CHAPTER VIII
RETURN FROM WÂDI AL-ǦIZEL TO TEBÛK BY WAY OF AL-MUʻAẒẒAM
THROUGH AL-ǦAW INTO THE ḤARRAT AL-ʻAWÊREẒ
On leaving Wâdi al-Ǧizel we had on the right the šeʻîb of ar-Râṯijje, which comes from the cone of Slejʻ.
Wâdi abu Ḥamâṭa, through which we now rode, is enclosed by high sandstone rocks covered with a stratum of lava. It grows broader towards the east. Its channel is more than thirty meters broad, four meters deep, and covered with a layer of fine sand. On its sides there are numerous ṭalḥ trees and ratam and rimṯ bushes. Our camels were showing signs of great weariness. Mine was limping, and all of the animals had such lacerated soles that they walked very cautiously. I should have liked to go from Abu Raka direct to al-Ḥeǧr, but in the volcanic Ḥarrat al-ʻAwêreẓ our camels would certainly have perished. Moreover, I was afraid that one guide would hand us over to another and that new difficulties and fresh extortions would arise in every camp. I therefore intended to proceed through Wâdi abu Ḥamâṭa, which is not covered with lava, and thence to the station of Dâr al-Ḥamra’. Whether we went south or north from there depended on the condition of the camels. As I did not trust the guide, for the time being I said nothing to him about my intention, not knowing whether his fellow tribesmen would attack our encampment during the night. At 7.32 we encamped by the dry channel beyond the šeʻîb of Ḫrejmel. We did not light a fire, and nobody ventured to talk aloud. We took the guide, along with Šerîf, into our midst and kept guard over him all night.
On Saturday, July 2, 1910, quite early in the morning, I made an attempt to secure the guide for my plan. Ḫalîl supported me and pointed out to the Belâwi the great reward he would receive if he accompanied us to Dâr al-Ḥamra’ and if he did not share it with anybody. The guide understood that he would be rewarded only if he avoided every other
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