Page 538 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

(

272 SOUTH-WESTERN ROUTES

miles.
total, stages.
Road continues along plateau, and then makes
a descent over broken ground to plain with sparse
cultivation; then 8 m. good going to Ma'ber.
When approaching the village, Jebel Doran, a lofty
peak of curious form, is a landmark to W.
178 17 Ma‘ber (alt. 8,150 ft.), poor village of about 20 houses

of mud-brick with a little stone masonry; small
garrison.
Dir. N. by W., over dusty plateau for about 16 m.
15 m. Qaryat en-Neqil, village to r. at entrance of
pass, guarded by stone fort or watch-tower
on r. side of road; alt. 9,000 ft. Ascent of
pass by extremely steep and roughly paved
track, so slippery that riding is impossible ;
the paving is carried away in parts by
ravine-freshets; width of road not more
than 10 ft.
2 m. Neqil el-Hessel, small post at summit of pass
(alt. 9,500 ft.), shut in by abrupt hills 600 ft.
higher.

A steep descent, and 3 miles rough going
along broken valley.
2 m. Beit ez-Zeidah (Bisedd), small village to r.
21m. Khadar, Jewish village, partly walled;
several caravanserais. Mountains on all
sides with fortified villages on peaks. The
inhabitants are agricultural; the fields,
watered from wells, produce clover in par­
ticular, for San'a market.
Not very good going for about 7 m.; track
at first descends ; then a short ascent.
206 28 Wa‘lan, village of clean, large, and solidly built houses.
Water plentiful, from wells. From this point t0
San:a the inhabitants are notorious for robbery
and pillage. .
The track is good most of way, along Wadi Beni
Matar, to ‘Artaz.
9 m. Mehajer. fortified post lying a little distance

off to r. .,1.1
4 m. ‘Artaz (Essiaz, Hizyaz), large village by gocu
stream of water, called El-Asuvd, " uc