Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/105

 rise to a height of many meters, wearing away the rocks. At this point it is impossible to cross between the sea and the steep wall, so a bridle path about four meters broad has been cut across the spur about one hundred meters from the sea, and a small watchtower (Fig. 31)—called al-Brejǧ—has been set up to prevent the Bedouins from occupying the rocks surrounding the saddle path and thus intercepting the pilgrims on their journey. This steep path, artificially cut out from the rock, was originally called ʻAḳabat Ajla, and from it the present settlement and stronghold of al-ʻAḳaba has received its name.

At three o’clock we rode across the šeʻîb of Umm Ḥajt; at 3.10 we had Riǧm ad-Darak on our right; at 3.30 we crossed the  šeʻîb of Šrejḫ, which comes from the northern slope of al-Ḫalal and joins Umm Sidre on the left; and at about 3.45 we rode through the šeʻibân of aš-Šmejsijje, al-Mḥaǧǧar, and al-Jemanijje. Beyond the last-named the mountains recede toward the east, and between them and the sea there extends an undulating plain about two kilometers broad, on which the eṯmân grows in some places. From 4.22 to 6.45 we halted