64 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [[aNNO \6g5. 



deep, known by the name of Imp malcha Giub ; through the greatest part of 

 this stage we liad a broad beaten road, and wlieie that was not discernible, we 

 guided ourselves by a ridge of chalky hills, under which the wells lay; the water 

 we found very bad, and of so noisome a scent, that we could not endure it so 

 much as at our noses. In our way hither we were shown the true plant which 

 they burn for soap-ashes, which has no leaves but a soft juicy stalk shooting 

 into several branches, and something resembling our samphire, only more 

 round; the ashes in burning run into cakes, not much unlike the cinders of a 

 forge, only they are heavier, and not so full of pores, nor so hard. In the 

 afternoon, we proceeded on our voyage two hours and a half, to a place called 

 Almyrrha, passing rather between than over the hills. Our journey h:therto 

 had been altogether southerly, and but little varying to the eastward of due 

 south. 



October 3, we set out from Almyrrha between 5 and 6 in the morning, 

 making to the point of a high ridge of mountains, through an uneven desert 

 way ; we came to the ascent after about 4 hours travel, which we found not 

 difficult. This mountain was covered on both sides with great plenty of tur- 

 pentine trees, which was an object very pleasing, having seen very few greens 

 in our whole journey ; this tree grows very thick and shady, and several of them 

 we saw loaded with a vast abundance of a small round nut, of which oil is 

 made ; though some eat them, and account them as great a regalio as pistaches; 

 their outward husk is green, and more oily than that of pistaches, and within 

 a very thin shell is contained a kernel very much resembling them, both in colour 

 and relish. From this hill we had a tedious descent, and coming at the foot 

 into a narrow gut, winding this way and that between the mountains, our pas- 

 sage seemed very long, hot, and tiresome : our want of water however obliged 

 us to proceed, having had a shower of rain the night before, we hoped to have 

 found water standing in the hollows of the rocks; but either the rain had not 

 reached so far, or not in such plenty as to fill those naturally hewed cisterns : 

 our other expectation was from the wells that were in the road ; but these our 

 guide advancing before and examining, met us with the unwelcome news, that 

 they were all dried up, and the best advice he could give us was to pitch where 

 we were, and content ourselves with the remains of what we had brought two 

 days in our vessels, till our horses and mules might be sent to a fountain two 

 hours out of our way, and being watered there themselves, bring a fresh supply 

 for us : this way, with some difficulty, we assented to, as more eligible than, 

 weary as we were, to wander so far out of the road, to have the same ground 

 to stage over again the next morning: we resolved therefore to send our guide, 

 with one or two of our servants, in search of the water, and afterwards others 



