tends eastward. Still farther to the east rise the volcanic cones of Dabba, Mlejsa, Ḥebrân, as-Shâm, Neẓûḥ, Abu Marâdîf, and as-Sbâwi. South of the latter appear the cones of ar-Rḥajje, with the pyramid of Nâjef and the volcanoes of Ferdân and Rîʻ still farther south; southeast of Ferdân and Rîʻ is the table mountain of Ḫaẓma with the spring ʻAjn Lâla on its western slope, and south of Lâla the hill of aṭ-Ṭlâḥ, with, to the northwest,
Fig. 83—The šeʻîb of an-Nežîb. the volcano of ʻOmejrîs and the broad ridge of Semne.[1] Upon Semne is situated the cupola of ʻAčba.
To the south of Semne extends the black volcanic upland of ʻAtḳa, with which are connected the ridges of Ḳṭêʻat Ḏijâbe, al-Mšaḳḳar, and Swejd an-Niswân. Looking westward we saw the upland of as-Sowṭ, covered with lava, and to the southwest aẓ-Ẓelfe, from which the passes Naḳb Ebʻejd and Naḳb aẓ-Ẓarba lead to at-Tihama.
Proceeding through the šeʻîb of an-Nežîb (Fig. 83) to the southeast, at 11.32 we crossed several beaten tracks leading to the well of al-Mšejjîd. The region becomes gradually more mountainous. At 12.35 we had on our right the high hillocks of aẓ-Ẓelfe, on our left the broad eminence of aṣ-Ṣbâḫ with the well Bîr Rẓêḥân at its southwestern foot. At 1.45 we perceived before us the high, red wall Ḳaṭʻat al-ʻEǧejbi, behind it the broad gap formed by the šeʻîb of an-Nežîb, and on the southern horizon the lofty mountains of al-Wited and al-Ǧawla. The šeʻîb of an-Nežîb, which contains numerous ṭalḥ trees, is stony and is enclosed by high rocky walls. Leading our camels, we descended into the dry watercourse at a point where it is joined by the šeʻîb of al-Mšejjîd, which descends from the northwest. From 3.10 to 5.15 the camels grazed by the rain water wells Ṯemâjel an-Nežîb (temperature: 34.8° C) (Fig. 84). At 5.30 we reached the šeʻîb of aṭ-Ṭwejrijje, which
- ↑ Jâḳût, op. cit., Vol. 3, p. 146, gives the name of Sumna to the water near the valley of al-Ḳura’ between al-Medîna and Syria.—As the vicinity of the Semne ridge contains several sources, we might identify one of them as the water of Sumna mentioned by Jâḳût, all the more so because the valley of al-Ǧizel is connected with the valley of al-Ḳura’, and the road from al-Medîna to Syria leads across the foot of the western spur of as-Semne.
