"دليل الجزيرة العربية المجلد I" [‎٦‎٢‎٣] (١٠٥٠/٦٦٦)

FAS—FAT
623
by
FASIQAH—
See Sohar (Vilayat). The village is also spelt Farksah {q.v.).
FATAISAH (J abal)—
See (Abu) Dhabi (Principality); Khor-al-Batm.
FATH AL BU SA'ID—
See Boshar (Wadi),
FATH-AL-HABUS—
See Sharqiyah; Baldan-al-Habus division.
FATIMAH (W adi)—
A valley in Western Arabia which finds its way to the Red Sea about 24 sea
miles south of Jiddah. It rises on the northern slopes of the Taif highlands, and,
under the name of Wadi Sail, flows in a north-westerly direction to Sail, a well-known
camping ground on the Darh-as-Sultdni, or Persian Hajj route. Here is a pleasant plot
of the desert soil, with wild rushes, peppermint, and green grass, where the cameleers
digging with their hands find at a span's depth a delicious draft of pure rain water.
At Sail the valley turns south-west, and still under the name of Wadi Sail, descends to
, Ain-az-Zaima, where it assumes a westerly direction. In this neighbourhood the valley
is stony and has a breadth of about half a mile, with a few acacia trees growing here and
there. From 'Ain-az-Zaima downwards the valley is called Wadi Fatimah.
Some 10 or 12 miles below 'Ain-az-Zaima, Wadi Fatimah is joined on its right bank by
its largest and most important tributary, the Wadi Laimun. The latter valley, often
in its lower reaches and generally at its mouth, is known as Al-Mudhik. Below this
confluence the Wadi Fatimah is a wide torrent strand without inhabitants. Here and
there it has high banks, walled below with untrimmed blocks of basalt, and ovegrown
with a wild tree, thanthub, all green stalks, having prickles for leaves, and bitter tasting.
Bams have been built to divert the flood water to the right side of the valley, on to
fields enclosed with high earthem banks, where it stands for seven or eight days. Com
is then sown, and it ripens without further watering. At Az-Zibarah, where there is
a large dam, there are signs of former cultivation. Lower down, the valley side to the
northward is bordered with a precipice 1,000 feet high which forms the edge of Harra
Ajaifah. The valley hereabouts is desolate and unfrequented. The caravan route
between Jiddah and Mecca crosses Wadi Fatimah at Haddah. At that point the valley
bends southward, soon, however, to resume a general south-westerly direction which it
maintains until the Red Sea is reached in the neighbourhood of Ras Shi'rah.
Wadi Laimun appears to have its origin in the broken country northwards of Sail.
From its source it trends westwards, gradually assuming a more and more southerly course
until it joins Wadi Fatimah under the name of Wadi Al-Mudhik, as we have already
seen. Through that embouchure comes the Darh-as-Sultdni, or Hajj route from Qasim,
and also the Darh-ash-Sharqi, or Haj route from Al-Madlnah. In the Wadi Laimun are
the villages of the Hurrath, Ashraf; the Sherif of Mecca has possessions amongst them
also. The Arabs in the mountains are Hadhail.
The principal settlements and features in Wadi Fatimah, in descending order, are as
follows:—
Name.
Bank.
Position.
Remarks.
Ri'az-Zalalah
Not far from the head
A defile in which there is a rock
of the valley.
bearing an antique effigy beaten
thereon with a Himyaritic in
scription.