534 Inscriptions from Hammam [Oct. 



We left Sharma without remarking any thing further than the 

 remains of two water tanks, much resembling in form and structure, 

 those we saw on the summit of Hasan Ghordb. There appeared 

 also to have been a fort and a small town on the point of the cape ; 

 but time had been so active in her work of destruction, that the 

 traces merely were visible. At Gossyrh, we were more fortunate, and 

 although the distance was greatly increased, it was deemed desirable 

 to obtain some correct information of a part of the country, which in 

 all human probability may never be visited again under such favour- 

 able circumstances, and which promised to prove so interesting in an 

 antiquarian point of view. With the permission of Captain Haines, 

 Mr. Smith and myself started from Gossyrh, and after a tedious 

 journey of about 15 miles, through a flat, barren country, we halted for 

 the night about 10 p. m. under the ruins of a very old fort. Here 

 we slept, and the following morning commenced our researches. 

 The Bedouins, who attended us, unfortunately knew nothing of either 

 the ruins or the writing ; but having recalled to our recollection the 

 name of a Bedouin, who had been on board for medical assistance at 

 Sharma, we inquired for his residence, which he had informed us 

 was in the neighbourhood, and found him exceeding civil and obliging 

 in showing us every thing he considered might be of interest to us. 

 Like all his Arab brethren, he knew nothing but what his own exter- 

 nal senses had taught him : and in common with them, he adopted the 

 easy method of accounting for forts, tanks, inscriptions, &c. by 

 ascribing them all to the superior genius of the Feringis, of whom 

 they seem to have entertained a kind of superstitious dread : of course 

 little else than the names of the places could be procured. The fort 

 is called Hasan el Meimeli, and from its size, the nature of the 

 materials of which it is composed, and its form, appears never to have 

 been remarkable for its strength or stability. It is now completely 

 in ruins. After traversing great part of the neighbouring country, which 

 is known by the name of Hammam, we at last came to Jibul Aaledma, 

 where we were directed to look for the inscriptions. 



About half way up the hill, which we estimated about 200 feet, we 

 came to a spacious cave, on the sides of which, wherever a smooth 

 surface presented itself, we discovered the traces of writing. Most of 

 it was executed in a species of red paint, but in one or two parts, a 

 black composition had been made use of; by the ravages of time, many 

 of them were nearly obliterated ; but in others, by wetting the surface, 

 and removing the dust which had accumulated, the characters became 

 much more legible, and in one part in particular, the colour became 

 quite brilliant, looking as fresh as though it had been just laid on. 



