Page 56 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

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COMMUNICATIONS 4
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B. EASTERN ROUTES (Nos. 8-14)
starts from Zobeir
Of those making for the Centre, one group
(Basra) or Koweit, and goes to Boreidah, and by divergence to the
right, near Zilfi, to Shaqrah or Riyadh. The other group starts from
ports on the midway shore of the Persian Gulf, Qatif or Oqair, and
goes in the first place to the Hasa Oasis, and thence to Riyadh.
A direct route also connects Koweit and Riyadh, but, though followed
by Pelly in 1865, it is not much used, owing to the length of the
waterless stages to be covered and the lack of camps along its line.
Further there are link-routes between Koweit, Hasa, and Qatif.
The line Zobeir (or Koweit)—Boreidah is of great importance as a
section of the chief trans-peninsula route, which starts from Mecca
or Medina and traverses Qasim. For the passage both of trade and
(in less degree) of pilgrims no other cross-Arabian track compares
with it. The eastern section is rendered passable by the Batin
depression—the lower course of Wadi Rummah—which offers
a line of deep, but possible, wells for nearly 300 miles. In the first
third of it, owing to the larger rainfall of the Gulf littoral, not only
are these wells to be relied on, but also watering-places are scattered
thickly over a wide area to the south of the Batin, and therefore
cross-routes come into it, at such points as Riqa‘i, Hafar, and
Ajibbah. But, owing to the uncertainty of the wells along the line,
stages have not been defined so precisely on Routes Nos. 8 and 9
as on other Arabian routes.

(i) Routes from Zobeir and Koweit to the Centre

• These are all subject to raids by the Muteir, and if there is active
war between this tribe and the Shammar of Ibn Rashid, they are
very unsafe. In their latest stages they come within range also of
the Ateibah, who are particularly to be feared in Sedeir. The tribes :
of the Gulf littoral (Beni Khalid, ‘Ajman, &c.) are seldom found in
force so far north.
I

Route No. 8, from Zobeir to Boreidah, joins that from Koweit to
Boreidah (Route No. 9) at Riqafi, and the section common to them
both from Riqa'i to Boreidah. is described under the latter route
it will suffice here to note that the section from Zobeir to Rioafi
as a camel-track, presents no important physical obstacles. Haltmc/
oam^oTr1' Sin“ there *" "e"S important

Supplies. There is no water between Zobeir
and Riqa;i, at which