Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/65

rift valley of al-ʻAraba and the Red Sea. From Umm aṯ-Ṯelâǧe to the southwest extend oblong groups of isolated rocks: Hẓejbt as-Smêʻe, al-Ǧill, Ḏerw aṣ-Ṣulba, and ar-Rokob. West of them the channel of Ammu Sawra twines like a white girdle, its head lying near the spring of Fawâra, westward from the ruins of Štâr.^[1]

Fig. 12—Ruins of Umm aṯ-Ṯelâǧe.

Fig. 12—Ruins of Umm aṯ-Ṯelâǧe.

 

A small telegraph line has been installed along the left side of the šeʻîb of Ammu Ṣawra, which runs down from the Štâr pass. This line passes the spring of az-Zerâfa not far below the pass. Westward from the šeʻîb of Ammu Sawra can be seen innumerable white dome-shaped rocks of the groups Ḏerw as-Sâḳi, Harâbt al-ʻAbîd, and al-Ḳoff. Behind

 

1. Saladin marched through our pass of Štâr. Abu Šâma, Rawḍatejn (Barbier de Meynard), p. 217, relates that on May 11, 1182, Saladin set out from Egypt for Damascus by way of Ṣadr and Ajla and arrived there after five days. Learning that the unbelievers were concentrating their army near al-Kerak in order to obstruct his path, he strengthened his two flanks and proceeded from the region of Ḥesma’ through the pass of Šitâr to al-Ḳarjatejn, making an incursion into the enemy’s country. Thereafter he marched with the main strength of his army along the very border of the al-Kerak territory to al-Ḥasa’, while his brother, Tâǧ al-Mulûk Bûri, traveled with the noncombatants on his right flank. Within a week they had joined at al-Azraḳ.—
   It would seem that Saladin, when coming from Egypt, followed the ancient transport route by way of Ṣadr to Ajla. Traveling rapidly, he arrived at the latter harbor within five days. Thence he took the northeastern branch road to the main transport route by way of Maʻân. From the account given it is clear that he reached the region of Ḥesma and the pass of Štâr. The branch road in question leads from al-ʻAḳaba through the Wâdi al-Jitm to the northwestern corner of the Ḥesma’ region, whence it ascends through the Štâr pass across the aš-Šera’ range and then follows parallel to this range as far as the oasis of Maʻân, which our report refers to as al-Ḳarjatejn—two settlements—because it comprises two villages. From Maʻân Saladin proceeded with his army along the main south to north transport route until he got as far as the station of al-Ḥasa’ at the head of the wâdi bearing the same name. From there he moved in a northeasterly direction to the stronghold of al-Azraḳ, where he met his brother.
   Jâḳût, Muʻǧam (Wüstenfeld), Vol. 3, p. 259, refers to the Šitâr pass as lying to the east of the Egyptian Pilgrim Road and leading through the aš-Šera’ range between the regions of al-Belḳa’ and al-Medîna. It leads north into an extensive grassy district, located south of al-Kerak, over which loom the Fârân mountains.