In the first, the city was taken by surprise, while the men were absent at a neighboring mart or fair. The captors carried off a large booty of silver and merchandise. The Nabatheans, however, quickly pursued, to the number of eight thousand; and, falling on the enemies' camp by night, destroyed the greatest part of them. Of the second expedition under Demetrius, the Nabatheans had previous intelligence, defended their city, and completely baffled the whole designs of their assailants.

During the reign of Augustus, Strabo speaks of Petra as the capital of the Nabatheans, shut in by rocks round about, precipitous indeed on the outside, but within having copious fountains for a supply of water, and the irrigation of gardens. At this time it had become the grand depot for the rich products of the East, and was resorted to by foreigners. Still more definite is the testimony of Pliny, in the first century. "The Nabatheans inhabit the city called Petra, in a valley less than two (Roman) miles in amplitude." About the same time Petra was often mentioned by Josephus as the capital of Arabia Petræa, in all his notices of that kingdom and its connection with Jewish affairs. With that kingdom it passed under the immediate sway of the Romans, during the reign of Trajan. His successor, Adrian, appears to have granted privileges to Petra, which led the inhabitants to give his name to the city, on coins. Several of these are still extant. In the fourth century Petra is several times mentioned by Eusebius and Jerome. In the fifth and sixth centuries it was the metropolitan see of the Third Palestine. Of its bishops, Germanus was present at the

Council of Seleusia, in 359; and Theadorus at that of Jerusalem, in 536.*

From this last period, Petra suddenly vanishes from the pages of history. When its destruction took place, by whom it was destroyed, or what was the fate of its inhabitants, is shrouded in impenetrable mystery and darkness. But most probably it was destroyed by the ruthless rage of the Mohammedan conquerors, somewhere in the seventh century, when the Moslem religion was spread by the sword. For more than one thousand years, and until its discovery by Burckhardt in 1812, Petra was lost to the civilized world.

CHAPTER XIV.

Departure from Waddy Mousa-Solemn Reflections-A Large Caravan -Majestic Mountain Scenery-A Startling Alarm-Governor of Gaza, and Guard-The Mirage-Fountains of El Wabeh-Dangers of our Route-Arab Tradition-Prospect of Enemies approaching-Sheik Selim Ebnegaza-Human Bones by the Way-Ruins of Ancient Moladah-An Alarm and suspected Knavery-Ruins of Ancient Maon -Ruins of Carmel-Ruins of Ziph-Arrival at Hebron.

HAVING now spent over three days in our ascent of Mount Hor, and our examination of the ruins of Petra, we were prepared to depart. We had been active and industrious during our whole stay, and were really fatigued, not with the interesting scenery around us, but with our laborious and fatiguing rambles among it. At about the middle of the day, Hassein and Magabel returned to the valley, the first time we had seen them since our arrival there.

* Robinson.

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DEPARTURE FROM PETRA.

A large number of Arabs followed, but exhibited nothing but the most peaceable demeanor. Here we paid the stipulated tribute of four hundred piastres, and all passed off peaceably except the importunities of some of these ragged Arabs for more bucksheesh.

Our baggage was soon placed on the camels; and at 2, P.M., we mounted our dromedaries and took up our line of march. Our course wound among the ruins that strewed the plain, and thence along the hills, lying in a westerly direction. Broken tombs were numerous on either hand, for the distance of at least two miles. As I turned my eyes back for the last time upon the valley, while obliquely ascending a long hill, a peculiar reverie came over my mind. I could but contrast the lonely solitude that now hung over the place, with the bustle, the grandeur, the show of which it must once have been the active theatre. Where now are its once teeming population, its wealth, its glory, and its grandeur?Faded forever, and scattered to the winds of heaven! Illfated and doomed city! Once in the haughtiness and pride of thy heart, thou didst scoff at the threatened wrath of Heaven; but the sword of judgment, glittering in vengeance, came upon thee! In a sudden and unexpected moment, the avenging vials of wrath were emptied without mixture, on thy devoted head. Ah! what was the fate of thy children, in that hour of desolating overthrow? Who were thy destroyers? All-all is wrapt in impenetrable mystery!

On our way we again passed at the foot of Mount Hor. Notwithstanding its barren aspect in the midst of most dreary solitude, its towering summit,

overlooking every thing around, gives to it a majestic appearance. Near this place we began to meet a caravan of about two hundred and fifty camels, and travelled at least two miles before we passed the rear one of the line. Sometimes, in narrow passes, we were much stressed in getting by them. They were from Gaza, bound to Maan, and loaded with provisions and stores for the supply of the Syrian Hadj, which would soon pass that place on its way to Mecca. The conductor of this caravan was a fine, noble-looking Arab, and richly dressed.

Our course now lay in a north-westerly direction, over broken and rocky hills. Among these are situated some ruins of little interest, compared with those we had just left. Nearly all of them appeared to be the remains of ancient fortifications. At one place were the remains of a Roman causeway, constructed with large hewn stones. Our route had probably been the regular road to Petra from the west. At length we arrived at the summit of a mountain, from which we could see a spacious field of mountains lying far below us. The scene was truly majestic. Many of these mountains looked like immense sand-banks. We crossed several of this description. They bore the appearance of vast heaps of sand, petrified into stone. The very face of nature in Idumea, seems, in many places, to have been changed into utter sterility and sand-rock. Our descent from this height was steep and serpentine, and I preferred travelling on foot to risking myself on a dromedary. Frequently we passed on the verge of some steep and yawning gulf. A little

214

THE GOVERNOR OF GAZA.

before sunset we encamped in Waddy Errebaie, a most desolate region.

About nine o'clock at night, an alarm was suddenly sounded in our camp. Four armed men on horseback were seen approaching from towards the valley of Arabah. When we stepped to the door of our tent, our men were catching up their guns as though a battle was immediately expected. We had been informed, at Waddy Mousa, that a large encampment of the hostile Benisakers was but a very short distance from the valley of Arabah, where we must pass. We had some cause to fear that they might hear of us and be upon our track. Who could those armed men be who were now approaching us? Were they emissaries coming from that hostile camp to make a demand for us to be surrendered to their tribe, or pay an exorbitant tribute to pass through their land? Mahomet told us he believed they were Benisakers. For a few minutes all was bustle and confusion among our men. The forward one of the four rode up to Hassein, and soon we perceived friendly salutations passing between them. They were no enemies; and were no less personages than the Governor of Gaza and his guard. They were following after the loaded caravan that we had met near Mount Hor, but had been detained on business a distance back. Soon they were seated around the fire of our Arabs, and we in the circle with them. The Governor was a fine, pleasantlooking man, rather under forty. He had on a richlyornamented purple over-dress, girt with a beautiful belt, in which were placed a splendid brace of Turkish pistols, and a heavy costly sabre hung by his side.