The mountains by which we travelled from Siwab to this spot,
are branches of those which I have mentioned as appearing, at all
times, to north of our way through the Desert, and often at but
little distance. They rise abruptly, and as precipices, from the level
ground, and shew a face of mere rock, without the least covering
of soil or even of sand. Their appearance, taken together with that
of the sea-sand which covers the Desert, indicate this vast tract to
have been flooded, and at a period later than the great deluge. In
the sandy plain below these mountains is seen the surface of a vast
calcareous rock, containing no substance of petrifaction, whereas
the mountains near consist of limestone, crowded and filled with
fragments of marine animals and shells. The strata of all these
rocky hills lay horizontal.
Westward of Siwab, I found two banks or heaps of calcined .
shells, some of the size of two* inches over. My interpreter told
me, that taking his road at some distance from me, he saw a mountain
standing singly and unconnected with others, composed entirely
of shells. Many such vast isolated mounds are to be seen
throughout the whole of .this district, and the bed-joints or interstices
of their strata of stone ,(always horizontal), being filled up
with a reddish, friable, calcareous substance, they often resemble
pyramids, and in so exact and illusive a manner, that more than
once I was deceived into expectation of arrival at such building.
The architecture of the ancient Egyptians was of the vast and
gigantic kind; and builders of such ambitious temper and stupendous
scheme, might readily entertain the idea of transforming a
mountain into a pyramid, shaping the huge rock, already in form
partly adapted, and casing it with wrought stones on the outside, as
they might prefer. Some of the learned have given an opinion, that
the Pyramids of Giza and of Saccara, were not originally erections
from the base, but merely hills of earth or stone, shaped and covered
by the labour of man. The idea is plausible, though certainly to
be controverted, by reasons to be drawn from history, and from
other the best sources of fact and argument.
I now proceed to the recital of an event in which I was personally
and principally concerned. I shall give the recital in detail, as,
in its consequences, being of the highest import to the future safety
o f myself, and therewith to the progress of discovery which I have
engaged in ; and, , as it has afforded me self-confidence and new
encouragement, ever favourable to the success of enterprize, so will
it, I trust, give satisfaction to those who have employed me, inspiring
just and well-founded hopes of my finally accomplishing the great
purpose entrusted to my care.
The state of quiet and security usually attending our encampments
was interrupted, whilst at Schiacha, by the arrival of some
Siwahans, who, about eight o’clock in the evening, came with intelligence,
that a numerous horde of Arabs from the vicinity of Faiutne
were hovering in the Desert, ready to fall upon our caravan. These
messengers at the same time- assured us, that the people of Siwah
had resolved- to come to our assistance, and to escort us to the next
watering-place; adding, “ that their little army would arrive in a
few hours, determined to risk With us every thing in opposing the
attack of the Bedouins, whose force they represented as consisting
of from 800 to 1000 men. Our leader, the Sheik of the Twaters,
immediately assembled the principal people of thè caravan, when it
was decided not to desert our post, but to await the enemy. Scarcely
was our little council broke up, wheji we heard from afar the braying
of some hundred asses, giving notice of the approach of the
Siwahans. They use this animal on their military excursions, from