The mountain sinks
gradually, and is lost at a great distance in the plain, which is very
sandy.[FN#1]
13. Medawara [Arabic], one day’s journey, a castle with a Birket of
rainwater.
14. Dzat Hadj [Arabic], a castle surrounded by a great number of wells,
which are easily found on digging two or three feet. It has likewise a
Birket of rainwater. At four hours from it is a descent, rendered
difficult by the deep sand. It is called El Araie [Arabic], or Halat
Ammar [Arabic]; it was here that in the time of Daher el Omar, Pasha of
Acre, and of Osman, Pasha of Damascus, the Arabs Beni Szakher plundered
the Hadj in the year 1170 of the Hedjra (1757), the only example of such
an event in the last century. From Halat Ammar the plain is no longer
sandy, but covered with a white earth as far as Tebouk. The vicinity of
Dzat Hadj is covered with palm trees: but the trees being male, they
bear no fruit, and remain very low. The inhabitants sell the wood to the
Hadj.
15. One day from Dzat Hadj is Tebouk [Arabic], a castle, with a village
of Felahein, of the tribe of Arabs Hammeide. There is a copious source
of water, and gardens of fig and pomegranate trees, where Badintshaus
(egg plant), onions, and ether vegetables are also cultivated. The
Fellahs collect in the neighbouring desert the herb Beiteran (a species
of milfoil), which the Hadjis buy up, and bring to Damascus. The castle
is also surrounded by shrubs with long spines called Mehdab, which the
Fellahs sell to the Hadj as food for the camels, and likewise two other
herbs called Nassi and Muassal. They thus earn their livelihood. If the
Hadj arrives in the neighbourhood of Tebouk at night, the bones of dead
camels indicate the way to the castle. The Hadj rests here one day: and
on its return is met by the Djerde, or provision caravan, headed by the
Pasha of Tripoli, by which all the Syrian pilgrims, receive
refreshments, sent by their families.
16. Akhdhar [Arabic], a castle with a Birket of rainwater, upon a small
ascent. Two or three hundred years ago, the Hadj went to the E. of the
present route, and it is even now called the eastern road.
17. El Moadham [Arabic], a very long day’s march.
[p.660]18. Dar el Hamra [Arabic].
19. Medayn Szaleh [Arabic], with a number of habitations hewn in the
rock; and many sculptured figures of men and animals.
20. El Olla [Arabic], a village of about two hundred and fifty houses,
with a rivulet and agreeable gardens of fruit trees. Its inhabitants are
all of barbaresque origin.
21. Biar el Ghanam [Arabic], with many wells of fresh water.
22. Byr Zemerrod [Arabic], a large well.
23. Byr Djedeyde [Arabic].
24. Hedye, where the Hadj remains two days. It is a Ghadeir, or low Wady
coming from Khaibar, which is four hours distant. The people of the
caravan often go thither to buy fresh provisions.
25. El Fahletein [Arabic]; apes, and what the Arabs call tigers, are met
with here. An ancient building of black stones is near it; it is called
Stabel Antar.
26. Biar Naszeif [Arabic], a number of wells in the sandy ground, which
are every year newly digged up, because the wind covers them immediately
after the caravan’s departure. El Fahletein is the last castle. At all
these stations small castles have been built, close to the basons in
which the rain water is collected. If there are any wells, they are
within the walls of the castle, and the water is drawn up by camels in
order to fill the basons, on the arrival of the Hadj. The pilgrims, in
order to lighten their loads, generally leave in every castle a small
parcel of provisions, which they take on their return. These castles are
garrisoned by four or five men of Damascus, who remain shut up there the
whole year until they are relieved by the passage of the caravan. It
often happens that only one man is left alive of the number; the others
having been either killed by the Arabs, or having died from the effects
of the confinement, for the fear of the Arabs seldom permits them to
issue out of the castle. Each of these castles has a Meghaffer [Arabic],
or protector, among the neighbouring Arab tribes, to whom the Pasha pays
a certain tribute. The office of these guardians, who are usually
inhabitants of the Meidhan or suburb of Damascus, is very lucrative, on
account of the presents and small contributions paid to them by the
pilgrims. One of them has been known to remain for twenty-three years at
Fahletein. Ibn Balousa, a man of the Meidhan of Damascus, is looked upon
as the chief of all these castles, and resides generally at El Hassa.
27. El Medine, where the Hadj remains three days. There are two
different roads leading from Medine to Mekke, the eastern and western.
The principal men of the Arab tribes of both routes meet the Pasha at
Medine, to learn which road the Hadj intends to take, and to treat with
him about the passage duty. On the eastern route [Arabic], the first
station from Medine is:
28. (1) El Khona [Arabic], a deep Wady with rain water.
29. (2) El Dereybe [Arabic], a village with walls.
30. (3) Sefyne [Arabic], a village.
31. (4) El Kobab [Arabic], an assemblage of wells.
[p.661]
32. (5) Biar el Hedjar [Arabic], wells.
33. (6) Set Zebeyde [Arabic], a ruined village with a large Birket.
34. (7) El Makhrouka [Arabic], wells.
35. (8) Wady Leimoun [Arabic], a village with a rivulet.
36 (9) Byr el Baghle [Arabic], wells.
