1875.] Extracts from an Arabic ivorJc relating to Aden. 219 



not be there had it not been for the opening made by Dhul Karnein, by 

 which it expanded itself from the island of Sokotera and flowed until it 

 stopped at the extremity of El Mandeb. The third proof is that the sea, 

 which is between Sarin and its limit, is called Mutarid El Kheil and 

 Murabit El Kheil, and it was there that the Arabs originally used to tether 

 their horses in that country. It is certain also they used to exercise their 

 horses there when it was dry land. When Dhul Karnein opened Bab-el 

 Mandeb all the country was Hooded, and no signs of it were left except 

 some islands that were formed in the sea, and it is called by its original 

 name Mutarid El Kheil. From what is stated by the Amir Abii Taini 

 Jeiash bin Nejab in his book El Mufeidfi Alchbar Zebid El Awal (for 

 there are two Mufeids, the first whose author is the Amir Jeiash, and the 

 second, composed by Fakhr-ul-din Abu Ali Amara bin Muhammad bin 

 Amara), it appears that the sea had greatly diminished when the Abyssinians 

 conquered the Arabian Peninsula. They took possession of Sanaa at the 

 border of the country of the 'Awab.il, and their dynasty remained ihere 

 both in pre-Islamite and Muhammadan times until Ali bin Mehdi destined 

 them in the year 55i A. H., when their power disappeared and their rule 

 declined with extreme rapidity. To return to the account of Dhul Karnein. 

 The sea remained in that state until Dhul Karnein opened Bab-el Mandeb, 

 and the sea flowed into it and reached the end of Kulzum, when it spread 

 out and extended until it laid bare the land of Aden. The account that 

 Abu Abdulla Muhammad ibn Abdulla Al Keysani gives in his commentary 

 is, that when Shedad bin Ad set out from Yemen to visit the dependencies 

 of Hadhramaut, and had passed the borders of Lahej, he saw Jebel Izz and 

 conjectured from its size that it was very distant ; he therefore sent his 

 retainers to explore this mountain and see what was below it. When tiny 

 had examined the place, they returned and said it was a valley in which 

 were trees and huge serpents, and that it overlooked the salt sea. When 

 he heard this account Shedad descended to Lahej and ordered his people to 

 dig wells, and from these the people of Aden still continue to draw water. 

 He also ordered they should excavate for him an entrance in the side of 

 the valley. 



Excavation of tlie Entrance and Aqueduct. 

 The excavation of the gate and aqueduct was performed by two men, 

 and the wise men of Hind say they were Ei'rits of the Jinn. One of them 

 commenced excavating the rock, while the other began to dig the trench 

 at Ras Socotra, in the dependency of Lahej, and the two did not cease 

 from their exertions in excavating and tunnelling until but little was left 

 of the work. Then said the excavator — "If it be the will of CJod the 

 Almighty, to-mornnv I shall lie free and have finished my work." And th i 

 digger of the trench said, "and L to-morrow will cause the water to eider 



