[p.620] six hours. The chain of granite mountains continued to our
right, parallel with the road, which was overspread with silex, and
farther on we met with a kind of basaltic tufa, forming low hills
covered with sand. We then descended, and at six hours and a half
entered the valley called Wady Mokatteb [Arabic]. The appellation of
Djebel Mokatteb, which several travellers have applied to the
neighbouring mountains, is not in use. To the north of the entrance of
this valley near the foot of the higher chain, is a cluster of magazines
of the Bedouins, at a spot called El Bedja [Arabic].
The Wady Mokatteb extends for three hours march in the direction N.W.;
in the upper part it is three miles across, having to the right high
mountains, and to the left a chain of lower sandrocks. Half way down, it
becomes narrower, and then takes the name of Seyh Szeder [Arabic]. In
most places the sand-rocks present abrupt cliffs, twenty or thirty feet
in height. Large masses have separated themselves from the cliffs and
lie at their feet in the valley. These cliffs and rocks are thickly
covered with inscriptions, which are continued with intervals of a few
hundred paces only, for at least two hours and a half; similar
inscriptions are found in the lower part of the Wady, where it narrows,
upon the sand-stone rocks of the opposite, or north-eastern side of the
valley. To copy all these inscriptions would occupy a skilful
draughtsman six or eight days; they are all of the same description as
those I have already mentioned, consisting of short lines, written from
right to left, and with the singular character represented in p. 479,
invariably at the beginning of each. Some of them are on rocks at a
height of twelve or fifteen feet, which must have required a ladder to
ascend to them. They are in general cut deeper than those on the granite
in the upper country, but in the same careless style. Amongst them are
many in Greek; containing, probably, like the others, the names of those
who