The Land of Midian, vol 1 | Page 6

rejected by the ancients as
unworkable[EN#12]. Further search may lead to the discovery of
workable stuff; but would doubtless require a good deal of time, unless
lucky accident should intervene.
The specimens Nos. 2, 3, 5, 22, and 23 contain sufficient iron to render
them available as iron ores, provided they occur in large quantity. The
copper present in No. 21a is too small in amount to render it available
as a source of that metal [Footnote: Analyses of copper ore from
Midian at the Citadel, Cairo, gave in certain cases forty percent.]. If it is

practicable on a large scale, by hand-labour or other means, to separate
the "copper mineral" (as in b), it would be sufficiently rich in copper,
provided the cost of the transit were not too great.
The specimen No. 17 is only of scientific interest, as it gives off an acid
vapour when heated; and this substance may have been used by the
ancients in the separation of silver from gold by the process termed
"cementation."
I remain, dear Sir, yours very truly,
(Signed) JOHN PERCY, M.D., F.R.S. Lecturer on Metallurgy at the
Royal School of Mines, London.
Capt. R. F. Burton, etc.
Upon this able report I would offer the following observations. We,
who have travelled through a country like Midian, finding everywhere
extensive works for metallurgy; barrages and aqueducts, cisterns and
tanks ; furnaces, fire-bricks, and scoriae; open mines, and huge scatters
of spalled quartz, with the remains of some eighteen cities and towns
which apparently fell to ruin with the industry that founded and fed
them;--we, I say, cannot but form a different and a far higher idea of its
mineral capabilities than those who determine them by the simple
inspection of a few specimens. The learned Dr. Percy at once hits the
mark when he surmises that worthless samples were brought home; and
this would necessarily occur when no metallurgist, no practical
prospector, was present with the Expedition. As will appear from the
following pages, all the specimens were collected a ciel ouvert, and
wholly without judgment.
I therefore expect that future exploration will develop Midian as it has
done India. The quartzose outcrop called the "Wynaad reef" (Madras
Presidency) produced only a few poor penny-weights per ton, two and
seven being the extremes, while much of it was practically
unproductive. Presently, in February, 1878, the district was visited by
Sir Andrew Clarke, of Australian experience, member of the Viceregal
Council. He invited Mr. Brough Smyth, of Victoria, to explore and test

the capabilities of the country; and that eminent practical engineer
discovered, in an area of twenty-five by thirteen miles, ninety outcrops,
some yielding, they say, two hundred ounces per ton of gold, fine and
coarse, "with jagged pieces as large as peas." And British India now
hopes to draw her gold coinage from Wynaad.
I conclude this abstract of the book, which would have been reduced in
size had the mass of matter permitted, with the heartfelt hope that the
grand old Land of Midian will not be without attraction to the public of
Europe.
RICHARD F. BURTON.
ATHENAEUM CLUB,
December 16.

CONTENTS.


PART I.
The March Through Madyan Proper (North Midian).
Chapter I.
Preliminary--from Trieste to Midian
Chapter II.
The Start--from El Muwaylah to the "White Mountain" and 'Aynunah
Chapter III.

Breaking New Ground to Maghair Shu'ayb
Chapter IV.
Notices of Precious Metals in Midian--the Papyri and the Mediaeval
Arab Geographers
Chapter V.
Work At, and Excursions From, Maghair Shu'ayb
Chapter VI.
To Makna, and Our Work There--the Magani or Maknawis
Chapter VII.
Cruise from Makna to El'akabah
Chapter VIII.
Cruise from El'akabah to El Muwaylah--the Shipwreck
Escaped--resume of the Northern Journey

PART II The March Through Central and
Eastern Midian.

Chapter IX.
Work in and Around El Muwaylah
Chapter X.

Through East Midian to the Hisma


PART I.
The March Through Madyan Proper (North Midian).
Chapter I.
Preliminary--from Trieste to Midian.

Throughout the summer of 1877 I was haunted by memories of
mysterious Midian. The Golden Region appeared to me in the glow of
primaeval prosperity described by the Egyptian hieroglyphs; as rich in
agriculture and in fertility, according to the old Hellenic travellers, as in
its Centres of civilization, and in the precious metals catalogued by the
Sacred Books of the Hebrews. Again I saw the mining works of the
Greek, the Roman, and the Nabathæan, whose names are preserved by
Ptolemy; the forty cities, mere ghosts and shadows of their former
selves, described in the pages of the mediaeval Arab geographers; and
the ruthless ruin which, under the dominion of the Bedawin, gradually
crept over the Land of Jethro. The tale of her rise and fall forcibly
suggested Algeria, that province so opulent and splendid under the
Masters of the World;