'Southern Nejd: Journey to Kharj, Aflaj, Sulaiyyil, and Wadi Dawasir in 1918.' [‎7v] (19/100)

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dense vegetation, mostly poplar and acacia, for four miles to Hair
where we camped for the first night. On the way we passed
two groups of wells in the wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. bed known as Hifna and Arair
respectively, which had been utterly destroyed by recent floods
and will have to be reconstructed de novo before they again
yield water.
Hair is an exceedingly pretty oasis, fifteen miles south-
south-east from Riyadh by the direct road, which we had
followed, and situated ma-)- shaped confluence of important
wadis—the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Hanifa entering the oasis from nearly due
north and issuing from it in the direction of due east, the Shaib
Ha entering it from due west with, it is said, the drainage of the
Dhruma valley, and the Shaib Baaija joining the confluence from
due south with the drainage of a considerable part of the Tuwaiq
plateau. The densest part of the oasis consisting of palm-groves,
poplar clumps and tamarisks, collected round a large pond of
torient water, lies at the point of confluence, on the west side of
which under a high crag is the village itself in two sections of no
gieat size, one walled after a fashion and the other but a straggling
group of mud-built dwellings. The palm-belt extends west
ward up the Ha and eastward down the Hanifa for about one
mile in each direction, while the beds of the Baaija and northern
part of Hanifa are devoid of cultivation. The pond in seasons
of good floods is said to retain water practically throughout the
year, while at the time of our visit, the last flood of the season
having come down the Hanifa not more than ten days or a fort
night before, a gentle, but steady flow was still pioceeding
rom it down the wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , ending in another pond of smaller dimen
sions at the end of the oasis. The perpendicular weather-worn
bank of these streams, rising to a height of about 100 feet above
i eVe tlieil ^ iem in the oasis in every direction,
wa c i towers being disposed in dominating positions on their
sumrmts to gi\ e warning of the approach of foes. I have already
noted that the oasis belongs to Suhul and Subai Badawin,
\\ lose m erest m the place is limited to their annual visit to
collect the dates when ripe, while for the rest of the year the
permanen population of perhaps 300 or 400 tenants, mostly
egro ree men, have the oasis to themselves to diff and delve
therein m return for the tenants' share of its fruits.
WnrT u res l lnie 1 d . 0 | ur mar ch on the following morning down the
anita whlcl1 now ian due east between high cliffs from