called, hy the Arabs, Ras Sem. li 



Lybia znd y^rahia, I took Notice, {Trav. p. 379. Not. i.) that, 

 at Saibahy a few Days Journey beyond Ras Sem, towards Egypt, 

 "there is a whole Cara'uan, confifting of Men, Afles and 

 "Camels, which, from Time immemorial, has been preferved 

 " at that Place. The greateft part of thefc Bodies (till continue 

 "perfed and intire, from the Heat of the Sun and theDrynefs 

 "of the Climate : and, the Tradition is, that they were all of 

 "them originally furprized, fuffocated and dried up, by the 

 " hot fcorching Winds, that fometimes frequent thefe Deferts." 



The v4rahSy who are as little converfant in Geography and The^r^^j 



... the Inven- 



Natural Hiftorv, as they are arttul and ingenious enough inters of this 



•^ ■ Story. 



Fable and Romance, had here a favourable and lucky Oppor- 

 tunity, by jumbling and connecting together the Petrifications 

 of Ras Sem, with thefe preferved Bodies at Sathah, to projedl 

 and invent the Plan of the Petrified City, in all the wild and 

 extravagant Drefs, wherein it is commonly defcribed. This, 

 I believe, is the true Matter of Fad ; and all that may be de- 

 pended upon in this Story. 



It was however a Subject, much enquired into by the Vir- The ac- 

 tuoft, of moft European Nations, whilft Caffem ^ga, theoflc'by^cr/- 

 Trtpoly Embafiador, refided at London. He reported ' from 

 a thoufand Perfons, as he faid, and particularly from a Friend 

 of his, of great Veracity, who had been upon the Spot, that 

 "this Scene of Petrifications, confifted of a large Town, in a 

 "circular Figure, which had feveral Streets, Shops, and a 

 "magnificent Caftle belonging to it. — That this Friend of his 

 "favv there, different Sorts of Trees, but moftly the Olive and 

 " the Palm ; all of them turned into a blewifli or cinder-co- 

 " loured Stone. — That there were Men alfo to be feen in dif- 

 "ferent Pofiures and Attitudes; fome of them exercifing their 

 " Trades and Occupations ; others holding Stuffs, others Bread, 

 "&c. in their Hands. — -The Women likewife, were fome of 

 "them giving Suck to their Children; others were fitting at 

 "their kneading Troughs &c. — That, in entring the Caftle, 

 "there was a Man lying upon a magnificent Bed of Stone, with 

 **the Guards ftanding at the Doors, armed with Pikes and 



I This Account, with a great many more, relating to the fame Siibjeft, which will be 

 afterwards taken Notice of and examined, were colleded and communicated to me by our 

 very worthy Prefident of the Royal Society, Martin Folkes Efq;. 



C % Spears: 



