farther to the northeast. At 12.40 P. M. we descended to the small ruined fortress of Faṣôʻa, north of which are situated two artificial rain pools still partly filled with water (Figs. 5, 6, 7). We remained near this spot until 1.32. ʻ
The camels were very thirsty, pressing forward to the edge of the parapet of the rain pools, and it was all we could do to drive them away and prevent them from falling into the water. Šerîf and Mḥammad baled the water out of the pond with a canvas bucket, making the camels drink from this container. No sooner had the animals assuaged their thirst than they were running about in search of pasture. Accordingly, there was nothing for us to do but to replace the baggage quickly and move on, as there was not a single plant in the vicinity of the rain pools. Everything had been entirely eaten up.
We proceeded to the west through the opening of the šeʻibân of Abu ʻAlejdijjât, which join Abu Rtejmât and al-Makmi. At three o’clock we reached the šeʻîb of al-Moṛâra, near which the region of al-Kḏûr ends and the actual range of aš-Šera’ begins. The latter consists of a broad, flat ridge ascending towards the northwest, covered with coarse gravel in which the šaʻrân grows abundantly. At 4.20 we halted on the southern foot of the cone of Rwejsât umm Ṛaẓa, north-west of the pass Naḳb al-Ḥdejb, which is traversed by a fairly convenient road to the southern lowlands (temperature: 30.5° C). Šerîf was to prepare our evening meal while Ismaʻîn guarded the camels.
VIEW FROM KNOLL OF AL-ḤDEJB
Taking Mḥammad with us we proceeded to the knoll of al-Ḥdejb, which is of no great height and stands near a precipitous slope, and from its summit we made a geographical sketch.
The station of ʻAḳabat al-Ḥeǧâzijje is mentioned under different names in various descriptions of travel. Meḥmed Edîb, Menâzil (Constantinople, 1232 A. H.), p. 71, calls it Ẓahr al-ʻAḳaba, as well as ʻIbâdân, while the pilgrims are said to have called it also Syrian ʻAḳaba. It is thirteen hours distant from Maʻân, without water, and situated in a valley. A military guard from Maʻân escorts the pilgrims as far as this station along a flint-covered road. Just before al-ʻAḳaba is reached the pilgrims dismount from their litters and proceed downhill on foot; the pasha—the leader of the pilgrims—sits beneath a parasol at al-ʻAḳaba and inspects the pilgrims advancing before him. At this point the water bearers distribute sherbet. In the sandy and stony district round about, Othman Pasha (died 1753) caused a stronghold and a fountain to be built. The locality of Lîs, like a village, is situated behind ʻIbâdân, to which it belongs. It is in these places that the chamberlain of the pasha who is in charge of the pilgrims’ caravan collects letters from the pilgrims on the return journey and conveys them speedily to Constantinople. Generally, however, this is done earlier, at the settlement of Tebûk.—The Lîs referred to by Meḥmed Edîb perhaps designates the group of isolated rocks, ad-Dîse, between ʻAḳabat al-Ḥeǧâzijje and Soraṛ.
