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TRAVELS

THROUGH

ARABIA,

AND OTHER

COUNTRIES IN THE EAST,

PERFORMED BY

M. NIEBUHR,

NOW A CAPTAIN OF ENGINEERS IN THE SERVICE OF
THE KING OF DENMARK.

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH

BY

ROBERT HERON

WITH NOTES BY THE TRANSLATOR;

AND

ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS AND MAPS.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED FOR R. MORISON AND SON. BOOKSELLERS PERTH,
MUDIE, EDINBURGH; AND P. VERNOR,
BIRCHIN LANE, LONDON.

1792

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PREFACE

BY THE

TRANSLATOR.

I remember to have read, with no small surprize, of a rhyming Latin poem of considerable length, written by some Monkish composer of Leonine verses, in honour of the Virgin Mary, which was made wholly up by the changes rung upon the words of this single line,

My wonder was never more highly excited than when, in learning the rules of arithmetic, I found what a variety of changes might be rung upon a few bells; and for how many years, a company of ten or twelve persons might dine together, if they should not separate, till they could no longer make a new change of places.

Similar emotions are naturally raised in the mind, when one considers, how uniform

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are the circumstances of human life, how much alike the organs of our bodies, and the faculties of our minds; yet, how innumerable the diversities of the human character: how few the first general elements of nature; yet, how endlessly varied the forms which this universe exhibits! He who spends his life without wandering ever more than a few miles from the spot of his nativity, or without mingling with any other but the first circle, whether of courtiers, of cits, or of rustics, into whose society he has been introduced, can know little of the dignity, of the meanness, of the capacities of his nature,—and but little of the beauties and the wonders of this great theatre of human exertions.

It is pleasing, indeed, to review the records of our ancestors. The exercise moves our affections to a generous warmth, and enlightens our personal experience. But, the new knowledge to be thus acquired, is not considerable. Children are but the images of their parents; and the same meadow will wear the same aspect, next Spring, which it shewed on the last. To enlarge,

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in any considerable degree, the extent of our knowledge, we must change the scene: and we shall then see, how the manners and enjoyments of man vary with external circumstances; and how happily the general laws of nature, notwithstanding their simplicity, apply to an infinite multitude of the minutest and most particular cases.

Hence is travelling so agreeable; and hence are the narratives of intelligent travellers so rich a fund of entertainment and instruction. To wander from city to city, from hill to vale, and from vale to hill; to see one new extent of horizon open upon the eye after another, and landscape after landscape, display sublimity and beauty in all their varying forms,—affords perhaps the most delightful, at least the most improving amusement of which the human mind is susceptible. To see these things through the eyes of another, is indeed much less interesting, than when we can view them ourselves. Yet, as a traveller cannot well help throwing into his work more of the vivid imagery and colouring of nature, than almost any different writers;—

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even in perusing the narrative of another’s travels, therefore, one may enjoy no small share of that pleasure, and reap a considerable portion of the instruction, which an actual survey of the same scenes might afford.

Who, that has been taught to relish at all the pleasures of reading, can refrain from enquiring after almost every new book of travels, the publication of which is announced? Hardly a fine lady can stray to France or Italy, after her beauty has withered with her virtue, and her wit has ceased to be fashionable; Scarce can one of those travelling governors by trade, to whose care the finishing of the education of our young men of fortune, is so wisely intrusted,—visit a new set of inns, or ride another relay of post horses, on the continent; Not a half-pay captain attends as toad-eater on some valetudinary man of fortune, going abroad for his health: But Tours, and Travels, and Journies, and Letters, are the certain fruits of every such expedition, and are as certainly bestowed, with wonderful generosity, on the public,

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All is called for, and eagerly read: And, to say the truth, almost all works, however little might be expected from them, when every circumstance is considered,—afford more or less, to repay, in a reasonable way, the expence of the buyer, and the pains of the reader. But, when a man of sound sense, of real energy and activity of mind, acquainted with letters, and not unacquainted with life,—when such a man, travelling, notes down his observations, and communicates them to the public he confers a favour, such as authors have it seldom in their power to give. This favour will be so much the greater, if his observations have been made with an eye of keen enquiry; and if he has visited regions where all is peculiar, and but little known.

Having these considerations in my mind, I should offer the following Travels to British readers with no small pride and confidence, if I were sure of having arrayed them in a handsome and becoming English dress. Mr Niebuhr was the sole survivor of a party of five Danish travellers, who, being

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selected as men eminently qualified to accomplish the several purposes of such an expedition, were sent into the East at the expense of the king of Denmark, to explore the various curiosities of Egypt, but especially of Arabia. They proceeded first to Egypt. After making an excursion to Mount Sinai, and preparing themselves, by the study of the Arabic language, for the farther prosecution of their journey, they sailed from Suez, down the Red Sea, to Jidda. Having landed at Jidda, they continued their journey southward to Mokha; not without occasional excursions to the N. E. into the interior parts of the country. From Mokha, they travelled nearly in a south-eastern direction to Sana, the seat of the greatest prince in Arabia. By the time they had accomplished this last journey, and returned to Mokha, two of the party were dead; and, by the pernicious influence of the climate, by the unfavourableness of the oriental mode of living to European constitutions, by their inability to relinquish European habits, and by the fatigue necessarily attending their investigations, the

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health of the survivors was so much impaired, that they were obliged to resolve upon leaving Arabia with the first English ship that sailed for Bombay. Mr Niebuhr and another of his companions lived to reach India. This other, after languishing for a while, at last died at Bombay.

After this event, Niebuhr remained in the East only till he could find a fit opportunity of returning safe into Europe, with the collection of curiosities which was left in his hands.

Such is the outline of these Travels. They afford the latest, and indeed almost the only topographical account of Arabia, in the hands of the European public. Being the results of the observation, not of one man only, but of a party of travellers, and those all well qualified to direct their attention in a proper line of enquiry; they contain such a body of truly valuable information as is to be met with in very few other volumes of travels. Relating to a country famous from the earliest ages of antiquity; they are thus rendered peculiarly interesting by the nature of their subject. They throw much

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new light on the historical events, the laws, the worship, and the customs recorded in the Old Testament. And I must, upon the whole, confess, that I have never before had it in my power to abuse so good an occasion of receiving real mental improvement with rational amusement, as that which the translating of this work has afforded me.

It would be unfair to neglect advertising the reader, that the whole of Mr Niebuhr’s account of his travels, and observations in Arabia, is not comprized in these volumes. Various things seemed to be addressed so exclusively to men of erudition, that they could not be expected to win the attention of the public in general, and have therefore been left out.

As to the translation; I cannot indeed say much for it. I entered upon the task with a resolution to perform it carefully, and, as it could not be supposed very arduous, I might perhaps secretly flatter myself, ably. I was kindly encouraged by some eminent literary characters, to benevolent notice I have been often much indebted. But, after I had made considerable progress

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progress in the work; I put what I had performed into the hands of one gentleman, for learning, taste, and judgment, I must ever entertain high deference; and he, with the most candid and obliging criticism, pointed out several blunders, as well of the translator as of the printer, which I was surprized to perceive, and cannot yet think of, without shame. These I have endeavoured, as far as circumstances would permit, to revise and correct; and I renewed my diligence to guard against all such mistakes in what then remained to be printed.———

I have added some notes: I wish, they were valuable.

 Edinburgh

Aug. 1. 1792.

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CONTENTS.

SECTION I.

Voyage from Copenhagen to Alexandria.

SECTION II.

Of Egypt in general.

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SECTION III.

Of the Government, Arts, and Trade of Egypt.

SECTION IV.

Of the Manners of the Orientals in general, and particularly of the Egyptians.

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SECTION V.

Egyptian Antiquities

SECTION VI.

Journey from Cairo to Suez and Mount Sinai.

SECTION VII.

Voyage from Suez to Jidda and Loheia.

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SECTION VIII.

Route from Loheia to Beit el Fakih.

SECTION IX.

Excursions through the Country about Beit el Fakih.

SECTION X.

Journey through the Mountaneous Part of Yemen.

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SECTION XI.

Journey from Beit el Fakih to Mokha.

SECTION XII.

Journey from Mokha to Taœs.

SECTION XIII.

Journey to Sana.

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SECTION XIV.

Our Stay at Sana, in the Iman’s Court.

SECTION XV.

Our Return from Sana to Mokha.