sage from one to the other being made by a single step whose height is the thickness of one layer. The northeastern termination of the valley exhibits another instance of the mixture of red and gray granite, porphyry, greenstone, and sandstone of various hues, which gives such a peculiar aspect to the mountains of this region.

We next crossed Wady Shubaka, through which, as we were told, the usual route to Acaba leads to the seashore. Our guides, under pretext of finding a shorter way, but, probably, to secure a more abundant supply of shrubs for so large a number of camels, took an inland route farther to the left. It soon became so obscure that they were often at a loss in choosing the route, and seemed never to have passed this way before. A decided change has taken place in the features of the country. The valleys are broader and the mountains much less elevated. Wady Attia, which we entered at twelve o'clock, is covered with white sand, that reflected the light very painfully upon the face and eyes. Wady Hertia is similar in its general appearance. An isolated mountain of the same name stands on the right near the route, and the more distant range of Jebel Tih on the left, in addition to the usual variety of colours, exhibits a considerable extent of cliff of a vivid and beautiful slate colour. At half past two we were in the small Wady Partah, and near the end of our day's ride some chalkstone began to be visible in the bases of the mountains. We encamped in Wady Hessieh, a wide valley, well supplied with shrubs and bounded by low mountains.

March 23. A ride of less than an hour this morning brought us, at half past seven o'clock, to some water, which is dignified with the name of a well-Ain Shara, though there is nothing more than an unshapely excavation in the sand, about three feet deep, into which some muddy, brackish water rises. Several similar pits near by are now choked with sand and dry. The obstructions might prob

ably be removed with the hand in a few minutes, so as to make these neglected sources equally valuable with the one where we watered our camels and replenished a few empty bottles. Some low ridges here approached near to our route, covered with a thin crust of hard rock, while the lower masses were imperfectly formed and much disintegrated. The valley afterward expanded into a plain, bounded by low mountains, or rather hills, of chalkstone. By ten A.M. we had entered Wady Tih, which is no longer a mountain valley, but a broad plain, the chalkstone mountains being five or six miles distant from the route. It is diversified with a scanty verdure and dark streaks, covered with fragments of flint. After ascending slowly for several hours we found ourselves on the summit of a low ridge of limestone, which declined abruptly into another plain, to which we descended over the irregular, broken rocks, with some difficulty. The sandstone here reappears, though white ridges, apparently of chalk, are still seen at the distance of several miles on the left. On the right are ranges of red sandstone. Our direction was northeast and east-northeast. Wady Graffah, which is of no great extent, led us into Wady el Sata, a vast plain, which has a striking resemblance to the Desert of Suez. It is composed of gravel and sand, diversified with occasional stripes of shrubbery and shaded with fields sown with flintstone. We slept upon a verdant spot in this plain, after a day of great fatigue, rendered doubly painful by thirst and bad water. Early in the morning the atmosphere was still and the heat dreadfully oppressive. About nine o'clock, a hot, parching wind arose, which, however, gave some relief, and seemed to aid respiration. It increased during the day, and gradually lost something of its fiery temperature.

March 24. After travelling an hour, or a little more, this morning, we struck the great route of the pilgrims from Egypt, by Suez and Acaba, to Mecca. It is the first place

436

APPROACH TO THE SEA.

where I have seen anything like an artificial road in Arabia. Here some labour has evidently been employed in removing rocks that impeded travel, and in several places terraces are built on the declivity of the mountains, to support the road above. It is a rough and rugged part of the way. We soon began our descent towards the sea, turning a little more to the east in our direction. The eye here ranges over a wild and striking scene. Besides an immense field of mountains visible on both sides of the sea, there were some deep, dark ravines in our front, which seem to have been produced by mountain floods, though upon a scale of grandeur which would lead us to conclude that they are, to a great extent, natural, and that the descending torrents have deepened them, and added to their gaping, almost terrific aspect. The descent was very steep for about an hour, when we reached some mountains of red granite, possessing all the peculiarities of those of Suez-the sides perpendicular and ragged, with a multitude of lofty, slender peaks separated by deep gorges. Perpendicular strata of porphyry run in all directions along their sides and summits. Greenstone appears in the lower parts, while some of the higher masses are black, or of a dark slate colour. The route of the hadjis winds among these curiously-formed and diversified mountains to the coast of the Gulf of Acaba. It is whitened with the bones of camels, and at short intervals are seen many simple monuments which mark the places where these zealous Mussulmen have closed their pilgrimage. We passed some considerable mounds of ruins and rubbish on our left, and, proceeding quite round the head of the gulf, arrived at Acaba, situated on its eastern side. We were cheered by the unexpected appearance of a rich grove of palm-trees that stretch along the shore for several miles. They thrive well, and quite concealed the castle until we approached its gate.

SITUATION OF ACABA.

437

CHAPTER XXII.

Situation of Acaba.-The Castle.-The Town.-Population.-Trade.-Negotiations with Hussein.-His Caution and Tact.-Exorbitant Demands. -Aid of the Egyptian Governor.-Threats.-Hussein.-Sea-bathing.Difficulties.-Departure of the Towaras.-Payment in Advance.-A new Thought.-Dishonesty of Hussein.-Sheik of Wady Mousa.-Farther Impositions.-Power of the Sheik.-The Governor of Acaba.-Ezion Geber and Eloth.-Aila.-Water.-Meeting with an American.-Disadvantage of large Parties.-Safety in the Desert.-Diversity of Objects and Tastes. -Departure for Petra.-The Alouins and their Manners.-Wady Araba.Opinion of Burckhardt.-Mountains.-The Weather.-Thirst, and brackish Water. Disappointment. - Wady Gerundel.- Ruins.-Vices of a hungry Camel.-Geological Phenomena.-Description of Wady Araba.Journeys of the Israelites.-Wady Araba not the ancient Channel of the Jordan.-Proof.-We leave Wady Araba.-Good Water.-Farther Notices of the Valley.-Bedouin Tents.-Oasis.-Extensive View.-Comparative Elevation of the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Dead Sea. -Mountain Formations.-Route to Petra.-Curious Forms of the Rocks. -View of Mount Hor.-Arrival in Petra.

MARCH 25. We pitched our tents last night in a grove of palm-trees between the castle and the gulf, which is within twenty yards of it on the west. Our position commands a fine view of the beautiful sheet of water, from the head of the gulf to a great distance down its widening channel, and also of the grand mountain scenery on the opposite shore. The eastern coast spreads out into a plain several miles in width, extending from the sea to a range of high mountains. In a southerly direction this plain extends, perhaps, two miles. The eye is unable to reach its northern limit, where it merges into Wady Araba.

The castle occupies a position near the sea upon the border of the plain. It is substantially built of hewn stone, with loopholes for musketry, and towers at the four corners provided with some light artillery. I measured one side. of this edifice, which is about two hundred feet in length,

438

THE CASTLE AND TOWN.

and, judging by the eye, it is nearly square. The height of the wall may be twenty-five feet. The governor has apartments within, and there are also store-houses and barracks for the garrison, which consists of less than forty men. This fortress possesses sufficient strength to resist the attacks of the Bedouins, and seems to be of no other use than to keep them in awe. The town, if so it may be called, consists of a few wretched huts built of cobblestones, with roofs of loose palm-leaves or straw. They are partly concealed by palm-trees, and may possibly give shelter to two hundred or three hundred people. There are a few stores, or, rather, an outdoor bazar, in the vicinity of two or three of these huts, where provender for camels, wheat, and a few other articles of bad quality may be bought. Bread, cheese, butter, lambs, eggs, and chickens may also be had at three or four times their cost in Cairo. The place owes all of its importance to the passage of the pilgrim caravans on their way to and from Mecca. The groves of flourishing palmtrees give it an agreeable appearance in the eyes of travellers who have been for some time confined to the dreary scenes of the Desert. I understood that the petty tradesmen were mostly from Suez and Cairo. The rest of the population are Bedouins, dependants on the castle.

We opened negotiations immediately after our arrival with Sheik Hussein for camels to prosecute our journey to Hebron, but have found great difficulty in effecting an arrangement. The Baron C., who holds a diplomatic station under the Austrian government, is accompanied, as a measure of official propriety, or with the hope that it would give facility and safety to his movements, by the janizary of the Austrian consul at Alexandria. This person was deputed by the party, while at Mount Sinai, to proceed to Acaba, and treat with Hussein in advance, in order that we might be able to proceed without delay upon our arrival there. The sheik, however, refused to enter into negotiations with