'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.' [‎617] (712/905)

CHAP. XXIII.]
AND TOWN OP 'ADEN.
617
About 90 miles from the western extremity of the territory wrAden
is the modern town of Aden, built on the site of the eapital
Ot this once celebrated commercial kingdom, wliich is sup
posed to have been founded by Aden-ben-Senan, and up to the
time of Ednsi 1 it had extensive trade with China, India,
binde, &c. Aden, now a dependency of Great Britain, con
tains one good mosque, several others more or less dilapidated,
about 200 houses, several large tanks excavated in the rock •
and, towards the plain, about 300 wells, many of them in the
solid rock, and from 60 feet to 125 feet deep. 2
On the eastern side, the rocky fortified island of Sirah island of sirah.
forms a bay opposite to the town, from which, including the
low neck connecting it with the mainland, the peninsula
extends upwards of three miles westward, and thus forms a
second bay, the anchorage of which is good.
A little way west of the town the rocky tongue in question
has a width of upwards of two miles with elevations of 1776
feet and 1600 feet respectively, at the two principal peaks of
Jebel Shamshan; and an extensive zigzag road leads to the
summit of the mountain.
Except that it fronts the west instead of south, the eleva- Resemblance
tion, natural strength and position, at the entrance of ang^^ 0
extensive sea, give Aden a striking resemblance to Gibraltar.
Even in deficiency of good water and the use of extensive
tanks, the fortresses are alike; but the restoration of the
ancient aqueduct, constructed by Soleiman the Magnificent,
which passes along the sandy neck after coming a distance of
eight miles from the interior, would remedy the evil at Aden.
There is, besides, a small river, which reaches the sea about
five miles westward of the town. In the rainy season a
stream reaches the sea at Sughra, 3 and the excellent harbours
of Aden afford easy access to the rich provinces of Yemen
and Hadramaut.
Of these portions of Arabia, especially the former, we have
detailed and accurate accounts from the pen of the faithful
1 Tome V., p. 5, Recueil de Voyages et M&noires, &c.
2 Vol. VIII., pp. 134, 135, of the Royal Geographical Journal.
8 Lieutenant Wellsted's Travels in 'Omdn, &c., vol. II., p. 408.
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