Page 298 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 6 -10

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32G EL-QATAR

Physical Character

El-Qatar lias only once been traversed by a European (Burchardt),
who merely followed the regular route from Hofuf to Dohah
(Route No. 75) ; the interior is therefore only known from fairly
comprehensive native accounts. Almost the whole of the pro­

montory is described as rocky and pebbly desert. The elevation
of the greater part is rather greater than that of Bahrein, though
the northern region at least is very low ; the single hill of importance
is Jebel et-Tawdr in the SE., though mention may be made of
Xiqa el-Mahdrah, a solitary sandstone hill, 11 miles from the
coast and 25 miles S. of D5hah, used by the people of that town as
a look-out post in times of war. The soil is poor, consisting, in the
better districts, of gravel and marl mixed with sancl ; there are
few fields or date-groves, and gardens exist only near towns and
villages ; trees are almost wholly absent. The only extensive
vegetation is coarse grass, with occasional low brushwood, but in
places fine crops of natural hay are said to be produced. There is
an oasis called Ba Hasa 10 miles W. by N. of Luseil, consisting of
about 300 acres of low ground suitable for sheep-grazing, and
containing a well called Lutheilah. A large depression, Sabkhat
el-Bahath, lies 2-3 miles inland, beginning about 14 miles N. of the
foot of Dohat es-Salwa. It has a length of 20 miles and a breadth
varying from 2—4 miles ; about 1 mile from the S. end, 4 miles
inland, is a group of about 10 masonr}' wells with indifferent water
at about 9 ft.
An island, Jezlruh Haicdr, lies 5 miles \V. of Has Aburuk on the
W. coast, with which it is roughly parallel ; it is about 10 miles
long, and has no permanent population, but the Dawasir of Zallaq
in Bahrein have houses used as shooting-boxes in winter, and
a cistern for rain-'water. The islets JRubddh and Jandn lie to N.
and S. of Ha war, those of Ajirah and Sinead in the channel between
it and the mainland.
Water is found without great difficulty in El-Qatar. In addition
to wells in or near the towns and villages, there are about 100
Bedouin camping-grounds with wells, mostly masonry-lined, which
can be used by those traversing the peninsula ; the water is found
at depths varying from 3 or 4, to over 20 fathoms. As there
appears to be no regularly frequented route of importance except
that from Dohah to Hofuf, it is unnecessary to enumerate wells or
pools other than those which lie on or close to the coast ; such are
found at Ran Quteifan, 12 miles N. of Dohah, a group of 5 brackish
wells near the base of the cape, at the foot of Ddhat es-Salwa