Correspondence Relating to Ibn Saud Circulated to Kuwait by Other Gulf Posts [‎180r] (359/408)

wound, etc., and proverbial for bitterness Here Tuwain of the Aiman
overtook us with a tent sent by Bin Jiluvi, as Farhan had returned the one
given us from Hofuf w'hen starting from the wells. Very kind of
Bin Jiluvi. At 10 a.m. halted at Shaibah, a sandy valley with some
pasture. Man and beast wanted food and rest. Took lunch and slept in the
tent poor protection against the mighty sun. Shimal is blowing, so it is
tolerable ^ Still very hot, dusty and uncomfortable. Our camels, some
Maaqul , tramelled, others not, grazed in the valley. I slept a little from
sheer exhaustion, otherwise too hot to sleep. Terrible glare of the sun. Have
adopted Ghatra and Aqal, which helps to cover the face and neck, and Aba
protects from hot wind. Farhan is very jolly and cuts jokes with the Badu
escort.
25. Started at 4-30 p.m. and passed-through Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Shajarah, a small
narrow Shaab, river-bed, with some shrubs and one tree, Sumr (Indian Kikarl
small stunted. - />
26. Halted for prayers and dinner at 7-30 ; re-started at 8-30.— Route
now lies over hard, stony, level ground, with small black and white pebbles.
No pasture. Halted at 2-30 a.m. A good night march which taxed me.
blept at Bizah. No population at all so far.
NA’ALAH to BIZAH,—15 HOURS.
. 27. Friday, the 23rd July =. 6th Bhil Qaadah. — Left Bizah at 5 A.M.
We are still travelling due west from Hofuf. Passed over a little plain, called
Hauzah. It is a misnomer, as the two dozen groups of small stunted Snmr
(Indian Kikar) cannot be called garden. Good shrubs and pasture. Met a
small caravan-of four men and ten camels going down to Hofuf. Ground
hard and stony. Passed through Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Malsuniyah at 9 a.m. and then
a high ground, sandy with half buried stones in circles. This is, Bin Adwah
says, the ruined town of Bin Yazdar,of the Bani Hilal—how old he cannot
tell. I notice what may have been the Soor, or town wall, a big circle of
stones, and many small circles and lines of stones: these might have been
houses. Tne town was deserted, I am told, for want of water—drought. No
water or population so far anywhere. Ground sandy again.
28. Halted for rest and lunch at 10 a.m. at Jasrah, a little sandy plain
with hills in the distance. Good pasture for camels. Slept better than
yesterday. Still a strong Shimal is blowing. Re-started at 4 p.m„ passed
a high water-shed or plateau of Jasrah, high ground in the middle and low,
■sandy below on sides with bright reddish sands. Halted at Bijm for prayers
and dinner at 7 p m and re-started at 9 P.M., travelling over sandy"
ground, and after a while entered into Dahanah, a big deep sandy wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , in
which we travelled very slowly. No path or track, yet Bin Abdullah knows
his business and leads up and down big sand hills. Halted at 2 p.m. in
Dahanah. Very cool night. Slept thj;ee hours.
BIZAH TO DAHANAH—13 HOURS.
29. Saturday, 24ih July = 7th Bhil Qaadah. —Started at 5 A.M. from
Dahanah. This wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. , a very sandy one, contains biggest and most Curiously
shaped sand dunes around as far as eye can see. At 6-30 A M. met g, caravan
of Hadhar Duwasir going to Hassa. Pass over a bit of hard ground which
extends north of route some 3 or 4 miles, overgrown with good shrubs,
“Ashab” and heather. See several tracks of deer and wolf. This bit is
called the Gari Abu Jafan, or land on which Abu Jafan hill empties itself;
the surplus rain water is evidently swallowed up by the huge sands of
DaHanab. Manif t( ,Rai Sufairah” (of the yellowish she-camel) says he saw
two gazelle at a distance which soon disappeared over a sand dune—hill.
80. Halted at 9 a.m. on a clean bit of raised ground, still “Gari”.
-Saw a big flock of sheep grazing close by, first sign of life or habitation since
we left Hofuf. Sent to buy a sheep, but the shepherd refused to sell saying
he was a servant and had no authority to sell.
31. Fahad bin Jabir gave me “Aqqah” (dried whey) which mixed with
the ice cold water from our water skins is a boon. Took a long deCp drink of
it, most welcome and enjoyable in such a heat and journey in desert. Every
one pleased at the prospect of reaching water “ Al-ma ” at Abu Jafan. Bin
Adwah over-ruled Farhan and gave one Dallah full of water to each of our
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