The general aspect of Arabia presents a large extent of desert, interspersed with a few fertile spots, and some mountains of considerable height, among which are to be found many luxuriant and delightful valleys. It was originally divided by Eratosthenes, Strabo, and Ptolemy, into the stony, the sandy, and the happy, now better known by Arabia Petrma, Arabia Deserta, and Arabia Felix, and this division has been generally followed by modern geographers.
Arabia Petrma lies contiguous to Egypt and Syria, and, as its name imports, is of a rocky and unfruitful soil. A few cultivated spots lie scattered at consider able distances from one another, which afford delightful retreats, from the immense deserts that surround them. The principal inhabitants of this district were the Ish maelites and Nabathmans, both descendants of Ishmael, who afterwards extended themselves from the Red Sea, as far as the river Euphrates, went under the general name of Nabathxans, and the tract of country which they inhabited was denominated Nabotena. Petra, its metropolis, the same with Joktheel in scripture, now Erac or Karac, was the strongest fortress in Arabia, and in the time of Augustus, it was the residence of the king of the Nabathxans. It stood upon a rocky situa tion, and was accessible only by a narrow path, the as cent of which was so steep as to render it almost im pregnable. It was in Arabia Petrxa, between the gulfs of Suez and Acaba, that the Israelites, after their emigra tion from Egypt, travelled forty years in the wilderness.
Arabia Deserta extends along the foot of the Chal dean mountains, having its northern boundaries washed by the Euphrates. This country presents to the eye of the traveller nothing but barren deserts, and mountains of sand raised by the wind, but relieved, at intervals, with spots of the most luxuriant verdure, enriched by a variety of vegetables, palm-trees, fountains, and of excellent fruit. Upon these, the wandering Arabs pitch their tents, and remain until the pasture is con sumed and nothing left, upon which either they or their flocks can subsist. Part of this district, towards the east, was inhabited by the iEsitm, which is supposed by some to be the land of Uz. This supposition is greatly strengthened, by the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, which renders, " in the land of Uz," EY XelJea AVGTTUPI, in the land of the Ausitx or lEsitx. The
Agrxi, and some other obscure nations, dwell in the western parts. The principal city in Arabia Deserta was Thapsacus, now El-Der, rendered famous in ancient history, by the passage of Cyrus's army, who waded through the river, a thing never before attempted, when marching against his brother Artaxerxes. Here also stood the bridge over the Euphrates, which Darius cros sed when flying from Alexander after the battle of Issus.
Arabia Felix is surrounded on three sides by the Red Sea, the Indian ocean, and the gulf of Persia; and is bounded on the north by the countries already described. That fertility and opulence, which acquired this country the appellation of happy, have been frequently cele brated, both by poets and historians. The quantity of gold, which it produced in ancient times, was so im mense, that most of their furniture was composed of this metal; and, according to Strabo, double its weight was given for iron, triple for brass, and ten times its weight for silver. Arabia Felix abounded, also, with the most valuable spices and perfumes, which were then in great demand over all the world. Yet, notwith standing the riches of the country itself, Strabo inti mates that Arabia was aggrandized solely by its exten sive commerce with the neighbouring and distant na tions. The most precious commodities of Europe and Asia were brought thither, and Africa poured its trea sures into Arabia. The Egyptians, by whom this trade was entirely engrossed, would permit •ro foreiamer to :mei' the country; so that these riches, which the an cients imagined were the productions of Arabia, were in fact principally the treasures of Europe, Africa, and the Indies. Few traces of its former splendour now remain, and the relics of civilization, which at present exist, are not so numerous, as to enable us to form an accurate judgment of its ancient prosperity. The whole of this country, except the province of Yemen, is covered with burning sands and sterile rocks, diversi fied with a few spots of verdure. Among the mountains of Yemen, however, the inhabitants enjoy a perpetual spring. There the trees are al Ways green, the air pure, and the temperature mild. The fertility of the soil yields whatever can satisfy or delight; and the inhabi tants feel none of the scorching heats and perpetual droughts which are experienced towards the shore.