'Routes in Arabia' [‎74] (107/852)

74
V
Eoute No. 22— condd.
at mile 4 ; and at mile 5, Arhiyah hill on the left and that of
FarTdah on the right, at mile 7 the track bearing- south-west
from Jahrah. ^ chan g es to west-south-west until at mile
15 the bill of Mroos having been passed on the left at 2 milea
distance, the ridge of Saddah is surmounted.
Up to this point there has been a continuous ascent.
At mile 18 the route descends into the Shaqq valley, here
5 miles broad. The halting place of Khabrat-al-Firaq is reached
just before emerging from Shaqq.
There is usually no water, except after heavy ram.
5 RIQ'AI .. •• 55 m. During this stage the
route runs straight,
m / and keeps a little
south of west. . . .
At mile 2 the edge of the Shaqq depression is reached, the
hamdh country of Dibdibah being then entered.
At mile 9 the general route to Qaslm is struck. It consists
of six parallel tracks. During the first few miles of this stage
the hill of Umm-al-'Amarah forms an indistinct landmark to the
south-west. Water is said to collect there after heavy rain.
The route then traverses poorer country without landmarks.
At mile 53 is the khabrah of Umm-al-Hamir, whence the route
ascends a series of terraces. The ground then si pes sharply
down towards some wells in the Rijm-ar-Riq'ai and situated on,
the south-east bank. Just above these wells the route crosses
a mountain torrent which, in January 1906, made a waterfall
10 feet high and between 40 and 50 feet wide. The wells of
Riq'ai are dotted about in the torrent bed. This is a treble
stage. The intermediate halting places are optional, water as
a rule not being obtainable. It is, moreover, rarely to be found
even in the Riq'ai wells during the hot weather.
H^re route No. 15 is joinel.
14 BURA.IOAH .. 242 m. See Route No. 15,
Basrah-Buraidah.
337 mi