Page 556 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

ROUTE 63 : ADEN—QATABAH 281

miles,
total, stages.
4 m. Descend by steep gradient into Wadi Har-
daba, and follow up its winding stony bed.
65 25 Ghail Hardaba, camping-ground, but rather restricted ;
there are springs, and water can also be obtained
by digging anywhere in the bed of the wadi.
Military post on summit of hill rising 200 ft. above
1. bank. Continue up the winding Wadi Har­
daba, narrowly enclosed by steep hills and fringed
with tamarisk; bed shingly, but track fairly
good.
4 m. Kafiah, village and custom-post of Emir of
Dhala.
4 m. Hamra, village to 1. ; 2 wells, but scanty
supply. Wadi now opens out and becomes
less winding.
3 m. Radii1, site of a military post, on hill on
1. bank; small camping-ground; 2 wells
N. of village.
[Track goes off NNW. to Dhala, over the
Rabadh pass ; it is bad in places, and
camels must be lightly loaded.]
2 m. Markula, to E.

1 m. Dimma, on a hill to W. ; here wadi narrows
to gorge between high precipices.
77 12 Khoreibah, settlement, with tower of Sheikh of the
A1 Beshi on a rocky spur commanding the
route ; small spring a little above in a ravine;
forage and a few cows and goats obtainable.
1 m. Foot of Neqil el-Khoreibah, where there is
a custom-house (alt. 3,500 ft., according to
Manzoni). Severe ascent by zigzag track,
1
commanded on either side by hills, 200-
600 ft. high ; passable for camel transport;
ascent takes about 4 hr. by camel. Altitude
at summit, 4,200 ft-.; here there is a well of
excellent water, and other springs on the
wav up. The town of Dhala lies about 24 m.
to SW
Fairly easy descent to vast cultivated
plateau. [There are two other paths by
which the pass may be traversed: one by W.