No. III. The Hadj Route from Damascus to Mekka.
IN later times the Hadj has been accustomed to leave Damascus on the
15th Shauwal. On the 26th or 27th it leaves Mezerib, and meets the new
moon at Remtha or Fedhein.
The Hadj route from Damascus to Mekka has changed three different times;
at first it passed on the eastern side of Djebel Haouran; the fear of
the Arabs made the Pashas prefer afterwards the route through the Ledja
and Boszra; about eighty years ago the present caravan route was
established.
1st. day. The Emir el Hadj leaves the town about mid-day, and remains
the night at Kubbet el Hadj el Azeli [Arabic], an ancient mosque at a
quarter of an hour from Bab Ullah or the southern gate of Damascus. Near
the Kubbe lies the village of Kadem [Arabic].
2. At four hours is the village of Kessoue [Arabic], with a well
provided Bazar. One hour Khan Denoun [Arabic], situated on the river
Aawadj [Arabic], which comes from Hasbeia and empties itself into the
Ghouta of Damascus. The Khan is in ruins. At a quarter of an hour to the
S.E. from it lies the village of Khiara [Arabic].
3. Four hours from Denoun is the village Ghebaib [Arabic]; it has a
small Khan to the left of the Hadj route, to the right of it is a Birket
or reservoir of water, which is supplied by the river Shak-heb [Arabic],
whose source, Ain Shak-heb, with a village called Shak-heb, lies to the
N.W. of Ghebaib.
