Page 58 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

EXTERN ROUTES (Nos. 8-14) 31 -

There is enough
place there is only a scanty supply after rain.
There are no
camel-grazing for a small caravan ; fuel is scanty,
food supplies along the track.

Route No. 9, from Koweit to Boreidah, presents no serious diffi­
culties. Shakespear maintained an average of about 3 m. an hour ;
even when crossing Dahanah, he did not fall below 2 J m. The course
of the Batin'is clearly defined, its breadth varying from 2 m. at
Riqa‘i to more than twice as much at Hafar ; its banks are highest !
between Burj esh-Sherif and Qulban Ibn Towala, where they
resemble cliffs. After Ajibbah, the Batin is left for a straight track
to Boreidah across nefud, stony plain and desert.
The route passes no places with settled inhabitants between
Jahrah and ‘Ain Ibn Faheid, running for about 300 m. through
lonely country without obvious camping-grounds other than the
best-known wells, such as Hafar or Thamamlyah. Halts are there­
fore optional over a great part of the route, and even before the
Batin is reached camps cannot be indicated for every day. In the
Batin, between Riqa‘i and Hafar, and in the long stretch between
Hafar and Ajibbah, the convenience of the day’s march decides the
halting-place ; in this stretch, Shakespear camped six times.
Supplies. After Jahrah, no food nor supplies are obtainable before
the village of ‘Ain Ibn Faheid, towards the end of the journey.
Water is obtainable at frequent intervals, and it is seldom that
a stage is passed without a well. After rain, pools form in many
places, and remain for about a week ; in February 1910, Shake-
spear’s progress along this route was twice delayed by heavy rain.
Except over a few stretches, there is enough camel-grazing fos
0
a small caravan. Fuel is sufficient after Haleibah. I

In Route No. 10, from Koweit to Zilfi, there are no great physical
obstacles, for where the Dahanah zone is crossed it is only about
15 m. wide. There is often no defined track, so that it is necessary
to travel with a good Bedouin guide. The route passes no villages ; :
as wells are very few, the choice of camping-grounds is arbitrary “and
it is difficult to indicate daily stages. Raunkiaer, travelling at about
m. an hour, occupied 107 hours, camping fifteen times between
tvoweit and Zilfi; his total distance must be about 300 miles As
gn-en by Lorimer and Indian Govt. Rd. Bk„ the distance,via Subeihl-
} an wells is 283 in., but these authorities describe the Summan zone
mn7rSfud U\0Ue day’S 3ourney SW. of Safah, whereas Raunkiaer took
safe wap tWI?® aS l0flf' The r0l!te is co.nsidered comparatively
’ t Raunkiaer paid a tax to the Muteir at Koweit for the use