soumirent les autres cits de la ,syrie4 ,the question is whether this gold was not from ,midian3 my friend ,yacoub ,artin ,bey1 who supplied me with the quotation1 thinks that it was4 ,,en#gb ,the most curious form1 perhaps1 which the ancient ,midianitic tradition has assumed1 was in the thirteenth century1 when the ,russians believed that the ,tartars1 with their four-cornered faces1 were the ancient ,midianites coming in the latter days to conquer the world4 ,lieutenant ,c4 ,r4 ,conder1 ,r4,e4 7,tentwork in ,palestine1 ,bentley1 #ahgh71 has done his best to rival this style of ethnology by declaring that the hosts of ,midian were1 no doubt1 the ancestors of the modern ,bedawin4 ,,en#gc ,alluding to the legend that the shepherds1 after watering their flocks1 rolled a great stone over the mouth of the well1 so that the contents might not be used by ,jethro's daughters4 ,mus waxed wroth1 and1 weak as he was with travel1 gave the stone such a kick that it went flying full forty cubits from the spot4 ,see ,desert of the ,exodus1 ,appendix1 p4 #eci4 ,,en#gd ,a name now unknown to the ,bedawin of ,madyan4 ,the culminating peak is now supposed to be either the ,shrr1 the ,jebel el-,lauz1 or the ,jebel ,znah4 ,,en#ge ,the ,badais of ,ptolemy1 which we shall presently visit4 ,,en#gf ,a large ruin east of ,zib1 also visited4 ,,en#gg ,for a notice of ,el-,khalasah1 also called ,el-,khulusah1 ,el-,khulsah1 or ,zu'l-,khalasah1 consult the art4 ,midian1 ,smith's ,dict4 of the ,bible1 by ,e4 ,s4 ,poole1 vol4 ii4 p4 #cef4 ,for the ,khalasah of the ,negeb1 where ,venus was worshipped with all the licentious pomp of the ,pagan ritual1 see ,professor ,palmer's ,desert of the ,exodus1 p4 #che4 ,the text1 however1 alludes to a ruin called ,el-,khulasah1 one march from ,el-,muwaylah to the east 7,chap4 ,,viii474 ,,en#gh ,el-,mederah is possibly ,hasyat el-,madr1 which1 like ,el-,a'waj1 ,el-,brayn1 and ,ma'n1 is now included in ,syria4 ,el-,mu'allak may be ,jebel ,yalak1--at least1 so say the ,bedawin4 ,,en#gi ,in the last remark1 also found in ,el-,kazwn1 the ,madyan of ,el-,shu'ayb is referred to the district of ,tiberias4 ,thus it would belong to ,syria1 whilst the majority of geographers refer it to the ,hejaz1 and a minority to ,el-,yemen4 ,,en#hj ,alluded to in a note to p4 #cca of ,the ,gold ,mines of ,midian1 etc4 ,,en#ha ,this means only according to ,hebrew and ,arabic tradition1 neither of them being1 in this case1 of much value4 ,as ,i remarked before 7,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 p4 #agg71 the hieroglyphic name of the land is ,md1 in the plural ,md-n or ,md-n2 on the other hand1 we have no information concerning the origin and derivation of ,md1 except that it is not ,egyptian4 ,,en#hb ,none of the tribes or families now inhabiting ,midian represent the ancient ,midianites2 and all speak the vulgar half-,fellah ,arabic1 without any difference of accent or vocabulary from their neighbours4 ,,en#hc ,see the preceding notes on ,el-,makrzi4 ,,en#hd ,the ,ma'zah spoke of ,kantir 7arches1 i4e4 aqueducts7 and ,bibn 7doors or catacombs74 ,,en#he ,i inquired in vain concerning the ruins near ,sharm ,burayttah1 south of ,yamb' in the ,harb country4 ,wellsted1 who visited the site 7#aa4 xi471 conjectures them to be ,niebuhr's ,el-,jr4 ,he makes that near the point as large as ,yembo1 extending about a mile in length1 and half that space in breadth1 with a square fort in the vicinity1 the remains of which have towers at the corners and gates4 ,near the middle on either side1 the tall walls are six feet thick1 strong enough where artillery is unknown4 ,at the landing-place are a quay paved with large hewn stones1 and a jetty of solid masonry in ruins4 ,the sailors dug and found only shapeless fragments of corroded copper and brass2 coloured glass1 as usual more opaque than the modern1 and earthenware of the kind scattered about ,egyptian ruins4 ,about one mile from the fort were other remains1 built of coral1 now much blackened by exposure2 and similar constructions on the further side of the ,sharm could not be examined1 as the ,harb ,bedawin were jealous and hostile4 ,,en#hf ,the name is from ,gen4 xx4 #a1 and it signifies the country lying to the south of ,palestine4 ,see ,the ,negeb1 by the late ,rev4 ,e4 ,wilton 7,london1 #ahfc71 and vol4 ii4 ,the ,desert of the ,exodus1 so often alluded to in these pages4 ,,en#hg ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 ,chap4 ,,ix4 ,,en#hh ,kfah ,arabic or ,arabic in ,persian means a basket or a coffin4 ,,en#hi ,roaring when the rider mounts1 halts1 or dismounts1 is considered a proof of snobbish blood among the ,bisha'ri'n3 for some months the camel-colt is generally muzzled on such occasions till it learns the sterling worth of silence4 ,for an admirable description1 far too detailed to place before the general public1 of the likeness and the difference between the dromedary of the ,bishrn and the ,nman and ,maskat1 the purest blood of the ,arabs1 see pp4 #ade--aed1 ,l' ,etbaye1 etc41 ,mines d ,or1 by my old friend ,linant de ,bellefonds ,bey1 now ,sulayman ,pasha4 ,paris3 ,arthus ,bertrand 7no date74 ,,en#ij ,the contents worked into shape by ,mr4 ,william ,j4 ,turner1 of the ,royal ,geographical ,society1 appear in the ,appendix4 ,,en#ia ,desert of the ,exodus1 p4 #cdg4 ,,en#ib ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 ,chap4 ,,vi4 ,,en#ic ,in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian 7passim7 this ,spring of the ,she-,cook appeared as the ,she-,cork6 ,,en#id ,a region to the north-west of ',aynnah1 afterwards visited by ,lieutenant ,yusuf4 ,see ,chap4 ,,ix4 ,,en#ie ,such an act would disgrace an ,arab tribe1 and of course it is denied by the ,beni ',ukbah4 ,we visited this valley1 which is one of the influents of the ,wady ',aynnah1 during the first ,expedition 7,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 p4 #afe74 ,,en#if ,the modern ,beni ',ukbah ignore the story of ,ab ,rsh1 not wishing to confess their obligations to the ,huwaytt4 ,,en#ig ,the tomb on the hillock north of ,el-,muwaylah4 ,,en#ih ,south-east of ,,ei-,muwaylah4 ,,en#ii ,these hard conditions were actually renewed some twenty-five years ago4 ,,en#ajj ,for ample notices on this subject1 see ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 ,chap4 ,,xii4 ,in p4 #ccg1 however1 ,i made the mistake of supposing ,makn to be the capital1 instead of the port of the capital4 ,the true position is north lat4 #bh degrees #bd'4 ,,en#aja ,for historical notices of the diamond in ,north-,western ,arabia1 see ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 p4 #afh4 ,,en#ajb ,dr4 ,beke's artist made a plan of this rude affair 7p4 #cdi71 and nothing can be worse4 ,the ,egyptian ,staff-officers drew the ruin correctly2 but the poor remains by no means deserve the honour of a wood-cut4 ,,en#ajc4 ,the word is corrupted from ,jamb1 the side1 alluding to the animal's gait2 we did not find the true lobster 7,homarus vulgaris71 the astica of the ,adriatic1 whose northern waters produce such noble specimens4 ,,en#ajd ,the spirit-tins1 prepared for me at ,trieste1 were as most things there are1 very dear and very bad2 after a short use they became full of holes4 ,so the bowie-knives1 expressly made to order at old ,tergeste1 proved to be of iron not of steel4 ,,en#aje ,travels1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 ,chap4 ,,iv4 ,,en#ajf ,confirmed by ,dr4 ,beke1 p4 #ecc4 ,,en#ajg ,p4 #cea4 ,,en#ajh ,i am doubtful about this name1 which the ,bedawi apply to more than one place4 ,,en#aji ,strictly speaking1 the dust of the ,nevada country was oxide of silver4 ,,en#aaj ,m4 ,burat 7,gologie ,appliqe1 i4 #h7 gives the following minima proportions in which metal may be worked on a grand scale1 of course under the most favourable circumstances4 ,the extremes are #j4be 7iron71 and #j4jjjja 7gold72 and antimony1 bismuth1 cobalt1 and nickel are neglected1 because the proportions vary so much4 ,iron1 #j4be ,zinc1 #j4bj ,lead1 #j4jb 7two per cent47 ,copper and mercury1 #j4ja ,tin1 #j4jje 7#a_/b per cent47 ,silver1 #j4jjje 7#a_/b per #ajjj7 ,gold1 #j4jjjja 7#a_/ajj1jjj7 ,this table is recommended to the many profane who do not believe a rock to be auriferous or argentiferous1 unless they can see the gold and silver with the naked eye4 ,,en#aaa ,the button1 when assayed by the official mining office at ,trieste1 was pronounced to be antimony6 ,it was extracted from ruddle 7red ochre7 and limonite 7brown ochre or hydrous oxide of iron73 both are sesquioxides 7,fe#b,o#c7 which become dark when heated and change to magnetic oxide 7,fe#c,o#d74 ,m4 ,marie is probably the first who ever ran down iron oxide with lead4 ,no wonder that ,colonel ,ross pronounced his culot a marvellous alloy4 ,,en#aab ,krn was a pauper cousin of ,mus1 who had learned alchemy from ,kulsum1 the ,lawgiver's sister4 ,the keys of his treasure loaded forty mules2 and his palace had doors and roof of fine gold4 ,as he waxed fat he kicked against his chief1 who as usual became exceeding wroth1 and prayed that the earth might swallow him4 ,,en#aac ,pp4 #ccg--cci4 ,,en#aad ,tasbh literally means uttering ,subhn ,allah6--,praise be to ,allah6 ,,en#aae ,it is curious how this goddess has extended1 through the ,dalmatian ,fortunale and the ,slav ,fortunja of the ,bosnian peasants1 to ,turkey1 ,egypt1 and even ,arabia4 ,applied to a violent storm1 perhaps it is a euphuism for the ,latin word in the sense of good sign or omen2 so in ,propertius--,nulla ne placat veniet fortuna procell4 ,,en#aaf ,p4 #cda4 ,,en#aag ,the singular is ,maknwi1 pronounced ,magnwi4 ,,en#aah ,loc4 cit4 p4 #gi4 ,,en#aai ,the passage was brought to my notice by my excellent friend1 ,mr4 ,james ,pincherle of ,trieste4 ,in the ,atlante ,storico e ,geografico della ,terra ,santa1 esposto in #ad ,tavole e #ad ,quadri storici della ,palestina1 republished 7without date7 by ,francesco ,pagnoni of ,milan1 appears an annexed commentary by ,cornelius ,lapide4 ,the latter1 ,cornelius ,van den ,steen 7,corneille de la ,pierre71 born near ,liege1 a learned ,jesuit1 profound theologian1 and accomplished historian1 was famous as a ,hebraist and lecturer on ,holy ,writ4 ,he died at ,rome ,march #ab1 #afcg2 and a collected edition of his works in sixteen volumes1 folio1 appeared at ,venice in #agaa1 and at ,lyons in #agcb4 ,it is related of him that1 being called to preach in the presence of the ,pope1 he began his sermon on his knees4 ,the ,holy ,father commanded him to rise1 and he obeyed2 but his stature was so short that he appeared to be still kneeling4 ,the order was reiterated2 whereupon ,zacchaeus1 understanding its cause1 said modestly1 ,beatissime ,pater1 ipse fecit nos1 et non ipsi nos4 ,,en#abj ,the name and other points connected with it have been noticed in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 p4 #cch4 ,,en#aba ,see ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 p4 #cch4 ,,en#abb ,travels in ,syria1 etc41 p4 #ebd4 ,,en#abc ,in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 p4 #cch1 this name became1 by virtue of the author's cacography1 ,beoche4 ,,en#abd ,diario in ,arabia ,petrea 7#ahfe7 di ,visconte ,giammartino ,arconati4 ,roma1 #ahgb4 ,,en#abe ,wellsted1 ii4 #adc4 ,,en#abf ,ghor is the whole depression including the ,jordan and the ,dead ,sea1 while ,el-',akabah is its southernmost section4 ,in older maps this gulf is made to fork at the north--a topographical absurdity4 ,i have also fallen into a notable blunder about the ,jebel el-,shar'1 in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 note 81 p4 #age4 ,,en#abg ,see ,appendix1 p4 #ecg1 ,geological ,notes1 etc41 in ,dr4 ,beke's ,sinai in ,arabia4 ,,en#abh ,see ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 pp4 #cch1 #cci4 ,,en#abi ,this ,yitm1 which ,burckhardt first wrote ,el-,ithem1 unfortunately gave ,dr4 ,beke an opportunity of finding1 in his ,wady el-,ithem1 the ,etham of the ,exodus4 7,see ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 pp4 #cei--cfa74 ,the latter has been conclusively shown by ,brugsch-,bey in his lecture1 ,la ,sortie des ,hbreux d',e'gypte 7,alexandrie3 ,mours1 #ahgd71 p4 #ca1 to be the great fort of ,khatom1 on the highway to ,phoenicia4 ,the roots ,khatam1 ,asham1 ,tam1 like the ,arabic ,khatm 7,arabic7 signify to seal up1 close2 and thus ,khatom in ,egyptian1 as ,atham1 ,etham in ,hebrew1 means a closed place1 a fortress4 ,wallin calls the ,yitm1 which he never visited1 ,wd ,lithm1 a cross valley opening through the chain at about eight hours 7twenty-four miles7 north of ',akaba'--possibly ,lithm is a misprint1 but it is repeated in more than one page4 ,,en#acj ,dr4 ,beke1 who afterwards changed his mind1 would identify ,hor1 the burial-place of ,aaron1 with ,horeb of the ,rock 7,orig4 ,biblicae1 #aie74 ,he then adopted 7,sinai in ,arabia1 p4 #gg7 the opinion of ,st4 ,jerome 7,de ,situ1 etc41 p4 #aia71 ,mihi autem videtur quod duplice nomine mons nunc ,sina1 nunc ,choreb vocatur4 ,wellsted 7ii4 #ajc7 also makes ,horeb synonymous with ,wilderness of ,sinai4 ,professor ,palmer 7#aah7 translates ,horeb by ground that has been drained and left dry3 he would include in it the whole ,desert of ,sinai1 together with the ,mountain2 whilst he warns us that the monks call the whole southern portion of their mountain ,horeb4 ,others confine ,horeb to ,jebel ,mus1 and even to its eastern shoulder4 ,,en#aca ,for the ,mount or ,mountain see ,exodus xix4 #b1 #ab1 #bj1 #bc2 also xxxii4 #ai2 ,deut4 iv4 ,,ii1 and v4 #bc2 ,heb4 xii4 #ah4 ,josephus 7,antiq41 ,,ii4 ii4 ,i7 speaks of it similarly as a mountain1 and describes it with all the apparatus of fable2 while his compatriot and contemporary1 ,st4 ,paul 7,epist4 to the ,galatians iv4 #be71 calls it only ,mount ,sinai in ,arabia1 i4e4 east of ,jordan4 ,,en#acb ,see ,athenaeum1 ,february #hth and #aeth1 #ahgc4 ,,en#acc ,they were heard of by ,burckhardt 7,syria1 p4 #eaj74 ,,en#acd ,beke 7p4 #ddf71 on ,february #fth1 estimated the rise of the tide at ',akabah head to be three to four feet4 ,this is greatly in excess of actuality2 but1 then1 he was finding out some rational way of drowning ,pharaoh and his host4 ,,en#ace ,those living further north1 the ',ammrn and the ,liysinah1 are unmitigated scoundrels and dangerous ruffians3 amongst the former ,shaykh ,sala'mah ibn ',awwd with his brother1 and among the latter ,ibrahm el-,hasant1 simply deserve hanging4 ,in ,edom1 too1 ',abd el-,rahmn el-',awar 7the ,one-eyed71 ,shaykh of the ,fellahn1 is wanted2 and the ',alawn-,huwaytt would be greatly improved were they to be placed under ,egyptian1 instead of ,syrian1 rule4 ,,en#acf ,dr4 ,beke's artist 7p4 #cgd7 has produced a work of imagination1 especially in the foreground and background of his ,migdol or ,castle of ,akaba4 ,,en#acg ,commonly written ,kansh 7,kansooh7 and corrupted by ,europeans to ,campson 7like ,sampson7 ,goree4 ,,en#ach ,not ,hmid1 as some mispronounce the word4 ,,en#aci ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 ,chap4 ,,xii4 ,,en#adj ,the chain did not part4 ,the anchor was afterwards fished up by divers from ,el-,muwaylah1 and its shank was found broken clean across like a carrot4 ,yet there was no sign of a flaw4 ,mr4 ,duguid calculated the transverse breaking strain of average anchor-iron 7#h #a_/b inches x #d #bb square inches71 at #hc #a_/aj tons2 and the tensile breaking strain at #dhd tons1 or #bb tons to the square inch2 while the stud-length cable of #a #a_/h inch chain1 #aej fathoms long1 would carry1 if proof1 #bd tons4 ,captain ,mohammed was persevering enough1 after the divers had failed1 to recover his chain when on his cruise homewards2 and the ,rais of the ,sambk was equally lucky4 ,,en#ada ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 ,ch4 ,,xii4 p4 #cag4 ,,en#adb ,see ,chap4 ,x4 ,,en#adc ,lieutenant-,colonel ,bolton kindly compared the specimens with those in his cabinet4 ,the first1 which was accompanied by quartz1 resembled the produce of ,orenburg4 ,a ,peruvian mine-proprietor had pronounced it to be ,rosicler silver4 ,the magnetic sand bore a tantalizing resemblance to the highly auriferous black sand of ,ekaterinburg4 ,,en#add ,correspondence of the ,sheffield ,telegraph 7,may #ah71 copied into the ,globe of ,may #be1 etc41 etc41 etc4 ,,en#ade ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 ,chap4 ,,xi4 ,it was then visited from its creek1 ,sharm ,jibbah4 ,,en#adf ,chap4 ,,xiv4 ,,en#adg ,a water-rolled fragment of this rock is called ,korundogeschieb by ,dr4 ,l4 ,karl ,moser1 ,professor of ,natural ,history at the ,gymnasium of ,trieste1 who kindly examined my little private collection of show things4 ,,en#adh ,chap4 ,,xii4 ,,en#adi ,let me at once protest against the assertions contained in an able review of ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian 7,pall ,mall ,gazette1 ,june #g1 #ahgh74 ,the writer makes ancient ,midian extend from the north of the ,arabic ,gulf 7,el-',akabah87 and ,arabia ,felix 7which8 of the classics or of the moderns87 to the plains of ,moab--exactly where it assuredly does not now extend4 ,,en#aej ,described in ,chap4 ,,xv4 ,,en#aea ,this place is noticed in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 ,chap4 ,x4 ,,en#aeb ,i am not certain of this name1 as several variants were given to me4 ,for historical notices of the ruined town of ,khulasah1 see ,chap4 ,,iv4 ,,en#aec ,in ,the ,gold-,mines of ,midian1 ,chap4 ,v41 occur several differences of nomenclature1 which may or may not be mistakes4 ,they are corrected in my ,itineraries1 part ii4 sect4 #b4 ,,en#aed ,to this breed belonged the beast which carried me on the first ,expedition4 ,,en#aee ,for a short notice of this region1 hitherto unvisited by ,europeans1 see ,chap4 ,,xviii4 ,,en#aef ,for a note on the ,burnt ,mountain1 so well known at ,el-,wijh1 see ,chap4 ,,xviii4 ,,en#aeg ,it was afterwards exhibited at the ,hippodrome1 ,cairo1 and was carefully photographed by ,m4 ,lacaze4 ,others said that it came from the east of our camp1 near the ,jils el-,dim4 ,,en#aeh ,it was duly committed to the charge of our ,sayyid4 ,end of ,the ,land of ,midian 7,revisited7 ,by ,richard ,f4 ,burton1