Page 510 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

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258 SOUTH-WESTERN ROUTES

miles.
total, stages.
Dir. N., slightly by E.
724 21 Leilah, village ; see I, p. 363.
Dir. ENE.
13 m. Dhrumah, village in Wadi Dhrumah.
23 m. Malqa, village. Track now follows the
Ha’h-Riyadh Route for 18 m.; see p. 117.
778 54 RIYADH.]

[The following is an Alternative Route from Ghail to Makhlaf (see
above, p. 256), followed by Halevy in 1870 :
miles.
total, stages.
Ghail; see above, p. 256 (m. 110 of main route).
Dir. E. and then NE. Three hours’ march, crossing
Khar id River at 8 m.
10 10 Hazm, chief town of Middle Jauf; about 120 houses
of sun-dried brick, some several stories high.
Abundance of water for cultivation, if better
utilized. Actual amount of cultivation small, in­
habitants relying solely on rains ; but in years of
good rain a fair amount of produce is obtained.
Cultivation was originally more extensive, as there
were canals leading from the Kharid ; these have
fallen into ruin.
Dir. N. by E., ascending increasingly, over back of
Jebel Laud.
25 15 Jebel Laud, summit of ascent. Thence a zigzag descent, a

further ascent over higher JebelQadm, then another
zigzag descent over rough ground and through
defiles, and then on through hilly country.
4 m. Melahah, a few houses of brick and a tower.
Dir. NNW. At first the track is rather difficult, across
mountainous uninhabited country; then it runi-
through more verdant country watered by several
water-courses. .
44 19 Miqara (or Maq'ar), picturesquely situated on edge ot
the extensive oasis of Khab. All round, care­
fully cultivated terraced fields, bordering tK
foot-hills ; water from numerous well-kept ve s .
a good many trees ; crops of wheat of supeimi
quality, vegetables, but few fruit-trees.