On The Ordnance Survey Of Sinai.

The party were instructed to make special plans , on a scale of six inches to the mile , of Jebel Musa and Jebel Serbal , the two mountains which have been most often identified Avith Mount Sinai , and to make maps , on a scale of two inches to a

mile , of as large a portion of the country as the funds would allow . Unfortunately they Avere only sufficient to cover the expense of surveying the western half of the Peninsula , embracing all possible routes by which the Israelites could have

travelled on their march from Egypt to Sinai , but leaving the equally interesting question of the route which they took after leaving Mount Sinai unexamined .

The party were directed in addition to examine the numerous monastic and other remains in the Peninsula , to collect all possible information on the water supply , Meteorology , Geology , aud Natural History , and iir . Palmer was to pay

special attention to the nomenclature of the country , the Bedawin traditions , and above all to the celebrated Sinaitic inscriptions and Egyptian monuments .

The expedition Avas absent from England seven months , of Avhich five Avere spent at Avork in the Peninsula , Avith the following results . Special surveys were made , on a scale of six inches to the mile , of Jebels Musa and Serbal ,

and the plans draAvn . In the execution of these surveys , Avhich together embraced an area of 30 ^ square miles , the relative positions and altitudes of 68 trigonometrical stations were determined by triangulation

from two base lines . Some idea of the labour and difficulty of the work may be gathered from the fact that of the

fifty-five stations actually observed from , a large number ranged from 1 , 800 to 4 , 800 ft . above the camp of the surveying party , and that several of the peaks were very tough pieces of climbing , so much so that the instruments had in some cases

to be pulled up over the ledges by a rope , Since our return to England tAvo models have been constructed from the surveys ancl the rough models made on the ground , and these SIIOAV , more clearly than any description could do , the different features

of the rival mountains . During the survey , on a smaller scale , of the western portion of the Peninsula , the direction of the true meridian Avas determined at six different places , and observations for time and latitude Avere made at thirty-six encampments , including

eighty-three sets for time and 201 for latitude-Observations for longitude were also made at Jebel Musa . In this section the relative positionsand altitudes of fifty-six mountain peaks , ranging to S , 500 ft . in height , Avere determined by

triangulation , and referred to the level of the Eed Sea by a series of barometrical and hypsometrical observations- Seven hundred miles of route survey were made , laying down accurately the course of the principal valleys , and giving Avith the

reconnaissance a survey of about 4 , 000 square miles of country ; a map of the entire Peninsula is noAv in course of preparation , Avhich , in addition to thework of the expedition , will show the latest discoveries of other travellers .

Before entering on the question of the Exodus ,, and the route followed by the children of Israel , I propose giving a slight sketch of the rums in the Peninsula , the climate , the present resources of the Peninsula for supporting life , and the result of Mr . Palmer ' s labours amongst the Inscriptions and BedaAvin .

Perhaps the most interesting remains are thestone houses and circles Avhich are found in nearly every part of the Peninsula , and SIIOAV that it must have been inhabited by a large settled population at a very eaily period . The houses are often

found in clusters of from twenty to thirty , and in form are identical Avith those known as " bothan , " or Beehive Houses , in Scotland- They are slightly elliptical in shape and from 40 to 50 ft . in circumference . The Avails rise perpendicularly for about

2 ft ., after Avhich the roof commences to close in and assume its peculiar " bee-hive " form , obtained by making each successive course of stone project slightly inwards beyond the one below it . The doors are 1 ' 9 " wide and 1 ' 8 " high . There is no

trace of any tool having been used ; and so primitive are the buildings , that no attempt has been made to round off the corners , Avhich often project in an unpleasant manner . The houses are called by the Beda * vin " naAvamiss , " from a belief that

they Avere built by the children of Israel to protect themselves from the mosquitos . The stone circles are similar to those Avhich in

England and Scotland are called " Druids' circles , " ancl are decidedly of a sepulchral character . In the centre of each circle is a cist about 4 feet long ,. 2 feet 5 inches broad , and 2 feet 6 inches deep , , composed of four large stones , Avith their upper edges inclined slightly inwards , and covered by a heavy slab . Immediately round the cist is a .