[Un-numbered file] 'Diary of Colonel Hamilton's Visit to Nejd 1918' [‎26r] (51/206)

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been 10 days on the road from Hasab. Had interview in mejlis in morning also
in afternoon and evening.
1st December. —Interviews. Went
for ride in afternoon.
2nd December. —Interviews. Went
Te: p. 56°, Bar. 2,090'.
Temp. 54°
for walk in afternoon.
*
Distance—7 hours, 5 minutes, miles.
Note
Distances noted below are from Itiadh.
5tli Decembef. —Left Itiadh 7-10 a.m. Breakfast at 10. Started at
10-30. Open, stiff, clay ground. General
direction N. N. W. Halted by some
low bills on east side of road at 2-45
p. m. Some trouble bringing the
wnthaihi, i. e., the pair of Oryx Beatrix which Bin Saud presented to me
before leaving Itiadh. Two of the boys eventually found the trick, one
leading both on a single rope and the other driving behind. Muhammad ^ ibn
Hahabas lost his aba (cloak) and had to ride back 5 miles for it. Laris al
Hawish, a Shaikh of the Mutair joined us in the evening.
6th Deem&er.—Broke camp 7-5 a.m. and reached the well of
Banban ( ) at 8-45 a.m. Banban
Distance—14 hours, miles. * g & with plentiful, good Water
at about 15 ft. below surface. The qasr is a ruined tower, and round
it are some signs of cultivation. Left again at 10-15 after •watering ; general
direction N, W. More northerly than yesterday. Plenty^ of sheep and
some catt and camels. Also saw many sandgrouse. The cultivators are men
of Biadh. There is a pink sandhill at foot of Al-Arumah ( ) called
Araidah ( ). The range of Al-Arumah trends towards Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows.
Hanifah ( a-aA*. ) J which it heads off beyond Manfuhah. At 11-45 a.m.
reached high, rocky hill (about 120 ft. above on right of road) from which good
view of Al-Arumah is obtainable. Road rocky, latterly with black patches.
Al-Arumah is the same colour as Tuwaiq, viz., greyish clay. The sandhills, or
Nufudh, below are pink. The water of Shaib Banban flows from west to east
till it strikes the Nufudh which runs about N. W. and 8. E. Thence its flow
is 8. 8. E. They say the water of this shaib does not join the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Hanifah
but disappears in the sand. A conspicuous object, pink sandhill, during the
latter part of our march was bearing about 345° called “ Nigah al Mutawah,
Earaj Banban ” ( ). We halted at 2-30 p.m. about 1|-
miles short of this orange-coloured, pyramidal sandhill, the Mutawah ( f ),
Camped in Nufudh; plenty of grazing during last 2 hours of march; ground
stony.
7th December. —Started 6-45
Distance—21 hours, 25 minutes,
Temp. 44°, Bar. 3,250'.
miles.
one boy leads while the other walks
Shaib Araij al Banban ( ).
a.m., halted 20 minutes for coffee at
9-45 a.m. The wuthaihi {Oryx) now
follow the sheep beautifully. They are
both tied together with a long rope which
behind. Passed up the valley still called
^ ^ Crossed some cultivation, but for the
most part we traversed a flat, sandy plain covered with grass and shrubs. We
are passing east of the villages of Salbugh (2 hours), Dalqalla (Ig hours), Dhaban
(3 hours), Thadiq (2 hours), Al-Hasi (3 hours), As-Sirrah (4 hours). Sudus wa.s
about 4 hours from our morning halt.
Halted at 2-30 p.m. at end of Araij al Banban. W 7 hite cliffs to front and
on right beyond orange-coloured sand strip, which we have marched close to all
day. Village of Huraimlah one day’s march on left. Country to left open,
stony steppe as far as Jabal Tuwaiq. At 1-30 p.m. crossed water course
running close by the sandhills.
Our camp was opposite Al-Rhafs ( ) (about 10 w East of North)
and distant 1 hour from it.
There is a lake at Al-Khafs which after an average flood is full for about
5 months. It is a favourite camp of Bin Sand’s.
8th December-Sent off Khudhayar with 2 men and a letter to Bin Saud
saying I was leavieg him w r ith the lame
horse. Dabbi and Raja’an went with him
to the tent of Bin Sand’s jidawiyahs
Distance—28 hours, 25 minutes,
Temp. 49°, Bar. 3,175’.
miles.
45 F. & P. D,