Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/148

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
132
THE NORTHERN ḤEǦÂZ

TOPOGRAPHY OF REGION BETWEEN ŠARMA AND BADA’

To the southeast of the peninsula of Mṣajbet Šarma rises the tableland of an-Nuḫbâr, and, to the south of the latter, Burḳa Ḳrajḳre, which passes eastward into al-Ḥamûm. Near Burḳa Ḳrajḳre the šeʻîb of ar-Râṯijje proceeds seawards, and farther on are Rowẓ al-ʻAbd; Terîm; al-Waḳẓân; Ṣwêr, near the village of Ṣawra; Abu Serîḥa; al-Mṛîr abu Hašîm, separated by the elevation of aṣ-Ṣafra from al-Mṛîr abu Ḫajme; aṭ-Ṭwejjeḳ; Umm Ǧejhîle; al-Mestebeḳ; aẓ-Ẓawǧe, proceeding from the spring of Ammu Sjejle in the hills of al-Aṣâjle; Smejr Ǧâber; al-Ḳâmre; al-Fšêr, which rises in al-Frejš; Abu Dijje; aṣ-Ṣurr; and al-Ḥaǧǧâr, forming the northern border of the elevation of Leḥjâne, through which winds al-Miṣṭâḥ, which begins in the hills of al-Mawḳre. Southeast of these, the jagged hillocks of as-Snejwijje, Ṭwejjel al-Kibrît, al-Bêẓa, and Ḥmêra-l–Ḳrajḳer approach near the shore. The separate river beds form deep šeʻibân with steep banks. They are: al-Ḥarr, which terminates in the harbor of the same name; al-Ḳmajjes, which ends in the harbor Šerm al-Ḫirḳe; al-Bêẓa; al-Madsûs, which, joining Abu Ṛarâjer and al-Mradder, reaches the harbor of Ǧibbe; al-Manaṭṭ; al-Muʻarraš, which passes through the salt swamp as-Sabḫa; ad-Derre; and Abu Šerîra and al-Ṛâl, which form the southern border of the hills of Ḥmêra-l-Ḳrajḳer. Farther to the southeast the undulating plain nearly reaches the sea, towards which it falls in a gradual slope. Through this plain pass the šeʻibân of al-Mhaššam, ʻEjâne, aš-Šḳîḳ, al-Hâši, Ẓaḥakân, Ẓbe’, Sidre, and al-Kfâfi, all of which come from the mountains of aš-Šrejḫ and Abu Rîš. Farther on are: as-Sâlmi, with the spring of al-Bedîʻ; al-Ǧawḫa; Abu Tîrân; al-Baḥara; ad-Dâma; aš-Šbêrem and al-Marr, penetrating the hillocks of an-Nuṣba; al-Aznam; Ḥrajmel; ad-Duḫḫân; ad-Dḫêḫîn; Balâḫt; al-Marra; Ḳrejdaḥḥa; and Šaʻaf.

The longest valleys are those of aš-Šarma, Terîm, aṣ-Ṣurr, al-Ṛâl, as-Sâlmi, al-Baḥara, ad-Dâma, and al-Aznam. They all rise in the mountain chain which extends over a distance of fifty to one hundred kilometers from the sea in a southeasterly direction, forming a continuation of the watershed between the valley of al-Abjaẓ and the lowland through which the Ḥeǧâz railway passes near the Pilgrim Route. The mountains of al-Muʻaffara, which have already been mentioned (see above, p. 123), also stretch toward the southeast, and the same direction is followed by al-Ḫejmri, al-ʻEnejme, Dafdaf, ar-Râwa, as-Sîḳ, Ornub, an-Naʻejẓa, and ar-Rawjân. The mountains of al-Meljân and ad-Dwejme trend toward the east, while Tmarr—which is next to them—swings off toward the northeast. Nûf, Nwejfât, al-Ḳṭejfe, an-Nawmân, al-Ḳerâḳer, al-Muḫteleṣ, as-Sowṭ, and aẓ-Ẓelfe again trend in a southeasterly direction.

The continuous chain terminates to the south of aẓ-Ẓelfe. Here separate mountains diverge somewhat to the southwest and form a lower watershed. Thus, the lower spur of aẓ-Ẓarba runs from aẓ-Ẓelfe to the southeast and is joined on the west by aṣ-Ṣâneʻ, with the cones of Naṛar and Nuṛejjer; while to the southeast of aṣ-Ṣâneʻ are grouped: Abu Ṭîne; Mwêreb; al-Wited; al-Wutejdât; al-Ǧowla; al-Maḥâẓa; al-ʻEšš; Ammu Rumejs, with the pass of al-Ḳnej; al-Ḳlûb; as-Saʻad; al-Libne; al-Ḫasîf; Ḥamṭ at-Tjûs; Šahbat at-Twejs; as-Selʻ; and Šhejb al-Bûm.