'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎608] (701/905)

608
plain of arafat.
[chap, xxiii.
meet at this place, and hear, or at least see, the Imam, who
delivers a sermon of three hours from the summit of the moun
tain ; after this, about nightfall, the Haj and those who come
with it from Mekkah move in the latter direction, halting, as
in coming, to perform certain prescribed rites in Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Muna, in
addition to those near Arafat. The plain spread at the foot of
the latter occasionally contains 3000 tents and 25,000 camels. 1
At its eastern extremity is the canal of Mekkah, and near it
a small tank, also a cluster of huts called Kahwet Arafat,
belonging chiefly to the Beni Koreysh, who cultivate vegeta
bles in a valley extending southward. At Kahwet Arafat the
road enters the mountains, ascending gradually as far as the
wells of Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. No mar, seven hours and a-half distant. The
country is intersected by rocky valleys, producing an abun
dance of acacia-trees, and presenting gneiss, quartz, some
mica and granite, 2 with red granite at the summit of the
ridge called Jeb-el-Kora. On the slope are the huts Kahwet
Kora, from whence the camel loads are carried to the summit
of the mountain on mules and asses; the loads are again
carried onwards by camels, which then descend rather rapidly
to Ras-el-Kora. This is the most beautiful spot in the Hijaz,
being picturesquely situated amidst granite rocks and large
shady trees, interspersed with vines, European fruit-trees and
verdant fields, the whole extending from two miles and a-half
to three miles east and west, and a mile in width. Ihe
Hodheyl tribe are scattered in hamlets over this fine tract,
and their houses are well built of stones and mud. Each
dwelling contains three or four apartments, which receive no
light but from the entrance; they are, however, neat and
clean, and their furniture consists of carpets, woollen sacks,
wooden bowls, earthen coffee-pots, with a matchlock, which is
kept in a leather case. 4 To this succeeds barren ground, and
then a steep declivity of sandstone leading into the fertile
Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Mohram, which is so denominated because it is here
that the pilgrims going to Mekkah invest themselves with the
ihram or pilgrim's wrapper. 5 The whole chain of mountains ^
1 Burckhardt's Travels in Arabia, vol. IL, p. 39-53. 8 Ibid., p. 116.
8 Ibid., p. 122. 4 Ibid., pp. 124, 125. 5 Ibid., p. 126.