Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/59

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MAʻÂN TO AL-ḤOMEJMA
43

Rakeb, Ab-al-Ḫâr, al-Ḫaṣra, and al-Ḥalfa. The latter proceeds from the water Ḥsi ammu Sejfên in Ammu Kaff and is joined on the right by Umm Ṛâṭi and Umm Šellâle, between which rises the cone of Bnejẓer. To the southeast of Ḫabâri Soraṛ ends Šeʻîb at-Tebaḫḫer, which begins near Ṭwejjel al-Maǧnûn under the name of al-Mustaḥaḳna, and in which is situated the water of Ḥsejjet Štejje. The last šeʻîb, running in a north-easterly direction through the hills of Ndêrat al-Fḥûl to the marshes of as-Sabḫa, is called al-Mu‘ajẓeb.

Near Ḏât al-Ḥâǧǧ end the šeʻibân of Ḥlejf Zeben, which runs from the hills of al-Abraḳ, and Umm Zarb, which is joined by al-Hind. The latter comes from the watershed of Nedra and from the fountain of al-Hind (Bîr al-Hind), divides the hills of ʻEnejḳ on the south from those of ʻÎd (Berḳa ʻÎd) on the north, and borders on the south side of al-Ḫanâṣer. Near Berḳa ‘Îd are the springs of al-Hlêlît.

The station of Ḏât al-Ḥâǧǧ lies in a basin into which the water flows from the surrounding valleys, hiding itself beneath alluvial deposits and sand. In many places the water rises to the surface, so that it would be possible to plant the whole hollow with palms, which now grow here and there only. The pilgrimage station is a rectangular stone stronghold with a large courtyard and a shallow well containing good clean water.[1]

The plain of ad-Daṛejn, extending southward from Ḏât al-Ḥâǧǧ, is enclosed on the west by the hills of ad-Dḥal, Berḳ aṭ-Ṭwêref, and al-Ḳidrijje. Into it merges the šeʻîb of Dimne (near which are situated the wells Ǧebw al-Ḥamîr, Bîz, and Dimne), as well as the great Wâdi az-Zejte, which, under the name of an-Nǧejli, begins at Bîr al-Msallam in the az-Zejte range. On the left this wâdi is joined by Ammu Frûṯ and Umm Ḫašab, which proceed from the al-Mḫaṣṣa and al-Ḫarîḳ hills; on the right the following šeʻibân merge with az-Zejte: al-Mrašša, which rises in the Farʻûn hills; aṯ-Ṯâmri, which conveys water from al-Mnejdîr, ad-Darâbîǧ, and as-Sehem; Sdêr, separating the al-Ḫrejmât hills from ʻEmârt al-ʻAǧûz and al-Ḫawâṯel; and Rejlân, proceeding from the ruins al-Ḳrajje. At the lower end of the last-named šeʻîb are the wells of al-ʻEjêne.

To the north of our halting place, near the pass of al-Ḥdejb, the rain water flows through the šeʻibân of al-Moṛâra, Bajjûẓ, and al-Abjaẓ to the valley of aš-Šîdijje, which ends in the depression of al-Ǧafar. The dome-shaped hills of Rwejsât umm Ṛaẓa separate aš-Šîdijje from the gullies of Ṣnâʻ Ẓâher and Abu Ḳejṣûma, which combine to form the šeʻîb of aẓ-Ẓerîb. The latter, after merging with ad-Dabbe, is called Ṭa-
  1. Jâḳût, Muʻǧam (Wüstenfeld), Vol. 2, p. 182, refers to a place called Ḏât Ḥâǧ between al-Medîna and Syria.
    According to Abu-l-Feda’ (died 1331 A. D.), Muḫtaṣar (Adler), Vol. 5, p. 284, the Beni Lâm, who were encamped in the Ḥeǧâz, gathered together near Ḏât al-Ḥâǧǧ in the year 1313 and attacked the merchants traveling out on camels to Tebûk to meet the returning pilgrims. More than twenty merchants fell before they managed to beat off the Beni Lâm and take about eighty riding-camels away from them.—The Beni Lâm belonged to the tribe of Ṭajj. Today they encamp in southern Irak.
    Meḥmed Edîb, op. cit., p. 72, states that the station of Ḏât al-Ḥaǧǧ is also called Dâr al-Ḥaǧǧ, Ḥaǧar, and Bijâr. He says it is fourteen hours distant from Čaṛîmân, as the station of Ṭubejlijjât was sometimes called. During the reign of Sultan Suleiman, according to Meḥmed Edîb, a stronghold and a reservoir were established there, the latter being filled from a well dug in the stronghold. An abundance of wild dates was to be found there, because date palms thrived in soil in which water could be obtained anywhere by digging; the shallow wells at this station belonged to the Beni Selîm tribe; the hill opposite was called Ḳubbet al-Ḥaǧar; all the gravel consisted of pebbles and flints.