Page 532 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

ROUTE 61 : ADEN—SAN‘A 269

miles.
total, stages.
Track descends into river bed, but soon
ascends again and goes along 1. bank of wadi,
here well marked, to Habil Am Suweida (pron.
Masweida). Track then diverges from wadi
and keeps close along the foot-hills, so as to
avoid mouths of deep ravines which run into
Wadi Tiban. (In the dry season Arabs
prefer to follow the river-bed; but, if there
is danger of storm and flood, the upper road
is preferable.)

3 m. A gorge, J m. long, is entered, up which the
track runs. If there is flood, it is necessary
to wait until the water falls. Track then goes
through some fields in river-bed for about
14 m., when it comes out again on to 1. bank.
58 18 Musemir (Mus‘aimir), town; see I, p. 211.
[Road leads off 1. to Mawiyah and Tadzz ; see Route
No. 62, p. 276 f. An alternative track to Qa:tabah
winds NE. up the cultivated Wadi Tiban, 200-
300 yds. wide, with steep banks 100-200 ft. high,
but with an insignificant stream in the dry season.]
4-1 m. Bdshiriyah, village. A little distance above,
the valley narrows to a rocky gorge ; the
stream is sometimes dammed here for irriga­
tion purposes, when it is necessary to wade
for a short distance in 2 ft. of water.
14 m. Lijmah (Lajma), wide cultivated part of
wadi; good camping-ground; forage, fuel
and grain are procurable with notice. The
stream here runs about 20 ft. wide and a foot
deep in the dry season.
Valley narrows, then opens out into wide
cultivated expanse.
Kama‘ passed. Just above, wadi nar­
rows to defile, then widens out again ; track
crosses and recrosses the stream ; its bed
is here stony, but going is good except for
occasional wading.
3 in. Wadi Shan is passed, up which a track
branches E. to Khushan. At this point Hau-
.shabi territory is left and Ahmadi entered.