Page 414 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

L jCTE 39 : TA’IF—BlSHAH 209

miles.
total, stages.
are fields of dhura ; then for 4 hr. through
a narrow defile between granite boulders. The
track then enters a broad plain with sant (mimosa)
trees, bounded to E. and S. by high mountains.
This stage is entirely waterless.
12 7 Bisul (or Bessel), camping-place at the extremity of the
plain, in a horse-shoe recess of the mountains,
near an isolated rock, pyramidal in shape; water
abundant, but with disagreeable taste; there !
are the ruins of a fort in the neighbourhood.
The track follows the windings of a valley, crossing
some slight hills ; easy going.
17 5 Medallalah, consisting of several groups of stone- or
brick-built houses on little hills, in a small wadi
of the same name ; numerous wells with better
water than at Bisal; cultivation, chiefly of
wheat and barley, in the bed of the valley at the
foot of the hills, beyond the reach of the torrents
which run after rains ; fine nebeq and fig-trees ;
goats very numerous. The population of the
place was (1834) much less numerous than
formerlv.
__ %S
The track now follows an uninhabited valley;
many paths run side by side, so that several
camels can go abreast.
24 7 Ja‘ah, in a circular hollow near the masonry well Bir
el-Bdsha (known also as Bir esh-Sherif and Bir
er-Raja) ; abundant water and better than that
of Medallalah, but hard ; water improves as the
well is drawn upon ; 4 hr. distant there are
three similar wells.
The track climbs steep mountains and is very
difficult for camels ; in places all trace of the
path is lost.
Track enters a plain, which is crossed in places by
shallow ravines ; mimosa trees occur ; hares and
oo^ gazelles are numerous.
- 4^- Bir el-Ghazdlah, a rock-hewn well in the plain ; excellent
water at 15 ft., but sufficient only for an ordinary
caravan. . ,
The track crosses the plain for 2 hrs. ; it then
IX
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