Page 134 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

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ROUTE 1: JAUF—HATL 69
!

miles.
total, stages.
Dir. E. by S., keeping north of the Selman (Sinman)
and Ghutah hills. Ghutah Hill passed in about
three hours, when the Nefud is re-entered.
242 52 Qena (Qna), small village (see I, p. 390), in plain of very
white chalky ground ; six deep wells of sweet
and abundant water, separated by short distances,
with hamlet around each ; a few date-plantations
and fruit gardens ; some cereals cultivated,
especially barley. [Wallin took 18 hrs. between
Jubbah and Qena ; Huber and Euting 15^ hrs.
On his first journey Huber kept to the N. of
Qena, making for a point below Umm el-Qulban.]
Dir. SE., bearing gradually to S. by E. as Ha’il is
approached. At six miles the Nefud ceases sud­
denly on a very sharp line of demarcation ; per­ : !
fectly flat ground, crossed with slender stratum
of coarse granitic gravel, then entered ; abundant
camel-grazing.
9 m. Northern extremity of Jebel Aja chain, a
well-marked mountain feature of northern !
Nejd, reached ; route crosses open flat be­
tween Jebel Aja and the hill Umm el-Qulban.
Wells and springs abound in this district.
[The route from this point to Ha'il via
Laqitah and Waqid (given below) was fol­
lowed by Wallin. Huber on his first journey i
passed through Laqitah but does not mention
Waqid. Huber and Euting, and more re­
cently Miss Bell, after rounding Jebel Aja, took
a more direct route to Ha’il, keeping closer
to Jebel Aja. Miss Bell’s route from Qena
to Ha’il works out at 28 miles ; at 174 miles
from Qena (104 miles from Ha'il) she notes
Qasr Laqitah 1 mile to E., and, 24 miles on,
Laqitah village 3 miles to E.]
11m. Laqitah (Loqltah), village ; pop. about 120
families of Shammar origin. (This and the
following places may perhaps be more exactly
described as palm-settlements.)
3 m. Waqid, small village of about 40 houses, with »
wells, water at 50 ft. ; small date-groves.