Page 76 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

IV.] SHEUM TO SINAI. 57

CHAPTER IV.
JOURNEY FROM SHERM TO SINAI.

lias Mohammed—Supplies of Provisions—-Passage to T6r and
Sues—Geological features—View of Mount Sinai—Journey
to the Convent—Encampment—Fuel—Effects of the heat—
Heavy dews—Natural Reservoirs - Ancient Israelites—Small­
pox— Inoculation—Social affections among the Arabs —
Flowers—Reflections—Moonlight—Dangerous pass—Bedowin
Coffee—British Tars—Bedowin Arms—Cookery—Unclean
habits—Mountaineers—Arab honesty—Anecdote—Cultivation
of the Palm—Camels—Lovely pasturage—Night scene in a
Cave.

In the month of January, 1833, we encoun­
tered much severe weather near Ras Moham­
med, and were eventually obliged to put into
a harbour in its vicinity to refit.
R&s (or Cape) Mohammed is the southern
extreme of the peninsula of Sinai. The coast
about it is low and rugged, and cannot be

discerned at a greater distance than three
leagues and a half. Lying off its eastern
side, there is a small island, of uniform eleva-