The Promontory Of Djebel Abou Ma Bore
From Wady Nabk N.N.E 1/2 E. From Hence To Dahab, As The Arabs Told Me,
Is About Six Hours Walk Along The Shore.
The highest point of the
mountain upon the island of Tyran bore S.E. by S.
[P.532] The opposite part of the eastern coast is low, and the mountains
are at a distance inland. Near Nabk are salt-pits, similar to those at
Dahab. Except during the date harvest, Nabk is inhabited only by
fishermen; they are the poorest individuals of their tribe, who have no
flocks or camels, and are obliged to resort to this occupation to
support themselves and families. We bought here for thirty-two paras, or
about four-pence halfpenny, thirty-two salted fish, each about two feet
in length, and a measure of the dried shell-fish, Zorombat, which in
this state the Arabs call Bussra. For the smaller kinds of fish the
fishermen use hand-nets, which they throw into the sea from the shore;
the larger species they kill with lances, one of which Ayd carried
constantly with him as a weapon; there is not a single boat nor even a
raft to be found on the whole of this coast, but the Bedouins of the
eastern coast have a few boats, which may sometimes be seen in the gulf.
We saw here a great number of porpoises playing in the water close to
the shore. I wished to shoot at one of them, but was prevented by my
companions, who said that it was unlawful to kill them, as they are the
friends of man, and never hurt any body. I saw parts of the skin of a
large fish, killed on the coast, which was an inch in thickness, and is
employed by these Arabs instead of leather for sandals.
We now turned from Nabk upwards to the convent, and in half an hour
entered the chain of mountains along a broad valley called Wady Nabk, in
which we ascended slightly, and rested at two hours and a quarter from
Nabk under a large acacia tree. In the vicinity were three tents of
Aleygat Arabs, the women of which approached the place where we had
alighted, and told us that two men and a child were there ill of the
plague, which they had caught from a relative of theirs, who had lately
come from Egypt with the disease upon him, and who had died. At that
time they were
WADY RAHAB
[p.533] in a large encampment, but as soon as the infection shewed
itself, their companions compelled them to quit the camp, and they had
come to this place to await the termination of the disorder. My guides
were as much afraid of the infection as I was, and made the women remain
at a proper distance; they asked me for some rice, and sugar, which
latter article they believe to be a sovereign remedy against diseases. I
was glad to be able to gratify them, and I advised them to give the
patients whey which is almost the only cooling draught the Arabs know;
they conceive that almost all illnesses proceed from cold, and therefore
usually attempt to cure them by heat, keeping the patient thickly
covered with clothes, and feeding him upon the most nourishing food they
can afford.
Not far from our halting place, on the ascent of the mountain, is a
reservoir of rain water, where we filled our skins. The acacia trees of
the valley were thickly covered with guin arabic. The Towara Arabs often
bring to Cairo loads of it, which they collect in these mountains; but
it is much less esteemed than that from Soudan. I found it of a somewhat
sweet and rather agreeable taste. The Bedouins pretend, that upon
journeys it is a preventive of thirst, and that the person who chews it
may pass a whole day without feeling any inconvenience from the want of
water. We set out in the afternoon, and at the end of three hours and a
half from Wady Nabk, passed the Mofassel el Korfa, which I have already
mentioned. At four hours and a quarter we crossed Wady el Orta, the
direction of our road N.W. by N., and at the end of five hours and a
quarter we halted in Wady Rahab [Arabic]. All these valleys resemble one
another; the only difference of appearance which they afford, is that in
some places the ground is parched up, while in others, where a torrent
passes during the winter, the shrubs still retain some green leaves.
WADY ORTA
[p.534] May 16th.—During the night we had a heavy shower of rain with
thunder and lightning, which completely drenched both ourselves and our
baggage. A beautiful morning succeeded, and the atmosphere, which during
the last three days had been extremely hot, especially on the low coast,
was now so much refreshed, that we seemed to have removed from a
tropical to an alpine climate. We passed through several valleys
emptying themselves into Wady Orta; the principal of these is called
Wady Ertama [Arabic]. Route N.N.W. Although the rain had been heavy, the
sands had so completely absorbed it, that we could scarcely find any
traces of it. We started several Gazelles, the only game I have seen in
the peninsula, except mountain-goats. Hares and wolves are found, but
are not common, and the Bedouins sometimes kill leopards, of one of
which I obtained a large skin at the convent. The Bedouins talk much of
a beast of prey called Wober [Arabic], which inhabits the most retired
parts only of the peninsula; they describe it as being of the size of a
large dog, with a pointed head like a hog; I heard also of another
voracious animal, called Shyb [Arabic], stated to be a breed between the
leopard and the wolf. Of its existence little doubt can be entertained,
though its pretended origin is probably fabulous, for the Arabs, and
especially the Bedouins, are in the common practice of assigning to
every animal that is seldom met with, parents of two different species
of known animals.
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