PASSAGE AT BEDEA.

349

The several considerations which I have enumerated seem to me to form a very strong-I incline to regard it an insuperable, objection to the theory that fixes upon the narrow arm of the gulf at Suez as the place where the passage was made. I am not able to perceive that the transit from the valley south of Ras Attaka is liable to objections as numerous and grave. The strongest of these meets us at the threshold-How came the Israelites in this dangerous defile, so far from their proper route to Mount Sinai, and so unpropitious as a military position? I know of no answer to this question, except the one I have already given-an answer which, to say the least, is as good in the present case as it is for the passage at Suez. God was about to display his power in behalf of his persecuted people, and to inflict upon their enemies a memorable overthrow. In order to make his interposition more signal and impressive, and, perhaps, to secure both his friends and his enemies against all liability to ascribe the effects of his miraculous agency to natural or accidental causes, he commanded the Israelites to turn out of their regular route, and led them to encamp in the dangerous defiles of Attaka, where deliverance from ruin might inspire faith and gratitude, and where the hardened and guilty Pharaoh might be incited to rush upon merited and sure destruction, by the prospect of easy victory over a helpless enemy. If this was a sufficient reason for deviating from the journey at Etham, it will account well enough for their proceeding into the defile rather than stopping at Suez. The more serious the difficulties with which they were environed here, the stronger, in this aspect of the subject, would be the reason for selecting such a theatre for the manifestation of the Divine power.

The sea or gulf, at the place in question, is perhaps ten or twelve miles wide. The valley here expands into a considerable plain, bounded by lofty, precipitous mountains on the right and left, and by the sea in front, and is sufficiently VOL. I.-G G

ample to accommodate the vast number of human beings who composed the two armies. The opposite shore is a part of the great wilderness of Etham, consisting here of an extensive plain, covered at present with a sandy incrustation, and white in many places with an efflorescence of salt. An east wind would act almost directly across the gulf. It would therefore be unable to co-operate with an ebb tide in removing the waters-no objection, certainly, if we admit the exercise of God's miraculous agency in this transaction. The channel is wide enough to allow of the movements described in the account by Moses, and the time, which embraced an entire night, was sufficient for the convenient march of a large army over such a distance of twelve miles.

The opinion which fixes the point of transit in the valley or wady south of Mount Attaka derives confirmation from the names still attached to the principal objects in this locality. Upon this point I acknowledge my obligation to the Rev. Mr. Leider, of Cairo, who has spent more than ten years in Egypt, is familiar with the Arabic language, and has devoted much attention to this vexed question. He recently spent several days in this neighbourhood in making investigations and inquiries in reference to the passage of the Israelites. Jebel Attaka, according to Mr. L., who only confirms the statements of former travellers, means, in the language of the Arabs, "the mount of deliverance." Baideah or Bedéa, the name of this part of the valley, means "the miraculous," while Wady el Tih, the part more remote from the sea, means "the valley of wanderings." Pihahiroth, where Moses was commanded to encamp, is rendered by scholars "the Mouth of Hahiroth," which answers well to the deep gorge south of Attaka, but not at all to the broad plain about Suez.

Here are some ruins, which mark, perhaps, the site of Migdol, "the tower," near which the Israelites were to encamp.

DEPARTURE FROM SUEZ.

351

CHAPTER XX.

Journey from Suez to Sinai.-Sail on the Red Sea to the Wells of Moses. -The Asiatic Shore.-Character of the Plain.-Incrustation of Salt.Ayoun Mousa.-Gardens.-Tradition.-Fountain of Naba.-Reinforcement.-The Bedouins.-Mode of Travelling.-Time-saving Expedients. -Morning Walks.-Plain of El Ahta.-The Red Sea.-Beautiful Illusion.-Vale of Bedéa.-Wady Waradan.-Definition.-The Pastures of the Desert.-The Camel's Food.-The Plain of Waradan.-Jebel el Raha.-Ain Howara.-The Mara of Moses.-Proofs.-Description of the Bitter Fountain.-The Power of Incredulity. The Tree that healed the Water.-Philosophy.-The Opinion of a Sailor.-Another Bitter Fountain.-Wady Gerundel.-Wells.-Palm-trees.-Shrubbery.-The Wells of the Desert.-Wady Gerundel the Elim of Exodus.-Mineralogists. -Limestone Mountains.-Wady Usita.-Singular Appearance of the Mountains.-Description of this Part of the Desert.-Vegetation.-Wady Thali.-Wady Shubaka.-Wady Tarba.-Route of the Israelites.-Direct Road to Sinai.-Wady Humar.-Salt.-A Casualty.-Sandstone Mountains.-A Luxury.-Water of the Nile.-Temperance of the Bedouins.-Domestic Habits.-Dress.-Sandy Plain.-Jebel Tih.-Bedouin Cemeteries.-Religious Habits of the Arabs.-Granite Mountains.-An interesting Valley.-Character of the Mountains.--Variety of Colours.— Porphyry.-Wady el Boork.-A Massive Tripod.-Mysterious Inscriptions. Singular Aspect of the Granite Cliffs.-View of Jebel Sherbal.— Description of our Route.-Porphyry Strata.-Approach to Sinai.-Mountain Pass.-Nuked Howa.-First View of Mount Sinai.-Its Appearance. -Emotions.-Arrival at the Convent of St. Catherine.-Mode of Admission.-Letters.-Irksome Delay.-Ungracious Reception.-Retrospect.Our Bedouin Guides.-Their good Conduct.-Their high Spirit.-Honesty.-Sheik Salah.-The Towarahs.-Their Poverty.-Domestic Animals.-Food.-Trade and Occupations.-Their Love of the Desert.-The Journey of the Israelites.-Desolateness of the Region.-Absolute Sterility. The Miracles of Moses necessary.-Subsistence of their Flocks.— Names.-Want of Guide Books.-The Bible.-Ignorance of the Bedouins.

MARCH 7. We remained in Suez to-day until 1 P.M., having sent our camels around the head of the gulf, with an appointment to meet them at Ayoun Mousa, the Wells of Moses. The route by land is about seven hours. By

water, with a fair wind, it is not more than two hours. We sailed against the tide in an open boat unskilfully managed, and had, besides, a heavy gale, which barely admitted of our keeping the right course. We were drenched by the surges that broke over the side of the boat, and, instead of landing, as we expected, within a few minutes' walk of our tents, which were in readiness for our arrival, were surprised to see our boatmen throwing out their stone anchor three hundred yards from the shore, and at least four miles from Ayoun Mousa. The water was too shallow to permit a nearer approach, and they assured us there were dangerous rocks in the way of proceeding farther along the coast towards the desired point of debarcation. We were borne to the land seated on the shoulders of the sailors, our feet dragging in the water.

The beach is covered with a great variety of marine shells. From thence to our tents, a distance of about four miles, we walked over a sandy plain, perceived to be slightly undulating as we advanced, though it appeared to us, as we stood upon the beach, to be a perfect level. It differs from any other portion of the Desert of equal extent which I have yet seen, in being nearly free from stones and gravel, and composed of light sand, into which the foot sinks two or three inches. A large portion of it is covered with an incrustation of salt, that crumbles under the foot, and occasionally is so pure and thick as entirely to conceal the sand.

The Wells of Moses are situated just beyond the termi-, nation of this plain, and upon ground considerably more elevated. They are said by travellers to be thirteen in number. I counted seven which contain water. Some of these are nearly filled with sand, and I can readily suppose that others are quite concealed from the same cause. These singular fountains are only a few feet in depth, and are merely shallow basins half filled with sand. What is re

markable, the water is several feet higher than the adjacent plain. The fountains are elevated on mounds formed by a dark, hard sediment deposited by the water, from which small rills are conducted into some cultivated fields, to which they impart a measure of fertility. I could not ascertain the kind of culture, as the ground was not now sown, or the seed had not yet sent forth its shoots. These fields, which hardly amount to more than two acres in all, are surrounded with a frail fence of palm branches thrust into the sand, above which they rise three or four feet. A few palm-trees, much neglected and unpruned, adorn this little oasis, the most considerable by far which I have seen since leaving the Nile.

The water of the fountains is warm and brackish, and unfit for use, though I believe the Bedouins sometimes drink and water their camels here. Tradition makes this a station, or, at least, a watering-place of the Israelites, and has honoured these sources with the great name of their lawgiver. Some objections have been started against this hypothesis, but I am inclined to think them unfounded. The name itself must be regarded as affording probable evidence in favour of the historical fact which it commemorates. Whether the host of Israel crossed the Red Sea at Suez, or to the north or south of it, these fountains were near the route which they would naturally pursue. They afford an ample supply of water, though of a bad quality, and there is no other spring equally convenient, unless, perhaps, that of Naba, whence Suez is supplied with water. It was necessary, it would seem, for the Israelites to obtain their supply of this indispensable article in this place.

The valley of Bedéa is conspicuously seen from Ayoun Mousa across the broad expanse of the Gulf of Suez, in a southwest direction.

March 8. We struck our tents this morning at about seven o'clock. This is our usual hour for starting, which