Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/320

 animals attract lions, wolves, and panthers from the wilderness, and the shepherds protect their flocks from them day and night. A bay extends along these tracts of land and penetrates for nearly five hundred stades inland. It is enclosed by mighty cliffs, and the entrance to it is winding and difficult of access owing to the isolated rocks. This entrance is dominated by a rock projecting into the sea, so that it is often impossible to sail into the gulf or to leave it; for if the wind changes at high tide, the waves beat against the rocks and are everywhere broken against the projecting spur. The inhabitants of the neighboring territory are called Banizomeneis. They engage in hunting and eat the flesh of animals of the mainland. In this region there is a temple which is reverenced by all Arabs. Not far from the coast in question there are situated three islands with a number of harbors. The first island, now uninhabited, is said to be dedicated to Isis. On it can be traced the foundations of ancient stone buildings and columns with barbaric inscriptions. The other islands are also uninhabited, but on all of them olives different from our species are growing. Beyond them extends a precipitous shore, difficult of access and for nearly a thousand stades without a harbor, without an anchorage, and without an inlet where sailors could find shelter from danger. Along the shore rises a mountain with a rocky ridge which projects to a dizzy height and from which mighty boulders have been torn away. At the foot of the mountain are sharp rocks close together in the sea, and behind them yawn caves eaten away by the waves. These caves are connected with one another. As the sea is deep, the waves now penetrate into the caverns, now flow out of them again, causing a noise like thunder. Many waves beat against the huge rocky boulders, splashing upwards and producing an incredible amount of foam. Other waves penetrate into the rocky caverns and cause a terrible whirlpool which sucks everything into it, so that people who approach these places unawares are ready to die of fear. This coast belongs to the Thamudenoi Arabs.—

Diodorus does not mention either the island of Nessa or the Bythemani. The Banizomeneis are identical with the Batmizomaneis of Agatharchides, in whose text Banizomeneis (i. e. Bani Zomejn) should likewise be read. The entrance to the gulf of the Banizomeneis was probably between the island of Târân and Râs al-Ḳaṣba. The temple which is revered by all the Arabs and to which Diodorus refers is perhaps identical either with the sanctuary near Madian or Ṛwâfa, situated to the east of the gulf.

Artemidorus (Strabo, Geography, XVI, 4: 18) states that from the Gulf of Heroöpolis it is possible to reach the islet of Phokon, so called because of the large number of seals there. Not far from here projects a promontory extending toward Petra, the town of the Nabataean Arabs, and as far as the land of Palestine, whither (i. e. to Petra) the Minaeans and Gerrhaeans, as well as all the neighboring people, convey various perfumes. Then comes the Aelanitic Gulf, as well as the land of the Nabataeans, which is thickly populated and has plenty of pasturage. The Nabataeans dwell, however, also on the islands near by. Here they formerly lived in peace but subsequently took to attacking and robbing the vessels arriving from Egypt, using rafts for the purpose. But they were punished by a fleet which sailed up to their islands and ravaged them. There follows a plain covered with trees and irrigated with water, full of various grazing animals, including mules, and an abundance of