"نجد الجنوبية: رحلة إلى الخرج والأفلاج والسليل ووادي الدواسر في سنة ١٩١٨." [و‎‎١‎٣] (١٠٠/٣٠)

2
indeed the only town of Kharj, lies about halfway down the
eastern boundary of the oasis open on that side to the valley
and surrounded on the other sides by palm-groves. Surrounded
by a high mud wall studded at frequent intervals with bastions
of the same material and pierced by four gateways (one on the
north side, one on the south and two on the west), Dilarn is
roughly an oblong in shape with an L-shaped recess at the
north-east corner, the north and south sides are roughly 500
yards in length, and the east and west sides are 400 yards. The
north and south gates are connected by the main street which
traverses the whole length of the town, and is joined by side
streets from the two western gates, the more southerly junction
forming a suq of unpretentious proportions, between which
and the eastern wall extends a blank space for the accommo
dation of caravans. The whole of the south-eastern corner of
the town lying between this space, and the southern wall and
the sections of main street and eastern wall between them is
occupied by a massive fort, the residence of the Amir, while
west of the main street, close to the fort, is the chief mosque.
Viewed from the battlements of the fort the town looks less
crowded and more regular in plan than most towns of Nejd and,
though the suq does not convey the impression of doing a great
deal of business, the general appearance of the place is one of
solid prosperity, the total population of the oasis, which con
tains a large settled Dawasir element, being probably not less
than 7,000 souls all told, and 8,000 if Muhammadi is included.
The Amir of Dilam is invested with no formal authority over
the villages of the Kharj valley, each of which has an Amir
of its own, but in virtue of his position as Amir of the premier
settlement, he is referred to on matters of federal importance by
the other Amirs, and exercises a vague jurisdiction within the
limits of the valley over the Badawin Dawasir. whose grazing
area extends from Firzan—and indeed from the Arma and
Dahana beyond it—without interruption down the narrow
strip between the Tuwaiq on the one hand and the Biyadh on
the other, through the Aflaj to Sulaiyyil and thence to Wadi
Dawasir. The plateau of Tuwaiq, southward of a line drawn
due west from the Aflaj, and the Nafudh Dahi separating Nejd
proper from the wadi, also falls within their area of exclusive
grazing rights.