Page 512 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

ROUTE 58 : SAN'A—RIYADH 259

miles.
total, stages.
Dir. WiNW.
Oasis of Khdb crossed. Closely dotted with
villages and hamlets ; houses mostly of sun-dried
brick, but also several of stone, the latter belong­ r
ing to Sherifs. Three hours to end of stage.
53 9 Mahjll, chief town of oasis ; market twice weekly;
several well-built houses of comparatively wealthy '!
people. j
Dir. N. by W. to Wadi Nejran ; 4 days’ march. Route I
first follows the zigzags of narrow rocky valleys;
the hills gradually become lower, and the track
emerges upon ‘ an immeasurable, yellow, sandy
plain, frightful and arid’, and practically water­
i
less. Track often lost in sand ; march slow and
:
painful till a narrow valley leads into Wadi Nejran.
145 92 Hadhra, small modern village with a modern tower and t

inexhaustible wells, at mouth of Wadi Nejran ; :
width of wadi about 300 vds. ; trees and verdure :
as far as eye can reach ; thick groves of palms of
great height, and cultivated fields everywhere
along wadi bed.
loo 10 Makhlaf, village; see above, p.256 (m. 247 of main route).

ROUTE 59

alternative ROUTE FROM SAN‘A to tamrah

Authorities : Gla3er, 1384, from San'a to Khamir, though he gives but few topo-

Distance : Crow-fly, 450 miles road, 60b miles.
Character and Supplies : see p. 56 f.

miles.
total. stages.
San‘a, town ; see I, pp. 165 ff.
Dir. W. of N., leaving by Sha'ub Gate, following
Route No. 58 for 5 m.
5 m. Raudhah, town ; see I, p. 170 f. Glaser
speaks of a ghail or stream, at which he
watered his camels.
R 2