<A JOURNEY IN THE EAST.' 353 



nature that a fall into the depths below might easily have 

 occurred. We passed countless peaks and summits, and were 

 perpetually riding up and down over mountain-ridges and 

 through valleys and ravines. Ground more broken up it is 

 impossible to imagine, nor was there a single tree or the 

 slightest trace of the presence of man. 



After a long ride the formation of the country changed, 

 the slopes grew more gentle, the stones entirely vanished, 

 and the steppe appeared, decked in its spring array of high 

 green grass and flowers. The greyish-yellow mountains 

 which we had just passed through ran due north and south, 

 shutting out all the outlook towards the west; and we came 

 to a fragrant flowery plateau over which we galloped, for the 

 ground was good, and the horses, glad to have got rid of the 

 smooth rocks and steep paths, sprang about in a lively 

 fashion. 



The steppes are grand, but undeniably monotonous, though 

 not so lonesome as the far more impressive desert, for in 

 spring the former has the advantage of being beautified with 

 flowers, while the latter is utterly devoid of vegetation and 

 has nothing to show but bright coloured stones. 



Another steep hill of most peculiar form and colour now 

 rose in front of us. It belongs to the so-called mountains of 

 " Juda," but has left their line, and advanced further into the 

 plateau. This sharp, perfectly barren cone is entirely formed 

 of a conglomerate of yellow clay, red rock, and brown and 

 grey stones. We had to pass along a deep gorge between 

 it and the other mountains by a dangerous path over 

 smooth rocks and close to precipices. Even our Bedouins 

 dismounted, and at one part of the way the clever horses 

 simply followed their masters, for they could not be led. It 

 is on occasions like this that one learns to appreciate the high 

 intelligence of the Arab horse. At this bad place one of our 

 pack-animals slipped down an incredible distance, but luckily 



2A 



