Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1818-07-20
From the .Neu-York Dolly .qdrertiser.


Nearly century ago, several travellers Of
responsibility, at different times, visited
the tract Of country over which the Israeli
ties passed in their journey from the Red
Sea, to the Promised Land. In examining
the region in the neighborhood of Mount
Sinai, they severaIly discovered, among o.
Their evidences of the Mosaic History, the
Rock Meribah, from which the great Jew
ish Leader, in miraculous manner, drew
water for the immense host Of his country
men. Two Of these travellers was Shaw
and Pococke, two Englishmen Of respec-
liability and integrity. As their descriptions
o. this monument of antiquity, 50 interest,"
ing for the confederation which it affords
to the Sacred Historian, and so venerable
for having been the object upon which was
wrought so wonderful miracle as that
above mentioned are so minute and sa-
tisfactcy, we have transcribed them for
publication.
SHAW.
" After we had descended with no small
difficulty down the western side Of this
mountain, we came into the other plain
that is formed by it, which is Rephidim.-
Here We still see that extraordinary
antiquity, the Rock of Meribah, which
hath continued down to this day with
out the least injury from time or acci-
IL .e hln.l- IS .llo
bout four yards square, lying tottering as
itwere, and loose in the middle OF the val
ley, and seems 10 have formerly belonged
to Mount Sinai, which hangs in . variety
of preCipices over all this plain. The 7ra-
tiers arhich !sushed out, and the streams phich
.Roured u7thdl have followed across one cor
ner of this rock, channel about inches
deep and 90 wide, appearing TO be crusta-
ted, all over like the inside OF tea kettle
that bath been long in use. Besides seve-
raj messy productions that are still preser-
we'd by the dew, we see all over this chan
mel great number of holes, some of them
four or five inches deep and one or two in
diameter, the lively and demonstrate to-
kens of their having been formerly so ma
ny fountains. 1t likewise may be further
means be concerned in the contrivance
Tor every circumstance points out to US
miracle, and in the same manner'with the
rent rock Of Mount Calvary al jerusalem,
never fails to produce religious surprise in
all who see it,"
POCOCKE.
"Here they show the Rock, which, they
say, Moses struck and the waters flowed out
when God told him he would stand before
him upon the rock of Horeb, which was
afterwards called NASSAU and Meribah. 1t
is on the foot of Mount Seric, and is red
granite stone, fifteen feet long. ten wide,
and about twelve high. On both sides Of
il towards the south end and at the top Of
the stone, for about the breadth OF eight
inches. il is discoloured as by the running
of water--snd all down this part on both
sides, and at the top are sort OF openings,
or mouths, some Of which resemble the Ii
on's mouth, that is sometimes cut in stone
spouts, but appear nCt TO be the work of
tool. There are about twelve oneach side,
and within every one is horizontal crack,
and in some also crack perpeudicularly
down. There is also crack from one Of
the mouths next the hill, that extends two
or three feet towards the north, and all
round the south end The Arabs call this
stone the Stone Of Moses"
In 1722, a person called the Prefetto Of
the FraHciscans in Egypt, made the same
tour. His manuscript Journal was after
wards translated by the Bishop Of Clogher,
the Reverend Robert Clayton. He visit
ed the same object, which he says is called
BY the Greeks the Stone Of Fouatoi:ns, and