Page 66 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

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CENTRAL ROUTES (Nos. 15 and 16) 35

, C. CENTRAL ROUTES (Nos. 15 and 16)

The Northern Routes, after converging on Ha’il, are continued
into Qasim and South Nejd by a trunk-route (Route No. 15, from
Ha’il to Riyadh) down the central axis of the Peninsula. This
has been traversed wholly or in part by regular soldiery with
guns on more than one occasion, e.g. from Ha il to Qasim by
\hmed Feizi Pasha’s expeditionary force in 1905, and from Qasim
to Riyadh and beyond by Ibrahim Pasha’s army in 1818 ; also,
continually, by irregular forces of the rival Emirs of Ha’il and
Riyadh. It presents no serious difficulties, traversing no moun­
tainous nor even hilly country, and, except on one two-day stage
between ‘Ayun es-Sirr and Woshm (‘Ain el-Jareifah to Shaqrah),
being supplied with watering places at convenient intervals. It
lies, however, across much lean steppe and some desert, especially
in its early stages, between Ha’il and ‘Ayun el-Qasim, and between
Qasim and Shaqrah. The latter stages, like the medial ones in Qasim,
lie in oasis country.
It is not, however, a great caravan route, like the cross-Peninsular
track from west to east, the towns at its two ends, Ha’il and Riyadh,
not being commercial centres or connected with the outer world by
commercial routes : nor is it a pilgrim road. European travellers i
have seen all of it, except the first two stages from Ha’il ; but
Palgrave and Huber made so slight a deviation upon this short
stretch, that we can trust their narratives for the general character
of the country through which it lies.
This route is comparatively safe from Bedouin raids throughout, '*
unless the Emirs of Ha’il and Riyadh are at war. The least secure
stages are that from ‘Ayun el-Qasim to the neighbourhood of
Boreidah. where both Muteir and Ateibah are possibly to be met,
<T-nd that from Mudhnib to the neighbourhood of Shaqrah, where the
Ateibah (Berqah section) penetrate not infrequently. For European
°r other Christian travellers it has, however, the special disadvantage
of lying wholly in Wahabite territory, and necessitating a visit to
the peculiarly fanatical town of Boreidah.
Supplies. Foodstuffs in any bulk could be obtained en route only
V’t Boreidah, Aneizah, and Shaqrah, and there they would be limited
fn dates, ijhi, cereals in small quantity, fruits in season and small
I'uxntity, and animals for slaughter, the latter nowhere abundant
c.°'lld &'}y of fchese towns supply many transport animals. The
for e .edmg.nomads must be relied on for these. Foraqe
equine animals would be unobtainable except in Qasim
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