in Arabia Petra:a ^c. 579 



Camels. This feeming Colleftion of Water, always advances, 

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

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

 quivering undulating Motion of that quick Succeflion of Vapours 

 and Exhalations, which are extradedby the powerful Influence 

 of the Sun. 



The fame violent Heat may be the Reafon like wife, vvhyf'^''^'^"^'"'- 

 the Carcaffes of Camels and other Creatures, which lye e^'^oiQdi'H'^ d jwts. 

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

 would otherwife difpofe them to Putrefa6lion; 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, wc 

 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 y^tmo/phere a little 

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

 Moilture, which the Dews communicated to the Sands, would 

 be intirely evaporated. 



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

 that we may very well account for the Strife and Contention % met with. 

 that there was formerly about them. In the Midland Road 

 betwixt Kairo and Mount Sinai, I do not remember to have 

 heard or tailed 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 lUnefs, during their 

 Travels through thefe lonefome, fultry Deferts. 



I I have been credibly informed, that, at 5<iii<i/j, (fo if I miftake not the Place was called) 

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

 AlTes and Camels,\vhich have been prcferved from Time immemorial in this Manner. They 

 are fuppofed to have belong to fome Caravan or other, which, in paffing over thefe De- 

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

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

 lecWs Servants had violently taken atuaj. Gen. 21. 25'. And the Herdfmen of Gerar did jlrive 

 with IfaacV Herdfmen, faying, the Water is ours : and he called the Name of the Well Eleck, 

 (Contention) becaufe thej fltove u'ith him. Gen. 26. 20. 



Ccccc z The 



