Arabia is mentioned in the earliest records of history, though the ancients were very little acquainted with its internal geography. Moses has given us some correct information respecting the northern parts of this penin sula, with which he had sufficient opportunities of be ing acquainted, while he sojourned as an exile in the land of Midian, or when travelling through the deserts of Arabia Petraza. His geography, as far as it extends, is both copious and accurate, and has been illustrated and confirmed by succeeding geographers. The Greeks and Romans seldom entered a country but as conque rors, and Arabia defied all their power. The expedi tion under Elius Gallus penetrated but a little way into this country ; and the western and southern coasts seem to have been the only parts known to Eratosthenes and Strabo. But Ptolemy, the father of geographical sci ence, has amply made up for this deficiency. His re sidence in Egypt afforded him opportunities of being ac curately informed ; and the description of Arabia, which he has left us, shews that his knowledge of that penin sula was far superior to what modern geographers can boast of. Among Arabic geographers, Abulfeda is the most particular and minute ; but his relation is too much tinctured with that enthusiasm and romance, so peculiar to the Arab genius, not to make us suspect him of exaggeration, In modern times, the inland parts of this peninsula still remain unexplored. The exten sive deserts which intersect it, and the predatory dis position of its inhabitants, have prevented Europeans from penetrating far into the interior. The most dis tinguished modern traveller who has visited this coun try, is Niebuhr. Ile was sent out by the court of Den mark, along with other four gentlemen, to explore the territories and productions of Arabia. Mr Neibuhr's personal observations are confined to a few provinces ; but the sources from which he obtained information re specting the rest, we have no hesitation in believing to have been correct. This information, he tells us, was communicated to him by some of the most intelligent merchants and men of letters in Arabia, who were well acquainted with the country, and whom he had no rea son to suspect of any intention to deceive. His accuracy appears from the minuteness of his description ; and the ingenuous confession of his ignorance on many points proves the sincerity of his narration. Yet ample as his information is, and though a great acquisition to our geographical knowledge, we cannot but regret the ig norance in which we are still left concerning the great est part of this celebrated peninsula. Much has been discovered, but more still remains for the industry and perseverance of future travellers to accomplish. And it is surprising, that a country which boasts of the high est antiquity, and of having preserved and restored learning and civilization to the modern world, should be so little known.
The division of Ptolemy into the stony, the sandy, and the happy, is unknown in Arabia ; and this has been construed by some into an ignorance of the ancient geo graphy of their country. " It is singular enough," says Mr Gibbon, " that a country whose language and in habitants have ever been the same, should scarcely re tain any vestige of its ancient geography." But the historian should have remembered, that this was only an arbitrary division of foreigners, which was never adopted by Arabians themselves. The ancient Arabs divided this peninsula into five provinces, YEMEN, HED JAS,TERAMA, NEDSJED, and YAMAMA, each of which received its name, either from its particular situation and appearance, or from the quality of its soil. This
division which prevailed long before the time of Ptole my, has been adopted by the best eastern writers, and, as appears from Strabo, is of great antiquity. The ori ginal names of the provinces are still retained by its modern inhabitants, though their boundaries have been considerably changed. According to Mr Neibuhr, Ara bia is at present divided into six districts ; HEDJAS, YEMEN, HADRAMAUT, OMAN, LACHSA, or HADSJAR, and NEDSJED. The ancient Tehama is now included in Yemen, from which Oman and Hadramaut have been disjoined, and are considered as separate provinces. Lachsa is the same with the ancient Yamama ; and Hed jas and Nedsjecl preserve their original appellations. For a more particular account of these provinces, see the different articles.
The peninsula of Arabia presents to the eye of the geographer, a country where nature appears in her most desolate and delightful forms. On one hand, we behold a sandy wilderness, where the traveller, faint ing under the oppressive heats, is every hour exposed to the fury of the resistless whirlwind, which over whelms every thing in its progress. On the other hand appear delightful and luxuriant hills, refreshed by con tinual breezes, where nature spontaneously produces her richest gifts. This diversity of appearance has given rise to the very opposite opinions which have been entertained of this country. Some, whose travels have been limited by the city of Mecca, and who have beheld only the parched shores of the Arabic Gulf, re present it as the habitation of poverty and wretchedness, which cannot afford sustenance sufficient for its starved inhabitants. Others again, who have visited the ver dant hills of Yemen and the spicy mountains of Hadra maut, describe it as the land of plenty, which does not require the exertions of industry to make it produce, in profusion, the necessaries, the comforts, and the lux uries of life. Though the correctness of each of these descriptions, when confined to its particular district, cannot be disputed, yet some have attempted to sneer at the appellation of happy, which has been so general ly bestowed upon the southern provinces of Arabia. They wish to impute it to the vulgar idea, that those countries which produce the precious metals, and ar ticles of luxury, are imagined to be the most fertile and happy ; or that it has assumed the name only from a comparison with the sterile and sandy deserts that surround it. From whatever circumstances it may have acquired this appellation, it is certain, that it has not been unjustly applied. Though the riches for which it was so famed in ancient times do not now exist, yet we may safely affirm, that no spot in the same latitude can compare with it, either in fertility of soil, or mildness of climate. Its frankincense and spices still continue to attract, as they have done in all ages, the merchants of the world : To them who sailBeyond the Cape of Hope, and now are past Miisambic, off at sea north east winds blow Sabean odours from the spicy shore Of Araby the bless'd ; and many a league, Cheer'd with the grateful scent, old Ocean smiles.
Par. Lott, lib. iv. line 159.
This fertility of soil, and mildness of climate, we must is confined to a very small proportion of this country ; the rest cannot boast either of its salubrity or productions.