'Routes in Arabia' [‎409] (442/852)

409
Boute No. 109 {d)—concld.
Fuel.- —Probably scarce.
Supplies. —A little millet and a few sheep, goats and cowa
from villages.
From Karna a track leads down north-west past the villages
of Khordoin and Hnssain, nearly level to Dhali and up to Al-
Hakl, about mile 2. This was the proposed cart and road when
Dhali was suggested as a cantonment in 1905.
From Al-Hakl the path descends westwards through cultiva
tion past Yakub and Maswar at mile 2-f. Then a steep descent
to Komol at mile 3}.
From here Route 109 (e) runs south-west.
From mile 3| to mile 7 J the track turns along an old paved
way, in a very bad state of repair. The gradient is, for short
distances, sometimes as steep as 1 in 4. It is fit only for lightly
laden transport.
At mile 4 is a position from which the track can be covered
with artillery and rifle fire as far as mile 7|.
At mile 4J is a spring in the rock ; very good water. At mile
5 J is a water-hole, said to be perennial. From this water-hole
onwards the bed of the WadiFagira is followed into Dakkam ter
ritory. At mile 9 cultivation is entered and the track bifurcates.
The village of Ar Rukba is about 1 mile to the south-west.
The right-hand path runs no rth-west, descending easily be
tween the Wadis Fagira and Guderain, dry shallow watercourses.
The country consists of ridges covered with thorny scrub. At
mile 10 are two wells, one on each side of the track. At mile 12|
the Fagira vallev runs into the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Hor ; the track here turns
west and runs along the left bank of the Tiban, through irri
gated cultivation, to Karad, at mile 13. Good camping ground
and spring.
The left-hand path runs west, descending easily through
similar country to Hathaini at mile 9|; good camping ground.
A track joins here from the south-east from Ar-Rukba [Route
109 (e)] about 1 mile distant. _ < ,
The track descsnds the bed of the Vv adi Guderain, through
thorny scrub, direct to Karad, at mile 12|, on the W adi liban.
(See Route 105, stage 4.)
A steep foot-path leads from the Dakkma country by the
KaqTl Ghymrog up the \V t.di Mattar to fcharan and Hadur#