EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 147 
ferved as fignals. Thefe are numerous, but they are too rude 
to enable one to fix any time for their eredtion. They appear 
to me to be pretty antient. The red granite is in vaft quanti- 
ties, and the chain of rocks confifting of that fubilance appears 
to extend itfelf in a North and South diredtion. Huge rocks of 
porphyry, both red and green, are diftinguifhable, and, as ap- 
pears, more of it in the road we purfued in going, than in that 
by which we returned. I obferved veins of alabafter in both, 
but particularly in returning. The verde antico it was long 
before I could difcover ; at length I found it, in returning, by 
the figns Bruce had defcribed. In fhort, this route unfolds a 
treafure of marbles that aftonifhes the beholder, and demon- 
ftrates, that on any future occafion the quarries may be again 
wrought, and modern architedure equal that of the beft ages 
of Greece or Rom.e as to richnefs and durability of ornament, 
if ever it fhall in juftnefs of proportion, fimplicity of tafte, or 
unity of parts in one fublime whole, which indeed feems fuffi- 
ciently problematical. 
The immenfe excavations in thefe rocks, which greatly con- 
tribute in many places to facilitate the road, are abundantly 
fufFicient to fupply any quantity of thefe marbles that is any 
where known to exift. And it was more convenient to bring 
them thence, than from any other part of Egypt, to the Southward, 
or by a long land carriage from Arabia Petr^ea and the neigh- 
bourhood of Mount Sinai : yet, as the ftones were to be car- 
ried fome way by land, perhaps a day's journey at leaft, it was 
necelTary to have a road more level and eafy, than could have 
been required for the paifage of lefs ponderous and cumbrous 
u 2 materials. 
