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! »                 avjO LTT E 06 : H H UG H RAH—.MAKALLA                         287






                                        ROUTE 66


                SHUGHRAH—XISAB—YESHBUM—MAKALLA


      Authorities : Data supplied by Lieut. Kensington, 1904. supplemented by details
           from Bent, 1897, and Bury, 1899; and Red Sea Pilot for section Balhaf to
           Makalla.
      General Direction : NNE. to Nisab ; ESE. to Balhaf; NE. by E. to Makalla.
      Distance : Crow-fly, 243 miles ; road, 350 miles.                                         l
      Character and Supplies : see p. 59.

         miles.
      total, stages.
                    SHtlGHRAH, town ; see I, p. 209.
                       Dir. E., parallel with coast for 12 m., then due N.;
                             at about 31 m. the track begins to ascend, is stony
                             and bad, and suitable only for camel transport.
                         10 m. Wadi eth-Themdlul crossed, where there are
                                   pools, but water foul. There is one spring
                                   which changes its position frequently; bad
                                   halting-place.
                                      A steep ascent of about 300 yds. over a
                                   small pass ; then for three or four miles
                                   track winds along beds of some small wadis
                                   (gravelly, and heavy going). In one of these,
                                    Wadi Samluf, plenty of trees, and grazing for
                                   camels all along it, but water bad for drinking
                                   purposes.
                          41 m. A steeper ascent over a higher pass ; at top,
                                   a short defile with precipitous sides so narrow
                                   that loaded camels go through with difficulty.
         .                         Ascent takes about 8 hours,
         lb 16 Rahicat el-Makdnah, name given to summit of pass; no
                             people living near.
                          For half a mile a stretch of bad road; then good
                              level track for about six miles across plain of
                             Jahein. with patches of cultivation here and
                             there. General altitude about 3.000 ft.: direction
                             slightlv to W.
                           61 m. Heid Lamas, passed on r.
                                      A track to Bir Lamas (see 1. p- 214), goes oft
                                   1., whence there is alternative track to Mis-hal.
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