us, extended the hills of Ẓahr al-Mohr; behind them could be seen many separate mesas, buttes, and cones of the an-Naʻâjem, an-Nimrijjât, an-Naʻâme, and Ǧdejdîlât ranges, all of which are overtopped far to the southwest by the mutilated cone of al-Watar and the huge pink range of Šejbân. To the northwest appeared the bare plateaus of Ḫšêm Birḳ and al-Mowreda with steep black slopes covered with sand on the southeastern side. To the east of them and to the north of us we saw Umm Ẓambûḥ and Ḳrenât al-Ṛazâl, a confusion of diverse crags resembling a petrified stormy sea. Behind them to the northwest was an interminable plain bordered on the horizon by the peak of al-Mambar, an indication of the proximity of Tebûk. At 3.08 we reached the station of Ẓahr al-Ḥâǧǧ, which is constructed in a rocky basin.[1]
From the station of al-Aḫẓar onward we did not find a single plant. We were now able to ride on two of the camels only, as all the rest were bleeding from their feet. Šerîf, Ḫalîl, and Muṭalleḳ, who for two days had gone entirely on foot, were complaining of weariness and wanted to rest, but this was not possible, because there was no pasturage for the camels. At 4.10 we entered the plain of al-Eṯêli, covered with coarse gravel, enclosed to the west by the steep spurs of Ḫšêm Birḳ, al-Mowreda, Ammu Ǧuʻejb, ʻAšêra, and extending eastward as far as the slopes of aẓ-Ẓufejjer. At 4.50, in a shallow gully, we found a strip of soil covered with a growth of nasi, on which our camels grazed until 6.52. Our cameleer complained that he was dying of fatigue; he I lay down by the fire, and Tûmân and I had to guard the camels while at the same time we drew a sketch of the surrounding district. We could not spend the night at the place where we had prepared our supper, because the smoke and flame of our fire could be seen from afar. At 7.55 we traversed an undulating plain to the railway station of Ḫšêm Birḳ and there we encamped.
- ↑ Meḥmed Edîb, Menâzil (Constantinople, 1232 A. H.), pp. 74 f., calls Ẓahr al-Ḥaǧǧ Moṛâjer al-Ḳalenderijje, ʻAḳabat Ḥajdar. Dâr al-Ṛadîr, and al-Birke and says that it is situated thirteen hours from ʻÂṣi Ḫurma or Tebûk. Othman Pasha set up a stronghold and a reservoir there, but, as there is no spring, water is often conveyed thither under military escort. In the neighborhood there are numerous caves. The hills are black as if covered with coal. At a distance of three hours’ journey before the station of al-Uḫajḍer is reached from the north there is a defile through which only two camels can proceed side by side. The soldiers surround this defile and guard it, and the Pasha, the leader of the pilgrims, sits under a sunshade and watches the pilgrims pass by. On the road can be seen small, thin, oval, black and white stones, which the people say are the petrified worms that fell from the body of Job.
