Footnote 17: See the Views of the Convents of St Paul and St Anthony, plate 51, p. 128, chap. vi., book ii., vol. i., in _Pococke's_ "Description of the East." Proceeding from St Paul's to the SE., for near 15 miles, the line of the _primitive_ mountains is reached on the left, whilst the _secondary_ chain of Gebel Kallala, consisting of limestone with ammonites, is continued on the right, or west. South of Wadi Dthahal _micaceous schist_ approaching to _gneiss_ occurs, and a little further, the primitive and _sandstone_, or _gritstone_ rocks join. Thence the secondary, or _cretaceous_ mountains, diverging to the south and south-west, gradually decrease in altitude. Again, southwards, some more ancient copper-works are noticed; and then, _Gebel Horvashia_, whose formation is _granite_, rises a few miles off to the SE.; in its natural basin much good water is retained after rain. _Wadi Abu Hadth_ next attracts attention from its possessing a good deal of fine herbage, and many gum-arabic trees. Of the granite mountains in this region, _Gebel Agrib_, or _Garib_, or _Gharib_ ("camel's hump") is the loftiest, as it elevates itself to about 6000 feet above the sea level; and from its position it forms a conspicuous landmark far out at sea. The ascent of this majestic mountain, from its steepness and numerous ravines, is found to be fatiguing. Mr J. Wilkinson[18] describes it as follows:-- "The first evening we reached the base of the highest cone, where we slept, and ascended the next morning to the summit, from which we had a view of the mountains on either side of the sea, and the different plains. We tracked the gazelles very nearly to the summit, and every now and then in the ravines found some solitary plants growing under the shade of a projecting stone. The peaks of this mountain resemble the _Aiguilles_ near Mount Blanc; but, to equal that mountain in beauty, it requires the lower parts to be covered with the woods and verdure of the Alps, and the desert plain below to be exchanged for the green meadows of Switzerland. I calculate the height to be 5513 feet above the ravine in the plain below, which is a few hundred feet above the level of the sea." Footnote 18: Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, vol. ii. p. 39. About ten miles southward, _Bir-el-Dara_--the "Well of Dara," below the mountain of that name, occurs; there, likewise, copper _scoriæ_, smelting furnaces, and miners' houses, are observed. Further south, more _copper mines_ are seen in a bare place, among low hills, all of which have been examined for the ore.