38 John Hogg, Esq., on the Geography and 



Gharandel, which, according to Burckhardt, have a sulphu- 

 reous taste, lose themselves. In the ascent of this Wadi 

 (Gharandel) towards Gebel Kula, a mountain is climbed 

 which is composed of calcareous rocks, sandstone and flints, 

 lying over each other in horizontal layers. Gebel Kula is 

 covered on its summit, with a chalky surface. But in Wadi 

 Dalegheh the mountains are calcareous, with some flints, and 

 perfectly bare. 



East of these valleys, and distant about six miles, are said 

 to be the vestiges of a Roman road, which probably led near 

 Usdaka — the Szadeke of Burckhardt — to Petra. Near that 

 place is a hill with some considerable ruins, very possibly 

 the remains of what the Peutingerian Table calls Zadagasta ; 

 which word seems to have been corrupted into Zadeka, and 

 Sudaka, or Usdaka. A fine spring, or Ain, is there much 

 noted. Also, further north five or six miles, at Ain Mefrak, 

 some ruins are visible. And the same traveller noticed, a 

 few miles north of the present picturesque village of Eljy — 

 situate a little east of Petra, in a more fertile spot — the sub- 

 structions of walls and paved roads, all constructed of flints. 

 The present road, traversed by the HadJ, or pilgrims, from 

 Syria to Mecca, passes about five miles more eastwards, 

 through Maan (Maon, Judges x. 12), placed in a rocky dis- 

 trict. This town is divided by two hills, on each of which 

 stands a portion of it. The fruits, especially pomegranates, 

 peaches, apricots, and grapes, are there excellent, and are 

 much sought after by the Syrian pilgrims. Burckhardt (p. 

 436), says here, " are several springs, to which the town owes 

 its origin/' and I presume the word itself, Ma'an, is abbre- 

 viated by use from Mayan, signifying a " fountain." 



Fourthly. — " Petra," the Greek appellation of the capital 

 of the ancient Nahathoea, or territory of the Nabathaei, and 

 the Edcrtn of Scripture, was called in Hebrew, Sela ; both 

 words meaning a " rock," and the first of which gave its 

 name to the country — " Arabia Petrwa:' It is also called 

 Joktheel, in 2 Kings xiv. 7. Strabo has distinctly recorded 

 that " Petra was the capital of the Nahathwans roho vjere 

 Jdumwans.'''' (Lib. xvi.) The former appellation having been 

 bestowed upon this people as descendants of Nebaioth, 



