'Routes in Arabia' [‎482] (515/852)

482
Route No. VIS {h)~contd.
After m. 25 the ascent becomes still steeper, past a small
mosque and hamlet at the head of a precipitous coffee- clad goree
on the right at m. 27. After m. 27 the^ gradients become easier
up to Suq-al-Khamis at m. 30.
Suq-al-Khamis is a small settlement surrounded by a peri-
m ® ter ] w t 11 ' and 13 composed of a village of about 300 inhabitants
a iurkish post, a Hukumah, and Post and Telegraph Offices A
few small shops, no regular market. Water excellent from wells
m the valley west of the settlement. Meat is butchered every
mornmg in accordance with the known requirements of the settle
ment. hgg* and fowls in limited quantities, and occasionally
fruit and vegetables from Sana 'a. A little coffee is grown locally
and there are scanty crops of millet and barley. Suq-al-Khamis
range ^ ^ ^ ^ off ' shoot of a g reat spur of the main
SANAA .. 33m. LeavingSuq-al-Kha-
jr 1 "lis the road goes
scarp of -J, Minav {east of the
freqU '' nt CnrVeS over a
litafdlSr^o'fl'to " tower ulul Tu ' kish po8t '»"»
a delrni t ^ ^ th0 Hl ' s S rk, S e * leached, and thence
a descent ls made turning uorth-ea.st over the shoulder of ,1
sprmc of 200 J' 7 g€ntl ^; lsceut l ,assi "g ^ 4 a white-domed
spnng of good water, on the right uf the road.
systems ^1°^ wat f rst ) ed between two great wddi
and Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. W) ,V V' 4 'V'" on ^'ft. drains into the Sirdid,
V. ir g ™' the n Z hU into the Siham.
Ban a 'not th(; valley in Arabia Felix (the
Xabi Shaii) with ' i i ''i 1 lU1S h ^ ro,u the western slopes of
aCr08b , it8 Confiuill g '"Us of 10 miles, all
/ • ^ith crops, and dotted with frequent villages
™fior Thfz' o ^ btd ^ fcot ^ pSoflr
a orecinitous r , ^i,™ c l0 P s steeply soutli-west through
age&yet^m. ' ' l Jd ^»ig south of the Suq-al-Khamis dram-