FILAEIA MEDINENSIS. 393 



Shortly after the death of Aaron, which took place on the 

 first day of the fifth month, of the fortieth year after the Exodus 

 from Egypt, and whilst the Israelites passed round the land of 

 the Edomites, from Hor towards Oboth on the way from the sea 

 Suph (which was probably that part of the Red Sea indicated 

 on the maps as the Sinus Aenalites, or, in the present 

 day, the Bay of Akaba), they were attacked by the fiery 

 serpents. Consequently, both from the geographical position and 

 the known observations which we possess upon the time of in- 

 cubation of the worm, which lasts from two, three, six, to twelve 

 months, this agrees very well with the explanation, that the Filaria 

 medinensis is here referred to. On their long march from Egypt, 

 which they had left in the neighbourhood of Atakeh and Suez, 

 the Israelites had passed probably by Ayun Musa, upon the 

 Asiatic territory, and thence moved towards the south as far as 

 Mount Sinai, along the east coast of that part of the Red Sea 

 Sinus Heroopolites, which is now known as the Gulf of Suez. 

 Here they turned again directty to the north, through the midst 

 of the land, until at last they had arrived a certain distance to 

 the north of the extreme apex of the Gulf of Aenala = Akaba, 

 where the Edomites compelled them to return towards the south- 

 east. Only in the last portion of the way through the desert 

 of Zin towards Mount Hor, but especially on the way from Hor 

 towards Oboth, and round the territories of the Edomites, for which 

 journey they certainly required several months, did they come into 

 the true district of the Medina-worm, namely, the central and 

 eastern portion of Arabia Petrcea, the plain which stretches away 

 towards the coasts of the Bay of Aenala. This entire march 

 from the wilderness of Zin to Oboth they would undoubtedly 

 have passed over within the period of incubation of the Medina- 

 worm (two months to one year). Here the Filarm first broke 

 up, with violent, inflammatory pains. Thus then, with their 

 further progress towards the north-east through Arabia Petnea, 

 the Israelites contracted the Filarice which are still indigenous in 

 Arabia Petraea, and this worm-province may consequently be of 

 importance and interest to the geographers in the determination 

 of the course of travel in the fortieth year of the Israelites' 

 wanderings. We are convinced that a careful investigation of 

 these facts on the spot will completely confirm our opinion ; and 

 we hereby thank M. Michael for his assistance in the investigation 

 of this question. 



