however, with their persevering pace, arrived at the top as soon as we did. Near the place where we stopped was a Tower, with loopholes for musketry. This, with many others of the same description, was erected by the Bashaw on the conquest of the mountain, that his troops might be enabled to overawe the natives; but as he never stations any forces there, his purposes will only operate against himself, and enable the Arabs to defend their mountains with greater obstinacy, should they ever so far recover from their defeat as again to resist his unjust demands. We stopped at a nest, I cannot call it village, where all the habitations are under-ground. The Sheikh, on hearing we were under the protection of the Bashaw, came to welcome us, and gave us the only hut the place afforded, in which we placed our people and camel loads. As for ourselves, we preferred clearing part of the farm yard, and pitching our tent in it, surrounded by our horses and camels. This place is called Beni abbās بني ابّعس. As the natives live, as I have observed, under-ground, a person unacquainted with the circumstance might cross the mountain without once suspecting that it was inhabited. All the dwelling-places being formed in the same manner, a description of the Sheikh’s may suffice for the rest. The upper soil is sandy earth, of about four feet in depth; under this sand, and in some places limestone, a large hole is dug, to the depth of twenty-five or thirty feet, and its breadth in every direction is about the same, being as nearly as can be made, a perfect square. The rock is then smoothed so as to form perpendicular sides to this space, in which doors are cut through, and arched chambers excavated, so as to receive their light from the doors. These rooms are sometimes three or four of a side, in others a whole side composes one; the arrangements depending on the number of the inhabitants. In the open court is generally a well, water being found at about ten or twelve feet below the base of the square. The entrance to the house is at about thirty-six yards from the pit, and opens above ground. It is arched overhead; is generally cut in a winding direction, and is perfectly dark. Some of these passages are sufficiently large to admit a loaded camel. The entrance has a strong wall built over it, something resembling an ice-house. This is covered overhead, and has a very strong heavy door, which is shut at night, or in cases of danger. At about ten yards from the bottom is another door, equally strong, so that it is almost impossible to enter these houses, should the inhabitants determine to resist. Few Arab attacks last long enough to end in a siege. All their sheep and poultry being confined in the house at night, the Bashaw’s army, when here, had recourse to suffocating the inmates, being unable to starve them out.