forming knobby hills. Leaving the outlined sphinx to the right,
we ascended a second block, which rises on the west of the chief
watercourse, further down than the "Owl's Hill." This Tell
el-Ahmar ("Red Hill"), alias Ja'dat Bada (the "Curved Hill of
Bada'"), is a quoin of grey granite bluff to the south-west. The
north-eastern flank shows the normal revetment of ruddy and black
heat-altered grit, which gives a red back to the pale-sided,
drab-coloured heap. Over the easy ascent is run a zigzag path;
half-way, up it passes piles of stone that denote building, and
it abuts at the summit upon one of those "look-outs" which are
essentially Arab.

Again, to the south-east of the palms is the Huzaybat Bada, the
"(Isolated) Hillock of Bada," a low ridge of naked grey granite,
much scaled and pigeon-holed. On the plain to its north stretch
regular lines of stone, probably the remnants of a work intended
to defend the city's eastern approach. South of the Huzaybah
appear the usual signs of an atelier: these workshops are
doubtless scattered all around the centre; but a week, not a day,
would be required to examine them. On the very eve of our
departure the guides pointed northwards (350 mag.) to a
"Mountain of Maru," called El-Arayfat, and declared that it
contained a Zaribat el-Nasara, or "enclosure made by the
Nazarenes." I offered a liberal present for specimens; all,
however, swore that the distance ranged from two to three hours
of dromedary, and that no mounted messenger could catch us unless
we halted the next day.

The Bedawin, still relegated to the upper country, were sending
their scouts to ascertain if the water-supply was sufficient in