'An Account of the Arab Tribes in the Vicinity of Aden' [‎55r] (114/404)

THE WA'HIDI'.
97
The harbour of Bfr ’Alf is a small circular and safe bay
one mile long by one and a half broad, exposed, however to
the south winds. On the north shore is situated Bir ’Alf •’ to
the east, near the entrance, is a curious hill named Shdaron
but generally called “ Al-Bostdn ”• to the south of the bay is
a narrow strip of land whence rises Husn-al-Ghurdb, a square
black, solitary rock placed like a natural fortress to guard the*
entrance of the bay. ^
The Sultdn of Bfr Alf has about 2,500 followers, many
01 whom are Hajirfs, a low caste of Arabs from the Wddf
Hajir, who come to Bfr ’Alf for purposes of cultivation, and
pay over to the Sultdn half the crops raised by them.
The Sultdns of Bdlahdf do not muster above 600 imme
diate followers. Bdlahdf is an open roadstead exposed to
the south-west monsoon, and containing very deep anchor-
.. ,, In , t I h , e . centr . e of the WAhidf country are the ruins of
JNukb-al-Hajar, situated on a commanding eminence on the
right bank of the Wddf Maifa’. It must have been once an
impregnable fortress, and is generally identified with the
Meepha Metropolis of Ptolemy. It does not belong to the
Wdhidf, but to a Bedawin tribe, who are perfectly independent
a wild and lawless people held in very bad repute.
P r0( ^ ucts °f the country in the vicinity of
the \\ ddf Maifa’ at Hauta are wheat, jowdri, bdjri, barley and
tahaf. hour crops are reaped yearly, namely, one rain crop
and three irrigation. 1 he fields are very neat and regular,
and the state of the cultivation generally very superior " The
rotation of crops is observed. The Wddf is bunded for
irrigation by numerous stone walls. There is an abundant
supply M good water, which is drawn up by bullocks after
the Indian system. No fruits are cultivated, except dates and
lemons. The few cattle are sent to the neighbouring deserts
to graze under the charge of Bedawins. Sheep and goats are
numerous, but there are no horses : some were once introduced,
but soon disappeared for want of pasture to keep them.
In the neighbourhood, however, of Habbdn the supply of
water is very limited, procurable only from deep wells. The
fields around produce wheat, barley, tahaf, jowdri, bdjri, kinib,
(dagoosa), but no dates, coffee or cotton. The scarcity of
water prevents irrigation, leaving the fields dependent on
B 744—7