Passing the opening of Wadi Beianeh, and still ascending, the most elevated table-land or small plateau of the Wadi-El-Araba is reached at about the line of 30° north latitude, and 35° 15' east longitude nearly, which is very near 500 feet higher than the level of the Gulf of Akaba, according to Herr Schubert. About that point the water-shed occurs; some of the waters of the Araba flow south into the sea of Akaba, but most are carried off north by the tributaries of the Wadi-el-Jeib into the Dead Sea.
The same traveller (Schubert) found the depression of the bed of that deep Wadi at about 4 miles south of El Weibeh (“hole with water,”) to be 91 Paris feet, or 97 English feet below the level of the Red Sea; the commencement, or most southern limit of that depression taking place at about 15 miles northward of Gebel Harun in Wadi-el-Araba. Consequently, the Dead Sea, Asphaltic Lake (Bahr Lut)—the “Sea of Lot”—must lie considerably lower than the level of the Gulf of Akaba; indeed, Herr Schubert gives the level of the Dead Sea as being 598 Paris feet, and M. Russegger even more than 1300 English feet below that of the Mediterranean.
These geographical facts then afford, as some authors have supposed, sufficient evidence that the River Jordan, although taking its source at an elevation of 1800 feet in the north Syrian mountains—has not flowed through the entire valley El Araba into the Gulf of Akaba; or rather, into the Red Sea, beyond what is now the Strait of Tiran. And certainly these facts are decisive that it never has done so—if the natural conformation of this region has always been the same, as it now exists with regard to depth and height. But against its having continued the same, ab initio, up to the present time, much reasonable hypothesis, and several remarkable appearances may be fairly advanced.
Of the latter, some are the volcanic phenomena apparent around the Dead Sea and El Ghor,[9] on the north; in the basaltic cliffs and creeks nearly opposite the Isle of Kureiyeh; the frequent displacements of strata and rocks in many places on the north-west side of the Gulf of Akaba; the coincidences exhibited by the strata in the Isle of Tiran, with those of the Arabian and Sinaic shores; and the volcanic remains and crater-like hills between them and Sherm on the south. Moreover, it may be collected from Scripture, that certain changes had actually been effected in the vicinity of the Dead Sea (Gen. xix. 25); and that they were caused by fire (Ibid. xxiv. 28); if then, at that period, the southern part of the valley of the Jordan, the plain of the Dead Sea, and El Ghor had, through igneous, or volcanic, or other agency, sunk much below their former levels, it is possible that a corresponding elevation of the land in Wadi-el-Araba might have taken place at the same (or perhaps at another) time, by the same (or by a subsequent similar) agency.
Again, it seems probable from Scripture, that the Dead Sea and Wadi-el-Araba had been once continued, or more connected in their levels; because in Joshua iii. 16, and xii. 3, the former is called “the sea of the plain (even) the Salt Sea;” and in Deut. iv. 49, only “the sea of the plain;” the original Hebrew expression in all three verses is, “Yam ha Arabah;” that is, the Sea of the Araba; and the Septuagint renders it ἡ θάλασσα Ἄραβα. “Ha Arabah,” in Hebrew, signifies the same as El Arabah in Arabic—a “desert-plain,” or a “plain.” So, likewise, we find in Deut. ii. 8, “the children of Edom” described as dwelling “in Seir, through the way of the Plain from Elath, and from Eziongaber;” the Hebrew and Greek words for the plain are here also the same, viz., “Arabah.” Consequently, these passages from Scripture, shewing that both extremes, north and south, of this great plain or Wadi, bore the same appellation, prove that it was esteemed one entire valley in its whole extent, from the Dead, or Salt Sea, to Elath and Eziongaber on the Red Sea, or Ælanitic Gulf, in the land of Edom (1 Kings ix. 26, and 2 Chron. viii. 17.) And, indeed, according to Dr Robertson, no such division of it, as M. De Bertou and some other travellers assert, into Wadi-el-Akaba, and Wadi-el-Araba,[10] at this day exists.
After having attained the highest point, or short table-land of the Wadi-el-Araba, the descent in fact begins in a direct line nearly due north to the Dead Sea; it is in places more elevated, rougher, and more sandy than in others; and its width also becomes greater. Gebel-el-Beianeh appears the loftiest of the chain on the west; but this is scarcely two-thirds as high as the east range, Gebel-el-Shera (Mount Seir); the former is entirely sterile and arid, whilst the latter is covered with herbs and occasional trees, and seems to have a sufficiency of rain. The east Wadis also, which are numerous, are filled with trees, shrubs, and flowers; and their eastern and higher portions, being well cultivated, yield good crops. So Strabo, calling the district “Nabathæa,” states it abounded in pastures; ἡ Ναβαταία πολύανδρος οὖσα ἡ χώρα καὶ ἔυβοτος;[11] and being the country of Esau, it was “of the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above.”—Gen. xxvii. 39.
The range of Mount Seir, Gebel-el-Shera, i.e., the mountains of a “region” or “tract,” under which I have only included those mountains, commencing with Mount Seir itself on the north, and extending to Gebel-el-Ithm on the south. On the eastern side is now sandstone, veined with oxide of iron; and those mountains still further to the east, forming a part of the Nabathæan chain, are limestone with flints, of the same cretaceous series as that of the Sinaic Peninsula; they present many varied forms and shapes.
El Araba, in the approach to Wadi Gharandel, is more covered with shifting sands, broken by innumerable undulations, and low hills; into these sands the waters of Wadi Gharandel, which, according to Burckhardt, have a sulphureous taste, lose themselves. In the ascent of this Wadi (Gharandel) towards Gebel Kula, a mountain is climbed which is composed of calcareous rocks, sandstone and flints, lying over each other in horizontal layers. Gebel Kula is covered on its summit, with a chalky surface. But in Wadi Dalegheh the mountains are calcareous, with some flints, and perfectly bare.
East of these valleys, and distant about six miles, are said to be the vestiges of a Roman road, which probably led near Usdaka—the Szadeke of Burckhardt—to Petra. Near that place is a hill with some considerable ruins, very possibly the remains of what the Peutingerian Table calls Zadagasta; which word seems to have been corrupted into Zadeka, and Sudaka, or Usdaka. A fine spring, or Ain, is there much noted. Also, further north five or six miles, at Ain Mefrak, some ruins are visible. And the same traveller noticed, a few miles north of the present picturesque village of Eljy—situate a little east of Petra, in a more fertile spot—the substructions of walls and paved roads, all constructed of flints. The present road, traversed by the Hadj, or pilgrims, from Syria to Mecca, passes about five miles more eastwards, through Maan (Maon, Judges x. 12), placed in a rocky district. This town is divided by two hills, on each of which stands a portion of it. The fruits, especially pomegranates, peaches, apricots, and grapes, are there excellent, and are much sought after by the Syrian pilgrims. Burckhardt (p. 436), says here, “are several springs, to which the town owes its origin;” and I presume the word itself, Ma'an, is abbreviated by use from Mayan, signifying a “fountain.”
Fourthly.—“Petra,” the Greek appellation of the capital of the ancient Nabathæa, or territory of the Nabathæi, and the Edom of Scripture, was called in Hebrew, Sela; both words meaning a “rock,” and the first of which gave its name to the country—“Arabia Petræa.” It is also called Joktheel, in 2 Kings xiv. 7. Strabo has distinctly recorded that “Petra was the capital of the Nabathæans who were Idumæans.” (Lib. xvi.) The former appellation having been bestowed upon this people as descendants of Nebaioth, (1 Chron. i. 29), or Nebajoth (Gen. xxv. 13), who was Abraham and Hagar's grandson, and Ishmael's first-born son. Petra is correctly described by the same Greek geographer, as well as by the Roman naturalist. The short account of the last I here transcribe: “Nabatæi oppidum includunt Petram nomine in convalle, paulo minus duum mill. passuum amplitudinis, circumdatum montibus inaccessis amne interfluente.”[12] I will not add here any description of the very magnificent remains of this remarkable city, the city of the Rock—or rather excavated and carved out of the natural rock—whose dwellings are said to have been “in the clefts of the rock,” (Obadiah 3), since they are now so well known.