Page 272 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

L i

■ROUTE 18: AKABA—JAUF EL-'AMR 139

* miles.
to to.1. stages.
limited supply of brackish water may generally be
obtained. [Palgrave describes this place as ‘ the
ruined walls of an abandoned village, scattered
up and down the gravelly slopes ’. He struck
due E. from this place for Weisit and says ‘ there
is no water for four full days’ journey ’.]
Dir. ENE., continuing across bare plain, but grass
begins to appear and patches increase as route
/ * proceeds.
s 129 30 Ba’ir (Bayer), excellent water from two wells of 40 ft.; in
Wadi Bd’ir, one of the numerous water-courses
which occur in the Ardh es-Sawan and trend-
ing NE. towards Wadi Sirhan.
Dir. E., generally, at first along S. bank of Wadi
Bd’ir ; then route crosses several other similar
water-courses, all trending NE. and all dry
except after rain—notably Wadis Gharra, Hasa,
and Hidrij ; in these channels are piled-up heaps
of dead wood, washed down by sudden floods.
Route then leads across limestone plain, scattered
here and there with black flints ; going very
good indeed all the way, but waterless.

7S m. Sudei, well, but position not exactly known
and details as to supply wanting.
224 95 Weisit, 4 openings or pools of sweet water, though

yellowish in colour, situated near western edge
of wadi and hidden among hillocks covered with
high brushwood and a few stunted palms. The
Wadi Sirhan is here entered ; a long sinuous
depression bearing in the main from NW. to SE.
and reaching across half the northern desert from
v* V .
the Hauran to Jauf ; it is the customary route
for mercantile business between Syria and the
r
~ . Jauf; water to be found almost everywhere
through wadi (except beyond Adhara*), at depths
varying from 10 to 20 ft. ; every here and there
small oases. The wadi is peopled by the Ru-
weilah section of the Anazah and Sherarat Arabs,
who trade in camels and sheep and possess
several large encampments ; ghadha bushes (on
which camels like to feed) common along the

•’••• !•!
- •: •