MINERALOGY. 405 



Kahhme they saw a ferruginous spar, mixed with brown 

 and white selenite, almost transparent. The dark granitic 

 rocks of Sinai contain jasper, amethyst, and syenite; mag- 

 nets are frequently to be met with in the province of Kusma ; 

 and at Saade there are iron-mines which are still worked. 

 Particles of this ore are also to be found among the sands 

 that are washed down from the hills by the rain. It was 

 the belief of the ancients that Arabia was entirely desti- 

 tute of iron ; but this opinion proves to be unfounded. 

 Niebuhr confesses, however, that it is coarse and brittle ; 

 and, from the scarcity of wood, it sells at a higher price 

 than that which is imported from other countries. 



At Loheia, and near the isle of Kameran, to the north 

 of Hodeida, there are hills consisting almost entirely of 

 fossil salt. These masses are piled up in large transpa- 

 rent strata, and enclosed in a crust of calcareous stone. 

 The Arabs formerly wrought these mines ; but the gal- 

 leries have been allowed to sink down, although a consi- 

 derable quantity of that article is still quarried in the 

 neighbourhood.* Burckhardt states, that rock-salt is found 

 in the mountains south of the Dead Sea, and in the sand- 

 stone strata in Wady Romman, near Gebel Mokkateb. 

 Oman possesses copper-mines ; and in the neighbourhood 

 of Mecca Ali Bey observed some veins of sulphur that were 

 open. In the northern Ghor, pieces of native sulphur are 

 discovered at a small depth beneath the surface, which are 

 used by the Bedouins for curing diseases in their camels. 

 Shaw was of opinion that lead-mines existed near Sinai. 



The Arabs, in general, still believe in the foolish old 

 superstitions respecting their gems and precious stones ; 

 and are more apt to wonder at their miraculous virtues 

 than to turn them to account in the way of commerce. 

 In ancient times they were used as antidotes, to which 

 the wearer piously ascribed his safety when surrounded 

 with invisible danger. Among other absurdities, it is re- 

 corded of the Caliph Soliman that he wore constantly 

 round his arm a bracelet composed of ten of these magical 

 stones, which never failed to strike one against the other, 

 and make a slight noise when any poison was near.f The 

 carbuncle was believed to possess many wonderful quali- 

 ties. It was supposed to be an animal substance formed 



* Capt. Head's Journey, p. 7- 



f Marigny, Hist des Arab, tome ii. 



