'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎693] (748/1050)

3-72
HAI—HAI
693
copperware, spear-heads, and horse-shoes are manufactured, wooden bowls are turned,
and camel-saddles are built. There are a few house builders and gypsum plasterers.
Women embroiderers in silk and metail-thread do a small business. The largest trading
capital in Hail probably does not exceed £300.
Supplies. —'Ordinary supplies are obtainable. There are the ordinary livestock, also
horses and riding camels; the large black sheep of Jabal Shammar are famous and much
prized in the Damascus market. Home-grown dates are not very abundant and stocks
are imported from Qasim. Wood and grass are mostly collected by Qaslmi labourers,
and the town has many wells of 10 to 15 fathoms' depth ; but, with the exception of one
sweat well of 15 fathoms belonging to the Samah quarter, they are either bitter or saline.
General. —The present town of Hail is probably of late foundation. A more ancient
town is said to have existed to the east of modern Hail and to have included Suwaiflah.
Hail has risen to importance chiefly as the permanent residence of the Amirs of Jabal
Shammar. When the fortunes of Ibn Rashid were in the ascendant there was much
going and coming of strangers and the Amir entertained about 180 guests a day at an
annual expense of about £1,500. Hail in time past also derived much profit from the
transit of Persian pilgrims caravans on th3ir way to and from Mecca, but in recent years
the route has been to a great extent in abeyance owing to the incessant wars and pre
vailing insecurity.
HAIL—
A village in Waii Ditna {q. v.), in the Exstsrn Hajar district of the '(Xnari Sultanate.
HAIL—
See Fara' ( Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. ).
HAIL—
See Hilti ( Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. ).
HAIL—
See Mistal ( Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. ).
HAIL—
See Shamaillyah.
HAIL—
See Sir.
HAIL—
See 'Umar-al-Gharbi ( Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Bani).
HAIL (A bu)—
A sandyrlocality with date plantations, on the coast of Trucial 'Oman, on the boundary
between the principalities of Sharjah and Dibai. It lies a short distance south-west of
Khan, from which it is divided by the Khan creek, and is 2^ miles from Sharjah Town
and 5 miles from the town of Diba : . In the date season it is occupied by people from both
Khan and Dibai: at other times it is uninhabited.
HAIL (A bu)—
Consists almost entirely of mat huts, and has four towers, which are nearly in line when
bearing south-east. At its southern end is a wall built across from the sea to the back
water ; it has about 2,000 inhabitants and sends 40 boats to the pearl fishery. The
towers, as well as those of Khan, look high in proportion to the size of the houses, and are
easily distinguished. There is a depth of 5 fathoms a mile off-shore at these villages, but
the ground is bad for anchorage.
There are dates trees between this and Dibai, and the coast is white sand. Northward
of Dibai there is a space clear of trees, with a large round tower having two small buildings
at its base ; on southerly and south-easterly bearings the tower is conspicuous, appear
ing like a lighthouse with its attached buildings.
A flat stony reef with 6 feet water, extends half a mile off the coast for some distance
north-eastward of Dibai, and about 3 cables off the western point of Dibai Khor,