himself better of the way, and in an Hours time more he brought us to the side of a Bog, call'd by the Name of _Zerga_, where, such as it was, we found Water enough, but it was neither palatable nor wholsome, neither did the Ground seem proper to Sleep upon; yet we were forced to be content, there being no removing thence that Night. _October 1._ We departed from _Zerga_, about two Hours before Sun-rise, and as soon as it was light, had the Prospect of a very high Hill, which was to be the bounds of our Travel that Day. To this we made as directly as we could look, finding nothing in our way observable either to arrest our curiosity, or to slacken our Pace, except a multitude of Holes made in the sandy Earth, by Rats, Serpents, and other Animals, which render'd our Riding a little troublesome; as we had found it upon the same Account the Afternoon before. About two Hours short of our Stage, we were shewn three little round Hills lying to the right in a direct line, known by the Name of _Tenage_; where we were told there was good Water, and it's for that reason only they deserve the notice of those that Travel through such a thirsty Desart. The Place to which we directed our Course was called _Esree_, where we arrived about eleven a Clock, and found to our great Satisfaction, that our Guide had not deceived us in his Promise of excellent Water: Here we could discern the Foundations of a spacious City, and a piece of a thick Wall, built of a chalky Stone, was standing: This we judged to be the remainder of a Castle situated on the side of the Hill, so as both to defend and command the City. On the top of the Hill, above the Castle, stands the Ruins of a Fabrick, in appearance very Ancient, built of very hard Stone, yet exceedingly worn by the Weather; 'tis of an oblong Figure, pointing near to the N. E. and S. W. with only one Door on the Easterly end, which was once adorned with extraordinary good Carvings, of which there are still some remains, but the greatest part is either worn away, or purposely defaced; and those marks of ancient Beauty that remain are very obscure, and difficultly discernable; the outside of the Walls is beautified with Pilasters quite round, with their Pedestals and Capitals regular and handsom; but the Roof is all fallen down, and within appears nothing which looks either great or beautiful. The Situation, and placing the Door, hinders one from conjecturing it to have been a Christian Oratory, or Chappel, and therefore in probability it must have been a Heathen Temple; and if so, then the piece of the Castle Wall being of a softer Stone, must be much more modern; the goodness of the Water brings the _Arabs_ (who rove up and down the Desart) and the _Turk-men_ frequently hither, which has occasion'd a great many Graves about the Temple; and some have had leisure, and, (which is more difficult to be imagin'd) skill enough to scratch in the Walls the first Letters of their Names, and many more in