"كتيّب الجزيرة العربية. المجلد I. ١٩١٧" [‎١‎٧‎١] (٧٤٨/١٨٠)

DISTRICTS AND TOWNS
171
northern limit of effective Ottoman rule.' It is a considerable town of
unknown population, and is garrisoned. . „
12 Sa'dah, the northernmost Yemen town, is the tocus ot
Zeidism and original seat of the Imams. It has supported them
even against the Hashid. Nothing certain is known of its appear
ance or size.
The principal lowland towns are the following :
1. Hodeidah, the only port of Yemen having any considerable
commercial importance, is situated on the Red Sea in lat. 14 47 N.
It has no quay nor wharfage, nor any of the conveniences of a trading
port, and the old, primitive wooden pier has fallen into decay. There
is a small harbour, available only for the smallest craft, with two
projecting moles of stone (each with a light about 15 ft. high at the
end), a breakwater, and two entrances, of which the northern is
slightly the easier of access. After the moles were constructed it
was found that the water was not deep enough to allow loaded
lighters to come alongside, so the stevedores have to wade, and
merchandise for shipment, or just landed, is dumped down on the
beach. Large vessels anchor about 2-| miles off in four fathoms ;
merchandise is transferred in native craft. Landing is difficult and,
at times, impossible with the wind between south and west. A few
years ago the Ottoman Government conceived a scheme for con
structing a harbour for Hodeidah, about 10 miles to the north, where
there is a deep natural inlet protected by a long spit known as Ras
el-Kethib ; this was part of a larger undertaking known as the
Hodeidah-San'a Railway scheme. The harbour was to be linked
up with Hodeidah by a metre-gauge line along the spit and thence
to San'a. Construction was begun at Ras el-Kethib, and about
5 miles of track were laid, but without providing adequate means
for landing or handling material. The war between Italy and
Turkey and, since then, the European war, have put an end
to the scheme for the present, with the net result that what
material was not destroyed by the Italian bombardment now
lies rusting.
Hodeidah has two forts, the north and south, both falling into
ruin but conspicuous from seaward. The houses are tall and are
usually of stone or brick, almost every one having its characteristic
wattle shelter on the flat roof where the inhabitants seek the cool
air at night. The town is divided into two quarters by a semi
circular wall which reaches the shore at both ends : the old town,
in the space towards the sea, consists of tall stone houses, narrow
streets, and covered bazaars : outside the wall lies a large area of
thatched houses, sheds, and compounds which recall the native