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Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. 3d band by Carsten Niebuhr Review by: G. C. Renouard Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Vol. 8 (1838), pp. 380-383 Published by: Wiley on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1797810 . Accessed: 19/05/2014 04:30 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . Wiley and The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 195.78.109.38 on Mon, 19 May 2014 04:30:43 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. 3d bandby Carsten Niebuhr

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Page 1: Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. 3d bandby Carsten Niebuhr

Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. 3d band by CarstenNiebuhrReview by: G. C. RenouardJournal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Vol. 8 (1838), pp. 380-383Published by: Wiley on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of BritishGeographers)Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1797810 .

Accessed: 19/05/2014 04:30

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

Wiley and The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) are collaborating withJSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London.

http://www.jstor.org

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Page 2: Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. 3d bandby Carsten Niebuhr

380 Meteorologic and Mcagnetic Observatzons in Kussia.

general direction of the meteorologic and magnetic observations in the Russian empire could no$, we feel assured, be }laced in better hands.

We cannot, however, close this brief notice without expressing our admiration of the zeal with which the Russian government encourages the investigations of mathematical and physical science. The lnunificent grants of monev, and the assistance of every kind afforele(l by the emperor for scientific objects, are worthy of a great sovereign, and justly entitle him to the gratitude of all those who, like ourselves, cultivate knowledge as a means of happiness * anll we sincerely ho)e that the joint labours of Russia and England in the field of meteorologic and magnetic researeh will, from the vast extent of their respective possessions, and the ac- knowledged ability of their observers, be soon rewarded by a rich harvest *)f important discoveries.

III. Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern um1Ciegenden Landern. Von C A R S T E N N I E B U H R . 3d band . H amburg. 1 837. 4to.

[Cclrsten Niebuhrs Narrative of a Journey to vlrabia and other contiguous Countries. Third vol. ] Communicated by the Rev. G. C. RENOUARD, M.R.A.S.

OF all the acts of royal munificence which have a just claim to the gratitude of mankind, none surely can rank higher than those which are calculate(l to advance knowledge and promote a friendly intercourse between distant nations. Much of the glory reflected on our own country, and on other Euroean nations, in the most brilliant epochs of their history, is (lue to the patronage afforded by their sovereigns to expeditions despatched for the purpose o? discovering unknown regions; but the moral and scientific value of most of those expeditions was tarnishe(l by one deteriorating ingredient which entered too largely into the motives of their patrons. The lust of wealth and dominion was too plainly the leading principle in the councils of the monarchs who aided Columbus and Gama. Nor was it till the middle of the last century, that Denmark gave the nol)le example of sending out, at the national expense, a body of travellers for the sole purpose of pursuing scientific inquiries. Frederick V., probably at the suggestion of his excellent minister, Count von Bernstorff, and with the assistance of the celebrated Michaelis, 10 whom the selection of the persons to be employed was in a great measure left, despatched four young men duly prepared, on a mission to Constantinople, Egypt, and Aralia for the p-urpose of ob--

380 Meteorologic and Mcagnetic Observatzons in Kussia.

general direction of the meteorologic and magnetic observations in the Russian empire could no$, we feel assured, be }laced in better hands.

We cannot, however, close this brief notice without expressing our admiration of the zeal with which the Russian government encourages the investigations of mathematical and physical science. The lnunificent grants of monev, and the assistance of every kind afforele(l by the emperor for scientific objects, are worthy of a great sovereign, and justly entitle him to the gratitude of all those who, like ourselves, cultivate knowledge as a means of happiness * anll we sincerely ho)e that the joint labours of Russia and England in the field of meteorologic and magnetic researeh will, from the vast extent of their respective possessions, and the ac- knowledged ability of their observers, be soon rewarded by a rich harvest *)f important discoveries.

III. Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern um1Ciegenden Landern. Von C A R S T E N N I E B U H R . 3d band . H amburg. 1 837. 4to.

[Cclrsten Niebuhrs Narrative of a Journey to vlrabia and other contiguous Countries. Third vol. ] Communicated by the Rev. G. C. RENOUARD, M.R.A.S.

OF all the acts of royal munificence which have a just claim to the gratitude of mankind, none surely can rank higher than those which are calculate(l to advance knowledge and promote a friendly intercourse between distant nations. Much of the glory reflected on our own country, and on other Euroean nations, in the most brilliant epochs of their history, is (lue to the patronage afforded by their sovereigns to expeditions despatched for the purpose o? discovering unknown regions; but the moral and scientific value of most of those expeditions was tarnishe(l by one deteriorating ingredient which entered too largely into the motives of their patrons. The lust of wealth and dominion was too plainly the leading principle in the councils of the monarchs who aided Columbus and Gama. Nor was it till the middle of the last century, that Denmark gave the nol)le example of sending out, at the national expense, a body of travellers for the sole purpose of pursuing scientific inquiries. Frederick V., probably at the suggestion of his excellent minister, Count von Bernstorff, and with the assistance of the celebrated Michaelis, 10 whom the selection of the persons to be employed was in a great measure left, despatched four young men duly prepared, on a mission to Constantinople, Egypt, and Aralia for the p-urpose of ob--

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Page 3: Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. 3d bandby Carsten Niebuhr

NI E B U H R S Journey to A rabsa, Qc. 381

taining accurate inforulation respecting the geography, climaten and natural productions of those countries, as well as of the lan- guages and condition, moral and physical, of their inhabitants, especially with a view to the elucidation of the Scriptures of the Old Testament. Having received their instructions at the close of 1760, the travellers set sail for Smyrna on the 7th of January, 1761, and Carsten Niebuhr the only survivor, for his four companions, the draughtsman, physician, linguist, and na- turalist, all sunk un(ler the influence of the climate not long after their arrival in Arabia, reached Copenhagen at his return on the 20th of November, 1767. His description of Arabia, published in 1772; the first volume of his travels printed in 1774; the observations relative to botany and other parts of natural history maele by Professor Peter Forskal, together with plates illustrative of them, edited by Niebuhr, in 1775; and finally, the second volume of the travels in 1778, fully justified the choice of Michaelis; nor did any of the travellers appear more deserving of approbation than Niebuhr himself. Though the first two volumes compreheneled the largest and most im- portant part of llis travels, yet a third still remained which was to give an account of his journey through Syria and Asia Minor in his return homewar(ls. This volume, by vehich the work is com- pleted, appears to have been ready for publicationin 1779; but its appearance was retarded by various untoward circumstances, so that all hope of its pul)lication seems to have been al)andoned, till about two years ago, prc)posals for printing it were circulated by M. Perthes of Hamburg; and it is to the liberality of that bookseller, as well as to the affection of Niebuhr's family, parti- cularly of his daughter, that the admirers of her father7s works have at length the satisfaction of accompanying him to the end of

. . .

hls ong pl grlmage. The present volume is divided into five sections or chapterss

containing the travellers remarks on Aleppo; his voyage to Cyrus, and thence to Jaffa and Jerusalem; his observations on those places; his return to Aleppo, and journey from thence through K6niyeh to Constantinople; geographical information collecte(l in his passage through Asia Minor, and an abridged account of his route through Bulgaria, Vallachia, Moldavia, Poland, and Germany, to Denmark.

The last section has been very judiciously shortened by the editors, as much of the ground passed over is not only well known, but llas been sufficiently described by later travellers; and as this )ortion of the author's narrative does not supply matter enough for a volume of nearly the same thickness as the pre- ceding ones, there are added, in the form of an appendix, several valuable tracts relating to the nations and antiquities of Westertl

2 D 2

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Page 4: Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. 3d bandby Carsten Niebuhr

382 N 1 IC B Et FI R S 1vCE r7'Cl t iUP Of (l

Asia a1l(l ftbyssinia, (Irawn up l)y NielJul-lr, together with the

astronomical data of the celestial observations made during his

journey. For the republication of all of these, particularly the

latter, the literary world is mucll indebted to the Editorss as it is

always desirable to have the vorks of an eminent writer collected,

and few persons have all entile command of the various periodical publications through vllich these papers are scattered. That is

particularly the case in this countly, where the t Monthly Astro-

nomical Corresron(lence' of the late I3aronvon Zach is not easily

met witI. So little have the Editols of the present solume lzeen

influencetl ly any urldue desire of aut,menting its bulk that no

less tllan ten )apers contribllted l)y Niebuhr to the ' German

Museum,' betveen the years 1781 antl 1791, have been omitted,

though most, if not all of them, would still be read with interest. The description of Alepo and Antioch, the account af their

inhabitants and commerce, an(l the remarks on the antiquities an(l con(lition of Cyrus, containeel in the first section, are lrery

deserving of notice, particulally the obserations on Citium *

(pp. 21-25); and tlle amusing anecdotes respectin that extra- ordinary son of an extraordinary mother, Edward M/ortley WIon-

tagu (p. 2()). Frorn Jerusalem, Niebuhr returned to Jaff^a, and

went on by sea to 'Acca (Acre) and Saida (Si(lon), making an

excursion fiom that place to Damascus, having to his surprise

an(l satisfaction, met with, at least, one country in Asia in which

an armetl escort was not wante(l (p. 82). From Saida he pro-

ceeele(l by sea to Ltidhikitryah (Laodicea), stopping ly the way

at Tripoli l)nly long enout,h to take the altitude of some stars

(p. 92), as he was anxious to meet M. van Masseyk, the Dutch

Consul at Aleppo, at Ladhikiy-ah, from whom he was sure of

receiving much valual)le inforsnation. There he was detained

some weeks, waiting for the departure of a caravan, and had thus

leisure to extend his inquiries respecting Syria, and to revise his

plans and routes. As his road northwards lay through Bayas and Adeneh, he not

only passetl through a tract little known, but was able to make a

plan of that town, as well as of Koniyahs the ancient Iconium.

These plans, though not minutely exact, are valuable as express-

ing relative bearings; anzl in that respect the slight sketch of

Jerusalenl given lJy NielJuhr (Tab. iv. p. 52) may be of service

when comparefl with the elaborate plan publisheel by Mr. Cather-

wood. In his route from Koniyah to Constantinople, Niebuhr

* Now called Chitium, which is pronotlnced Shiti by the moderll Greeks.

Niebtlhr does not seem to have been aware that Shiti (Chiti) is identical with

Chitium; or that tlse itlscription6 copied by him (tal). ii;. p. 22) are quite diffierent

from those ptlblished by Pococke (Descript. of the East, ii. tab. YXXii.), and inter.

preted by (:tesenius (Sclipturae l'huenici;e Monumenta, p. 122, tab. 11, 129.

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Page 5: Reisebeschreibung nach Arabien und andern umliegenden Ländern. 3d bandby Carsten Niebuhr

passcel throut,h two remarlial)le places, one of which has seldom been visiteel I)y other European tr.azellers; viz., Kutahiyah, the ancient Cotywum, remarkalule in moelern times as the centre df tlle tract where the carpets are manufactuled, which, for wear and colour, have not et been equalleel ly our oavn; the other ulace is Afiyl'lm-kara-hisar (Ozium-lvlack-castle), so long erro-

neously suppose(l to be on the site of Apamea Cibotus, which stoo(l near the confluence of thn !\{arsyas an(l lXilean(ler. D'Anville (Geor. Ancienne, ii. S3), +^-ith wllom this error originated, seems in this, as in some other cases, to haxe leen misle(l 1)y an ap- rarent resemblance between the ancient and modern names.

Niebuhr's ol)servations on the gosernn-lent and condition of M ol(lal ia an(l Vallachia, are stil l lw-orth reading, notlvithstaneling the grcat political chanXes expericnceel in those prillcipalities within the last few years, in consequence of the Sultan's illju(lged attempt to resist the oserhelming power of Russia. The pecu- liarities anel aWinities of the Val]acllian language did not escape tlle notice of Niebuhr, an(l theinformatioll he gives ill l)e new, at least, to most of his English reaelers, so little is knoxvn in this country respecting that remarkable monument of the Roman dominion in Dacia, an(l of the amalgatnation of the Latin and Slavonian languages.

TIle astronomical (lata gixen in the appen(lis have lon^, been kno^sn to all geographers +sho coulel malve use of the Baron s-on Zacll's *^-ork. They, +\itll a felv others foun(l among 1Al. Niebul-lr's papers, are here reprinted with the corrections an(l reductions of A4. vc)n Zach and Professor Burt,, +shicll ,reatly enhances their w-alue, as they are thus made imme(liate]y aplrlicable in practic.1l geogra)lly. Of the lemainin^, papers, +shich all llae merit, the most remarkable are a dissertation on the Nesairis, a singular]y fanatical sect, who are numerous in the northern mollntains of Syria (iii.); some observations on the exposed position of the temple at Jerusalem, an(l its liability to suSer fioln tempests (iv.); an(l memoran(la respecting Abyssinia, wllich vere collecteel at Cairo in 1762, al)out six years before Bruce visite(l that country (vi.). " This paper deserves to be compare(l," say tlle e(litors, Messrs. Gloyer and Olshausen, " *vith the author's reniew of the tw-o first solumes of Ilruee's Travels, printed in the German Museum for June, 179].'1 The illustrations of Xenophon's Anabasis (v.), drawn up during Niebuhr's stay at Brusa, have been in great measure superseele(l ly TNIajor Rennell's able worl<, and the more estensis-e observations of mo(lern travellers, some of the most important of lvhich, hoXexer, has-e not Jret bcen publishcd.

.Jou?ley to.Arabicl, Qc. .383

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