Page 83 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

G4 SHRUM TO SINAI. [on.

the sea-coast were mostly of sandstone forma­
tion. We halted for a short time at the
western extremity of this valley, while our
guides filled their water skins at a large
natural reservoir formed amidst the rocks ;
several others were shown me in this vicinity,
all completely filled by the late rains. It has
excited no small astonishment, that a pro­
digious multitude like the Israelites, consist­
ing of six hundred thousand men, exclusive

of women, children, and servants, should have
found a sufficiency of water during their
wanderings in the desert of Sinai; but these
reservoirs are numerous. The valleys also in
the winter months are often beds of streams,
and afford water very generally at other
seasons, by digging a few feet below the sur­
face; I therefore see no reason to imagine
any want of this necessary. But as re­

gards their unfailing supply of food, where
the annual produce of the peninsula would
scarcely have supported them for a single
day, it is impossible, notwithstanding there
are those ever desirous of attributing super­
natural events to physical causes, who have
referred it to other agency, not to receive it

fi