'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1335] (390/688)

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Climate, vegetation and animals. —The prevailing breezes in the Naffld are from the
west: the Bedouins state that high winds are of rare occurrence. In winter a white
frost is visible on the ground in the early morning, and a considerable depth of snow
has been known to fall in a single night. After rain, which is not frequent but is some
times heavy, pools are formed but the water sinks almost immediately into the sand.
There is abundant desert vegetation, and but for the absence of watering places the
Nafud would be permanently inhabited. The grazing is excellent, and when the
winter rains have made a sojourn possible the surrounding Bedouins repair to the Nafud
with all their flocks and herds. North of 'Alam-an-Nafud the principal plant is
the Ghadha. which yields good firewood and charcoal; south of that point it is the
Artah, which when leafless resembles a thickly matted vine. The commonest plant
however is 'Adar with stiff green leaves and brownish-yellow flowers: there are also
Nusi, a good kind of camel grass, and Hamrah, a blue prickly plant which is excellent
forage for horses.*
Animals include the wolf, the Beatrix antelope (called Baqr-al-Wahshi or Wadhihi)
the hare, lizard and snake ; among the snakes are believed to be the cobra and the horned
viper. Birds are the buzzard, kestrel, grey shrike, linnet, wren, dSsert lark and wheat-
ear with an occasional crow ; and a few ostriches are still, it is said, found in the
eastern and nothern parts of the Nafud. There are also flies, dragon-flies and small
butterflies, f
Inhabitants.—Several fixed villages mentioned below lie within the border of the Nafud;
but these few isolated spots excepted, the whole tract is without permanent inhabitants!
In winter and spring the north of the Nafud is frequented by Shararat and by 'Anizah of
the Ruwala branch, the south by 'Anizah of the Bishr branch and by Southern Shammar,
and the east by Northern Shammar, Dhafir and Muntafik; in summer all the Arab
Bedouins withdraw, the three last mentioned to 'Iraq, and Saluba and Hawazim remain
in exclusive possession.
Communications. —Political interest in the Nafud attaches mainly to the routes by
which it is crossed, the most important being that between Hail and Jauf-al-'Umr known
as Khali Bani Hilal or Khali Abu Zaid. They are described in the article on Najd.
Topography. —Below are described, in tabular form and alphabetical order, the princi-
pal inhabited places, recognised subdivisions and other points of interest in the Nafud:
Name.
Position.
Remarks.
'Akairishah ..
On© hour north of
Jibbah on the rout
from Kuwait to
Makkah.
A watering-place with 50 wells of sweet
water at a depth of I fathom.
'Alam-an-Nafud ..
or
'Alaim-an-Nafud.
About 80 miles south
east of Jauf-al-
'Umr.
O
Two pyramidal hills of sandstone weather
ed black, the principal landmark on the
route across the Nafud from Jauf-al-
'Umr to Hail. They stand about 600
yards apart; the northern hill rises
about 250 feet above the plain and the
southern about 120 feet, the base of the
former being 3,650 feet above sea level.
They are also known by the names
'Alam-as-Sa'ad and 'Alam-al-'Atsh.
*^ or further details see Ruber's Journal de Voyage, pages 571-2 and 581-3.
T *or other particulars see Huber's Journal de Voyage, pages 568-71, 579-80 and 581-3.