(Signed) JOHN PERCY, M.D., F.R.S. Lecturer on Metallurgy at the Royal School of Mines, London. Capt. R. F. Burton, etc. Upon this able report I would offer the following observations. We, who have travelled through a country like Midian, finding everywhere extensive works for metallurgy; barrages and aqueducts, cisterns and tanks ; furnaces, fire-bricks, and scoriae; open mines, and huge scatters of spalled quartz, with the remains of some eighteen cities and towns which apparently fell to ruin with the industry that founded and fed them;--we, I say, cannot but form a different and a far higher idea of its mineral capabilities than those who determine them by the simple inspection of a few specimens. The learned Dr. Percy at once hits the mark when he surmises that worthless samples were brought home; and this would necessarily occur when no metallurgist, no practical prospector, was present with the Expedition. As will appear from the following pages, all the specimens were collected a ciel ouvert, and wholly without judgment. I therefore expect that future exploration will develop Midian as it has done India. The quartzose outcrop called the "Wynaad reef" (Madras Presidency) produced only a few poor penny-weights per ton, two and seven being the extremes, while much of it was practically unproductive. Presently, in February, 1878, the district was visited by Sir Andrew Clarke, of Australian experience, member of the Viceregal Council. He invited Mr. Brough Smyth, of Victoria, to explore and test the capabilities of the country; and that eminent practical engineer discovered, in an area of twenty-five by thirteen miles, ninety outcrops, some yielding, they say, two hundred ounces per ton of gold, fine and coarse, "with jagged pieces as large as peas." And British India now hopes to draw her gold coinage from Wynaad. I conclude this abstract of the book, which would have been reduced in size had the mass of matter permitted, with the heartfelt hope that the grand old Land of Midian will not be without attraction to the public of Europe. RICHARD F. BURTON. ATHENAEUM CLUB, December 16. CONTENTS. PART I. The March Through Madyan Proper (North Midian). Chapter I. Preliminary--from Trieste to Midian Chapter II. The Start--from El Muwaylah to the "White Mountain" and 'Aynunah Chapter III. Breaking New Ground to Maghair Shu'ayb Chapter IV. Notices of Precious Metals in Midian--the Papyri and the Mediaeval Arab Geographers Chapter V. Work At, and Excursions From, Maghair Shu'ayb Chapter VI. To Makna, and Our Work There--the Magani or Maknawis Chapter VII. Cruise from Makna to El'akabah Chapter VIII. Cruise from El'akabah to El Muwaylah--the Shipwreck Escaped--resume of the Northern Journey