▁his ▁journey ▁south . ▁ ▁Disc over ies ▁and ▁death ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁road ▁to ▁C airo ▁along ▁the ▁more ▁dangerous ▁in land ▁route ▁to ▁A q aba , ▁Bur ck hardt ▁encountered ▁rum ours ▁of ▁ancient ▁ru ins ▁in ▁a ▁narrow ▁valley ▁near ▁the ▁supposed ▁bib lic al ▁tomb ▁of ▁A aron , ▁the ▁brother ▁of ▁Mos es . ▁This ▁region ▁was ▁the ▁former ▁Roman ▁province ▁of ▁Arab ia ▁Pet ra ea ▁leading ▁him ▁to ▁believe ▁these ▁were ▁the ▁ru ins ▁he ▁had ▁heard ▁about ▁in ▁Mal ta . ▁T elling ▁his ▁guide ▁that ▁he ▁wished ▁to ▁sacrifice ▁a ▁go at ▁at ▁the ▁tomb , ▁he ▁was ▁led ▁through ▁the ▁narrow ▁valley ▁where ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁August ▁ 1 8 1 2 , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁modern ▁European ▁to ▁lay ▁eyes ▁on ▁the ▁ancient ▁N ab ata e an ▁city ▁of ▁Pet ra : ▁ ▁He ▁could ▁not ▁remain ▁long ▁at ▁the ▁ru ins ▁or ▁take ▁detailed ▁notes ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁fear s ▁of ▁being ▁un mask ed ▁as ▁a ▁tre asure - se ek ing ▁inf idel . ▁See ing ▁no ▁evidence ▁of ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁ru ins , ▁he ▁could ▁only ▁spec ulate ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁in ▁fact ▁the ▁ru ins ▁of ▁Pet ra ▁which ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁informed ▁about ▁on ▁his ▁journey ▁to ▁Sy ria . ▁He ▁continued ▁his ▁travel s ▁and ▁after ▁crossing ▁the ▁southern ▁desert s ▁of ▁Trans j ord an ▁and ▁the ▁S ina i ▁pen ins ula , ▁he ▁arrived ▁at ▁C