Page 190 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

X.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 151

has been scarped away. Considering these,
together with many other difficulties which

have been overcome with equal perseverance,

it is impossible but to conclude that the mind
which could have conceived and executed a
work of such enormous labour, must, in a

country like Arabia, where public works of
any magnitude are almost unknown, have

been of no common order. We are now on
our descent through Wadi Moidien, which

preserving the same name, extends from
Shirazi to Birket el Moge. In no part we

are traversing does its breadth exceed one
hundred paces ; and the hills, which rise per­

pendicularly in some places, were overhung
to the height of from 2000 to 3000 feet. It

consequently resembles an enormous clift,
and we have a good opportunity of investi­

gating the geological structure of the range.
The whole appears to consist of—1. Alpine

limestone; 2. Old red sandstone, with an oc­
casional micacious vein ; 3. Alternately mica
slate and granite.

Large masses have been splintered from

the sides of these, blocking up the bed of the
valley, and compelling us to wind our way