'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎573] (664/905)

CHAP. XXII.]
FEATURES OF THE COUNTRY.
573
Nedjd and the ridges and shallow wadis which elsewhere in- Arabia in
tersect the country, the surface of Arabia is nearly level. A general level -
narrow strip of land forms its boundary on the eastern and
western sides, and on the southern coast a belt of rocks con
nects the two preceding tracts. The eastern depression, or
that which forms one side of the basin of the Euphrates and
the western shore of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , is comparatively narrow,
but in the upper part very fertile ; that of Tehameh on the
opposite side of the territory is wider; it extends almost the
whole way along the Arabian Gulf, and it is but partially
cultivated, although the soil is sufficiently good. The re
mainder is an elevated plateau, containing probably five-sixths
of the superficies of the whole peninsula. It slopes gently
both northward and eastward, till, in the former direction, it
merges in the plains of Syria, and in the latter it joins the
range of hills which separates it from the plain running along
the basin of the Euphrates and the western shores of the Per
sian Gulf. A clayey soil with an indurated burnt surface. Nature of (he
covered in many places with pebbles and flints, generally pre- S011 '
vails, and here, as in Persia, the apparent aridity of the
ground may well justify the opinion that it had never borne a
crop. Such is the statement of many writers, who, never
theless, have inconsistently admitted that the country sup
ports a numerous population, with flocks of sheep and goats,
besides camels and horses. Delia Valle, Captain Jenour, 1 and
Colonel Capper 2 have, however, given more favourable ac
counts. Numerous flocks constitute the wealth of the Beda-
win, who wanders from pasture to pasture over a wilderness
which, as we shall presently see, produces a sufficiency for
the wants of its pastoral inhabitants.
The impression so generally prevails that the interior of
Arabia is covered with deep moving sands like those in the
deserts of Libya and Zahara, that it is with some hesitation
an account yery different in this respect is now about to be
presented to the reader. It is true that, as in the case of the
extensive territory of 'Iran, the cultivated land is by far the
smaller proportion, and the remainder presents, in different
1 Route to India in September, 1785. 4 Journey to India.