The Wilmingtonian., 1824-04-08
From the London Literary Gazette.
Iracels in Nabia, Syria, &c. by Captain
Irbu 1uI .MnnrLer,

Irby and Iuangler.
"Leavirg Petar hardly halfsatisfed, or
the first afternoon, we undertook the as
cent to the little edifce, which is visible
from all the country round, upon the very
highest and most rugged pinnacle Of this
range Of mountains, and is called the
tomb of Aaron" The tomb of Moses
has been so grossly misplaced by the mus
sulmen, who show it half days journey De
yond Jordan to the westward, that we
might look with some suspicion to the one
assigned to his brother were it not that
Josephus expressly says of the place OF his
decease, that it was near Petra. Compare
also, Mosera with Moresa, and it seems
that the monument and the ruins mutually
authenticated each other; we had no doubt
therefore, that the height which we were
going to ascend, is the Mount Hor OF scrip
ture. The base of the highest pinnacle OF
the mou tain is little removed from the
skirts Of the city to the westward we rode
to its foot over rugged and broken tract,
passing in the way many sepulchres, SINH
lar to those which have been described. A
singular monument presents itself upon
the left hand: an obtuse cone produced by
the coils of a spiral, is represented as stand
ing on vast square pedestal or altar, the
whole being obtained out of one of the
peaked submits of the rock. Not far from
thence, close to the way side, is the same re-
presentation in relieve, within a niche
which we have remarked upon in the cas-
tern approach, the form of the recess which
surrounds the altar rising into the figure
of sugar-loaf. No where is the e1-
traordinary colourng af these mountains
more striking than the tomb of Aaron,
which we followed, where the rock some
times presented deep, sometimes paler
blue, and sometimes was occasionally
streaked with red, or shaded otf' to lilac. or
purple, sometimes salmon colour was vein
ed in waved lines, or circles, with crimson
and even scarlet, so as to resemble ex-
ectly the colour Of raw meats; in other
places there are livid stripes Of yellow or
bright orange. and in some parts all the
different colours were ranged side by side
in parallel strata +; there are positions alsu
with paler tints, and some milk white, but
these last seem TO be soft. and good for
preserving the sculpture. 1t is this won.
derful vivacity Of colours observable
throughout the whole range Of mountains
that gives of Petra, one Of the most char
acteristic beauties the facades of the
tombs, tastefuly as they ere sculptured
owe much of their imposing appearance to
tnic IND Ytptta Il it,r hnaa -,
Over this singular country, an old Arab
guide conducted them. and up the difficult
access oil the mountain to the tomb at the
top, which is enclosed in ANAL building
differing moi at all in external form and ia-
pearance.F from those OF Mahomcdan saints
common throughout every province Of Fur.
key. 1t has probably been built at no re.
mote period some s,nall columns are bed
ed in the walls, and some fragments Of
granite, and slabs of white marble, are lv.
lug about. The door is near the $. w. All.
glr, within which is constructed tomb
%i,h pale thrown oveY it, presents itself
immediately upon entering; it is patched
together out OF fragments Of stone and mar.
bic that have made parts nt other fragments
Lron one q! these are several shcrt lines il
the tlc5rew character, cut in a s'oyenl,
manoer; we had them interpreted at 4
Gre, and shey proved to be merely Tia,
names of Jew and his family, who ha,
scratched this record It is not prnbabl,
that any prolessed Jew has visited til,
spot for ages past, perhaps not since til
period of Mahomedan conquest; it MA
lay claim, therefore, TO some antiouit,
and in any case it is eulioos appendas
70 the testimony Of Josepnus on this sui
'ect. There are five rags and shreds {
yarn, with glass beads and paras, left 4
votive offerings by the Arabs. Not fs
from the \. w. angle is passage de-
cend'nG by steps to a vaut Nr grott
beneath for we were uucc.taa which {
the two to call it, being covered with $
thick a coat of whitewash, thar it is uits.
cult to tell whether it is built or hollowe
out. 1t appeared, in great part at least,
grotto; the roof is covered, but the who
is rude, i'll fashioned, and quite dark II
sheikl, who was not informed that VI
were Christians, circumstance that o,
guide was not aware of. furnished US wi
:, lump Of butter. Towards the farth
end of this dark vault lie the two CORE
t.pntns leaves of an iron grating, whit