Page 94 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

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WESTERN ROUTES (Nos. 17-39) 49

(iv) Routes in North Hejaz

These are cross-routes running from the ports of Yarnbo', Wejh,
anti Muweilah to points on the Hejaz Railway. The only authority
[or the route from Muweilah to Tebuk (Route No. 30) is Wallin, who
traversed it from the coast in 1847. It is a camel-track, and cara­
vans usually take four clays for the journey. In climbing the coastal
range the ravines are steep and rugged, but the descent on the east
of the watershed is gentle ; there are no recognized halting-places.
Supplies. Water, fuel, and fodder are abundant at Muweilah, and
are apparently obtainable along the route.

Of the two alternative tracks from Wejh to El-‘Ala, which are
given in Route No. 31 from reports by officers of the Egyptian army,
the southern and shorter route is mentioned by Doughty as the one
used by the rice and date carrying caravans. It is a route for camel
transport, and was followed by the Egyptian Hajj in 1909-10 on
the down journey ; it goes through mountainous country, as it
crosses the Hejaz coastal range. The northern and longer route,
which is there given as the first alternative, passes over similar
country : it was followed by the Egyptian Hajj in 1909-10 on the
up journey. The route given as a second alternative is that
followed by Euting, in 1884, in the reverse direction. In the Wadi
el-Hamm, one day’s march from El-;Ala, he was attacked by
a party of Juheinah, but succeeded in reaching a camp of the Billi
under whose protection he was travelling. He waited with them
two days and then resumed his journey, joining another caravan i
at the point he had left the route. Euting did the journey from *
El-1 Ala to Wejh in just under five days’ actual marching, but he
gives no detailed times and few indications of direction.
Supplies. Springs yielding a tepid and brackish water are reported
to occur along the whole of this coast at a slight depth below the :
surface of the ground, but the presence of water along the actual
°ute is uncertain ; along the first alternative track there are
•veils at Kazaz and Beidha, and along the second alternative
rack Euting reports water at Dhureib. Meleihah, and in the
adi esh-Shillul. Fuel and fodder are scarce and other supplies
ton-existent. ^

™te fronl We^ t0 Medina (Route No. 32) has not been
o-um an-v European, and in the following chapter it is only
>sible t° describe it schematically; no details are available as
-'5UPphes along the route.
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