Page 261 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

242 COAST OF ARABIA. [CH.

sea, to our great astonishment, she was ob­
served making violent efforts to reach the
bottom. Finding it impossible to effect this,
owing to the stave by which she was encum­
bered, she continued to swim round the vessel
for several hours. The antipathy which the
seaman naturally entertains towards his vora­

cious enemy may explain, but cannot be said
to palliate, this cruel action. Sharks are
called “ sea-lawyers” by the sailors.
A range of barren and naked mountains
(being a part of the great chain which nearly
encompasses Arabia) extends from Jiddah to
’Akabah, approaching in some few places
near the sea-coast, and running towards the
interior in ridges increasing in height as they
recede from the sea. In clear weather these
hills are visible at a distance of from forty to
seventy miles, the highest being Jebel Sub-h,

Jebel Radwah, and the Mowilahh peaks,
which I have particularly described. So little
variety marks the appearance and form of
the others, that I have scarcely deemed it
necessary to enter into a detailed description.
Of the character of the distant ranges we had
little opportunity of judging accurately, save