'Routes in Arabia' [‎725] (756/852)

?25
R oute N o . 201— contd.
this point (Gharrah) the Biyat encampments to the left are
more distant than before.
3 bd S tatiok (4 hrs. 40mts.) At about 14 miles
Salahiyah we separated
from our baggage
caravan. So far as we had come on the way from
Salahiyah there had been rocky hills accompanying the
road on the right hand; these rose from 100 to 150 feet
above the plain, and the fall of the strata of which they
wore composed seemed to be from the side next the road back
wards. On the left, all the way, had been meadows sloping
down into the valley between us and Jabal Hamrin ; and a
line of telegraph had followed the road closely on that side. At
the point now reached there was a large village of Bij^at due
south some miles off, and another south-south-west not quite
so far away.
The baggage continued along the road outside the hills and
reached Tuz Khurmatu in 8 hours 20 minutes from Salahiyah,
making the distance about 25 miles. About 5 miles before
reaching its destination the baggage passed a Biyat village of
100 households, 2 miles to the left of the road, which was called
Khasradalah.
ABUSARKAL We ourselves turned
into the hills on the
right in search of
some well -known oil springs, and found them at least after much
wandering in a maze of rugged ridges and valleys. 1 here are
about 7 borings altogether, situated on the two sides of a small
ravine at a place called Abu Sarkal. By them stands a small
tower for defence. At no great distance, in an open plain in the
hills, were encamped two households of Xa aim Saiyids, whose
head is Saiyid Muhammad-bin-Jasim. These people, who had
been settled here for about 13 years, received us hospitably and
guided us to the oil springs : without their help we should never
have found them. While searching for the springs, before this,
we came on some interesting rock dwellings, neatly cut in the
faces of low cliffs. The springs are said to yield about 10 don
key loads of oil daily, and the load sells for 2 shillings to 2 shillings
and 4 pence at Tuz Khurmatu. The principal pit is about 15
feet in diameter and 25 or 30 feet deep, and the oil is brohght up
in goat skins by men who clamber down for it.