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m.] T6R TO SINAI. 55
is more than ample space for them ; while, at
the same time, at its termination, Mount Sinai
stood forth in naked majesty, clearly exposing
to the uninterrupted view of all the effects of
that terrific elemental warfare, which pro
claimed the presence of the Deity, and ac
companied the gift of the sacred tables of the
Jewish law.
On my route from Sinai to Suez, on this
occasion, I visited the ruins of Feiran, situ
ated on either side of an elbow formed by
the winding of the valley of the same name.
The houses are small, but well constructed,
and have remarkably low doors ; on a stone,
forming the upper portion of one of these, I
found a very antique Greek inscription, too
much defaced to admit of my transcribing it.
I examined several sepulchral grottos which
have been excavated in the mountain, but
found no remains of the dead bodies it was
evident they had formerly contained. Feiran
was formerly a large city, and had for its
bishop the famous Theodorus, who wrote
against the Monothelites.
My route on this occasion appears on the
map, which, I presume, will be found to pos-