66 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTION'S. [aNNOISqS. 



contenting themselves with that which runs from the hot springs. To the 

 right hand lay a vast barren plain, perfectly bare, and hardly any thing green to 

 be seen therein, except it were a few gourds. We made a very short day's 

 journey, finding a fountain of excellent water in about 5 hours and a half's 

 riding; which, as it was a most welcome refreshment to us in such a thirsty 

 desert, so it was the only good water we met with till we came to the Euphrates, 

 which was not till the third day from this place, called Yarecca. 



October Q, from Yarecca we set out early, and travelling N. E. or near that 

 point, in 7 hours' time arrived at Soukney. The road we found much like 

 what we had the day before, lying over a barren plain ; only we had hills on 

 both sides, and sometimes at the distance only of half an hour's ride of each 

 other. The village has its name from the hot waters, which are of the same 

 nature with those of Tadmor. 



October 10, continuing our voyage still to the N. E. or something more 

 easterly, we found it another pleasant and easy stage to another called Tiebe, 

 so called from the goodness of the waters, which however we found not extra- 

 ordinary ; they had the taste, and were doubtless tinctured with the same 

 mineral, with those of Soukney and Tadmor, though not so strongly. The 

 village is pleasantly situated, and makes a good appearance as one approaches ; 

 the prospects being improved by a well-built steeple, to which now their mosque 

 adjoins : but I am apt to believe it the remains of a Christian church, being 

 built with more art and beauty than is found in Turkish fabrics. From hence 

 we departed again in the afternoon, and proceeded about two hours and a half 

 farther to shorten our next day's stage, having travelled this day, in all; about 

 7 or 8 hours : the place we pitched at was a fountain, and known by the name 

 of Alcome ; but the water was not fit to be drunk, being of the same nature 

 with that of Soukney, and almost as warm. 



October 1 1 , from Alcome we set out about an hour and a half after midnight, 

 by the help of the stars directing our course more northerly. As soon as it 

 was light enough to look about us, we found ourselves in a wild open desert, 

 the ground in some places covered with a sort of heath, and in others t^uite 

 bare. Nor had we travelled long after the sun was up, before, by the help of a 

 rising ground, we discovered Arsoffa, the place whither we were tending, but 

 the tiresome road made it ten o'clock before we reached it: and finding no 

 water any where near, we were necessitated to proceed forward to the river 

 Euphrates, which we found 4 hours distant from hence. Arsotla, or (as the 

 Arabs call it) ArsofFa Emir, seems to be the remains of a monastery, being one 

 continued pile of building of an oblong figure, stretching longwise east and 

 west, and inclosing a very capacious area : at a distance it makes a glittering 



