Page 82 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

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WESTERN ROUTES (Nos. 17-39) 43
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and the Ma'zi (Ma'azah) and other sub-tribes of the 'Atlyah, who
according to Musil, are liable to raid the Hisma plain; the ‘Atiyah
and Huweitat are, however, in close alliance (see Vol. I, p. 60).

As for the second section of the route, the country between
}fa‘an and Weisit is, in the main, a level plateau oyer which the
going is very good indeed ; there are no physical difficulties, but
hot winds (simiims) are prevalent during the summer months.
At Weisit, the route joins the much frequented mercantile road
; from the Hauran to Jauf and Central Arabia, and follows the
broad Wadi Sirhan, the bed of which is sandy in parts and gravelly
in others. The track here winds considerably to avoid sand-hills,
but it is otherwise comparatively easy.
Supplies. Over the first section, food-supplies for the whole
distance must be carried from Akaba, though Musil received some
hospitality from Bedouins on both sides of Jebel Shera, especially
from the ‘Alawin on the slopes of Jebel Muweilah ; Doughty was
also entertained by these ‘Alawin, and noted their cultivation of
barley on the Hisma plain. Water can be easily obtained in
sufficient quantities for small parties ; the wells mentioned in the
route are never at such distances from one another as to necessitate
the carrying of more than one day’s supply, and there are said to
be cisterns for rain-water at Abul Heirah, Quweirah, and Harabat
el-‘Ab!d ; in the last place, the water is well protected, and Musil’s
map indicates permanent water. For large bodies of men, special
arrangements for storing water would have to be made. For the
Turkish expedition of 1905, 1,500 camels were provided by the
Huweitat sheikhs, and water was stored in barrels at Quweirah
and Abul-Heirah. Fodder and fuel are scarce over the first section,
though, on the evidence of photographs, there should be coarse
camel-grazing in many parts. On the E. side of the Jebel Shera
escarpment, grass pasture is reported by Musil in the hollows, but
the country immediately W. of Ma‘an is desert.
In the second section, xoater is only obtainable between Ma'an !
and Weisit, at Ba’ir, where it is excellent ; beyond Weisit, along
the Wadi Sirhan, possibly as far as Adhara‘, wells are frequent, but
the water is mostly brackish ; the last 20 miles to Jauf are waterless.
Sparse fodder is present when approaching Ba’ir, it is entirely
absent between Ba'ir and Weisit, but is plentiful in Wadi Sirhan.
*Uel is fairly plentiful throughout. No general food-supplies are
1 rocurable after Ma’an until Jauf is reached, except such things
'h ^i“ be obtained at temporary encampments of Bedouins