'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.' [‎656] (755/905)

656
ARABIA DESERTA.
[CHAP. XXIV.
Rekem, one of its kings, who built it; but the Greeks call it
Petra, 1 and the Hebrews Sela, from its rocky situation. 2
Town of Petra. The town, which contained the palace of Aretas, the King of
Arabia, 3 is situated in a deep and narrow rocky fissure, 2000
paces long, enclosed by inaccessible mountains, leaving only
one entrance; on the sides of which this surprising city was
hollowed out in the clefts of the rocks, it is said, by the Tha-
mudites. 4
Arabia Deserta, the next of the ancient divisions, touches the
preceding from Ezra to Thapsacus, 5 and extends from Mespo-
tamia to El Hajir, and also to the borders of Nedjd and Hijaz,
Ancient people or Yemen in its greatest extent. It was occupied by the Com-
Deselta. ia chabeni and Aesitse near the Euphrates; the Catanii, or
Batansei, towards Syria, and the Agabeni on the borders of
Arabia Felix. Besides these there were the Rhaabeni, and
lastly the Orcheni on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . 6
Arabia Felix. The principal division, Arabia Felix, is that part of the
peninsula which also bears the name of Yemen; and which
probably was first occupied during the western spread of man
kind. The latter name has the double signification of the right,
or south (the spectator looking eastward from Syria), and feli
city or prosperity (youmn). It is stated, that when the sons of
Kaktan, the son of Amir, the son of Szaleh, the son of Arphaxad,
the son of Shem, settled in this place, the Arabs said, the sons
of Kaktan will be happy ; 7 and from this circumstance the name
of the province is supposed to have been derived.
This limited tract was soon extended, and became the seat
of the Himyaritic kingdom; and it was afterwards known as
the territory of the Sabeans, which in the time of Strabo was
embellished with temples, palaces, and houses, like those of
Egypt. 8 Under the name of Arabia Felix, it was gradually
1 Ant., hb. IV., cap. vii., s. 1; Pliny, lib. VI., cap. xxviii.; Strabo,
lib. XVI., p. 719.
8 Isaiah, chap. XVI., v. 10; 2 Kings, chap. XIV., v. 7.
3 Jos., Ant., lib. XIV., cap. i., s. 4.
4 Edrisi, ed. Jaubert, tome V., pp. 334, 360, Recueil de Voyages et
Memoires, &c. 5 Fliigel, Gesc. von Arab, p. 2.
Pliny, hb. V, cap. xix. 7 Jihdn Numa, chap. XLIV, p. 483
8 Lib. XVI, p. 767.