Page 488 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

ROUTE 66 : HODEIDAH—SAN'A 247 I

miles.
total, stages.
Road now ascends, dips, winds round
spurs, then ascends again, in well-buttressed
zigzags, but with bad surface ; dominated by
Mazar Fort above, on 1.
6 m. Atarah crest, track continuing up a valley;
3 m. on, crosses brook, then rises rapidly in
steep zigzags over very bad surface; at
about 6 m. Hajrah Plateau is reached. Thence
a fairly well-made road rising gently. Castel­ i

lated village of Hajrah, perched on high
rock, 600 yds. to 1., commands road.
13 m. Hajrah Pass, summit reached ; alt. 6,000 ft.
Dir. SE., by steep descent of about 500 ft.; then road
turns E., and is broad and good into Menakhah,
which first comes into view at about 3,000 yds.,
across valley, its forts commanding this part of
road. About 4 m. before town, white-domed
spring, with drinking water, to 1.
101 32 MENAKHAH, town; see I, p. 167.
From this point to Suq el-Khamls is the most insecure
part of the road.
Dir. NE., very winding course, good for 1 m.; then
track zigzags down 2,500 ft. into the Hajar ravine,
which is reached after a further 7 m. ; well-
traced and buttressed, but neglected, and there
are frequent ‘ washouts ’ ; necessary to dismount
in places.
Road now turns E., crosses two ravines, and
continues over a succession of difficult stony
ascents and descents.
10 m. Beit el-Mahdi, Ottoman post on small
eminence, 800 yds. to r.

2 m. Idz, walled hamlet (alt. 5,360 ft.) close on r.,
and stronghold on high mound to 1. Still
more hilly country is now entered. At 2 m.
Beit er-Rabh to r. ; 3 m. on, road passes for
half a mile through densely-bushed gorge,
between high precipitous rock walls not more
than 50 ft. apart; ideal cover for ambush.
Here, camel-track up Wadi Siham comes
in r. (see above, p. 246).