tridges which we saw in the distance, and fired one or two shots at them—this time, however, without any result.

When we got back to our camping-ground we found the baggage and tent furniture all stowed away in one of the large caverns, and a number of the Arabs squatted in front, smoking and drinking coffee in a very amicable manner. Achmet ran up a sort of partition, which partially screened our dinner-table from observation, and we made a capital meal in our novel quarters, undisturbed by our visitors. We found the sheikh disposed to be very friendly, though he was extremely indignant with his brother dignitary Mohammed for appropriating such an undue amount of the backsheesh, and we understood that he did not mean to allow that matter to drop. The men who were in attendance upon him were really a handsome and intelligent-looking set. Many of them were well-dressed, clean-looking fellows, and they seemed delighted with a few old engravings from the 'Illustrated London News,' which I happened to have in my portmanteau. Specially they looked with much interest at a plate representing the Prince of Wales, passing it from hand to hand and making free comments on it. His Royal Highness was styled by them Sultan Ingleez,' and his beard, features, and general bearing seemed to meet with approval.

The night was clear and starry, and the majestic double peak of Mount Hor, towering up right in front, was very striking, with the dark firmament above and the dusky outlines of the ranges of Mount Seir in the distance. A strange picture presented itself to the imagination as one looked

upon that vast mountain side, whose rugged heights were now clothed with the shadows of night. The host of Israel, wearied with their long wanderings in the desert and longing for the repose of the Promised Land, had here to mourn the death of one of their great leaders. For the irresistible decree had gone forth: And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel' (see Numbers xx.); And Aaron died there in the top of the mount' (verse 28). From henceforth the great law-giver stood alone against a rebellious and murmuring host; but his courage never faltered, for he knew that One whose counsels fail not,' watched over His chosen people.

We remembered also that we had looked our last upon that long-lost city a few of whose monumental remains I have endeavoured to describe, and the idea naturally occurred to what end were those strange structures raised? The Deir, the Khuzneh, and some of the larger monuments appear to have been temples; but the greater number of the smaller excavations, in all probability, were originally dwelling-places of the Horim, or Dwellers in caves.' That there were many of this ancient people in the land of Edom as far back as the days of the Patriarchs, we learn from various passages of Holy Writ. The Edomites for seventeen centuries were a powerful people, and doubtless dwelt among the secluded valleys of Petra, whose soft rocks were hewn into rude habitations with comparative ease. It is not difficult

to see that the adornments and windows may have been added at a subsequent period. The Roman conquerors gratified their love of the ornate in art by forming the beautiful façade of the Khuzneh and the ponderous architecture of the Deir. Possibly the large chamber in each was all that they found over which to elaborate so costly and splendid a monument. It is impossible to say who first constructed the buildings of which such numerous traces and remains exist amidst the area of the city, but we can easily conceive that those numerous excavations in the surrounding cliffs might well be used as convenient resting-places for their dead.

No traveller, however, can fail to be struck with the completeness of the destruction of this once prosperous city. Its temples lie prostrate on the ground, its quays have fallen in, and its bridges are in ruins; its triumphal arches and stately columns serve in their utter overthrow but to point a moral,' though no sculptured record is to be found even to 'adorn a tale;' and only a few unimportant inscriptions, traced by some of its later possessors, attract the passing notice of the chance antiquarian. Terrible were the denunciations against this land of Edom, poured forth by the prophets of old, and how absolutely have they been fulfilled! I will stretch out my hand upon Edom, and will make it desolate from Teman,' says Ezekiel. Behold, O Mount Seir, I am against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I will make thee desolate,' again says the same prophet. I will lay thy cities waste,' he con

tinues. 'I will make thee despised among men,' says Jeremiah. The owl also and the raven shall dwell in it,' writes Isaiah. Then said the Lord of Hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down,' says Malachi.

Many other passages from the Scriptures might be given, but the foregoing will suffice to show how sternly the judgment of God has been wrought out against the inhabitants of this country and their dwelling-places. Truly the scorpion, the vulture, and the wild goat are now the sole denizens of those mysterious and splendid structures, though occasionally their domain is invaded by the wandering Arab or the ubiquitous Anglo-Saxon traveller. Their remote situation and the halo of interest cast around them by the narratives of some illustrious modern writers who have visited Petra, will always offer fascinations to future generations of travellers; and the roseate glories of its one unrivalled temple must ever recur to memory like a beautiful vision-an almost myth-like creation of dreamland!

CHAPTER X.

PETRA TO HEBRON.

NEXT MORNING, being Friday, March 22, we made an early start, for we had a long fatiguing march before us. After breakfast the sheikh and his chief men came to have a farewell talk, and to make a few more demands, for they were not by any means pleased with the arrangement come to. They really understood that we had no more money, for we offered, if one of their number, in whom the sheikh had entire confidence, would accompany us to Jerusalem, to hand over to him there an additional amount of backsheesh. For some reason or other this was not agreed to, but the Arab chief was, to a certain extent, pacified by a promise on our part that a good pistol should be sent him from Cairo, and this Achmet undertook to arrange. I presented his son, a well-dressed, good-looking youth, about sixteen years old, with a pocket knife furnished with various accessories, such as picker, gimlet, corkscrew, &c., and he took it with an air of gratification. This young gentleman wore a remarkably stylish head-dress, a new cloak or abba, and a pair of handsome new red leather boots reaching over the knee. He