1848.] Miscellaneous. 587 



to the cistern, are the traces of an extensive village, apparently regu- 

 larly laid out. This and the body of the place, and its interior build- 

 ings, are of blocks of dark green felspar, serpentine, &c. from the neigh, 

 bouring mountains. Fragments of silicified nummulitic limestone, por- 

 phyries, granite, and pottery are scattered about. 



April 27th. — In f th of an hour we emerged from the Mukhayeneh, 

 and left the granite behind. We now crossed a vast Farsh* even and 

 hard as if Macadamized. We were four hours in crossing it to Gebel Gir. 

 The Farsh is called Gadf Tiur. The old station of Gebel Gir stands 

 on a hill. Here are the remains of a reservoir and a lake 300 feet in 

 diameter and 20 feet deep. They are now filled up almost, and plants 

 grow at the bottom. There are the remains also of several cisterns 

 and three aqueducts all dry. Attached to the station in the valley are 

 the traces of regularly laid out stables and lodgings built of limestone, 

 and two excavations ; the smaller of which is near the N. of the outer 

 station : the excavated matter is thrown out in the form of a dyke. 



The formation is of argillaceous sandstone, in alternate layers, with- 

 carboniferous plastic clays ; under which are the ferruginous clays and 

 sandstones. 



Immediately over them is the silicious limestone, capped by num- 

 mulitic limestone. The argillaceous sandstone contains layers of shales, 

 bivalves, &c. 



* Fersh <jwj3, signifies a wide field or plain, also a bed, spread out. T. N. 

 t jj±y cli more properly the G of Gaa should be the guttural kaf. T. N. 



4 H 



