Page 66 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)

III.] TOR TO SINAI. 47

mountain range, which, being nearly equi­
distant from either gulf at the extremity of
the Red Sea, may be considered the back­
bone of the peninsula. From it all the val­
leys which intersect the country on either side
originate. The shaggy and splintered sum­
mits and sides of the frowning masses be­

fore are entirely denuded of soil; not a
tree nor a particle of vegetation appears to
break their desolate appearance. Sir Frede­
rick Henniker has not unaptly termed them
“ Alps unclothed.” At eleven hours we en­
tered W&di Hibron, which is a narrow ravine
about 100 yards in breadth. Huge masses of
granite, and porpliyritic granite, line its bed,
and sufficiently denote, in their scattered po­
sition, the fury of the winter torrents; but

between them only a narrow streamlet now
meanders its course. At 11 ’30 we halted on
its banks, beneath the grateful shade of a
few date palms. At three hours we again set
forward; and, after following the windings of
the valley for two hours, at a distance of
fifteen miles from, and at an elevation of

about 2000 feet above the level of the sea,
I first saw the tree which produces the manna