After the march had extended to seven hours (= 18 miles), there were loud complaints about its length, the venerable Afnn himself begging us to spare his camels—which, being interpreted, meant spoiling our pockets. I therefore gave orders to camp in the broad and open Wady Laylah. We were far from water, but the evening was pleasant, and the night was still more agreeable.

At five a.m. next day (April 7th) we rode up the Wady Laylah, which gave us another surprise, and an unexpected joy, in the shifting scenery of the Jibl el-Safhah. The "Mountains of the Plain," so called because they start suddenly from a dead level, are a section of the Tihmat-Balawyyah range; yet they are worthy links of a chain which boasts of a Shrr. Rising hard on our left, beyond the dull traps that hem in the Wadys, these blocks, especially the lower features, the mere foot-hills, assume every quaintest nuance of hue and form. The fawn-grey colour, here shining as if polished by "slickensides," there dull and roughened by the rude touch of Time, is a neutral ground that takes all the tints with which sun and moon, mist and cloud, paint and glaze the world: changeable as the chameleon's, the coating is never the same for two brief hours. The protean shape, seen in profile and foreshortened from the north or south, appears a block bristling with "Pins" and points, horns and beaks. Viewed from the east the range splits into a double line, whose ranks have never been "dressed" nor sized; whilst a diagonal prospect so alters their forms and relations that they apparently belong to another range.

The background, lying upon the most distant visible plane, is the white-streaked and regular wall of the Jebel el-Ward, which we have already seen from the sea. Its northern foot-ranges are the pale-white and jagged Afayr, whose utter isolation makes it interesting; and the low and long, the dark and dumpy Jebel Tufayyah. It is separated by a broad valley from its southern neighbour, the Jebel el-Ughlub, or El-Ghalab as some call it. This typical block consists chiefly of a monstrous "Parrot's Beak" of granite, continued by a long dorsum to the south. Its outliers number four. These are, first, the Umm Natash, two sets of perpendicular buttresses pressed together like sausages or cigars. Then comes the Talt Muhajjah, a broken saddleback, whose cantle from the south-east appears split into a pair of steeple-like boulders—an architect of Alexander the Great's day would have easily cut and trimmed them into such towers as the world has never seen. Follows the Umm el-Natkah, bristling like the fretful porcupine, and apparently disdaining to receive the foot of man; while the last item, the Jebel el-Khausilah, has outlines so thoroughly architectural that we seem to gaze upon a pile of building.

About five miles behind or south of El-Khausilah runs the Wady Hamz. Thus the two blocks, El-Ward and El-Ughlub, form the Safhah proper. The line is continued, after a considerable break, by the two blue and conical peaks in the Tihmat-Jahanyyah, known as the Jebelayn el-Rl. They are divided and drained to the Wady Hamz by the broad Wady el-Sula'; and the latter is the short cut down which the Egyptian Hajj, returning northwards from El-Mednah, debouches upon the maritime plain of South Midian.

The Wady Laylah, draining both the Shafah and the Tihmah ranges, including the block El-Ward, assumes, as usual, various names: we shall follow it till it is received into the mighty arms of the Wady Hamz, some three miles from the sea. After riding eight hours, we sighted the long line of Daum-palms which announce the approach to El-Birkah, "the Tank." Here the huge Fiumara, sweeping grandly from north-east to south-west, forms a charming narrow and a river-like run about a mile and a half long—phenomenal again in sun-scorched Arabia. The water, collecting under the masses of trap which wall in the left bank, flows down for some distance in threads, ciel ouvert, and finally combines in a single large blue-green pool on the right side. A turquoise set in enamel of the brightest verdure, it attracts by its dense and shady beds of rushes a variety of water-fowl—one of our Bedawin killed a black-headed duck with a bullet, which spoilt it as a specimen. About the water-run are dwarf enclosures, and even water-melons were sown; unhappily the torrent came down and carried all away.

We halted near the upper spring at 8.20 a.m., after the usual accident which now occurred daily about that hour. On this occasion Lieutenant Yusuf's shoe stuck in the stirrup when he was dismounting from an unsteady mule; the animal threw him, and he had a somewhat narrow escape from being dragged to death. Man and beast would have lingered long over the pleasures of watering and refection, but I forced them onwards at nine a.m., whilst the hot sun-rays were still tempered by the cool land-breeze. The threads of water and the wet ground extended some two kilometres beyond the Birkat. Further on was another fine "gate," whose eastern or right jamb was the Jibl el-Tibgh, fronting the Wady M'jirmah. The narrows showed two Arab wells, with the usual platform of dry trunks that make a footing round the mouth. There was no break in the continuity of the quartz: the black trap enclosed, here sheets, there veins, and there almonds in puddings.

At the halting-place a "cerastes" (Echis carinata, Merr.), so called from the warty hollows over the eyes (?), was brought to me in a water-bag; the bearer transferred it to the spirit-bottle by neatly thrusting a packing-needle through the head. The pretty specimen of an amiable, and much oppressed, race did not show an atom of vice. I cannot conceive what has caused the absurd prejudice against snakes, even the most harmless. Perhaps we must trace it to the curious resemblance of the profile, with the flattened forehead, the steely bright eye, the formidable biting apparatus, and the vanishing chin, to the genus woman, species Lorette. It is hard to imagine that this little beast, which some one called a "Cleopatra's hasp," could be fatal: its small bag can hardly contain a couple of drops. Yet the vox populi is distinctly against me.

The Shaykhs were anxious to push on for another half-hour, where, they declared, a rain-hole is found in the next ravine, the Sha'b el-Kahafah. But we had been privily told of another further down the valley, at the Sha'b el-Hrr; and, although we much wanted a bottleful for photography, we determined to run the risk. The result is curious, showing how jealously water-secrets are kept in these lands. The next thing I heard was that the water had waxed salt; then it had dried up; and, lastly, it was in the best condition, the truth being that there was none at all. Consequently we were compelled to send back four camels and two cameleers from our next camping-ground to the Kahafah. Venerable Afnn made many a difficulty, and an uncommon favour, of risking the plundering of the dromedaries and the lives of his caterans by a razzia. The fellows set off after nightfall towards the upper ravine, distant some two hours' slow march: they must there have had a pleasant, refreshing sleep; and they did not return, doubtless by order, till late next morning. This gave the Shaykhs a good opportunity of fearing greatly for the safety of their people, and of delaying our march as much as possible.

Resuming the road at 2.30 p.m., we entered the western prolongation of the Wady el-Birkah. Here it becomes the Wady Ab'l-Agg (Ajj), and preserves that name till it anastomoses with the Hamz. There have been some wells in the bed; but all are now filled up, and water must be carried from El-Birkah. We camped at a noble reach, garnished with a mimic forest of old tamarisks, whose small voices, united in chorus, passably imitated the mighty murmur of the sea. Our day's march had covered a score of miles; hard work, considering the condition of the mules.

After a splendid night, we set out London-wards at five a.m., April 8th, delayed, as has been said, by the politik of the Shaykhs. Moreover, one of the party, whose motto should have been halt's maul, had remarked that the camels appeared fewer than before—another reason for stopping to count them. Half an hour placed us at a lower and a grander carrefour, abounding in fuel and seducing with tamarisk-shade: its water is known as the Myat el-Bad'ah. Presently the hilly encasement of the Wady el-Ajj ended with El-Adr, a red butte to the left, and the Jebel el-Yakhmm on the right. This knob was copiously veined with quartz, of which a prodigious dept, explored on the next day, exists in the heights behind it. The Wady now flares out; we have done with the Tihmah Mountains, and we are again in maritime South Midian.

Although we were standing some four hundred feet above the wassersspiegel, there was no view of the sea, and we had to cross a wave of ground before we pulled off our hats to Father Neptune, as he lay smiling in front of us. There was nothing monotonous in the scene. The mirage raised high in air the yellow mound of Ras Kurkumah ("Turmeric Head"), which bounded the water-line to the south. Nearer, but still far to the left, ran the high right bank of the Wady Hamz, sweeping with a great curve from north-east to west, till it stood athwart our path. Knobby hills were scattered over the plain; and on our right rose El-Juwayy, a black mound with white-sided and scarred head, whose peculiar shape, a crest upon a slope, showed us once more the familiar Secondary formation of North-Western Arabia. Thus the gypsum has been traced from the Sinaitic shore as far south as the Wady Hamz.

We rode sharply forwards, impatient to see the classical ruins, leaving the caravan to follow us. The Girdi ("sand-rat") had ceased to burrow the banks; but the jerboa had made regular rabbit-warrens. At half-past seven we crossed a winding and broad-spreading track, the upper Hajj-road, by which the Egyptian Mahmal passes when returning from El-Medi'nah vi the Wady Hamz. A few yards further on showed us a similar line, the route taken by the caravan when going to Meccah vi Yamb', now distant five marches. The two meet at the Wady Wafdyyah, to the north-east of the Ab'l-Mar range, which we shall visit to-morrow.

Shortly after 10 a.m. we crossed the deepest vein of the Wady Hamz, urged the mules up the *stiff* left bank, and sprang from the saddle to enjoy a first view of the Gasr (Kasr) Gurayyim Sa'id.



Chapter XIX. The Wady Hamz—the Classical Ruin—Ab'l-Mar, the Mine of "Marwah"—Return to El-Wijh—Rsum of the Southern Journey.



Before describing the Palace of Sa'd the Brave, I must devote a few lines to a notice of the Wady Hamz. The Wady Hamz, which has been mentioned as the southern frontier of Egyptian Midian, and the northern limit of the Ottoman Hejaz, is the most notable feature of its kind upon the North-Western Arabian shore. Yet Wallin has unjustifiably described and inscribed it "Wady Nejd," confusing it with a northern basin, whose mouth, the Salbah (Thalbah), we passed before reaching Sharm Dumayghah. He appears to identify it with the classical Wady el-Kura. Sprenger clean ignores the name, although he mentions its branches; and of course it is utterly neglected by the Hydrographic Chart. This main approach to the Arabian interior is not a fissure, like the vulgar Wadys, but rather an opening where the Ghts, or maritime chain, break to the north and south. Distant one long or two short marches from El-Wijh, its mouth is in north lat. 25 55'; and it is said to head fifteen days inland, in fact beyond El-Mednah, towards which it curves with a south-easterly bend. It receives a multitude of important secondary valleys; amongst which is the Wady el-Uwaynid, universally so pronounced. I cannot help thinking that this is El-And of El-Mukaddasi, which El-Idrs (erroneously?) throws into the sea opposite Nu'ma'n Island. If my conjecture prove true, we thus have a reason why this important line has been inexplicably neglected. Another branch is the Wady el-Is, Sprenger's "Al-Ys" (pp. 28, 29), which he calls "a valley in the Juhaynah country," and makes the northern boundary of that tribe.

Ethnologically considered, the lower Wady Hamz is now the southern boundary of the Balawyyah (Baliyy country), and the northern limit of the Jahanyyah, or Juhaynah-land: the latter is popularly described as stretching down coast to Wady Burmah, one march beyond Yamb' (?). Higher up it belongs to the Alaydn-Anezahs, under Shaykh Mutlak—these were the Bedawin who, during our stay at the port, brought their caravan to El-Wijh. Both tribes are unsafe, and they will wax worse as they go south. Yet there is no difficulty in travelling up the Hamz, at least for those who can afford time and money to engage the escort of Shaykh Mutlak. A delay of twelve days to a fortnight would be necessary, and common prudence would suggest the normal precaution of detaining, as hostage in the seaboard settlement, one of his Alaydn cousins. Water is to be found the whole way, and the usual provisions are to be bought at certain places.

The following notes upon the ruins of the Wady Hamz were supplied to me by the Baliyy Bedawin and the citizens of El-Wijh. Six stages up the lower valley, whose direction lies nearly north-east, lead to El-Il, Wallin's "Ela," which belongs to the Anezah. Thence a short day, to the north with easting, places the traveller at Madin (not Madyan nor Mednat) Slih—"the cities of Slih." The site is described to be somewhat off the main valley, which is here broken by a Nakb (?); and those who have visited both declared that it exactly resembles Nabathan Maghir Shu'ayb in extensive ruins and in catacombs caverning the hill-sides.

Also called El-Hijr, it is made by Sprenger (p. 20) the capital of Thamuditis. This province was the head-quarters of the giant race termed the "Sons of Anak" (Joshua xi. 21); the Thamudeni and Thamud of Agatharkides and Diodorus; the Tamudi of Pliny; the Thamydit of Ptolemy; and the Arabian Tamd (Thamd), who, extinct before the origin of El-Islam, occupied the seaboard between El-Muwaylah and El-Wijh. Their great centre was the plain El-Bad; and they were destroyed by a terrible sound from heaven, the Beth-Kol of the Hebrews, after sinfully slaughtering the miraculously produced camel of El-Slih, the Righteous Prophet (Koran, cap. vii.). The exploration of "Slih's cities" will be valuable if it lead to the collection of inscriptions sufficiently numerous to determine whether the Tamd were Edomites, or kin to the Edomites; also which of the two races is the more ancient, the Horites of Iduma or the Horites in El-Hijr.

And now to inspect the Gasr. The first sensation was one of surprise, of the mental state which gave rise to the Italian's—

"Dear Columns, what do you here? Not knowing, can't say, Mynheer!'"

And this incongruous bit of Greece or Rome, in the Arabian wild, kept its mystery to the last: the more we looked at it, the less we could explain its presence. Not a line of inscription, not even a mason's mark—all dark as the grave; deaf-dumb as "the olden gods."

The site of the Gasr is in north lat. 25 55' 15";[EN#70] and the centre of the Libn block bears from it 339 (mag.). It stands upon the very edge of its Wady's left bank, a clifflet some twenty-five feet high, sloping inland with the usual dark metal disposed upon loose yellow sand. Thus it commands a glorious view of the tree-grown valley, or rather valleys, beneath it; and of the picturesque peaks of the Tihmat-Balawyyah in the background. The distance from the sea is now a little over three miles—in ancient days it may have been much less.

The condition of the digging proves that the remains have not long been opened: the Baliyy state less than half a century ago; but exactly when or by whom is apparently unknown to them. Before that time the locale must have shown a mere tumulus, a mound somewhat larger than the many which pimple the raised valley-bank behind the building. A wall is said to have projected above ground, as at Uriconium near the Wrekin.[EN#71] This may have suggested excavation, besides supplying material for the Bedawi cemetery to the south-west. The torrent waters have swept away the whole of the northern wall, and the treasure-seeker has left his mark upon the interior. Columns and pilasters and bevelled stones have been hurled into the Wady below; the large pavement-slabs have been torn up and tossed about to a chaos; and the restless drifting of the loose yellow Desert-sand will soon bury it again in oblivion. The result of all such ruthless ruining was simply null. The imaginative Nj declared, it is true, that a stone dog had been found; but this animal went the way of the "iron fish," which all at El-Muwaylah asserted to have been dug up at El-Wijh—the latter place never having heard of it. Wallin (p. 316) was also told of a black dog which haunts the ruins of Karyy, and acts guardian to its hidden treasures. Years ago, when I visited the mouth of the Volta river on the Gold Coast, the negroes of Cape Coast Castle were pleased to report that I had unearthed a silver dog, at whose appearance my companion, Colonel de Ruvignes, and myself fell dead. But why always a dog? The "Palace" is a Roman building of pure style; whether temple or nymphum, we had no means of ascertaining. The material is the Rughm or alabaster supplied by the Secondary formation; and this, as we saw, readily crumbles to a white powder when burnt. The people, who in such matters may be trusted, declare that the quarries are still open at Ab Makhrr, under the hills embosoming Ab'l-Mar. We should have been less surprised had the ruin been built of marble, which might have been transported from Egypt; but this careful and classical treatment of the common country stone, only added to the marvel.

It must have been a bright and brilliant bit of colouring in its best days—hence, possibly, the local tradition that the stone sweats oil. The whole building, from the pavement to the coping, notched to receive the roof-joists, is of alabaster, plain-white and streaked with ruddy, mauve, and dark bands, whose mottling gives the effect of marble. Perhaps in places the gypsum has been subjected to plutonic action; and we thought that the coloured was preferred to the clear for the bases of the columns. The exposed foundations of the eastern and western walls, where the torrent has washed away the northern enceinte, show that, after the fashion of ancient Egypt, sandstone slabs have been laid underground, the calcaire being reserved for the hypaethral part. The admirable hydraulic cement is here and there made to take the place of broken corners, and flaws have been remedied by carefully letting in small cubes of sound stone. There are also cramp-holes for metal which, of course, has been carried off by the Bedawin: the rusty stains suggest iron.

The building is square-shaped, as we see from the western wall, and it evidently faced eastward with 25 (mag.) of southing. This orientation, probably borrowed from the Jews, was not thoroughly adopted in Christendom till the early fifth century, when it became a mos. The southern wall, whose basement is perfect, shows everywhere a thickness of 0.95 centimetre, and a total length of 8 metres 30 centimetres. At 2 metres 87 centimetres from the south-western corner is a slightly raised surface, measuring in length 2 metres 15 centimetres. Mr. James Fergusson supposes that this projection, which directly fronts the eastern entrance, was the base of the niche intended for the image. On each side of the latter might have been a smaller colonette, which would account for the capital carried off by us to Egypt. Thus, adding 2 metres 87 centimetres for the northern end swept into the valley, we have a length of 7 metres 89 centimetres; and the additional half thickness of the east wall would bring it to a total of 8 metres 30 centimetres.

The shrine was not in antis, and the site hardly admits of a peristyle; besides which, excavations failed to find it. That it might have had a small external atrium is made probable by the peculiarity of the entrance. Two rounded pilasters, worked with the usual care inside, but left rough in other parts because they could not be seen, were engaged in the enceinte wall, measuring here, as elsewhere, 0.95 centimetre in thickness. Nothing remained of them but their bases, whose lower diameters were 0.95 centimetre, and the upper 0.65; the drums found elsewhere also measured 0.65. The interval between the lowest rings was 1 metre 63 centimetres; and this would give the measure of the doorway, here probably a parallelogram. Lying on the sand-slope to the north, a single capital showed signs of double brackets, although both have been broken off:[EN#72] the maximum diameter across the top was 0.60 centimetre, diminishing below to 0.50 and 0.44, whilst the height was 0.40. The encircling wall was probably adorned with pilasters measuring 0.62 centimetre below, 0.45 above, and 0.11 in height: they are not shown in the plan; and I leave experts to determine whether they supported the inside or the outside surface. Several stones, probably copings, are cut with three mortice-joints or joist-holes, each measuring 0.15 centimetre, at intervals of 0.14 to 0.15.

In the tossed and tumbled interior of this maison carre the pavement-slabs, especially along the south-western side, appear in tolerable order and not much disturbed; whilst further east a long trench from north to south had been sunk by the treasure seeker. The breadth of the free passage is 1 metre 92 centimetres; and the disposal suggested an inner peristyle, forming an impluvium. Thus the cube could not have been a heron or tomb. Four bases of columns, with a number of drums, lie in the heap of ruins, and in the torrent-bed six, of which we carried off four. They are much smaller than the pilasters of the entrance; the lower tori of the bases measure 0.60 centimetre in diameter, and 0.20 in height (to 0.90 and 0.25), while the drums are 0.45, instead of 0.65. It is an enormous apparatus to support what must have been a very light matter of a roof. The only specimen of a colonette-capital has an upper diameter of 0.26, a lower of 0.17, and a height of 0.16.

Although the Meccan Ka'bah is, as its name denotes, a "cube," this square alabaster box did not give the impression of being either Arab or Nabathan. The work is far too curiously and conscientiously done; the bases and drums, as the sundries carried to Cairo prove, look rather as if turned by machinery than chiselled in the usual way. I could not but conjecture that it belongs to the days of such Roman invasions as that of lius Gallus. Strabo[EN#73] tells us of his unfortunate friend and companion, that, on the return march, after destroying Negrn[EN#74] (Pliny, vi. 32), he arrived at Egra or Hegra (El-Wijh), where he must have delayed some time before he could embark "as much of his army as could be saved," for the opposite African harbour, Myus Hormus. It is within the limits of probability that this historical personage[EN#75] might have built the Gasr, either for a shrine or for a nymphum, a votive-offering to the Great Wady, which must have cheered his heart after so many days of "Desert country, with only a few watering-places." Perhaps an investigation of the ruins at Ras Kurkumah and the remains of Madin Slih may throw some light upon the mystery. In our travel this bit of classical temple was unique.

Mr. Fergusson, whose authority in such matters will not readily be disputed, calls the building a small shrine; and determines that it can hardly be a tomb, as it is hypthral. The only similar temple known to him is that of "Soueideh" (Suwaydah), in the Haurn (De Vog, "Syrie Centrale," Plate IV.). The latter, which is Roman, and belonging to the days of Herod Augustus, has a peristyle here wanting: in other respects the resemblance is striking.

M. Lacaze photographed, under difficulties such as bad water and a most unpleasant drift of sand-dust, the interior of the building, the stones lying in the Wady below, and the various specimens which we carried off for the inspection of his Highness the Viceroy. Meanwhile we "pottered about," making small discoveries. The exposed foundations of the north-western wall, where the slabs of grit rest upon the sands of the cliff, afforded signs of man in the shape of a jaw-bone, with teeth apparently modern; and above it, in the terreplein, we dug down upwards of a yard, without any result beyond unearthing a fine black scorpion. The adjoining Arab graveyard, adorned with the mutilated spoils of the classical building, gave two imperfect skulls and four fragments. We opened one of the many mounds that lie behind the Gasr, showing where most probably stood the ruined town; and we found the interior traversed by a crumbling wall of cut alabaster—regular excavation may some day yield important results. A little to the south-west lies a kind of ossuary, a tumulus slightly raised above the wavy level, and showing a central pit choked with camels' bones: at least, we could find no other.

And here I was told the Arab legend by the Wakl; who, openly deriding the Bedawi idea that the building could be a "Castle," opined that it was a Kansah, a "Christian or pagan place of worship." Gurayyim Sa'd, "Sa'd the Brave," was an African slave, belonging to an Arab Shaykh whose name is forgotten. One day it so happened that a razzia came to plunder his lord, when the black, whose strength and stature were equal to his courage and, let us add, his appetite, did more than his duty. Thus he obtained as a reward the promise of a bride, his master's daughter. But when the day of danger was past, and the slave applied for the fair guerdon, the Shaykh traitorously refused to keep his word. The Brave, finding a fit opportunity, naturally enough carried off the girl to the mountains; solemnly thrashed every pursuing party; and, having established a "reign of terror," came to the banks of the Wady Hamz, and built the "Palace" for himself and his wife. But his love for butcher's-meat did not allow him to live happily ever after. As the land yielded little game, he took to sallying out every day and carrying off a camel, which in the evening he slew, and roasted, and ate, giving a small bit of it to his spouse. This extravagance of flesh-diet ended by scandalizing the whole country-side, till at last the owner of the plundered herds, Diyb ibn Ghnim, one of the notables celebrated in the romance called Srat Abu' Zayd,[EN#76] assembled his merry men, attacked the Gurayyim, and slew him. Wa' s' salm!

Here Egypt ends. We have done our work—

"And now the hills stretch home."

I must, however, beg the reader to tarry with me awhile. The next march to the north will show him what I verily believe to be the old gold-mine lying around El-Marwah. It acquires an especial interest from being the northernmost known to the mediaeval geographers.

El-Mukaddasi (vol. I. p. 101), in an article kindly copied by my friend, the Aulic Councillor, Alfred Von Kremer, says, "Between Yamb' and El-Marwah are mines of gold;" adding ("Itinerary," vol. i. p. 107) the following route directions: "And thou takest from El-Badr (the New Moon')[EN#77] to El-Yamb' two stages; thence to the Ras el-Ayn (?),[EN#78] one stage; again to the mine (subaudi, of gold), one stage; and, lastly, to El-Marwah, two stages. And thou takest from El-Badr to El-Jr[EN#79] one stage; thence to El-Jahfah (?), or to El-Yambu', two stages each. And thou takest from El-Jiddah (Jedda) to El-Jr, or to El-Surrayn (?), four stages each. And thou takest from El-Yasrib (Jatrippa or El-Mednah) to El-Suwaydyyah (?), or to Batn el-Nakhil (?), two stages each; and from El-Suwaydyyah to El-Marwah, an equal distance (i.e. four marches); and from the Batn el-Nakhil to the mine of silver, a similar distance. And if thou seek the Jddat Misr,[EN#80] then take from El-Marwah to El-Suky[EN#81] (?), and thence to Bad Ya'kb,[EN#82] three marches; and thence to El-And, one march." Hence Sprenger would place Z'l-Marwah "four days from El-Hijr, on the western road to Medina;" alluding to the western (Syrian) road, now abandoned.

And now for our march. On the finest possible morning (April 9th), when the world was all ablaze with living light, I walked down the Wady Hamz. It has been abundantly supplied with water; in fact, the whole vein (thalweg) subtending the left bank would respond to tapping. The well El-Kusayr, just below the ruin, though at present closed, yielded till lately a large quantity: about half a mile to the westward is, or rather was, a saltish pit surrounded by four sweet. Almost all are now dry and filled up with fuel. A sharp trudge of three-quarters of an hour leads to the Bir el-Gurnah (Kurnah), the "Well of the Broad," in a district of the same name, lying between the ruin and the shore. It is a great gash in the sandy bed: the taste of the turbid produce is distinctly sulphurous; and my old white mule, being dainty in her drink, steadfastly refused to touch it. The distinct accents of the Red Sea told us that we were not more than a mile from its marge.

We then struck north-east, over the salt maritime plain, till we hit the lower course of the Wady Umm Gilifayn (Jilifayn). It heads from the seaward base of the neighbouring hills; and its mouth forms a Mars, or "anchorage-place," for native craft. A little to the north stands the small pyramidal Tuwayyil el-Kibrt, the "little Sulphur Hill," which had been carefully examined by MM. Marie and Philipin. A slow ride of eight miles placed us in a safe gorge draining a dull-looking, unpromising block. Here we at once found, and found in situ for the first time, the chalcedony which strews the seaboard-flat. This agate, of which amulets and signet-rings were and are still made, and which takes many varieties of tints, lies in veins mostly striking east-west; and varying in thickness from an inch to several feet. The sequence is grey granite below, the band of chalcedony, and above it a curious schistose gneiss-formation. The latter, composing the greater part of these hills, is striped dark-brown and yellow; and in places it looks exactly like rotten wood. The small specimens of chalcedony in my private collection were examined at Trieste, and one of them contained dendritic gold, visible to the naked eye. Unfortunately the engineer had neglected this most important rock, and only a few ounces of it, instead of as many tons, were brought back for analysis.

A short and easy ascent led to a little counter-slope, the Majr Mujayrah (Mukayrah), whose whitening sides spoke of quartz. We rode down towards a granite island where the bed mouths into the broad Wady Mismh, a feeder of the Wady Argah. Here, after some ten miles, the guide, Na'ji', who thus far had been very misty in the matter of direction, suddenly halted and, in his showman style, pointed to the left bank of the watercourse, exclaiming, "Behold Ab'l-Mar!" (the "Father of Quartz"). It was another surprise, and our last, this snowy reef with jagged crest, at least 500 metres long, forming the finest display of an exposed filon we had as yet seen; but—the first glance told us that it had been worked.

We gave the rest of the day to studying and blasting the quartz-wall. It proved to be the normal vein in grey granite, running south-north and gradually falling towards the valley-plain. Here a small white outlier disappears below the surface, rising again in filets upon the further side. The dip is easterly: in this direction a huge strew of ore-mass and rubbish covers the slope which serves as base to the perpendicular reef. The Negro quartz, which must have formed half the thickness, had been carried bodily away. If anything be left for the moderns it is hidden underground: the stone, blasted in the little outlier, looked barren. Not the least curious part of this outcrop is the black thread of iron silicate which, broken in places, subtends it to the east: some specimens have geodes yielding brown powder, and venal cavities lined with botryoidal quartz of amethystine tinge. In other parts of the same hills we found, running along the "Mar," single and double lines of this material, which looked uncommonly like slag.

The open Wady Mismh showed, to the east of our camp, the ruins of a large settlement which has extended right across the bed: as the guides seemed to ignore its existence, we named it the Kharbat Ab'l-Mar. Some of the buildings had been on a large scale, and one square measured twenty yards. Here the peculiarity was the careful mining of a granitic hillock on the southern bank. The whole vein of Negro quartz had been cut out of three sides, leaving caves that simulated catacombs. Further west another excavation in the same kind of rock was probably the town-quarry. The two lieutenants were directed next morning to survey this place, and also a second ruin and reef reported to be found on the left bank, a little below camp.

We have now seen, lying within short distances, three several quartz-fields, known as—Marwah, "the single Place or Hill of Ma'" (quartz); Marwt, "the Places of Quartz;" and Ab'l-Mar, the "Father of Quartz;" not to speak of a Nakb Ab Marwah[EN#83] further north. The conclusion forced itself upon me that the name of the celebrated Arab mine Z'l Marwah or El-Marwah, the more ancient (Mochura), which Ptolemy places in north lat. 24 30', applied to the whole district in South Midian, and then came to denote the chief place and centre of work. To judge by the extent of the ruins, and the signs of labour, this focus was at Umm el-Karyt (the "Mother of the Villages"), which, as has been shown, is surrounded by a multitude of miner-towns and ateliers. And the produce of the "diggings" would naturally gravitate to El-Bad, the great commercial station upon the Nabathan "Overland."

Thus El-Marwah would signify "the Place of Mar," or "Quartz-land," even as Ophir means "Red Land." A reviewer of my first book on Midian objects to the latter derivation; as Seetzen, among others, has conclusively shown that Ophir, the true translation of which is riches,' is to be looked for in Southern Arabia." Connu! But I question the "true translation;" and, whilst owning that one of the Ophirs or "Red Lands" lay in the modern Yemen, somewhere between Sheba (Sab) and Havilah (Khauln), I see no reason for concluding that this was the only Ophir. Had it been a single large emporium on the Red Sea, which collected the produce of Arabia and the exports of India and of West Africa, the traditional site could hardly have escaped the notice of the inquiring Arabian geographers of our Middle Ages. The ruins of a port would have been found, and we should not be compelled theoretically to postulate its existence.

* * * * * *

And now nothing remained but to escape as quickly as possible from the ugly Wady Mismh; with its violent, dusty wester, or sea-breeze, and its sun-glare which, reflected and reverberated by the quartz, burned the grass and made the trees resemble standing timber.

April 10th saw the last of our marches, a hurry back to the stable, a sauve qui peut. The camel-men, reckless of orders, began to load and to slip away shortly after midnight. Ali Marie, who, as usual, had lost his head, when ordered to enjoin silence gave the vain and vague direction, "Tell the Arabs to tell the camels not to make so much noise." Even the bugler sounded the "general" of his own accord; and the mules, now become painfully intelligent, walked as if they knew themselves to be walking homewards. Our last stage lay over the upper skirts of the maritime plain which has already been noticed. At 10.15 am., after riding five hours and thirty minutes (= seventeen miles), we found ourselves once more upon the seaboard. Our kind host, Captain Hasan Bey, came to meet us in his gig: the quarter-deck had been dressed with flags, as for a ball; and before twelve bells struck, we had applied ourselves to an excellent breakfast in the gun-room of our old favourite, the Sinnr. The auspicious day of course ended with a fantasia.



Rsum of Our Last Journey.



We had left the Sharm Yhrr on March 21st, and returned to it on April 13th; a total of twenty-four days. Our actual march through South Midian, which had lasted thirteen days (March 29—April 10), described a semicircle with El-Wijh about the middle of the chord. The length is represented by 170 miles in round numbers: as usual, this does not include the various offsets and the by-paths explored by the members; nor do the voyages to El-Wijh and El-Haur, going and coming, figure in the line of route. The camels varied from fifty-eight to sixty-four, when specimens were forwarded to the harbour-town. The expenditure amounted to92 13s., including pay and "bakhshsh" to the Baliyy Shaykhs, but not including our friends the Sayyid, Furayj, and the Wakl Mohammed Shahdah.

This southern region differs essentially from the northern, which was twice visited, and which occupied us two months, mostly wasted. Had we known what we do now, I should have begun with the south, and should have devoted to it the greater part of our time. Both are essentially mining countries; but, whilst the section near Egypt preserves few traces of the miner, here we find the country carefully and conscientiously worked. The whole eastern counterslope of the outliers that project from the Ght-section known as the mountains of the Tihmat-Balawyyah, is one vast outcrop of quartz. The parallelogram between north lat. 26 degrees, including the mouth of the Wady Hamz, and north lat. 27, which runs some fifteen miles north of the Bad plain, would form a Southern Grant, sufficiently large to be divided and subdivided as soon as judged advisable.

If the characteristics of North Midian (Madyan Proper) are its argentiferous, and especially its cupriferous ores, South Midian worked chiefly gold and silver, both metals being mentioned by the mediaeval geographers of Arabia. Free gold in paillettes was noticed by the Expedition in the micaceous schists veining the quartz, and in the chalcedony which parts the granite from the gneiss. The argentiferous Negro quartz everywhere abounds, and near the ruins of Bad lie strews of spalled "Mar," each fragment showing its little block of pure lead. Saltpetre is plentiful, and a third "Sulphur hill" rises from the maritime plain north of the Wady Hamz.

The principal ruins and ateliers number five; these, beginning from the north, are the Umm el-Karyt, the Umm el-Harb, the Bjat-Bad, the Kharbat Ab'l-Mar, and the old Nabathean port, E1-Haur. Amongst them is not included the gem of our discovery, the classical shrine, known as Gasr Gurayyim Sa'd, nor the minor ateliers, El-Kubbah, Ab'l-Gezz, and the remains upon the Marwt ridge. Good work was done by the Egyptian Staff-officers in surveying the fine harbour of El-Dumayghah, so well fitted as a refuge for pilgrim-ships when doing quarantine; and I venture upon recommending, to the English and Egyptian Governments, my remarks concerning the advisability of at once re-transferring the station to El-Wijh. It is now at Tor; and, as has been said, it forms a standing menace, not only to the Nile Valley, but to the whole of Europe.

Whilst abounding in wood, the Southern Country is not so well watered as are Central and Northern Midian On the other hand, the tenants, confined to the Baliyy tribe, with a few scatters of the despised Hutaym, are milder and more tractable than the Huwaytt. As I have remarked, they are of ancient strain, and they still conserve the instincts of their predecessors, or their forefathers, the old mining race. It will be necessary to defend them against the raids and incursions of the Juhaynah, or "Sons of Dogs," who border upon them to the south, and from the Alaydn-Anezah to the south-east; but nothing would be easier than to come to terms with the respective Shaykhs. And the sooner we explore the Jaww, or sandstone region in the interior, with its adjacent "Harrahs," the better for geography and, perhaps not less, for mineralogy. The great ruins of Madin Slih upon the Wady Hamz still, I repeat, await the discoverer.



Conclusion.



The next day saw us at El-Wijh, dispensing pay and "bakhshsh" to the companions of our Desert march; and shipping the men and mules, with the material collected during the southern journey. The venerable Shaykh Afnn and his Baliyy were not difficult to deal with; and they went their way homewards fully satisfied. We exchanged a friendly adieu, or rather an au revoir, with our excellent travelling companion, Mohammed Shahdah; and I expressed my sincere hopes to find him, at no distant time, governor of the restored Quarantine-station.

On the morning of April 12th we set out betimes, and anchored for the night in one of the snug bays of Jebel Nu'man. The next day placed us at the Sharm Yhrr, where the process of general distribution happily ended. Here the final parting took place with the gallant companions of our four months' travel. Shaykh Furayj, delighted with the gift, in addition to his pay, of a Styrian skean-dhu and an Austrian Werndl-carbine, at once set off to rejoin the tribe up-country; while the Sayyid steadfastly stayed with us to the last. These men had become our friends; and my sorrow at leaving them was softened only by the prospect of presently seeing them again.

Immediately after my return to Cairo I strongly recommended the Sayyid for promotion, in these words:—"First and foremost is the Sayyid Abd el-Rahm, the head of a noble family, settled for generations at El-Muwaylh, where he is now Ktib (accountant') to the Fort. He knows thoroughly the whole Land of Midian; he is loved and respected by all the Arabs, and both he and his are devoted to the Government of your Highness. Evidently it would be advantageous to promote such a man to the post of governor of the place—a post which will presently become of high importance, and which is actually held by an old officer, almost bed-ridden.

"The second is Shaykh Mohammed Shahdah, of El-Wijh, a man of family and position; known far and wide, and made generally popular by his generous and charitable actions. He was formerly Wakl, or agent,' to the Fort el-Wijh, until that office was abolished. The port will presently have its custom-house; and I propose forwarding to her Britannic Majesty's Government my notes upon the subject of the Quarantine-station, which has imprudently been transferred from Arabia to Tor, in the Sinaitic Peninsula. Meanwhile it would, I venture to suggest, be most advantageous if Mohammed Shahdah were named governor of his native place."

The Expedition, in its urgent desire to return northwards, was not seconded by weather. Despite an ugly gale, the Sinnr boldly attempted giving the slip to Arabia on April 16th, but she was beaten back before she reached El-Muwaylah. After another stormy day, we again got up steam; and, fighting hard against adverse winds and waves, greatly to the distress of the unfortunate mules and gazelles, we reached Suez on April 20th.

At Suez my wife had been awaiting me for long weeks, preferring the simplicity of the Desert to the complex life of Cairo. Some delay was again necessary in order to telegraph our arrival, to apply for a special train, and to sort and pack in the travelling-cases our twenty-five tons of specimens. As often happens, the return to civilization was in nowise cheery. Everything seemed to go wrong. For instance, the Dragoman despatched to town from the New Docks in order to lay in certain comforts, such as beef and beer, prudently laid out the coin in a brand-new travelling suit intended for his own service. Such an apology for a dinner had not been seen during the last four months of wild travel—unpleasant when guests have been bidden to a feast! The night at the Docks, also, was a trifle mortuary, over-silent and tranquil: all hands, officers and men, who could not get leave to sleep ashore, simply took leave—I believe myself to have been for a time both captain and crew of the Sinnr. And, lastly, we heard that both our dog-companions, Juno and Pij, had died of some canine epidemic.

The next day ended our halt at Suez, with visits to slop-shops and a general discussion of choppes. The old hotel, under the charge of Mr. and Mrs. Adams, had greatly improved by the "elimination" of the offensive Hindi element; and my old friends of a quarter-century's standing received me with all their wonted heartiness. Sa'd Bey was still a Bey, but none the less jovial and genial; Captain Ali Bey, who had commanded the Sinnr, was now acting commodore; and my only regret was having again missed Colonel Gordon (Pasha).

April 22nd convinced us that, even in these prosaic regions, our misadventures and accidents had not reached their fated end. A special train had been organized by Hanafi Effendi for eight a.m. About ten miles from Suez one of the third-class carriages began "running hot;" and, before we could dismount, the axle-box of a truck became a young Vesuvius in the matter of vomiting smoke. I ordered the driver, who was driving furiously, to make half speed; but even with this precaution there were sundry stoppages; and at the Naffshah station, where my Bolognese acquaintances still throve, we could not be supplied with a change of "rolling-stock." About Tell el-Kabr, the brake-van also waxed unsafely warm; but it reached Zagzig without developing more caloric. Briefly, we caught fire three times in one morning.

These accidents must always be expected, where spare carriages are placed for months upon sidings to become tinder in the sun; and where the cracks and crevices of the woodwork fill up with the silicious sand of the Desert, an admirable succedaneum for flint and steel. One consolation, however, remained to us: the Dragoman, brand-new clothes and all, was left behind at Suez. His last chef d'uvre of blundering has already been noticed[EN#84]—the barrel of Midianitish oysters sent to Admiral M'Killop (Pasha) had been so carelessly headed up, and so carefully turned topsy-turvy, that the result was, to use my friend's words, they could be nosed from the half-way station. The "Kyrios" had probably passed a Bacchanalian night with his Hellenic friends, and he subsequently made act of presence at Cairo with a very British-looking black eye. His accident at Suez was a bit of "poetical justice," which almost convinced one of the "moral government."

A succulent breakfast la fourchette, in the charming garden of our friend M. Vetter, of Zagzig, duly discussed, we again went "on board," amusing the lookers-on by our naive enjoyment of the Nile-valley: they had not been in Arabia, and they found the "emerald-green" dusty and yellow. We reached Cairo at 5.30 p.m. More troubles! Ten minutes after arrival we found ourselves in possession, in sole charge of the gare. The train was loaded with Government property, officers, soldiers and escort, mules, boxes and bags of specimens whose collecting had cost money. Yet station-master, agent, and employs at once went their ways, declining even to show the room allotted to our goods, although a telegram from the railway authorities had advised me that one had been made ready. The assistant-agent, when at last hunted up, declared, before vanishing once more, that the porters for whom we applied were busy loading cotton, and that we must e'en do the best we could for ourselves. So the waggons were shunted and unloaded by their tenants, and the minerals were deposited under a kind of shed whose key was not forthcoming. We failed to find even a light, till the local train from Suez was announced; and, when it began whistling, the officials, who had returned like rats from their holes, gave us peremptory directions to shunt again. This time, however, I had the game in my hands; and replied by taking due precautions against being turned out.

At first the soldier-escort worked as well as could be expected; but the numbers fell off every quarter of an hour, till we were left with a very select party; the only recipients, by-the-by, of "bakhshsh." The Sub-Lieutenant Mohammed Effendi mounted a donkey the moment he stepped out of the R.R. carriage; and, utterly disregarding so vexatious a frivolity as asking leave, rode off to his home at Torah. His example was followed by the Sergeant Mabrk Awaz. And yet both these men had the impudence to call upon me at the hotel, and to apply for especial Shahdahs, or "testimonials" of good conduct. In short, we were detained at the station for three mortal hours, working with our own hands. If this be a fair specimen of European management in Egypt, and I am told that it has now become worse, much worse in every way, the sooner we return to Egyptian mismanagement the better. The latter is, at any rate, cheap and civil.

On the next day the Viceroy graciously sent his junior Master of Ceremonies, his Excellency Tonino Bey, to welcome me back; and I was at once honoured with audiences at the Khedivial Palace, Abidin, and by Prince Husayn Kmil Pasha at Gizah (Jzah). The Khediv was pleased to express satisfaction with my past exertions, and ordered several measures to be carried out at once. Amongst them was a little exhibition of mineralogy and archaeology, maps and plans, sketches and croquis, at the Hippodrome.

I need hardly say that his Highness at once saw the gist of the matter. Many concessions had been applied for, even from Australia; but the Viceroy determined that, before any could be granted, careful analyses of the specimens must be made, at his Highness's private expense, in London. M. Ferdinand de Lesseps, of world-wide fame, volunteered, in the most friendly way, to submit chantillons of the rocks to the Parisian Acadmie des Sciences, of which he is a distinguished member. The Viceroy was also pleased spontaneously to remind me of, and to renew, the verbal promise made upon my return from the first Expedition to Midian; namely, that I should be honoured with a concession, or that a royalty of five per cent. on the general produce of the mines should be the reward of discovery. The young Minister of Finance, Prince Husayn Kmil Pasha, after courteously congratulating me upon the successful result of our labours, put as usual the most pertinent of questions.

The opening of our little Exposition was delayed by sundry difficulties. The Greek Easter set in with its usual severity about later April. A general shop-shutting, a carouse unlimited, catholic, universal; and, despite stringent police orders, a bombardment of the town by squibs and crackers, were the principal features of the fte. The 29th was the classical Shamm el-Nasin, or "the Smelling of the Zephyr," a local May-day religiously kept with utter idleness. Mr. W. E. Hayns and I utilized it by going a flint-hunting on the left bank of the Nile.[EN#85] Then the terrible "May coupon" gave immense trouble and annoyance to the rulers; who, so far from making merry with the lieges, had to work in person between five a.m. and midnight. After such exertion as this, rest was of course necessary. Subsequently, a grand review monopolized one day; another was spent by the Court in despatching the young Prince Fu'd to Switzerland; and yet another was given to his Highness the Prince Hasan Pasha, Commander-in-Chief of the Egyptian auxiliaries, who, on the conclusion of the war, had returned to Cairo en route for Europe.

Briefly, it was not before May 9th that the Khediv, accompanied by the Prince hritier, Taufk Pasha, found leisure personally to open the Exhibition—the first, by-the-by, ever honoured with the Viceregal presence. Despite all my efforts, the rooms, which should have been kept clear till his Highness had passed through, were crowded at an early hour. The maps prepared at the Citadel by Lieutenants Amir and Yusuf, with the aid of three extra hands, were very imperfect, half finished at the last moment, and abounding in such atrocities as "Ouorh" for "El-Wijh." The engineer, M. Marie, when asked aloud, and with all publicity, by the Khediv whether he was sure that such and such specimens contained gold, shirked a direct reply, evasively declaring that "Midian is a fine mining country." He had pointed out to me the precious metal during our exploration of Umm el-Karyat; but such is the wretched result of "knowing the people," instead of telling the truth like a man. And one of the many jealous, a mild Mephisto., whispered in the Viceregal ear, "There can't be much gold there, or ces messieurs would have said more about it."

Despite these small contretemps the Exhibition[EN#86] was pronounced a success, and served, as such things do, for a nine days' wonder. Several travellers from England and Australia took the opportunity of inspecting the rocks; and I was much encouraged to find the general opinion so highly favourable. Locally there were dissidents, but this must be expected where interests differ.

Meanwhile his Highness kept me hard at work. I was directed to draw up a concise general description of the province; to report upon the political and other measures by which the Midian country would be benefited; and, lastly, to suggest the means which, in my humble opinion, were best calculated for successfully working the mines. In former days the Viceroy would at once have undertaken the task, and probably would have sent down five thousand men to open the diggings. Now, however, the endless trickery of European adventurers and speculators has made a wise precaution absolutely necessary. During the last audience, his Highness ably and lucidly resumed the history of the past measures, and the steps which he proposed for the future. The first Khedivial Expedition had been simply one of exploration, sent to ascertain whether the precious metals really existed. The second was intrusted with the charge of laying down the probable limits of the mining formation; and of bringing back varied specimens, in quantities sufficient for scientific analysis. The third and next step would be to organize a Compagnie de Recherche, with the object of beginning a serious exploitation. The future thus settled, I was kindly and courteously dismissed, with a desire that I should take charge of the specimens, and personally superintend the work of assaying. Mr. Charles Clarke received pay and leave for three months, and was ordered to convey the boxes by "long sea."

On May 10th we left Cairo in company with our friend Mr. Garwood, C.E. At Alexandria a great repose fell upon my spirit; it was like gliding into a smooth port after a storm at sea. All the petty troubles and worries of Cairo; the cancans, the intrigues, the silly reports of the envious and the jealous, with the buzz and sting of mosquitoes; the weary waiting; the visits of "friends" whose main object in life seemed to be tuer le ver; and the exigencies of my late fellow-travellers, who, after liberal pay and free living for four months, seemed determined to quarter themselves upon the Egyptian Government for the rest of their natural lives;—all these small cares, not the less annoying because they were small, disappeared like magic at the first glimpse of blue water. I had barely time to pass an afternoon at Ramleh, "the Sand-heap," with an intimate of twenty-five years' standing, Hartley John Gisborne, an old servant of the Egyptian "Crown," for whom new men and new measures have, I regret to see, made the valley of the Nile no longer habitable.

The next Sunday placed us on board the Austro-Hungarian Lloyd's screw-steamer Austria (Capitano Rossol). As usual, the commander and officers did all they could to make their voyagers comfortable; the Company did the contrary. At this spring season, true, the migratory host of unfeathered bipeds crowds northwards; even as in autumn it accompanies the birds southwards. But when berths are full, passengers should be refused; and if the commercial director prefers dead to live goods, travellers should be duly warned. The accommodation would have been tolerable in a second-class or third-class English steamer, which charges fifteen shillings to a sovereign per diem; here, however, we were paying between 2 and 3.

The Alexandrian agent had been asked to lodge us decently. My wife found herself in a cabin occupied by two nurses. I was placed in a manner of omnibus, a loose box for six, of whom one was an Armenian and two were Circassians from Daghistn—good men enough, but not pleasant as bedroom fellows. No extra service had been engaged for an extra cargo of seventy-two; that is, forty-two first, and thirty second class. There were only three stewards, including the stewardess; and the sick were left to serve themselves. At least half a dozen were required; and, in such places as Trieste and Alexandria, a large staff of cooks and waiters can always be engaged in a few hours. On board any English ship some of the smartest and handiest seamen would have been converted into temporary attendants—here no one seemed to think of a proceeding so far out of the usual way. There was only one, instead of three or four cooks; and the unfortunate had to fill a total of one hundred and thirty-five mouths, the crew included, three times a day. The other tenant of the close and wretched little galley lay sick with spotted typhus; and, after barbarous neglect, he died on the day following our arrival at Trieste—I did not hear that the surgeon of the screw-steamer Austria had met with his deserts by summary dismissal from the service. The Austro-Hungarian Lloyd's was once famed for good living; over-economy and high dividends have now made the cuisine worse than the cheapest of tables d'hte. Provisions as well as their preparation were so bad that Sefer Pasha, an invalid, confined himself to a diet of potatoes and eggs.

Add the quasi-impossibility of obtaining a bath; the uncleanliness of the offices; the hard narrowness of the sofas; the small basins, or rather bowls, and the tiny towels like napkins; the clamorous pets of the small fry, cats and dogs; the crowding of second-class passengers on the quarter-deck; and the noise of the Armenian lady beating her maid, who objected to the process in truly dreadful language: throw in an engine which, despite the efforts of her energetic English engineer, Mr. Wilkinson, managed only nine instead of eleven and a half knots an hour; an ugly north-easter off Cape Matapan, bringing tropical downfalls of rain; and a muggy Scirocco off Istria, when we breathed almost as much water as air: and I think that the short entry in my journal, "horridly uncomfortable," was to a certain extent justified by the conduct of the poor Austria. Yet the Austro-Hungarian Lloyd's boasts a dividend of seven per cent. She shall see no more of my money: until she mend her ways I shall prefer the Genoese Rubattino.

But, as the Persian poet has it, n nz bug'zared—"Even these things pass away." At Corfu we were cheered by once more meeting Sir Charles Sebright, who looked hale and hearty as of yore. When we reached Trieste, his Excellency Baron Pino von Friendenthall, accompanied by the most amiable of "better halves," came off in his galley, happily unconscious of typhus; and carried us away without the usual troubles and delays of landing in harbour bumboats. Friendly faces smiled a welcome; and, after an absence of some seven months, I found myself once more in the good town which has given us a home during the last five years.

At Trieste I was delayed for some time, awaiting the report that the specimens collected by the Expedition had arrived at their destination, the warehouses of the London Docks. Mr. Clarke met with obstacles at Suez; and, consequently, did not reach England till June 20th, after twenty-three rough days. As her Majesty's Foreign Office had been pleased to accord me two months of leave to England, I determined to make the voyage by "long sea." Both suffering from the same complaint, want of rest and of roast-beef, as opposed to rosbif, we resolved to ship on board the English steamer Hecla, of the B. and N. A. R. M. S. P. Company, the old Cunard line, famous for never having lost a life, a ship, or a letter. We left Trieste on July 7, 1878, in charge of our excellent commander, Captain James Brown; and, after a cruise of twenty days, vi Venice, Palermo, and Gibraltar—a comfortable, cheery, hygienic cruise in charming weather over summer seas—we found ourselves once more (July 26th) in the city of the Liver.



Appendix I.

DATES OF THE THREE JOURNEYS (Northern, Central, and Southern) made by the Second Khedivial Expedition.



First Journey.



(December 19, 1877, to February 13, 1878.)

December 6, 1877, left Cairo. 10 1877, left Suez. 14 1877, reached El-Muwaylah (Sharm Yhrr) on the "Day of 'Araft." * * * * * December 19, 1877, landed at El-Muwaylah. 21 1877, marched upon Wady Tiryam. 22 1877, marched upon Wady Sharm. 23 1877, marched upon Jebel el-Abyaz. 30 1877, returned to Wady Sharm. January 7, 1878, marched upon 'Aynnah. 8 1878, halted at 'Aynnah. 9 1878, halted at Wady el-'Usaylah. 10 1878, reached Maghir Shu'ayb. 25 1878, marched upon Makn. February 3 1878, embarked for the Mars Dahab in the Sinaitic Peninsula. 4 1878, to the anchorage of El-Nuwaybi'. 5 1878, anchored at Pharaoh's Island. 6 1878, halted at Pharaoh's Island. 7 1878, steamed to El-'Akabah town. 8 1878, ran down Gulf el-'Akabah. 9 1878, anchored under Trn Island. 10 1878, halted at Trn Island. February 11, 1878, ran from wrecking to Sinfir Island. 12 1878, halted at Sinafir Island. 13 1878, returned to El-Muwaylah (Sharm Yhrr).



Second Journey.



(February 17, 1878, to March 8,1878.)

February 17, 1878 walked to ruins of Ab Hawwt. 18 ,, marched upon the Safh Jebel Malh in the Wady Surr. 19 ,, camped in the Sayl Wady el-Jimm. 20 ,, marched upon El-Nagwah. 21 ,, reached the head of the Wady Sadr. 23 ,, camped below the Col, "El-Khuraytah." 24 ,, reached the Hism. 25 ,, descended the two Passes and camped in the "Jayb el-Khuraytah." 26 ,, marched upon the Majr el-Ruways. 27 ,, ,, ,, ,, Wady Damah. 28 ,, ,, ,, ,, ruins of Shuwk. March 1 ,, halted at the ruins of Shuwk. 2 ,, visited the ruins of Shaghab and camped at the Majr el-Wghir. 3 ,, visited the ruins El-Khandak and camped at the plain El-Kutayyifah. 4 ,, marched down the Wady Salm and camped at the M el-Badah. 5 ,, reached Zib town. 6 ,, halted at Zib. 7 ,, visited the turquoise-diggings of Zib and camped at the Myat el-Ghl. 8 ,, returned to El-Muwaylah (Sharm Yhrr).



Complementary Excursion to the Shrr Mountain.



March 13, 1878, camped in the Wady el-Kimah. 14 ,, camped in the Wady el-Kusayb. 15 ,, camped in the Safhat el-Wu'ayrah. 16 ,, up the Shrr. 17 ,, camped in the Wady Kuwayd. 18 ,, returned to El-Muwaylah (Sharm Yhrr).



THIRD JOURNEY.



March 21, 1878, to April 10, 1878.)

March 21, 1878, left Sharm Yhrr and made the Sharm Dumayghah. 22 ,, halted at El-Dumayghah. 23 ,, anchored in harbour of El-Wijh. 24 ,, set out in the Sinnr southwards. 25 ,, anchored at El-Haur. 26 ,, halted at El-Haur.

(On March 26th MM. Marie and Philipin marched from El-Wijh to the Wady Hamz, and rejoined head-quarters on the 28th.)

March 27, 1878 returned to El-Wijh. 29 ,, left El-Wijh and camped at inner fort. 30 ,, to Umm el-Karyt (ruins and mine). 31 ,, visited ruins of El-Kubbah; camped in Wady Dasnah. April 1, 1878 to Umm el-Harb (ruins and mine). 2 ,, camped in the Wady Ab'l-Gezz. 3 ,, camped in the plain of Bad. 4 ,, halted at the plain of Bad. 5 ,, camped at the Ayn el-Kurr. 6 ,, camped in the Wady Laylah. 7 ,, camped in the Wady Ab'l-'Ajj. 8 ,, to the ruins of the Gasr Gurayyim Sa'd (classical temple). 9 ,, to the Ab'l-Mar (Marwah mine). 1O ,, return to El-Wijh.



THE RETURN TO EGYPT.



April 12, 1878 steamed northwards to Nu'man Island. 13 ,, reached El-Muwaylah (Sharm Yhrr). 18 ,, left El-Muwaylah, night at sea. 19 ,, in Gulf of Suez. 20 ,, reached Suez. 22 ,, reached Cairo.



Appendix II.



EXPENSES OF THE EXPEDITION TO MIDIAN, commanded by Captain R. F. Burton, H.B.M. Consul, Trieste.

Cairo, November 1, 1877.

s. d. Sum received from Egyptian Finance 1977 12 0

Amounts Paid out by Order of Captain Burton. s. d.

Hotel bills for five persons (thirty-six days) 149 6 9 Advanced to members of Expedition up to date (May 3rd)[EN#87] 74 12 3 Cost of provisions for journey to Midian, fourteen persons 314 8 9 Cost of tools, chemicals, instruments, canteen, etc. 185 19 0 Medicine chest from Dr. Lowe 10 10 0

Journey to Suez from Cairo, December 6th, 1878:— Hotel bill for eleven persons (three days) 33 3 6 Tobacco for presents to Bedawin 6 8 0 Sundries 13 10 6 Telegrams and post service 3 9 0 ___ 791 7 9

El-Muwaylah, December 16th, to return, February 13th:— Journey to north[EN#88] 316 14 3 Post service 14 8 0 Cost of sheep[EN#89] 32 14 0 Sundries[EN#90] 20 7 7 Five foot-soldiers' salaries 7 4 0

Eastern journey to the Hism[EN#91] 187 6 6 Post service 3 8 0 Cost of sheep[EN#92] 11 19 0 Sundries 5 11 0 Sambk from Suez, as per contract 9 4 0 Soldiers from fort 3 0 0

Journey to Shrr[EN#93] 44 11 6 Cost of sheep[EN#94] 3 4 0 Thirty pairs of boots for soldiers[EN#95] 6 0 0 Sundries 1 0 0 Journey to south[EN#96] 92 13 0 Cost of sheep[EN#97] 15 16 0 Post service 2 0 0 Sundries[EN#98] 18 3 6 Special payments:— Sayyid 'Abd el-Rahm Effendi 16 0 0 Bukhayt 1 12 0 Husayn 1 12 0 Shaykh Furayj 4 0 0 Shaykh Furayj salary for twenty-five days 5 0 0 Expenses at Suez, unloading, etc., and hotel bills for ten persons 39 17 0 Post and telegrams 1 16 0 Suez to Cairo 1 12 6 1658 1 7

Expenses at Cairo up to date May 5, 1878:— Unloading, cartage, and preparing for Exhibition 24 5 5 Salaries of persons engaged from Cairo and Muwaylah:— Anton Dimitri, Giorgi, and Petro[EN#99] 93 17 6 Magazine-man at El-Muwaylah[EN#100] 6 8 0 Sais from Suez, engaged through governor[EN#101] 9 0 0 Mr. Clarke's salary[EN#102] 180 0 0 1971 12 6 In hand for small expenses not yet sent in for payment 5 19 6 1977 12 0 Sent in May 6, 1878.

(Signed) CHAS. CLARKE. (Countersigned) RICHARD F. BURTON. Commanding Expedition.



Appendix III. PRESERVED PROVISIONS AND OTHER STORES, supplied by Messrs. Voltra Bros., of the Ezbekiyyah, Cairo.



s. d. 95 okes potatoes, at 5d. 1 19 7 670 okes best rice, at 8 1/2d. 23 14 7 152 okes sugar, at 11 1/2d. per kilog. 8 19 6 1/2 60 okes ground coffee, at 4s. 6d. 13 10 0 120 tins milk, at 14s. 7 0 0 120 bottles pickles 6 0 0 15 tins butter (of 1 lb.), at 2s. 6d. 1 17 6 60 okes oil, at 2s. 6d. 7 10 0 6 heads English cheese (60 1/4 lbs.) at 1s. 5d. 4 10 4 1/2 160 okes dried French beans, at 10d. 6 13 4 60 okes maccaroni and paste 3 0 0 54 okes onions, at 7d. 1 11 6 10 okes garlic, at 10d. 0 8 4 50 packets candles 2 10 0 5 okes cavendish tobacco, at 12s. 3 0 0 6 okes tobacco (Turkish), at 24s. 7 4 0 120 bottles soda-water, at 8d. per dozen 4 0 0 20 bottles syrups, at 2s. 2 0 0 50 bottles vinegar 2 10 0 10 dozen beer, at 11s. 5 10 0 15 bars soap, at 1s. 6d. 1 2 6 20 pots mustard, at 1s. 6d. 1 10 0 6 bottles curry, at 1s. 6d. 0 9 0 20 lbs. table raisins 0 16 0 10 large bottles pepper, at 2s. 1 0 0 118 6 3

10 small packets salt, at 1s. 0 10 0 5 large packets salt at 1s. 6d. 0 7 6 6 bottles sauces, at s. 12d. 0 7 0 12 bottles lime-juice, at 2s. 6d. 1 10 0 12 umbrellas, at 4s. 2 8 0 12 bottles blacking, at 1s. (for tracing inscriptions) 0 12 0 6 lanterns, at 1s. 6d. 0 9 0 12 large tins sardines, at 1s. 6d. 0 18 0 2 corkscrews, at 1s. 3d. 0 2 6 2 opening knives 0 2 0 101 1/4 okes of biscuits, at 1s. 5 1 3 1 case Mumm's champagne 4 5 0 1 case cognac, XX 2 8 0 1 case whisky 1 16 0 1 tin plum-pudding 0 2 6 10 packets matches, at 1s. 2d. 0 11 8 8 barrels flour, at L3 24 0 0 4 okes Curani (Kora'ni) tobacco, at 16s. 3 4 0 30 lbs. tea, at 4s. 6 0 0 24 tins green peas, at 1s. 1 4 0 18 tins haricots verts, at 1s. 0 18 0 18 tins haricots flageolets, at 1s. 0 18 0 18 tins champignons, at 1s. 2d. 1 1 0 18 tins macedoine, at 1s. 0 18 0 8 tins carrots, at 1s. 0 8 0 16 tins asparagus (large), at 3s. 2 8 0 53 1/2 lbs. ham, at 1s. 6d. 4 0 3 100 bottles 'Rki, at 2s. 10 0 0 100 tins meats, at 1s. 6d. 7 10 0 4 dozen pints beer, at 8s. 1 12 0 7 empty tins for coffee, at 1s. 6d. 0 10 6 17 empty bags 0 14 2 4 okes packing rope, at 2s. 0 8 0 1/4 okes isinglass 0 3 0 2 bottles spices 0 2 0 10 nutmegs 0 1 0 205 16 7

s. d. 1 packet starch 0 3 0 1 oke twine 0 2 6 2 okes nails, at 10d. 0 1 8 1 box cigarette papers 0 8 0 Kitchen utensils 0 13 6 Empty bags 0 2 0 Packing 2 10 0 Total 209 17 3



Additional Supplies.



s. d. 50 bottles 'Rki, at 2s. 5 0 0 95 okes potatoes, at 5d. 1 19 7 16 lbs. tea, at 4s. 3 4 0 50 tins preserved meats, at 1s. 6d. 3 15 0 20 tins green peas, at 1s. 1 0 0 12 tins haricots verts, at 1s. 0 12 0 12 tins champignon, at 1s. 2d. 0 14 0 6 tins first size asparagus, at 4s. 1 4 0 10 tins butter (1 lb.), at 2s. 8d 1 6 8 36 lbs. English cheese, at 1s. 6d. 2 14 0 60 okes maccaroni 3 0 0 126 okes onions, at 7d. 3 13 6 20 packets candles 1 0 0 50 boxes matches, at 1s. 2d. doz. 0 5 0 5 bars soap, at 1s. 6d. 0 7 6 12 bottles sauces, at 1s. 2d. 0 14 0 6 large bottles pepper, at 2s. 0 12 0 10 small packets salt, at 1s. 0 10 0 5 bottles lime-juice, at 2s. 6d. 0 12 6 108 okes hard biscuits, at 1s. 5 8 0 2 1/2 okes snuff 2 10 0 16 lbs. ginger-root, at 1s. 6d. 1 4 0 2 doz. whisky, at 36s. 3 12 0 2 doz. Martel's cognac 4 4 0 6 bottles absinthe, 2s. 6d. 0 15 0 49 16 9

5 bottles Oxley's essence of ginger, at 4s. 1 0 0 5 bottles pyretic saline, at 3s. 6d. 0 17 6 3 boxes seidlitz powders, at 2s. 0 6 0 1 bottle aconite 0 2 6 4 iron tea and coffee kettles 1 14 0 2 empty tins for tea 0 3 0 Packing 1 10 0 Carts, 2s.; railway fare, 82s. 4 4 0 Total 59 13 9



APPENDIX IV. BOTANY AND LIST OF INSECTS.



SECTION I.



PROFESSOR D. OLIVER'S LIST OF DRIED PLANTS presented by Captain Burton to the Herbarium, Royal Gardens, Kew, September, 1878.

Nman North Middle South Isle. Midian. Midian. Midian.

Anastatica hierochuntina, L. Kaff maryam ................ - I - - Morettia parviflora, Boiss. Eaten by cattle. Thagar; Gaf'aa ..................... - - I I Matthiola oxyceras, DC. forma gracilis. Animals eat. Haz; Muhawwil ..... - - I - Malcolmia aegyptiaca, Spr. Animals eat. Tarbeh ...... - I - - Zilla myagroides, F. Silla. Camels eat. ............... - I - - Biscutella Columnae, Ten .... - - I - Diplotaxis Harra? Hrrah. Eaten by cattle. .......... - - I - Diplotaxis acris, Boiss. (Moricandia crassifolia, Gay) ...................... - I - - Sisymbrium erysimoides, Desf. Salih. Eaten by camels and sheep ................. - I I I Farsetia Burtonae, Oliv. sp. nov. Ghurayr ........ - I I - Schimpera arabica, H. and St. ....................... - I - - Enarthrocarpus lyratus, F., vel E. strangulatus, Boiss ..................... - I - - Capparis Sodada, Br. (Sodada decidua, Forsk.). Tanzub. Red berries eaten. ........ - - - I Cleome chrysantha, Dcne. Mashteh. Pounded and drank for worms, etc. ..... - - - I Cleome arabica, L. 'Ubaysd. Eaten by animals. ......... - - - I Papaver Decaisnei, H. and St. - - I - Ochradenus baccatus, Del. Gurzi. A large tree; eaten by cattle ........... - I - I Reseda (Caylusea) canescens, L. Zanabn. Eaten by cattle .................... - I I - Reseda, an R. stenostachya(?), Boiss. Khizm. Eaten by animals ................... - I - - Helianthemum Lippii, Pers. Kazim. Cattle eat. ........ - - I - Silene villosa, Forsk. 'Abays. Too much coated with sand to serve as food for animals .......... - I - - Gypsophila Rokejeka, Del. ... - - I - Polycarpaea fragilis, Del. Makr ...................... I - - - Portulaca oleracea, L. ...... - - - I Hibiscus micranthus, L. fil. forma. Khusiyat Rshid. Eaten by animals. ......... - - I I Abutilon fruticosum, G. and P. (Sida denticulata, Fres.). ................... - - - I Abutilon muticum, Don ....... - - - I Erodium laciniatum, Cav. Garn. Eaten by cattle ... - I I I Monsonia nivea, Gay ......... - I - - Geranium mascatense, Boiss. Hilw. Eaten by man and beast. .................... - - I - Erodium cicutarium, L. ...... - I - - Tribulus terrestris, L. Katbeh .................... - I I I Zygophyllum simplex, L. ..... - - I - Zygophyllum album, L. Gallm. Camels eat. ...... I - - - Zygophyllum coccineum, L. forma (Z. propinqiuum, Dcne.). Murk. Animals eat. .............. - I - - Fagonia cretica, L. van (F. glutinosa, Del.). Shik (North Midian); Darmeh (Nman) ........... I I - - Fagonia mollis, Del. Warg; and young plant of same = Zarag. Animals eat. ...................... - I I - Fagonia Bruguieri, DC. Jamdeh. Animals eat. ...... - I - - Dodonmaea viscosa, L. var. (D. arabica, H. and St.). Athab ............... - - I - Rhus oxyacanthoides, Dum. 'Ar'ar .................... - - I - Neurada procumbens, L. Sadn. Eaten by man and beast. Mountain region. ... - I - I Trianthema pentandra, L. .... - - - I Trianthema(?). (Imperfect specimen.) Rumayh. Eaten by sheep and cattle. ......... - - - I Aizoon canariense, L. D. Grain pounded and eaten. .. - - - I Gisekia pharnaceoides, L. ... - I - - Cucumis prophetarum, L. Locality mislaid. ......... Cotyledon umbilicus, L. forma ..................... - - I - Pimpinella arabica, Boiss. Rujaylet el-Ghurb (Little Crow's-foot). Sheep eat. Locality astray. .......... Pimpinella (Tragium palmetorum? St. and H.). Very young. ............... - I I - Ferula (? sp., leaf only). Kalkh. Animals eat. High up on SHRR. ................. Grammosciadium scandicinum, Boiss. sp. nov. ............ - - I I Medicago laciniata, All. ..... - - I - Taverniera aegyptiaca, Boiss. (ex descr.). Shibrig. Eaten by animals. ................ I - - - Indigofera spinosa, Forsk. Shibrig. Camels eat. Good fodder. .................... - - - I Indigofera paucifolia, D. .... - I - - Indigofera (stunted specimen, may be I. paucifolia). 'Afar. Animals eat. ........ - I - - Tephrosia Apollinea, DC. Dalsam; Twil. Animals eat. - I I I Genista (Retama) monosperma, Del. ....................... - I - - Lotononis Leobordea, Bth. Hurbat. Eaten by cattle. ... - I I - Trigonella stellata, Forsk. (T. microcarpa, Fres.) ..... - I I - Onobrychis(?), possibly O. Ptolemaica. (Barren specimen). ................. - I - - Astragalus sparsus(?), Dcne. . - I - - Astragalus Sieberi, DC. Ghkeh. Dry and pounded root mixed with clarified butter. Drunk as a restorative. ............... - I - I Astragalus Forskahlei, Boiss. Kidd. Camels eat. ........ - I - - Cassia obovata, Coll. Senna .. - I I I Iphiona scabra, DC. Zafrah. Camels eat. ................ - I - - Pulicaria undulata, DC. Rabul. Fine perfume. ....... - I - - Blumea Bovei, DC. (B. abyssinica, Sch.) ...... - I - I Ifloga spicata, Forsk. Zenaymeh. Animals eat. ..... - - - I Asteriscus pygmaeus, C. and Dur. ....................... - - - I Anvillaea Garcini, DC. (fide Boissier). Nukud. Eaten by camels and sheep. . - - I - Anthemis, an A. deserti(?), Boiss. Gahwn. Camels eat: also called Gurrays, pounded and eaten with dates. ..................... - I I I Matricaria (Chamaemelum) auriculata (Boiss.) ........ - - I - Senecio Decaisnei, DC. Umm lewinayn ............... - - I I Senecio coronopifolius, Desf. - I I - Calendula aegyptiaca, Desf. . - - I - Calendula aegyptiaca(?) ..... - I - - Calendula, an var. aegyptiacae(?) ............ - - - I Echinops spinosus, L. Akhshir. Eaten by camels, sheep, and asses. ......... - - I I Zoegea purpurea, Fres. Rubayyn. Cattle eat. .... - - I - Centaurea sinaica, DC. Yemrr. Eaten by sheep, asses, etc. ............... - I - I Picridium tingitanum, Desf. forma. Huww; Tiz el-Kalbeh; El-Haudn. Eaten by man and animals. . - I I I Urospermum picroides, Desf. . - I - - Microrhynchus nudicaulis, Less. 'Azid ............... I - I I Pterotheca bifida, F. and M. - I I - Picris, conf. P. Saha*ae, C. and K. ................. - - - I Picris cyanocarpa, Boiss. ... - - I - Callipeltis cucullaria, Stev. 'Ikrish. Cattle eat. North or Central Midian. Crucianella membranacea, Boiss. ................... - - I - Galium capillare, Dcne ..... - - I - Salvadora persica, L. El-Ark ................. - I - I Rhazya stricta, Dcne. Harjal. Eaten only by mules. Very fragrant. .... - I - - Daemia cordata, R. Br. ..... - - I - Steinheilia radians, Dcne. Fak .................... - I - - Convolvulus Hystrix, V. Shibrim. Root used as a purgative. Animals eat upper part of plant. .... - - - I Cuscuta, conf. C. brevistyla, A. Br. ... - - I - Withania somnifera, Dun. Shajarat el-Dib ......... - I - - Lycium europaeum, L. 'Aushaz. Eaten by animals. ................ - - I I Solanum coagulans(?), Forsk. var. (A small fragment only). ......... - - I - Hyoscyamus pusillus, L. Saykrn ............. - I I - Heliotropium arbainense, Fres. Rahhb. Cattle eat. .................... - I I - Trichodesma africanum, R. Br. Ahmim. Camels and other animals eat. ...... - - I - Echium longifolium(?), Del. Kahl. Animals eat. .... - - I - Anchusa Milleri, W. ....... - - I - Anchusa Milleri(?) young specimens. .............. - - I - Anchusa Milleri(?) young specimens. .............. - I - - Gastrocotyle (Anchusa hispida, Forsk.). Karir. Camels eat. ............. - - - I Arnebia hispidissima, A. DC. Fayn. Animals eat. .................... - I I - Lithospermum callosum, V. . - I - - Lindenbergia sinaica, Bth. Mallih. Cattle eat. - - - I Verbascum (in bud), an V. sinaiticum(?), Bth. . - - - I Verbascum, sp. nov. Samm - - I - Herpestis Monniera, Kth. Nafal. Animals eat. - I - - Veronica Anagallis, L. ... - - - I Linaria aegyptiaca, Dum. . - I - - Linaria macilenta, Dcne. Zuraymat el-Himar. Eaten by animals. ...... - - I - Linaria (* Elatinoides), sp. imperfect. ......... - - I - Linaria simplex(?), DC. .. - I I - Linaria Haelava Chav. (fide Boissier) ........ - I - - Blepharis edulis, Pers. (Acanthodium spicatum, Del.). Shauk el-Jemel. Camels fond of it. ..... - I - I Lavandula coronopifolia, Poir. Zayteh. All animals eat. ........... - I I - Mentha lavandulacea, W. Habag. Animals do not eat. Pounded and mixed with fresh dates, "good for stomach". .......... - I - - Salvia aegyptiaca, L. .... - I - - Salvia deserti, Dcne. .... - - I - Salvia, an S. deserti(?). Jadeh. Pounded in water and snuffed up nose. .................. - - I - Otostegia, var. O. scariosae(?), Bth. (vel O. repanda, Bth.) Ghasseh. Sheep eat. .... - - I I Statice axillaris, Forsk. Annm. Camels eat. .... - I - I Plantago Psyllium, L. Nez'i'ah. Animals eat. . - I I - Plantago amplexicaulis, Cav. Yanameh. Animals eat. ................... - - I - Aerwa javanica, Jass. Rayl. Cattle eat. ...... - I - I Chenopodium murale, L.? .. - I - - Chenopodium murale, L.? (Small seedlings.) Nafal. Cattle eat. ..... - - - I Atriplex dimorphostegia? K. and K. Roghol. Animals eat. ........... - I - - Echinopsilon lanatum, Moq. Garay'. ............... - I - I Suaeda sp.(?). (Small fragment.) .............. - I - - Suaeda sp.(?). (Barren fragments, insect punctured?) 'Asl. Forage plant. ........... I - I - Suaeda monoica? Forsk. Zurayg. Forage plant. . I - - - Salsola(?), cf. S. longifolia, F. Hamz. Camels eat. ............. I - - - Caroxylon(?) (barren specimen), near C., foetidum. Akahrit. Animals eat. ............ I - - - Rumex vesicarius, L. (R. roseus, Del.). Hammz. Animals eat. ... - - I - Emex spinosus, Camp. ...... - I - - Crozophora tinctoria, Juss. Hinaydieh. Not eaten. ... - - - I Euphorbia cornuta, Pers. 'Atir ................... - I - - Euphorbia scordifolia, Jacq. Gharghir. Animals eat. .................... - I - - Euphorbia (Anisophyllum) granulata, Schf. Rugaygeh. Animals eat. .. - - - I Euphorbia (Anisophyllum) granulata, forma(?). Lubayneh. Cattle eat. ... - - - I Juniperus phoenicea, L. At four thousand feet on Sharr. Trunk thicker than a man's body. Halibeh. ................ - - I - Parietaria alsinifolia, Del. .................... - - I - Forskahlea tenacissima, L. Lissk. Animals eat. ... - - I - Asphodelus fistulosus, L. (var. tenuifolius, Bker.). Bo'rak. Only eaten by animals when very hungry. Asses eat. . - I I - Bellevalia flexuosa, Boiss. - I - - Dipcadi erythraeum, Webb .. - I - - Gagea reticulata, R. and S. - I - - Juncus maritimus, L. ...... - - - I Scirpus Holoschoenus, L. Namas. Sent to Egypt for mats. ................... - - - I Cyperus conglomeratus, Rottb. (Young specimens) - I - - Chloris villosa, Pers. .... - - I - AEluropus repens .......... - I - - Tricholaena micrantha, Schrad. Ghazuiar. Eaten by camels, etc. ......... - - I I Panicum turgidum, Forsk. Zarram. Good fodder. .... - I - I Arundo Donax, L. Kasb ... - I - - Polypogon monspeliensis, Desf. Khfr. Sheep eat. .................... - - - I Stipa tortilis, Desf. Pehmeh. Animals eat. .... - I I I Aristida caerulescens, Desf. Shrib el-Kale. Animals eat. ............ - I I - Hordeum maritimum, L. ..... - I - - Pappophorum, an P. phleoides(?), R. and S. Nejil. Sheep eat. ....... - - - I Barren specimen. Indeterminable. Grass ... - I - - Grass(?). Root and leaves. Hashmil. Animals eat. ... I - - - Typha(?). Root and fragments of leaves. Birdi ................... - - - I Grass. Fragmentary. Zeh. Cattle eat. ............. - - - I Chara foetida, Braun. 'Ishnik ................. - I - - A barren fragment of undershrub, with opposite fleshy leaves with recurved margins. Ajid. Eaten by animals. Doubtful. ............... I - - -

D. OLIVER.



SECTION II.



The spirit-specimens submitted to Mr. William Carruthers, of the British Museum, are described by him as follows:—

1. Phallus impudicus, Linn. (in Arab. Faswat el-'Ajz). The common "stinkhorn," extremely common in some districts of England, and obtruding on the notice of every one from its detestable odour. It is widely distributed over America and Africa, as well as Europe, but I find no record of its occurring in Asia.

2. Tulostoma mammosum, Fr. Also British, but not so common. Widely distributed.

3. Phelipoea lutea, Desf. A dark, fleshy broom-rape, with scaly leaves. We have one species of the same genus in England. They are parasitic on the roots of plants; and the Midianite species, which is found in North Africa, Egypt, and Arabia, grows on the roots of a Chenopodium.

4. Cynomorium coccineum, Mich. A fleshy, leafless plant, also a root- parasite. It was called by old writers Fungus Melitensis, and was of much repute in medicine. It is known from the Himalayas to the Canary Islands, and is said by Webb, in his history of the Canaries, to be eaten in the Island of Lancerotte.

5. Doemia cordata, R. Br. A spiny shrub, with roundish leaves and small sharp-pointed fruit, found in Egypt and Arabia.

6. Capparis galeata, Fres., with large fruit, long and pear-shaped. This caper is well known; from Syria and Egypt.

(Signed) W. CARRUTHERS.

INSECTS COLLECTED IN MIDIAN BY CAPTAIN BURTON. (Identified by Mr. Frederick Smith, of the British Museum.)

COLEOPTERA.

Geodephaga

l. Anthia 12 guttata.

Melolonthidoe.

2. Schizonycha reflexa. 3. Pachydema.

Dynastidoe.

4. Heteronychus.

Curculionidoe.

5. Cleonus arabs.

Heteromera.

6. Mesostenanear punctipennis. 7. Adesmia. 8. Akis Goryi? 9. Mylabris.

Hemiptera.

10. Nepa rubra.

Mantidoe.

11. Eremiaphila arenaria. 12. Blepharis mendica.

Orthoptera.

13. Acocera. 14. Acridium peregrinum. 15. Poecilocera bufonia.

Scorpionidea.

16. Androctonus funestus. 17. " leptochelys. 18. " quinquestriatus.

Arachnida.

19. Galeodes arabs, in spirit. 20. Clubiona Listeri, in spirit.

(Signed) FREDK. SMITH.



APPENDIX V.



METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL (December 19, 1877, to April 17, 1878).



METEOROLOGICAL NOTES ON TRAVELLING IN MIDIAN.

Midian follows the rule of Syria—travel in the spring. The best time on the seaboard is during the months of March, April, and May. In the mountains and the Hism plateau, April, May, and June are the most favourable. In Syria (Damascus) the autumn is dangerous: the finest travelling weather is in March to May. The second best season is between October and December.

January and February are cold; the latter also (sometimes) rainy.

March is stormy at first (El-'Uwweh), but afterwards gets warmer (El-Ni'm). Dews now begin, and last some three months: they wet everything like a sharp shower, and make the air feel soppy.

In July the first dates come in. Fevers are prevalent during this month, and also during August and September.

October is a month of heat and drought.

In November the first cold occurs.

December is the coldest month.

NOTES on TRAVELLING IN LOWER EGYPT.

September is very bad—all should escape who can. Fruits everywhere; sun hot; air damp with irrigation water, white fogs and other horrors.

October is a good month, the weather being neither too hot nor too cold.

November is the month of the "second water" irrigation about Cairo.

December is pleasant.

January is cold and sometimes wet.

February is stormy, and even foggy with sand-mist.

March is windy, but on the whole a good month, except for Khamsin, which begins about March 20th.

April begins to feel warm (April 29, 1878, Shamm el-Nasim).

The winter presents a marvellous contrast to that of England, which can often show one hour and five minutes' sunlight in the twenty-four, or 2.8 per cent. of its possible duration.

THE TIDES

In El-'Akabah are like Suez: first of month, flood, 6—12 a.m. and p.m.; ebb, the rest. But at Suez the tides rise one metre, and at times two metres; at El-'Akabah (February 7), one foot.

For the instruments NOT used in this Expedition, see Chap. I. p. 11.

The barometre aneroid sold by M. Ebner was partially repaired by M. Lacaze, and served for Mr. David Duguid's observations.

My pocket set by Casella (maker to the Admiralty and Ordnance) consisted of—

One watch aneroid (compensated, 1182). Two sets wet and dry bulb thermometers (one broken). One set maxima and minima thermometers, Nos. 12,877 and 12,906. Two pocket hygrometers not numbered.



OBSERVATIONS TAKEN DURING FIRST MARCH BETWEEN DECEMBER 19, 1877, AND FEBRUARY 18, 1878



December 19, 1877, compared ship's (Mukhbir) mercurial barometer, 758 millimetres, with my aneroid by Casella (29.85) = 765 millimetres; difference in ship's, + 007 millimetre.

January 31, 1878, returned on board Mukhbir at Makn. Ship's mercurial barometer, 773 millimetres; my aneroid by Casella, 764 millimetres; difference in ship's, + 009 millimetre.

Date. Time. Aneroid Aneroid Ther. Dry Wet Hygr. Remarks. Inches. Milli. (deg.)Bulb. Bulb.(deg.)

Dec. 19. 7a.m. 29.85 765 76 - - 58 On deck of gunboat Mukhbir, at Sharm Yahrr, steaming to El- Muwaylah. Morning ugly. Strong land-breeze, turned to Azyab ("south- easter"). Waves rising. Dark-blue clouds to windward.

Noon. 29.80 757 77 - - 54 In big tent on shore, open east and west. Wind high. Everything feels damp; looks gloomy; mountains almost hidden by clouds. Landscape that of Europe. No sun nor sunshine all day.

3p.m. 29.09 - 86 - - 51 In my small tent. Clearing to windward (north). Wind veering to north. Moon nearly full. High fleecy clouds. Sea high. No sun all day.

Azyab (the wet wind) generally lasts two or three days; veers round by west to north. Much rain has already fallen (Arab lies). Land green (all brown); grass plentiful (not a blade to be seen). Rains here December 15th to February 15th; downfall one hour to four hours, then clears. On December 8th, violent rain for one hour; filled all the torrents (Sayl).

Dec. 20. 7a.m. 29.80 758 63 - - 40 In small tent open to east. Morning clear. Few fleecy clouds: cool and bright. "Misri" from north-west; cold and rain.

3p.m. 29.92 759 78 - - 32 Hot in tents, cool in breeze. "Misri" high and strong sea. At 1.10 p.m. heavy clouds; expected rain—few heavy drops.

AT EL-MUWAYLAH AND RAS WADY TIRYAM.

Dec. 21. 6.35a.m. 30.02 763 71 - - 35 Inside tent. Full moon and clear. Dawn, 6 a.m.; night, 6.30. Speckled clouds.

Noon. 30.48 764 76 - - 48 Under umbrella. Air clear. Mottled clouds on mountains. Sea horizon. Low white bank of clouds.

3p.m. 30.05 763 77 - - 39 "Misri." High cirri from west. Big black cloud over sea. Suspected rain: Arabs said no. Cloud dispersed.

AT RAS WADY TIRYAM.

Dec. 22. 7a.m. 30.01 760 57 - - 32 Cold night. Clear morning. Cold sunrise. Dry north-wester. Instruments on paper, resting on the sand. Very dry.

Noon. 30.14 - 82 - - 22 Very dry. Straight streaks of cirri everywhere.

4p.m. 30.00 763 72 - - 17 At Wady Sharm, on sand protected from west wind. Bright moon, showed halo.

Kayhak 14 begins the Coptic winter, properly speaking evening of 13th; after sunset 1 hour 51 minutes. Sea-breeze and land-winds regular to-day and throughout the month.

AT WADY SHARM.

Dec. 23. 7a.m. 29.90 760 58 - - 19 Instruments on box standing on sand. Moon with halo at night. Red sunrise, grey clouds. Mountains blue-grey, brightly defined. Before dawn moon two halos, large and small. Fleecy clouds. Nine a.m. clear, sun hot.

2.30p.m. 29.15 740 78 - - 25 Under rock in upper Wady Sharm. Streaky cirri. Sun hot; air cool. Little sea-breeze, kept off by hills.

Arrived at the "White Mountain," and stayed there a week.

4p.m. 29.12 740 75 - - 28 At Jebel el-Abyaz, on box behind tent sheltered from wind. Air quite still; streaky cirri. Camp Jebel el- Abyaz, say, 800 feet above sea. Felt very dry.

AT JEBEL EL-ABYAZ.

Dec. 24 7a.m. 29.10 738 61 - - 29 In mess tent on mess table. Cold. Mottled clouds east and zenith. Grey bank to sea reddened by sunrise, like storm clouds. Rain here from Azyab ("south- east"). Sunrise at Cairo, 6.55 a.m.

Noon. 29.00 737 64 63 55 33 Suspended instruments. Grey day: cold breeze from east. Cold comes only from wind; when no breeze, very mild. Getting greyer and colder. Very like rain— heavey clouds.

3.10p.m. 29.00 737 64 64 52 28 Wind west, cold and raw. Air grey and cold. Evening cold; clouds dispersed, sun came out. Wind to west, inclining to north.

Small thermometer shows higher than Casells because in brass case; not so well exposed to air.

Dec. 25. 7a.m. 29.10 739 50 50 45 29 Morning cool and clear.

Noon. 29.20 - 72 68 55 21 Very clear, still, and hot. Slight breeze from sea (west). Sun strong. Swarms of flies. Dry bulb in sun, 73 degrees; wet, 60 degrees.

3p.m. 29.16 741 72 69 54 15 Cool and gentle breeze from sea, dispersing the swarms of flies. At times "sand-devil" from north-west.

All this day's observations taken on writing table in large tent. Night cold: cold severest after two a.m. and before sunrise. Sky at night perfectly clear. Wind from north turning to east, a Barri ("land-breeze"). Height of Jebel el- Abyaz above tents, by aneroid = 350 feet (29.20 - 28.85 = 0.35).

Dec. 26. 7.15a.m. 29.21 743 48 46 43 22 In tent. Sky perfectly clear.

Noon. 29.26 - 76 77 55 6 Sun very hot. Air quite still. Fleecy clouds from west over the sun.

4.45p.m. 29.23 743 73 69 55 8 Sun cooler. Air perfectly clear.

Dec. 27. 7a.m. 29.16 740 50 49 43 5 3 In tent. Morning cold and clear: few flecks of cloud to east. Air feels intensely dry.

12.30p.m.29.23 743 77 74 58 9 Fine cirri high up. Sky blue. Sun veiled at times. Very little wind, a breath from north.

3.20p.m. 59.16 742 80 77 56 6 Sky with filmy white clouds, thicker at west. Sun hidden; very hot at noon (rain-sun?). Not a breath of air. Sense of intense dryness. Ink evaporates at once. Cool breeze started up shortly after 3.30 p.m. from west, then clouds thickened. Thermometer fell 4 degrees.

Cool evening; quite clear. Fevers and feverish colds begin to show themselves in camp. Minimum thermometer during night—No. 1, 45 degrees; No. 2, 46 degrees; French, 15-1/2 degrees (Centigrade).

Dec. 28 7a.m. 29.10 739 55 53 46 10 In tent. Still. Neither warm nor cold. Mottled clouds.

Noon. 29.13 740 78 72 58 4 Clouds thin. Sun very hot (rain-sun?). Light breeze from north-west.

3p.m. 29.10 739 79 72 58 - Feels intensely dry. Hot, close. Heavy clouds, and purple to west. Gusts from west.

No wind. Morning and evening very mild. At eight p.m. dark cloud moving from south-west to mountains. Drops of rain; then stars. Minimum thermometers during night, both 48 degrees. None of the maximum will act.

Dec. 29. 7a.m. 29.10 738 58 58 54 9 In tent. Cool, clear. Blue-pink in west. Light sea-breezes from west. Must be awfully hot in summer. In closed tent at eleven a.m., 92 degrees.

Noon. 29.13 - 77 75 60 10 Nice breeze from sea (west), bending to north.

4p.m. 29.00 739 82 79 59 5 Warm and quite still.

Mean of nineteen aneroid observations at Jebel el-Abyaz = 29.13.

MARCH FROM JEBEL EL-ABYAZ TO WADY SHARM.

Dec. 30. 7a.m. 29.10 739 56 - - 7 Clear, still. No speck of cloud. Moon Nim (sleeping = *[figure]).

5p.m. 29.88 758 66 - - 8 Air quite clear. Camped at Sharm. Change to shore pleasant and soft.

Noon on journey; sun very hot. Evening still. Violent weather at night; cold and comfortless. Abated somewhat after sunrise.

AT SHARM, IN BIG TENT OPEN NORTH AND SOUTH.

Dec. 31. 7a.m. 29.88 758 59 - - 7 Wind cold and dusty. Sky perfectly clear. A few light mist-clouds on mountain-wall.

Noon. 29.94 760 75 73 58 6 Wind still. Sun much warmer.

3p.m. 29.90 - 74 71 58 3 Wind cool; some dust.

Clouds about sunset sailing out of Suez Gulf, forming archipelago of sky islets. Dark bank to south. Minimum thermometer at night = 42 degrees.

AT SHARM, IN BIG TENT OPEN NORTH AND SOUTH (about 100 feet above sea-level).

Jan. 1. 7a.m. 29.90 759 53 50 45 10 Clear, fine, quite still. Nice breeze began about nine a.m.

Noon. 29.97 - 71 69 57 4 Cold. North wind high. Light clouds to west; the rest clear.

3p.m. 29.94 760 73 72 61 4 Clouds to west from Suez sea.

High wind fell before midnight. Cold—sat in tent. Flies troublesome everywhere. Minimum at night, 42-43 degrees.

AT WADY SHARM, IN BIG TENT.

Jan 2. 7a.m. 29.98 761 53 - - 10

3p.m. 30.00 762 76 72 58 3 Cool breeze from north. No signs of clouds. Sun hot and air cool.

Evening no wind, no clouds. At night high cold wind from east, seems to pierce clothes. Lasted till morning and sun well up. Minimum thermometer, No. 1 = 45 degrees; No. 2 = 46 degrees.

Jan. 3. 7a.m. 29.92 760 58 57 47 3 Dawn comfortless. Cold. Fire in tent. Sand blowing. Air highly electrical.

Noon. 29.90 762 77 76 61 2 Wind still. Hot sun.

3p.m. 29.91 759 76 74 58 4 Hot sun. Gentle breeze. Warm in tent.

Night very cold. Minimum thermometers, No. 1 = 40 degrees; No. 2 = 41 degrees.

Jan. 4. " 29.83 - 52 50 - 5

Noon. 29.93 760 81 80 60 3 Decidedly hot. No breeze.

3p.m. 29.90 - 78 75 63 0 Very hot and still.

In evening few fleecy clouds to south-west. Appearance of Azyab. Minimum thermometers at night, No. 1 = 36 degrees; No. 2 = 38 degrees.

AT WADY SHARM.

Jan. 5. 7a.m. 29.90 - 48 45 43 6 Pink clouds south-west and south-east. Cirri everywhere.

Noon. 29.87 761 79 79 67 3 Hot and still. Clear; few cirri.

3p.m. 29.96 760 74 71 60 0 Cool wind. Cold in shade. Cirri to south, at times over the sun.

Very cold at night. Saw new moon; set in fire. Planets veiled in mist. Moon Kim (points upwards = *[figure]).

Jan. 6. 7.20a.m. 29.94 760 53 51 46 8 Still, clear. Light breeze about 10.30 a.m.

Noon. 29.80 761 82 - - 4

4p.m. 29.96 761 76 - - 3 Clear and hot. Sunset, red cirri. Water very cold. Moon clear.

Jan. 7 " 29.98 758 52 - - 18 At Sharm. Cool and raw. Few clouds to south and south-west.

Noon. 30.08 764 78 - - 26 At 'Aynnah, in big tent. Fresh wind from north. Air much damper; more pleasant.