Page 140 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 4,5

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RECENT HISTORY AND PRESENT POLITICS 165

. paving adopted a contumacious attitude towards his pro­
of f rs are in circulation. His philo-Turk attitude lost him some

• ^ ago his hold on the Hashidi and Bekll tribesmen, and im-
l,I,l<cd his position in other districts. He appears lately to have
l)l‘’^ht a closer understanding with the Sherif of Mecca, and an
dl'iance between these two against Idrisi and the Turks is not out
of the question.

Districts and Towns

The towns of Yemen proper are here described in their two
main groups, highland and lowland, followed by a section on the
outlying districts of Jauf and Nejran, with their respective
settlements.

1. Yemen Proper

The highland towns contrast strongly in general character with
those on the lowlands and plains : the former are almost entirely i
stone-built, with solid fortress-like houses, and as a rule occupy
!
elevated, commanding positions, whilst in the latter less solid and !
resistant materials enter into their construction.
The highland towns are the following:
1. San‘a, the old capital of the Imams, Ottoman capital, and
residence of the Vali of Yemen, is situated about 100 miles crow-fly
°*. idodeidah, on a broad, open plain, 7,750 ft. above sea-level. 1
1 he plain has an almost imperceptible slope towards the north, !
and is surrounded by low, barren hills, of which the highest eminence
•s Jebel Nuqum, 1,000 ft. in elevation. The crest of this hill is
•'Uncounted a Turkish fort and observation post with two big
lowitzers which command the town; the fort lies distant some
rp, lours’ journey up a steep winding track,
low, 6 tOWn *s divided into three distinct quarters : the old Arab
lhe B'^r°?e<r’ coni'a,ininS the shops and Government buildings;
"IKcial11 on the west, a spacious suburb of modern
^’ahiid an<Tr*V^e residences and walled gardens; and the Qa‘at el-
surrouAd°H ^ewisb <luarter, to the west again. The old town is
lowers at f a waii °f stone and mud, flanked with ancient
i iu,es . i , r®flUent intervals,to which the Turks have in more modern
from ®d certain defences at the gates, notably the sally port
l here i,s *tade1},..a zigzag outlet of massive strength through which
extended • publjc admittance. The original town wall has been
11 modern times to include two newer quarters, the