'Routes in Arabia' [‎426] (459/852)

426
Route No. \l%—contd.
The track runs west over hard sand across the open desert to
Bir Ahmad at mile 6^. A large and populous village on the
right of the Zaida river with a large grove of palm trees about a
mile to the east. There are 8 or 9 wells, the water being fairly
plentiful all the year round, but brackish. The two best are
amongst cultivation about 400 yards east of the village. The
T( mainder are around the village. There is good camping ground
all around. A small amount ofjowari and millet can be obtained
in the cold season, but supplies are brought from Lahaj. Fuel
from dam palms and sparse undergrowth.
Thence, still in a westerly direction, over rather heavy sand
with short stretches of hard sand. A number of tracks diverge
just after leaving Bir Ahmad. At mile 9 is Bir Fadl, a well over
oO feet deep with about 5' of water all the year round, and good
camping space near. Fuel fairly plentiful from small bushes and
scattered small trees.
An alternative road to Bir Fadl leaves Shaikh 'Othman in a
ftorth-weisteiiy direction. Across the desert, good hard going, to
s-Sailah at mile 4f, a small ddr on a low sandhill commanding
the plain. Two good wells averaging 60' in depth with 4' of water.
hence west-north-west over broken and sandy ground to mile 7.
At mile 6 cross the dry sandy bed of the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Hiswah, 400 yards
broad. From mile 7 through thin jungle to Bir Fadl at mile 10,
From Bir Fadl the track runs west-north-west over sandy but
airly hard desert with thin babul jungle as far as mile 12. Then
over open desert, soft sand and low mounds to mile 13 ; then fair
o mi e 1C ; and the last five and a half miles over heavy soft sand
, 0 e c ^ rn P- Here is loose heavy sand with low tufts of dry
heather-like vegetation with open rolling desert all around. No
v-atf r lere. All water for men and transport must be carried ;
also firewood.
2 AM-RIJA ». 13| m, A broad well-defined
,, 9 track leads north-
. m ' , west over very
heavy sand to mile 8, rising gradually all the way. Then after a
ew undred yards of level the ground hardens and descends by
an easy slope to the dry bed of the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Am-Rija at mile 10|,
Ihence up the wddi bed to the village of Am-Rija at mile 131,
sma village on the right bank of the wddi, which is one mile
roa ure. Some cultivation in the bed dependent on rainfalj