Ṯadra and the entire surrounding district is associated with various legends. The volcano of al-Bedr is said once to have vomited fire and stones, destroying many Bedouins and their camels and sheep. Since then the Bedouins have been afraid to ascend this volcano and they drive away their animals, not allowing them to graze upon the slopes or upon the gray ridge of Ṯadra. Beneath the volcano of al-Bedr there was once encamped a Bedouin, “belonging to the men of vision, ahl as-sirr,” i. e. acquainted with what is a secret to others. This Bedouin had intercourse with heavenly spirits. When his tribe wished to migrate and to seek better territory for their flocks, he dissuaded them, prophesying that they would have to face many contests and obstacles in which very many of them would perish. But his fellow tribesmen would not listen to him. They departed, and the man of vision was left deserted with his daughter Ḥamda near the holy volcano of al-Bedr. He used to sit on the summit of the volcano and his daughter upon its spur, which was named Ṭôr Ḥamde after her. Every day Allâh sent them an eagle, which gave half a loaf to the man of vision and half a loaf to his daughter. This continued for twenty years. Then at last the remnants of his tribe, which had once been so powerful, returned to their original settlements. They found the man of vision and his daughter, acted in accordance with his counsel, and within a short time, with the help of Allâh, they prospered so much that they recovered their lost happiness.
The plain of al-Ǧaw forms the frontier between the volcanic territory Ḥarrat ar-Rḥa in the north and Ḥarrat al-ʻAwêreẓ in the south. A significant reminder of the latter volcanic territory, the huge volcano of al-ʻEnâz, was perpetually in sight to the east. South of al-ʻEnâz are situated almost in a straight line the volcanoes of al-Fûr, al-Mabna’, Ẓobʻân, Saʻede, Saʻêda, as-Shejb, ar-Rḥajje, al-Ašhab, and al-ʻAraf. From ar-Rḥajje to the northeast descends the šeʻîb of al-Mnaḳḳa; from as-Shejb, the short šeʻîb of Ṯaṛbe, with the water of the same name, and al-Ḥawẓa; from Saʻêda, the šeʻîb of ʻAlija; while from Ẓobʻân descends al-Mizže. To the east of al-ʻEnâz can be seen the volcanoes of Ǧwejfle, Ḥala’ Bedr, and al-Ḫrejz, near which is the water of Ṛâreb. Ascending gradually toward the northeast we perceived at 7.10 A. M. on our right the hills of al-ʻOmejjed; to the south of them, aš-
