qfPetra^ a City excavated from the solid Rock. 245 



and paras, left as votive offerings by the Arabs. Not far 

 from the north-west angle is a passage, descending by steps 

 to a vault or grotto beneath, for we were uncertain which of 

 the two to call it, being covered with so thick a coat of white- 

 wash, that it is difficult to distinguish whether it is built or 

 hollowed out. It appeared, in great part at least, a grotto. 

 The roof is covered, but the whole is rude, ill-fashioned, and 

 quite dark. The sheikh, who was not informed that we were 

 Christians, a circumstance which our guide was not aware of, 

 furnished us with a lump of butter. Towards the farther end 

 of this dark vault lie the two corresponding leaves of an iron 

 grating, which formerly prevented all nearer approach to the 

 tomb of the prophet ; they have, however, been thrown down, 

 and we advanced so as to touch it ; it was covered by a ragged 

 pall. We were obliged to descend bare-footed, and were not 

 without some apprehension of treading on scorpions or other 

 reptiles in such a place. 



The view from the summit of the edifice is extremely ex- 

 tensive in every direction, and the eye rests upon few objects 

 which it can clearly distinguish and give a name to, though an 

 excellent idea is obtained of the general face and features of 

 the country. The chain of Idumean mountains which form 

 the western shore of the Dead Sea, seem to run on to the south- 

 ward, though losing considerably in their height ; they appear 

 in this point of view barren and desolate. Below them is 

 spread out a white sandy plain, seamed with the beds of occa- 

 sional torrents, and presenting much the same features as the 

 most desert parts of the Ghor. Where this desert expanse ap- 

 proaches the foot of Mount Hor there arise out of it like 

 islands, several lower peaks and ridges of a purple colour, 

 probably composed of the same kind of sandstone as that of 

 Mount Hor itself, which, variegated as it is in its hues, presents 

 in the distance one uniform mass of dark purple. Towards 

 the Egyptian side there is an expanse of country without fea- 

 tures or limit, and lost in the distance. The lofty district 

 which we had quitted in our descent to Wady Mousa shuts 

 up the prospect on the S. E. side ; but there is no part of the 

 landscape which the eye wanders over with more curiosity and 

 delight than the crags of Mount Hor itself, which stand up on 



