The adjoining tract, called Belad-el-Jof, extends from Nejran
on the north, to JafFea on the south, and from the borders of
Yemen on the west, to El Ahkaf on the east; and besides
Nedjan and some inferior places, it contains two remarkable
cities ; one of them, called Mareb, is on the site of the ancient
capital,1 and in its vicinity was the territory called Ard-es-
Saba, the land of Sheba.2
Mareb is two days eastward of San’a, and so fertile is the
surrounding country, that corn is sown and reaped there three
times in the year.3 The town is situated in a valley, on which
another, a day’s journey in length, terminates., The latter is
enclosed by two ranges of hills which, at the eastern extremity,
approach so nearly that the interval was closed artificially,
and the remains of the bund called Sitt-e-Mareb are
said to be still visible. This celebrated dike4 appears to have
been a huge mass of masonry, such as we see at Oedipore and
other places in India, crossing at a great elevation from side
to side of a deep mountain valley. The valley at Mareb is
filled during the rains; and at other times the water retained
in it is fed by six or seven streams which meet there.5 At
the time when the bund failed, the body of water discharged
was sufficient to produce what was called the inundation of
Aram. In the vicinity of this place are the ruins of two
castles, the one said to have been the work of Solomon, and
the other of his queen (Balkis).
The other city, called Saba, and supposed to be on the site
of Sabe Regia,6 is seated upon a mountain, where the air is
considered to be so salubrious that the place is not exposed to
any kind of disease; it is also supposed to be free from serpents
and vermin. Moreover, it is believed that idiots on
coming thither recover their reason ; and many other advantages
equally marvellous are ascribed to the place. The
1 Arabic Geo. MS., translated by Dr. Aloys Sprenger.
! Strabo, lib. XVI., p. 777; Diod. Sic., lib. III., c. xxiii.; and Royal
Geographical Journal, vol. VIII., p. 268.
3 Arabic Geo. MS. in the British Museum, translated by Dr. A. Sprenger.
4 Arabic MS., 7502, in the British Museum.
5 Compare Niehbuhr’s Travels, vol. II., pp. 65, 66, with Edrisi, tome V.,
p. 149, ed. Jaubert. 8 Ptolemy, lib.' VI., cap. 7.
foundation of the city is attributed to Saba-ben-Ya’shab-ben-
Ya’rab;1. and in the neighbourhood, according to Arabian
authors, are the remains of a large structure, with columns
28 cubits high, probably an aqueduct, to which they gave the
name of the throne of Balkis.2
Throughout the territory of Yemen may be traced some
remains of the manners and civilization of the ancient Sabeans.
The local governments are strong, the merchant is protected,
and the interests of commerce are secured.
Eastward of Belad-el-Jof there is an extensive wilderness,
peopled by the Bedawins ; in its centre, at Belad-el-Salah-ed-
din, is the mountainous tract occupied by sedentary Arabs, and
again, towards the western side, near the borders of Yemen,
is Belad-el-Sherif, a tract occupied by the descendants of Mu-
hammed.
The plains northward from thence to the frontiers of Nedjd,
contain numerous families of the Beni Kaktan Arabs, one of
the most ancient tribes of that people. They are divided into
two main branches, viz., the Es Sahama and El Ah’sa, and
the country which they occupy affording excellent pasturage,
they breed many superior horses and a vast number of fine
camels.3
' Arabic MS- Description of Yemen, 7502, in tbe British Museum; translated
by Dr. A. Sprenger. s Ibid.
3 Burckhardt’s Travels in Arabia, vol. II., pp. 384, 385; and Niehbuhr’s
Travels, vol. II., p. 61.