56 DESCRIPTION OF ARABIA. 



light may yet be thrown on this interesting geogra- 

 phical problem. 



Little dependence can be placed on local tradition. 

 Burckhardt expresses his disappointment at being 

 able to trace so very few of the ancient Hebrew 

 names of the Old Testament in the modern geogra- 

 phy of the peninsula. With the exception of Sinai 

 and a few others, the appellatives are all of Arabic 

 derivation ; and the incongruous association of 

 JNIoses and St. Catherine is a proof how little reli- 

 ance is to be placed upon them. Sinai is two or 

 three times mentioned in the Koran ; but in neither 

 instance is there any reference to its relative local- 

 ity. "Call to mind," says Mohammed (chap, ii.), 

 " when we accepted your covenant, and lifted up 

 the mountain of Sinai over you ;" alluding to a ridi- 

 culous legend, that when the Israelites refused to 

 receive the law of Moses, God tore up the mountain 

 by the roots, and shook it over their heads, to terrify 

 them into compliance. 



The three highest eminences in this peninsula 

 are St. Catherine, Serbal, and Shomar. To the 

 two latter has also been attributed the distinction 

 of having witnessed the promulgation of the deca- 

 logue. Burckhardt ascended' Mount Serbal, though 

 he had no means of ascertaining its elevation. The 

 upper region is described as almost perpendicular : 

 it is approached from below over sharp rocks, with- 

 out any path, and climbed by means of steps in sev- 

 eral parts, cut through the rock A\ith great labour, 

 or regularly formed with large loose stones. The 

 summit of the eastern peak consists of one im- 

 mense mass of granite, the smoothness of which is 

 broken only by a few partial fissures, presenting an 

 appearance not unlike the ice-covered summits of 

 the Alps. When seen from the bottom, it looks as 

 sharp as a needle, but it terminates in a platform of 

 about 130 feet in circumference. The surface of 

 every block presented inscriptions written in char- 



