'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎595] (686/905)

CHAP. XXIII.] FEAUTRES OF ARABIA PETR^EA.
595
north; on the west it has the Desert of Egypt near Suez, Boundaries of
and the Mediterranean ; on the south it has the Arabian Gulf Arabia Petnea "
with a part of the Hijaz; and on the east a low chain of
mountains separates it from Arabia Deserta. This tract,
therefore, comprises the mountainous peninsula of Sinai and
the desert of El Tih to the north-west, and from hence it
stretches southward till it includes Mount Hor and Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows.
Musa, or the whole of the district of Schera and Jebal, toge
ther with Moab, Ammon, and the country northward of Bozra 1
as far as Ezra.
Throughout most of the distance from Ezra to Suez the
country presents, especially in the Ledja and Haouran, masses
of solid rock, or circular belts of stone, separated by deep and
narrow crevices, which are crossed with great difficulty. 2
Notwithstanding the limited spaces which, between the Ancient cities,
rocks, are fit for cultivation, the region eastward of the Jordan
and Dead Sea once possessed the splendid Roman cities now
known by the names of Amman, Jerash, Bozra, Kanouat,
Shobba, Shaara, with many others, besides numerous smaller
towns scattered over that part of the country; therefore when
Stony Arabia constituted the chief part of the kingdom of
Aretas, the people must have partly depended upon imports for
a supply of corn, and on cisterns or large tanks 3 for water, as
tljere are very few streams in this district.
There are, as has been seen, many villages scattered along inhabitant,
the north-western frontiers of the tract under consideration,
particularly in the Loehf, Ledja, and Haouran, but at present
there is scarcely anything deserving the name of a town. The
fixed inhabitants cultivate the wadis and other spots between
the hills with successful industry; the rest of the people are
Bedawins, either belonging to, or subject to, the well-known
1 This is the last place of any note given by Ptolemy in Arabia Petrsea.
8 The writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. passed the night in a small Bedawin encampment of the AniztSh
which was placed in one of these craters; out of this he threaded his way
next morning, after about two hours of severe exertion, sometimes crossing
and at others endeavouring to follow the circular passages : these formed quite
a labyrinth.
8 I saw a tank about 300 yards square, which, from its position, may have
been constructed to supply Jerash.
4 G 2