through Egjpt and Syria, 409 



Gebel Rumllo, a high rocky mountain which they were to 

 ilefcend. Tt forms the weflern fide of the ridge, which con- 

 ftitutes, as it were, the wall of Egypt, and the eaftern boun- 

 darv' of the low defart in which lie the Oafes. It confills 

 of a coarfe tufa, and is of rugged and difficult dcfcent. They 

 were employed four hours and a half the following morning 

 in pafling from the foot of the mountain to Aine Diz6, the 

 firfl place where water is found, and the northern extremity 

 of the great Oajis. As a hot wind blew here during the 

 meridian hours, thp thermometer ftood at that time, under 

 the fliade of the tent, at Ij6 degrees. In marching from 

 Aine Dize to Charje, eight hours were employed. They 

 left Charje on the 7th of June, and on Monday the loth 

 arrived at Bejris, On thp 13th they proceeded to Mughefs, 

 the lad village of the Oafis towards the fouthern defart ; 

 which they left on the 15th, and on the 20th reached Seb. 

 This placp is niarked by the produftion of a quantity of na- 

 tive alum, as the name imports. The furface near which 

 the alum is found abounds with a reddifli ftone, and in 

 many places is fcen argillaceous earth. 



Having left 3e|) op the ?ift, they arrived at Sclime on 

 the 23d. On the 24th they rcfted, and, continuing their 

 route next morning", employed five days more in reaching 

 Leghea. While thpy remained here, they felt much in- 

 convenience from a fufibcating wind, which blev/ from the 

 foulh, and raifcd the fand in clouds. On the 2d of July 

 the caravan left Leghea, and on the 8th, after a fevere and 

 fatiguing mfirch, reached the Blr-el-Malha, or fait fpring. 

 The vicinity of this fpi'ing is remarkable for the production 

 of 7tairo,n, which appears under varipus circumftances, and 

 js of a (juality different from that of Terane. It is very 

 white ^nd folid, and, on immerfion in vv^ter, becomes hot, 

 and difchargcs a great pprtiqn of its air. Small quantities 

 of it arc carried by the jejabs to Egypt, v. here it is fold at a 

 high price, and is ufcd principally for making fnuff. The 

 l^atcr found her? is unpalatable and brackifli. 



They 



