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.
