2Q Memoir on the Aden Reservoirs, [no. 3, new series, 



ed into canals for the irrigation of the fields and gardens of Mareb, 

 and by means of which, that city became what Pliny styled it, " the 

 mistress of cities, and the diadem on the brow of the universe." 



The dyke having somewhat suffered from the lapse of time, was 

 repaired and consolidated by the Himyarite Queen Balkis, about 

 the commencement of the Christian Era, and in her time it was 

 deemed too strong ever to be destroyed. 



That catastrophe did however at length take place, the dam which 

 had stood for 1700 years, yielded to the pressure of water from 

 within, and gave way, deluging the country far and wide, and car- 

 rying away the whole city with the neighbouring towns and people ; 

 and thus the prosperity of Mareb was destroyed. 



This event took place about A. D. 120, and is famous in Arabi- 

 an History as the " Sail-el- Arim" or " rush of water from the re- 

 servoir" by which name it is mentioned in the Koran. 



M. Arnaud, a French traveller, reached Mareb in 1843 after a 

 difficult and arduous journey, and succeeded in obtaining measure- 

 ments for a plan of this famous dyke, which I believe he has since 

 published ; according to his account, it was situated between two 

 hills named Balak, which, when joined, by the wall, formed the re- 

 servoir ; the enclosed space is of such extent, that a shout from'one 

 end, could not be heard from the other, and the massive masonry, 

 though rent here and there, still attests the original solidity of the 

 work. 



This doubtless suggested similar reservoirs in other parts of 

 Arabia and the neighbouring coasts of Africa, which have usually 

 been subject to it, and with the spread of the Kaliphate West- 

 wards, the idea was introduced into Spain and other Mahomedan 

 conquests. 



The Reverend Mr. Stern, who succeeded in reaching Sanaa in 

 September of this year, (1856) informed me that, duringjthe whole 

 of the route between that city and Menakkir, near Jebel Harraz, 

 large and beautifully constructed cisterns occur, these during his 

 visit were perfectly water-tight and contained a considerable supply 

 of water, though partly filled up and choked with long rank grass. 



