GEOGRAPHICAL £XPL011ATI0\ OF MOAB. 211 



is Ncmriyeh. The distance between this Wady and Wady Seyal, where wo 

 camped, we did in a little less than an hour. 



Having spent Sunday, February 4th, at Sebbeh, and explored the ruins of 

 the famous fort, we started on Monday, at 7.45 a.m., for the AYady Zuweirah, 

 where we arrived at 3.30 p.m., and encamped for the night. In the seven 

 hours and three quarters which it took us to get from Wady Seyal to the 

 AVady Zuweirah, we passed no less than ten Wadys, respectively called 

 (1) Wady Sebbeh, (2) Wady el Kattar, (3) Wady Havhav, (4) AVady Senin, 

 (5) Eabbat el Jumuz, (6) Wady el Kitter, (7) AYady Mersed, (8) AVady 

 Chasrurah, (9) AYady um Berrek, and (10) AYady JSTejd. 



Of these ten AVadys, which are almost equidistant, only sis are laid down 

 in A^an de Velde's map ; and even of these six the names of three only cor- 

 respond, the names of two out of the three being reversed (viz. Nos. 4 and 

 5 in this Report), whilst the names of the other three (viz. Um el Bedun, 

 AYady Hatrura, and Um Baghek) arc not to be found. It may be here 

 remarked that AYady Ncmriyeh, which, according to our guide, is on the 

 south of Sebbeh, is in Yan de Yelde's map on the north, that the cliffs come 

 up quite close to the sea between AA''adys 8 and 9, leaving no beach whatever, 

 and that we had here to make our way over the rocks. This fact is not 

 pointed out in A'an de A^elde's map. 



Being determined to cross the dangerous Valley of Salt early in the day, 

 we left the Zuweirah at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, February Gth. Before leaving 

 this remarkable spot we were determined to explore it, as well as the range 

 of salt mountains which is known by the name of Khafhm or Jebel Usdum. 

 It will be remembered that this is the spot marked in De Saulcy's map, as 

 well as in the map of Palestine used in our British schools, as the site of 

 Sodom ; indeed De Saulcy declares that he saw here " the ruins of a build- 

 ing which was anciently a part of Sodom." Anxious as some of our party 

 were to see the relics of the doomed city, a careful inspection of the heap of 

 stones referred to left no doubt upon the mind that they are the remains of 

 a mediaeval square tower, which was erected here to protect the labourers in 

 the salt mountains who carried on traffic with Hebron and other towns. 



Between the Zuweirah and our entering the VaUey of Salt we passed the 

 marvellously torn and rent salt mountain, as well as three Wadys. Our 

 Sheikh, Abou Salama (the brother of the very man who was De Saulcy's 

 guide, and who gave him such minute information about the ruins of Sodom), 

 could not even tell us the name of any of the AA^adys. One of these had 

 actually bored a tunnel through the salt mountain, and thus made a remark- 

 able hole through the cave in Jebel Usdum. The beach now was nothing 

 less than a soft slimy mud. The distance between the AYady Zuweirah and 

 the extreme point of the Es Sabkah, where we began crossing it, is an hour 

 and a half. At 7.30 we entered upon the margin of the barren flats of back- 

 water. After marching for about three hours knee-deep in slush, and cross- 

 ing seven drains, some of which were dry and some still draining, we arrived 

 in the front of the Saphia at 10.3 a.m. 



Here our troubles began. Seeing our cavalcade crossing the Salt valley, 

 the Moabites must have thought that we were fair game for plunder, or that 

 we were come to invade their homesteads. On approaching the Saphia, we 

 found three tribes arrayed against us in front of the wood, beyond a narrow 

 intervening stream. The grotesque mob, as we nearcd them, uttered shrieks, 

 yells, and war cries, firing off their few guns, and refusing to let us enter 

 their territory. Abou Salama, our old Sheikh, and Daud, our dragoman, 

 with a few of our Bedouins, bravely jumped over the stream. The horses of 



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