Page 172 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 6 -10

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DISTRICTS 2G3

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•Is, 2 miles SW. of Stir, where the roacl to Bilad es-Sur and the
interior passes through a gorge in the ridge; at Sakeikarah, at the
head of the Sur creek; and at Shamih. At the village of Jinah
there is a small post of 5 men. _ ■
7. Hadd, a village 16 miles E. by S. of Sur, in a sandy plain at the
head of Khor el-Hajar, about 1 mile inland in a SW. direction from
Ras el-Hadd. It consists of about 200 dwellings, mostly huts.
The water-supply is fairly good, but not abundant. The inhabitants
are of the Muwalikh tribe, and live mainly by fishing, cod and other
rock-fish being here of very large size. Hadd is treated as sub­
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•• • • ordinate to Sur for purposes of revenue and taxation ; and a
detachment of 15 men is stationed here under the Vali of Siir’s
orders.

V. Western Hajar

The district of Western Hajar extends from Wadi el-Qor on the
NW. to Wadi Sema’il on the SE., having a length of about 160
miles. The watershed of the range is roughly parallel to the coast,
and runs at an average distance of 40 miles inland. On the seaward
side its boundary is the line along which its foot-hills sink into the
Batinah plain (see p. 250), at a distance, on an average, of some
15 miles from the sea. The decline on the landward side is more
gradual and the boundary with Dhahirah is somewhat indefinite.
The valleys on this side up to their heads are generally reckoned
in the latter district ; but if the westward slopes of the range be
included, down to the neighbourhood of Dhank and ‘Ibri (see
pp. 268 and 270), Western Hajar would have an average breadth
of some 40 or 50 miles.
The main axis of the range runs NW. and SE., and the valleys
on its slopes spread out at right angles on both sides. It is of
limestone formation, and its north-eastern portion has generally
a sharp ridge with many peaks. Its lowest point, at the head of
the Wadi el-Jizi, is about 1,860 ft., and it rises to its highest in
a considerable block at the SE. end, known as Jebel Akhdhar,
which has an elevation of nearly 10,000 ft. This mountainous
mass throws off from its eastern end a great spur which runs for
nearly 30 miles to the NE. and forms the NW. boundary of Wadi
Sema’il (see p. 259). The top of Jebel Akhdhar is described as
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a table-land which is highest, throughout its length, on the side
next the sea. The chief peak is Jebel Sham or Jebel Wishd?)i
(9,940 ft.), nearer to the W. than to the E. end of the mass. Another
important peak is Jebel Klmdhar (7,500 ft.), at the SE. corner;

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