'Southern Nejd: Journey to Kharj, Aflaj, Sulaiyyil, and Wadi Dawasir in 1918.' [‎24v] (53/100)

— 40 —
runs due south—a ten days' journey mostly over waterless
country infested by marauding gangs from' the Yam tribes,
some of whom having adopted the Wahhabi creed profess and
to a certain extent practice allegiance to Ibn Saud,* while the
rest are of the Biyadhiya and various semi-paganf persuasions
and apparently submit to no central authority. The settled
inhabitants of Nejran and Habuna, which are distinct wadis
running separately and parallel to each other at half a day's
journey apart to the sands, apparently own a loose allegiance to
the Turkish Government but are in practice independent, the
Nejran colony containing four well-to-do and respected Jewish
families, originally from Sanaa, who make their living by financial
operations and the ornamental metal work for which Nejran
en joys a high reputation. Considerations of space, however,
deter me from expatiating further on the country beyond
Sulaiyyil and the wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , regarding which I collected a good deal
of information during my sojourn in these parts.
Returning to Sulaiyyil, we find crops and cultivation following
the pattern of the Aflaj with the exception of the pomegranate
which is unknown either here or in the wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. ; cotton is grown
not largely but rather more profusely than further north and in
one solitary instance I found a small field devoted to it. The
dates, largely of the Makwizi variety are excellent and the palms
give heavy yields. Wheat and vegetables, grapes, peaches, and
citrons complete the list.
For administrative purposes the district falls loosely under
the jurisdiction of the official Amir of the wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , but for all
practical and municipal purposes the Amir of each petty hamlet
is a law to himself and his people and the Amir of the wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows.
only interferes to prevent hostilities between rival subsections—
and that he does with a heavy hand with the result that Sulaiyyil
has enjoyed unbroken peace for a considerable number of years.
Of the people the A1 Hanaish, thanks to the tolerant, broad-
minded old man who is their Amir, were unexpectedly cordial,
visiting our coffee tent and inviting us to their houses for coffee
or other meals with great frequency. The Suwailim and
Dhuwaiyan were reasonably friendly and polite, but the A1
and on 1 h T th ^ da ™ ^ments of the Wahhabi section,
nutting a ilo'o^f^lf^Lji^iio'by tt locaf A^ir^ 6 ^ Sljb -
to certain mountains supposed to possess divine powers. ' ' '