File 756/1917 Pt 2-3 ‘ARAB BULLETIN Nos 66-114’ [‎209v] (427/834)

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movement or reason for alarm, and, by flag, the Hamdh Bridge
defences and Abu Naam. I tested this system by trying to
capture some Turks who were working below the defences, and
when we were spotted and had to move out, I had a good
opportunity of seeing the system. A few minutes after the alarm
was given,'! could see all defences from the Hamdh Bridges to el-
Wagga being manned, and out from Abu Naam came mounted
troops. After that it was not practical to stddy the matter furthei.
“ From here the railway enters a valley about 2,000 yards
wide, with hills close to it on the east. When it reaches the
Wad’i Hamdh, it takes a right-angle turn to the east under cliffs ;
then goes south again, and proceeds to cross the valley of the
Hamdh. There are two big stone bridges ; the first one consists
of twenty-two arches, of which two have at some time been blown
up and have been filled in with sandbags ; the second bridge is
about eleven arches. East of the railway and in the centre of the
wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , close to the two bridges, is a strongly fortified black ridge
covering the two bridges. From here the Hamdh runs due east,
then turns south, and runs parallel with the railway to Medina.
The line now runs straight to Abu Naam. On the east, there is
a range of high hills close to the railway ; on the west, there are
wadis and a collection of smaller hills.
u Abu Naam .—Two big square stone buildings, a water tower
and a pumping station. At the present moment, close to the
station, there are two squares of wooden and matting stables with
two squadrons of cavalry in them. On the high hills east of the
station there is a strong fortified post; while to the west there
is a ridge of low hills which are strongly fortified, and a field
gun is dug in. From here the Railway is visible running through
the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Umm Hashim to Istabl An tar. On the east, is a long
range of hills close to the railway with small posts on it ; west,
there are about five miles of open plain.
“Istabl Antar .—The stations seems to consist of one building
only, and on the east there seems to be a camp ; to the west,
there is Jebel Antar (or Fahala) which has a strong post on it.
From here the railway enters a large open plain and runs to Bueir.
“Bueir .—I have not seen the station, but it is reported to be
big, with workshops, water, and water-storage tanks. From here
the line still runs in a big plain to Bir Nasif.
“Bir Nasif .—Nothing known.
“Bowat .—North of Bowat the hills again come down to the
railway ; on the east there is a low range of hills between the
Hamdh and the line ; on the west there is a succession of hills
about two miles from the line, all intersected by wadis. Bowat
itself consists of two square buildings, and is used as a wood-
dump for fuel. The station is chiefly defended by a small hill
close by with a mountain gun and two machine guns. From
here the line runs through low lying hills, intersected with wide
wadis, to el-Muerda, where there are numerous posts, and many
strongly built large culverts ; evidently a large flow of water