a quantity of sulphur and iron. At about two hours before sunset we had a fine view of the Red Sea, the shores of which we speedily reached, and proceeded along them until sunset, when we pitched the tent for the night, within view of the mountains of Tor. The following morning, it was nearly six o'clock ere we were in motion; the loss of an hour in the morning made me fear that we should have a longer journey in the heat of the day. I wished to prevail on the Sheikh to quicken his pace, but found it useless : he assured me that by mid-day we should arrive at a most desirable shelter, and that we should enjoy the sea-breeze during the whole of the morning.

I took the opportunity, on our arrival at a well, to bathe in the sea; which in some measure compensated for the disappointment of finding the water undrinkable; the camels, however, were less fastidious, and took in a good supply.

The Sheikh, in the mean time, left us, to procure, in the mountains, a quantity of good water, appointing to rejoin us at noon. We remained nearly two hours at this well, which made me still apprehensive that we should be compelled to travel in the heat of the day; but the Arabs, who were better acquainted than myself with the distance and the stations before us, assured me that, "Inshallah," we should arrive at the time of mid-day prayer at the place appointed by the Sheikh. Crossing a plain of considerable extent, we entered the Wady Nasb, which bore some resemblance to the former valley. Like that, it was under the shadow of a huge rock this place was fixed on for our rest, and here, too, we were to be rejoined by the Sheikh. It is undeniably a station of much interest; Niebuhr, Seetzen, and Burckhardt had reposed here, the three most illustrious of those travellers who have given any information of the country and habits of a people so ancient and so singular-who have thrown such a blaze of light upon the sacred writings by their geographical descriptions; and, by their observation of the manners and customs of the inhabitants, have borne such irresistible testimony to the fulfilment of prophecy, by the

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desolation of the countries which they traversed. By their means the Desert has found a voice, and the lonely rocks of the Wilderness a cry, attesting, with more certainty of conviction than the profoundest learning, or the most burning eloquence of the speculative divine, that wonder of wonders, the dealing of GOD towards this once favoured land. Of these three learned and philosophic pioneers of truth, the two latter, alas! were not so fortunate as to return in person, but their writings have happily been preserved.

Our Sheikh having arrived with a small supply of excellent water, we remained under the rock of the Wady Nasb for about four hours. We soon entered, on recommencing our march, the passes of a mountain, where the beautiful red colour of the granite, intermixed with a thousand tints of purple, excited both curiosity and delight. By a narrow and rugged defile we began to ascend the mountains; the camels, alarmed and awkward on ground to the irregularity of which their form renders them unadapted, were led by the Arabs; and took every step with the greatest caution and timidity.

In the descent, our labour was much relieved in various places by a road which had some appearance of construction. It was sunset when we entered the Wady Mokatteb the Written Valley and the camels appeared fatigued. We soon discovered an agreeable spot for the night's

repose.

Leaving this place at five o'clock on the following morning; after a journey of an hour and a half we reached a rock, upon an isolated portion of which were carved some hieroglyphical inscriptions. At a short distance on the left side of the valley, we perceived an excavation in the rock, at about half the height of its summit. This grotto is of great magnitude; its entrance is obstructed by portions of the rock, and much choked up with sand. Not being prepared to explore its whole extent, I contented myself with viewing, at the entrance, a large cavern, supported by rude masses of granite. It may probably have served for a burying-place, though the

tradition of the superstitious Arabs regards it as the dwelling of a certain saint called Abuzelline, on whom angels attended, and who had the additional distinction of being regaled with coffee brought from Mecca by pigeons. We remained here nearly four hours, whilst one of the Arabs went to seek some water.

On leaving this place, we came to the Dgebal Mokatteb, or Written Mountain; it is a rock on the side of the valley, inscribed with characters, whose import, however, is perfectly unintelligible. This writing has hitherto defied the interpretation of the learned. Much curiosity was excited about a century ago, by the reports of travellers in these mountains. The Prefect of Egypt, who made a journey from Cairo to Mount Sinai in 1722, mentions them particularly. His journal was translated shortly afterwards by the Rev. Robert Clayton. It was a common opinion among antiquaries that the characters of this inscription were those of the ancient Hebrew writing, which the Israelites, in their wanderings, had engraved on these rocks. My companion, Mr. Bonomi, here left the caravan, intending to proceed by way of Sarbout el Cadem, to the convent of Mount Sinai, where were preserved several hieroglyphical inscriptions. We continued our march until sunset, when we rested near the base of Mount Serbal. The whole of the day's journey had been highly interesting; though closely surrounded by huge crags, the constant variety of form, and strange beauty of colour which they exhibited, agreeably surprised me, as I had expected to find the sand of the Desert, with its desolate uniformity, overwhelming both the tint and outline which the scenery might have possessed.

The following morning, starting at six o'clock, in two hours and a half we reached the entrance of a most beautiful valley, (the Wady Feiran) and I obtained my first sight of an Arab encampment; we met with a very kind reception from its inhabitants-members of a nation whose hospitality is so proverbial. Our camel-drivers had here many friends. We reposed under