Page 463 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

424 NAKAB EL HAJAR. [CH.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Ruins of Nakab el Hajar—Position—Ancient town—Inscrip­
tions—Entrance—Materials used in its Construction—Vast
Solidity—Interior—Excellent Masonry—Well—Antiquarian
Remains — Anecdote — General Observations — Burckhardt—
Origin of Nakab el Hajar—Fertility of surrounding District—
Kind Reception from Natives—Best mode of penetrating into
the Interior—Return io the Ship—“ Black Mail'1—Anecdote
of Diyabi Bedowins.

About an hour from the last village we
arrived at the ruins of Nakab el Hajar and
,
*
a rapid glance soon convinced me, that their
examination would more than compensate

for any fatigue or danger we had encountered
on our road to them.

The hill upon which they are situated,

stands out in the centre of the valley, and
divides a stream which passes, during floods,

on either side of it. It is nearly eight hun­
dred yards in length, and about three hundred

and fifty yards at its extreme breadth. The

* Nakab el hajar signifies “ the excavation from the rock.”