Egyptian colonies and copper mines on the opposite Sinaic peninsula, in Wadi Maghara, Sarbut-el-Chadem, &c., and over which the produce of those mines, having been shipped from the harbour of Zelime to the Mersa Zafraneh, might have been conveyed in waggons to the Nile. But, whether or not the Araba mountains that rise a little to the south of the opposite coast of the Peninsula had received the same appellation from this valley, there seems to be no testimony to decide. The "Monastery of St Antony"-Deir Antoniosdistant about 17 miles from the sea, is a fortified convent of Copts, surrounded by a strong wall, of about 35 feet in height, the entrance to which is by a trap-door, wherefrom a rope descends, as in the present Sinaic convent. The keep, or place of safety, is an insulated tower, defended by a drawbridge. According to common statement, this was the abode and place of burial of St Antony, the founder of Monachism. The mountains to the south, at the northern end of which stands the convent, are calcareous (of the same cretaceous formation), containing in places a great deal of salt. They are known to the Arabs by the term of Gebel Kallala, and, in fact, constitute the southern ridge of that chain. Another large and similarly protected convent, called Deir Bolos (Paul), distant from the former* about 15 miles in a direct SE. line, is situate in a picturesque place, and about 10 miles from the nearest point of the Gulf of Suez. An adjoining garden abounds in date and other fruit-trees. On the east, between this convent and the sea, Wadi Girfeh is approached, among low hills: on the tops of some of these the substructions of houses are visible, having been built with uncemented stones. Also some chambers, or catacombs, are cut in the rock in the larger were found crystals of rock-salt; the strata are composed of limestone, and contain many fossils. Broken pieces of terra cotta vases, chiefly red, are everywhere observed; and they, with other vestiges, probably point out the site of a Roman colonial town. * See the Views of the Convents of St Paul and St Anthony, plate 51, p. 128, chap. vi., book ii., vol. i., in Pococke's "Description of the East." VOL. XLIX. NO. XCVII.-JULY 1850. D Proceeding from St Paul's to the SE., for near 15 miles, the line of the primitive mountains is reached on the left, whilst the secondary chain of Gebel Kallala, consisting of limestone with ammonites, is continued on the right, or west. South of Wadi Dthahal micaceous schist approaching to gneiss occurs, and a little further, the primitive and sandstone, or gritstone rocks join. Thence the secondary, or cretaceous mountains, diverging to the south and south-west, gradually decrease in altitude. Again, southwards, some more ancient copper-works are noticed; and then, Gebel Howashia, whose formation is granite, rises a few miles off to the SE.; in its natural basin much good water is retained after rain. Wadi Abu Hadth next attracts attention from its possessing a good deal of fine herbage, and many gum-arabic trees. Of the granite mountains in this region, Gebel Agrib, or Garib, or Gharib ("camel's hump ") is the loftiest, as it elevates itself to about 6000 feet above the sea level; and from its position it forms a conspicuous landmark far out at sea. The ascent of this majestic mountain, from its steepness and numerous ravines, is found to be fatiguing. Mr J. Wilkinson* describes it as follows: "The first evening we reached the base of the highest cone, where we slept, and ascended the next morning to the summit, from which we had a view of the mountains on either side of the sea, and the different plains. We tracked the gazelles very nearly to the summit, and every now and then in the ravines found some solitary plants growing under the shade of a projecting stone. The peaks of this mountain resemble the Aiguilles near Mount Blanc; but, to equal that mountain in beauty, it requires the lower parts to be covered with the woods and verdure of the Alps, and the desert plain below to be exchanged for the green meadows of Switzerland. I calculate the height to be 5513 feet above the ravine in the plain below, which is a few hundred feet above the level of the sea." About ten miles southward, Bir-el-Dara-the "Well of Dara," below the mountain of that name, occurs; there, likewise, copper scoria, smelting furnaces, and miners' houses, are observed. * Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, vol. ii. p. 39. Further south, more copper mines are seen in a bare place, among low hills, all of which have been examined for the ore. Advancing south-eastwards by the plain, some calcareous rocks are passed, and afterwards a line of sandstone,* with. limestone over it, running parallel to, and nearly equidistant between the two primitive ridges. Wadi-el-Enned succeeds to the eastward, where a beautifully clear rivulet is found; but its water is too bad for the use of animals, being chiefly serviceable for the nourishment of numerous date palms. This spot lies at the foot of some limestone hills of the cretaceous series that join the eastern granitic ridge. Next, on the south, comes Gebel Kuffra, where the water is so salt as only to be drunk by camels. Gebel Dochan, (smoke) the "Mons Porphyrites" of the ancients-rising about eleven miles more southward, and in the same line with the supposed site of Myos Hormus, Muds "Osuos, the "mouse harbour," is too distant from our proposed limits, to receive a full description in the present Memoir. I will only remark that at Mount Dochan, there exist some interesting ruins, and "those vast quarries, from which Rome took so many superb pieces of porphyry, to adorn her baths and porticoes." On its southern side, Mr J. Wilkinson adds, "we met with some Breccia Verde; and of other kinds of Breccia we had observed great quantities and varieties at Dochan." The sea-shore, about Myos Hormus, is bare and deserted; to the west, at some distance from the harbour, the granitic chain extends; on the east, between it and the sea, a low ridge of limestone hills, which unites with the primitive rocks on the north, comes down towards the shore. "And, in the distance, on the north, is seen the mountain El Zeit, so called from the quantity of petroleum found there; whence project two small * Mr J. Wilkinson (ibid, Note, p. 41), says, " Judging from the angle of its dip, it formerly rose over the lower, or eastern primitive range, from which, however, it is now separated by a valley, or bed of a torrent." ↑ Ibid, p. 42.-Pliny writes of the quarries, "quantis libet molibus cædendis sufficiunt Lapidicinæ.” Lib. 36, cap. 7. They produced red porphyry of a most beautiful, close-grained kind; so Pliny says, rubet porphyrites in eadem Egypto." headlands, forming two gulfs, at the entrance of which are many long sandbanks. May not this be the Pliny?* mons Eos' of This Gebel Zeit, or "Mount of Oil," runs out into a promontory on one side of the Strait of Jubal; at its foot a copious supply of Petroleum, or rock oil, is obtained. It is about as liquid as turpentine, of a black or dark-brown colour, and is collected by the Greek Christians of Tur, who take it there and sell it, for rheumatism and for healing The Arabs call it Zeit-el-Gebel-" oil of the moun sores. tain." South of this promontory the sea is studded with a number of small islands, some of which are described by Strabo ; all, however, I believe, except Shadwan, which is of secondary limestone, are of recent marine formation-chiefly of Coral. (Conclusion in our next Number.) * Ibid., p. 51. Synopsis of Meteorological Observations made at the Observatory, Whitehaven, Cumberland, in the Year 1849. BY JOHN FLETCHER MILLER, Esq., F.R.S., F.R.A.S., &c. Communicated by the Author. Jan. Nov. Dec. 354 29-416 Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches Oct. Inches Inches Inches Inches 1.493 265 29-747 1.884 51 30 50 18.7 42-14 35.82 38.987 31.3 45.91 40:07 42-990 21. 5.683 20 2.045 12 264 29-680 1.354 54 28 46·79 39.96 43.375 26 .837 13 3.037 14 3.886 SW. 2.0 1.224 10 5.076 SW. 1.9 5.478 18 4.156 NW. 2.3 3.771 19 2.657 SW. 1.4 2.814 12 3.337 E., Variable. 1.5 * The readings of the barometer hitherto used require an additive correction of about 0·08 inch. All past results will be reduced to the standard |