Captains Irby and Mangles's Account qfPetra. 227 



mited period, and under many unfavourable circumstances.* 

 It remains only to be observed, that the mean height of the 

 barometer at Rome appears to have been nearly 29-9867 

 inches, or when corrected for capillary action and reduced to 

 the level of the sea 30.0807, and that this mean appears to oc- 

 cur about 7 m., between 1 and 2 a., and 9 and 10 a., which 

 would therefore be the proper hours for observation. A'^J' 



Art. VI. — Account of ' the Necropolis of Petra, a City in Pa- 

 lestine, excavated Jrom the solid Rock. By the Honourable 

 -Charles Leonard iRBvand James Mangles, Comman- 

 ders in the Royal Navy, -j- 



boME hundred yards below this spring begin the outskirts of 

 the vast Necropolis of Petra. Many door-ways are visible 

 upon different levels cut in the side of the mountain, which to- 

 wards this part begins to assume a more rugged aspect. The 

 most remarkable tombs stand near the road, which follows the 

 course of the brook. The first of these is on the right hand, 

 and is cut in a mass of whitish rock, which is in some measure 

 insulated and detached from the general range. The centre 

 presents the front of a square tower, with pilasters at the cor- 

 ner, and with several bands of frieze and entablature above ; 

 two low wings project from it at right angles, and present each 

 of them a recess in the manner of a portico, which consists of 

 two columns whose capitals have an affinity with the Doric 

 order, between corresponding antae ; there are, however, no tri- 

 glyphs above. Three sides of a square area are thus inclosed ; 

 the fourth has been shut in by a low wall and two colossal 

 lions on either side of the entrance, all much decayed. The 

 interior has been a place of sepulture for several bodies. On 



* Mr Daniell found the variation not far from a-half more than we should 

 have estimated from Humboldt for London. 



f The travels of these two able and enterprising officers having been 

 printed only for private distribution ; and the very interesting account which 

 they have given of the famous city of Petra not having appeared in any pe- 

 riodical workj we have been induced to lay it before our readers with some 

 slight abridgement. 



