in Arabia Petrica ς^ί\ 579 



Camels. This feeming Colledion of Water, always advances, 

 about a Quarter oF a Mile before us, whilft the intermediate 

 Space appears to be in one continued Glow, occafioned by the 

 quivering undulating Motion of that quick Succeflion of Vapours 

 and Exhalations, which are extracted by the powerful Influence 

 ot the Sun. 



The fame violent Heat may be the Reafon likewife, why f^'^^'^i;'"";' 



-' _ ' ■' ly putrifie in 



the Carcafl^es of Camels and other Creatures, which lye expofed '/^<'/' -d f"-'^• 

 in thefe Deferts, are quickly drained of that Moifture, which 

 would otherwife difpofe them to Putrefaolion ; and, being hereby 

 put into a State of Prefervation ', not much inferiour to what 

 is communicated by Spices and Bandages, they will continue a 

 Number of Years without mouldring away. To the fameCaufe 

 alfo, fucceeded afterwards by the Coldnefs of the Night, we 

 may attribute the plentiful Dews, and thofe thick offenfive 

 Mifts, one or other of which we had every Night too fenfible 

 a Proof of. The Dews particularly, (as we had the Heavens 

 only for our Covering,) would frequently wet us to the Skin : 

 but no fooner was the Sun rifen, and the Atmofphere a little 

 heated, than the Mifts were quickly difperfed, and the copious 

 Moifture, which the Dews communicated to the Sands, would 

 be intirely evaporated. 



Fountains and Wells of Water are fo very rare in thefe Parts, vountahs 

 that we may very well account for the Strife and Contention ", Γ?? Ihl! 

 that there was formerly about them. In the Midland Road 

 betwixt Kairo and Mount Smai^ I do not remember to have 

 heard or tafted of more than five, and thofe were, all of them, 

 either brackifli or fulphureous. Yet this Difagreeablenefs in 

 the Tafte, is vaftly made up by the wholefome Quality of the 

 Waters ; for they provoke an Appetite, and are remarkably 

 lenitive and diuretick : and it may be owing to thefe Qualities, 

 that few Perfons are feized with any Illnefs, during their 

 Travels through thefe lonefome, fultry Deferts. 



I 1 have been credibly informed, that, -itSaibah, (fo if I millakc not the Place was called) 

 which lyeth about the half Way betwixt Ras Sem and Egypt, there are a Number of Men, 

 Alles and Camcls,\vhich have been preferved from Time immemorial in this Manner. They 

 are fuppofed to have belong to fome Caravan or other, which, in paiEng over thcfc De- 

 ferts, was fuffocated by the hot burning Winds that now and then infeft thefe fandy 

 Countries. 2 And Abraham reproved Abimelech becaufe of a Well of Water, which Abime- 

 \tch!s Servants had violently taken aii^ ay. Gen. 21. 25•. yind the Herdfmen of Gevar did flr'ive 

 with Ifaac'i Herdfmen, faying, the Water is ours: and he called the Name of the Well Eieck, 

 (Contention) becaufe they flrove with him. Gen. 26. 20. 



Ccccc ζ The 



