Page 232 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 6 -10

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DISTRICTS 203
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lating plains of steppe-dosort, the depressions concealing camels at
comparatively short distances. It is without wells, though it has
several rain-pools (Umm el-‘Amdrah, Abul-Hlrdn, Umm el-Hamlr),
and there is pasture in spring. Raunkiacr, crossing it from Ivoweit
to Zilfi, notes that it producos truffles, and that it is frequented by
hares and gazelles. The Musannah ridge, running ENE. from the
neighbourhood of Hafar, is a distinguishing feature of Dibdibah.
iv. El-Batin. The most northerly section of the great Wacli
Rummah, which begins in the Harrat Kheibar, towards the W. side
••• . * •:••• ••• I : of Arabia. The part which borders or enters Ivoweit territory begins
: about Hafar, running NE. in an almost straight line for more than
150 miles to lose itself in the low country of Turkish ‘Iraq. The
Batin is generally a well-marked depression varying in breadth
from S miles at Hafar to 2 miles at Riqa‘i. The actual bottom,
which is 3 miles at Hafar, is ordinarily much narrower, and in places
contracts to .V mile; it is covered with a level deposit of dark-
coloured clay, apparently washed down from the higher ground.'
There are often large patches of scrub which give cover to gazelle
and bustard, while the sand-grouse is found in winter. Routes from
i Basra and Koweit to Qasim in Nejd run along the Batin (see Routes
Nos. 8 and 9), which should not be confused with the smaller tract
mentioned above (p. 290), to which it lends its name.
v. Summdn, a vast tract of which the N. part alone, between
Dibdibah and the Dahanah desert, belongs to the territory of Koweit.
The Sultan’s portion is about 120 iniles in length, with a maximum
breadth of about 90 miles ; beyond his territory, towards the SE.,
the tract narrows to about 20 miles, where it is crossed by the
Riyadh-Hofuf route (see Route No. 11). Summan, which may be
regarded as a southerly continuation of the stony Hajarah desert,
appears to be largely composed of sandstone, which forms hills, and
crops out in different parts, though Shakespear, entering it farther
»
S. from the Wadi el-Miyah district of Hasa, speaks of limestone
rocks. On the E. side it begins with a confusion of small valleys
•-*: :* : . : *:* i
I winding among flat-topped hills, and brightened here and there in
spring by wild flowers, grass, and shrubs. In or near this zone lie
K Hafar, Sdfah, and Wabrah, important wells, forming stages on the
various roads from Koweit to Nejd (see Routes Nos. 9 and 10).
■
Farther on the tract becomes more open, the valleys grow broader 1
and flatter, winding nearly N. and S., while the low hills are less s
irregularly disposed. There are parts which are almost flat, with :
here and there depressions clothed with scrub and grasses. As !
the W. border is approached, there is again a confusing labyrinth i
of valleys, passing into broken ground with patches of grass and
f

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