Early
Geographers Call It Wady Amaj, Or After A Place Of Some Importance
Situated In Its Lower Course, Wady Saya.
Hamdany, p. 294, says:
“Amaj and
Ghoran are two Wadies which commence in the Harra (volcanic region) of
the Beni Solaym, and reach the sea.” The descriptions of this Wady
compiled by Yacut, vol. iii. pp. 26 and 839, are more ample. According
to one, it contains seventy springs: according to another, it is a Wady
which you overlook if you stand on the Sharat (the mountain now called
Jebel Cobh). In its upper course it runs between the two Hamiya, which
is the name of two black volcanic regions. It contains several villages
of note, and there lead roads to it from various parts of the country.
In its uppermost part lies the village of Faric with date-groves,
cultivated fields and gardens, producing plantains, pomegranates, and
grapes, and in its lower
[p.405] course, close to Saya, the rich and populous village Mahaya.
The whole Wady is one of the Acradh (oasis-like districts) of Madina,
and is administered by a Lieutenant of the Governor of that city. Yacut
makes the remark to this description: “I do not know whether this valley
is still in the same condition, or whether it has altered.” Though we
know much less of it than Yacut, we may safely assert that the
cultivation has vanished and the condition has altered.
At Zariba ([Arabic], Dhariba) Burton and his party put on the Ihram
(pilgrim-garb). If the Baghdadlies follow the regular road they perform
this ceremony at Dzat-Irq, which lies somewhat lower down than Dhariba,
to the South-east of it, and therefore the rain-water which falls in
Dhariba flows in the shape of a torrent to Dzat-Irq, and is thence
carried off by the Northern Nakhla.
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