Travels through Arabia and Other Countries in the East

and vast ranges of mountains, it presents on one side nothing but desolation in its most frightful form, while the other is adorned with all the beauties of the most fertile regions. Such is its position that it enjoys, at once, all the advantages of both hot and temperate climates. The unique products original: "peculiar productions" of regions far distant from one another are produced here in equal perfection. Having never been conquered, Arabia has scarcely known any changes except those produced by the hand of nature; it bears none of the marks of human violence original: "fury" — referring here to the destruction and scars left by war and conquest., which appear in so many other places.

With all these circumstances, so naturally calculated to engage curiosity, Arabia has been until now very little known. The ancients, who made their discoveries of countries by conquering them, remained ignorant of the state and history of a region where their armies could never penetrate. What Greek and Latin authors mention concerning Arabia proves, by its obscurity, their ignorance of almost everything respecting the Arabs. Prejudices regarding the inconveniences and dangers of traveling in Arabia have until now kept modern writers in equal ignorance. I shall have occasion to remark that our best books of geography abound with major original: "capital" errors on this subject; as, for instance,