are unequivocally in Hedjaz,) with Arabia Felix. [D'Anville, Geographie
Ancienne.] D'Herbelot, in one place, declares Hedjaz to be Arabia
Petraea, [See the Bibliotheque Orientale in "Hegiaz ou Higiaz"--"Nom
d'une province de l'Arabie, que nous appelons Pierreuse," &c.--
Richardson also, in his Arabic and Persian Dictionary, explains Hijaz by
"Mecca and the adjacent country, Arabia Petraea;" and Demetrias
Alexandrides, who translated some portions of Abulfeda's Geography into
Greek, (printed at Vienna, 1807, 8vo.) always renders Hedjaz by [Greek
text] and in another he identifies it with Arabia Deserta. ["Les
Provinces de Tahama et d'Iemamah sont comme au coeur du pays; celle de
Hegiaz est devenue la plus celebre a cause des villes de la Mecque et de
Medine, et fait avec les deux dernieres que nous avons nommees ce que
nous appelons l'Arabie Deserte."--Biblioth. Orient. in "Arab."]]

Among the Eastern writers, some divide Arabia into two parts, Yemen and
Hedjaz; others into five great provinces, Yemen, Hedjaz, Nedjed, Tehama,
and Yemama. Bahrein has also been included;

[p.ix] and Aroudh is named as an Arabian province, but appears to be the
same as Yemama. Hadramaut, Mahrah, Shejr, Oman, and other subdivisions
have likewise been reckoned independent provinces by some, while many
confound them with the greater regions, Yemen and Hedjaz. To the latter,
indeed, are often assigned even the extensive countries of Nedjed,
Tehama, and Yemama.

Respecting the boundaries of all these provinces, much embarrassment has
arisen from contradictory statements made by several of the most eminent
Oriental geographers; Edrisi, Abulfeda, Al Madaieni, Ibn Haukal, Ibn el
Vardi, Bakoui, and others. Mr. Rommel, a very ingenious commentator on
Abulfeda's "Arabia," is frequently obliged to acknowledge the difficulty