Page 142 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

VII.] GULF OF ’AKABAH. 123

his stay : it is to be regretted our visit did not
take place at this time, as some curious
information respecting the habits of these
remote tribes might then have been collected.
On a hill near the extremity of the date
grove there are some ruins. The walls are
massive, and the building, which has probably
served as a fort, is of some antiquity. At Ma-
harehi Sho’aib, and at Beden, the former esti­

mated at five and a half, the latter seven
and a half hours’ journey, there are other
ruins. I had planned an excursion to them,
but was prevented from going by what has
already been narrated.
Quitting the Gulf of ’ Akabah for the present,
Captain Moresby proceeded to complete the
survey of a portion of the Egyptian shore
contiguous to the ancient port of Myos Hor-
mus: we commenced our operations at------,
where we found a hill abounding in sulphur.
No one was at present employed here; but

three years since, Mohammed Ali is said to
have drawn a large supply from it. During
our stay, I received full confirmation of a fact
I had previously doubted when related by the
Arabs. During the late gales the weather