does not argue highly for their skill in Biblical geography, that they took the adjacent mountain, with the tomb of Aaron, for Mount Sinai, and the brook which flows down the valley for the water which came forth when Moses smote the rock.

About A.D. 1144, in the first year of his reign, king Baldwin I., being yet a minor, made an excursion by way of Hebron to Wady Musa, in order to recover a certain castle, bearing the name of Vallis Moysi, which had been seized by the Saracens with the aid of the inhabitants of the region. On the approach of the king, the latter betook themselves into the castle, which was in a strong position. The Franks assailed it with stones and arrows for several days without success. They then began to destroy the numerous olive trees, which constituted the chief produce of the region, to save which the inhabitants immediately surrendered the fortress. The dominion of the Crusaders, however, was short-lived. It melted away before the victorious arms of the sultan Saladin, and in A.D. 1188 ceased to be.

CHAPTER IV.

IDUMEA AS IT IS.

European travellers-Burckhardt-Laborde-Irby and Mangles Their adventures- Robinson-Wilson-Ascent of Mount Hor-Tomb of Aaron-Hermit of the tomb-Comet -Robinson's route-The ravine of the Sîk-The site of Petra Pharaoh's Castle - The treasure of Pharaoh-Its design-The rock-Theatre-The Deir-Innumerable ex cavations.

IDUMEA as it is! These words are suggestive of desolation and magnificence; and the immediate reflection of the intelligent and wellinformed mind will be, "Verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth."

Burckhardt was the first European in modern times who penetrated into this region, and saw with his own eyes, in 1812, the long-forgotten wonders of a land which had been exalted as high as wealth and art could raise it, but now lies beneath a curse, and only preserves its architectural glories as a witness of its former greatness. It is painful to read the unchristian expedients by which this traveller, Burckhardt, effected his purpose. He not only assumed a disguise, travelling as a native Arab, an inhabitant of Damascus, but uttered falsehood,

confessed Islamism, and practised idolatry. "I pretended," he says, "to have made a vow to slaughter a goat in honour of Haroun, (Aaron,) whose tomb I knew was situated at the extremity of the valley, and by this stratagem I thought that I should have the means of seeing the valley on my way to the tomb. To this my guide had nothing to oppose; the dread of drawing upon himself, by resistance, the wrath of Haroun, completely silenced him."

When Burckhardt turned out of the footpath towards the Kaszr, his guide exclaimed, “I see now clearly that you are an infidel, who have some particular business amongst the ruins of the city of your forefathers; but depend upon it that we shall not suffer you to take out a single para of all the treasures hidden therein, for they are in our territory, and belong to us." The idea of treasures being hidden in ancient edifices is deeply rooted in the minds of the Arabs. They believe that it is sufficient for a true magician to have seen and observed the spot where treasures are hidden, (of which he is supposed to be already informed by the old books of the infidels who lived on the spot,) in order to be able afterwards, at his ease, to command the guardian of the treasure to set the whole before him.

Burckhardt declared that curiosity alone prompted him to look at the ancient works, and that he had no other object in going to Wady Musa than to sacrifice to Haroun. The sun set before they could reach the tomb, and the

traveller killed his goat in sight of the tomb, at a spot where there were a number of heaps of stones placed, in token of as many sacrifices in honour of that saint. "While I was in the act of slaying the animal," he says, "my guide exclaimed aloud, 'O Haroun, look upon us! it is for you we slaughter this victim. O Haroun, protect us and forgive us! O Haroun, be content with our good intentions, for it is but a lean goat! O Haroun, smooth our paths; and praise be to the Lord of all creatures."

The publication of the great work of Laborde and Linant, in 1830, forms quite an era in our knowledge of Idumæa. Its beautiful plates and drawings convey some idea of the magnificent ruins of Petra, altogether beyond the power of verbal description.

The difficulties through which captains Irby and Mangles succeeded in their attempt (in 1818) to reach Petra, form a most romantic tale. Abou Raschid, the sheikh of Shobek, within the borders of Idumæa, a man full of life and spirits, but of few words and plain and unaffected manners, undertook to conduct the travellers from his own camp to Wady Mûsa, assuring them he would do it for the sake of Mohammed Ali, pasha of Egypt. But this engagement gave deadly offence to Abou Zatoun, ("the father of olives,") the sheikh of Wady Mûsa, who swore "by the beard of the prophet," and "by the honour of their women," that they should not go forward; and who, when he saw them preparing their horses, quitted their tent with

threats and execrations. His people followed his example, exclaiming, "Let the dogs perish if they please;" and swore that they should neither drink of their water nor pass into their territory. To older sheikhs than Abou Raschid further perseverance seemed fruitless. His

people likewise remonstrated with him, surrounded him in numbers, implored him to desist, and asked him why he risked himself for the mere gratification of the curiosity of fellows who were only Christians. But the young sheikh, who had dismounted twice to answer their arguments, seized his spear, sprang upon his horse, and exclaimed, "I have set them on their horses; let us see who will dare to stop Abou Raschid."

The two hostile companies now marched for some distance in parallel lines. In half an hour, the sheikh of Shobek was joined by a host of people, all armed, some on horseback, some on foot; and to them he took an oath, "by the honour of their women," and "by the faith of a true mussulman," that his friends should drink of the water of Wady Mûsa, and go whithersoever it pleased him to carry them. Thus were the rival chiefs pledged by the same vows to completely opposite courses. Early on the following morning, our travellers reached another camp, subject in some measure to their chief, and passed over the sites* of two others,

These sites are always distinguished by the fires and bedplaces of the Arabs; the former are marked by little holes filled up with ashes, the latter by stones laid in oblong circles, with dried heath and dead boughs laid on them.